Ragnarök

Many of the religions of the ancient world are rich in stories of what has happened, and what does happen, but few foretell what will happen. The lore of the Norsemen, however, details exactly what will happen. As well as the story of the Creation of the World, it tells us of its ultimate destruction, and the fate of men, gods and creatures alike. Throughout the stories of Norse Mythology, friendships have gradually been forged, and feuds simmered, and enemies made. An ancient prophecy revealed how things would end. It is to this showdown that we turn this week. This is Ragnarök, or the Götterdämmerung – The Twilight of the Gods.


                             “ Trembles Yggdrasill’s towering ash
                                The Old Tree wails… ”
                                        - THE COMING OF THE END

The Fall of the Aesir
Illustration by Carl Ehrenberg

There will come a time in the Nine Worlds when order will be shaken. The Aesir will sit deep in council on Asgard’s golden plains, the dwarves shall groan at the walls of the mountain, all Jötunheim shall roar, as the fury of the Giants shall boil over. In the realm of Men on Midgard, for three Winters snow shall fall without Summer. This shall be the Fimbulwinter, and Envy and Greed will grip the world of Men. Brother shall slay brother, and many of their sister’s sons will lie slain on the field of ruinous war. The bonds which fuse father and son will be shattered as readily as the shields of the fallen. Long ago shall seem the age when Midgard was verdant green, for a fell wind of chill shall blast it for three years, and thick will be the blizzards. Then cometh the sign that will herald the beginning of the end. Since the beginning of the world (click here), the Sun and her sister the Moon have been chased across the skies by the dire wolves Sköll and Hati, fated one day to be their prey. Now, at the Twilight, their time has come. Sköll will at last seize the Sun in his jaws, and despair will fall upon the realm of men, and Hati will close his jaws upon the Moon, and the stars will vanish from the skies.

Loki's Chains are Broken
Illustration by Ernst Hermann Walther

His rage at his humiliation too terrible to behold, Loki, the deceiver who was bound (click here), will shatter his bonds and declare open war upon the Aesir, and soon upon him shall follow his foul brood. The ground will quake as the World Tree groans, the mountains will be thrown down and trees torn up, and all chains will be broken. The mighty wolf Fenrir, who the Aesir once bound (click here), lying for millennia in wait, shall break free of his bonds and a world of pain shall he unleash upon they who dared restrain him. The Ocean will erupt in fury, and towering waves shall break upon the land, for the Midgard Serpent, Jörmungandr himself in his wrath will heave his vast form from the depths of the Sea. Fenrir will roar as he advances upon the Aesir, and the roof of his mouth will scrape the Heavens, and the root the Earth. Jörmungandr will spit venom into the skies, and the Nine Worlds will be awash. From the dark forests all evil creatures will leave the shadows. Deep in the inferno of Múspell, the Fire Giants will stir. Greatest among them, the mighty Surtr will charge forth, leading the fiery vanguard against the gods, his sword of purest fire more radiant than the Sun. Hel will open her gates, and Loki her father will lead the accursed dead from Niflheim in revolution. The terrible dragon, Nidhogg, will at last bite through the roots of the World Tree, and Garm the hound of Hel, no longer sated by human blood alone will utter a hideous roar that will sound throughout the Nine Worlds, as the demonic beast thirsts for the blood of gods. Jötunheim will spit forth the Giants to march on the Aesir. All Loki’s deplorable entourage shall ascend the worlds, and reach the rainbow bridge, Bifrost, ultimate revenge within their minds.


High above, Heimdall, the vigilant watchman of the gods, alone of the Aesir will see the approaching Doom (click here). Taking the mighty horn Gjäll, he shall blast with all his might the final alarm to the gods, to oppose the roar of Garm. The Aesir will then be made aware of the Death which now lies at their Gates, and each shall ready for the final war. Odin, King of the Gods, will lead them, resplendent in magnificent gold and his mighty spear Gungnir. Close behind will follow Thor the Thunderer, Tyr the brave, Freyr the fair and every last god in Asgard. The doors of Valhalla will be thrown asunder, and the Einherjar, the great champions of men who fell in battle, handpicked by the Valkyries (click here) will march forth to fight alongside the gods. To the field Vígrídr shall both sides march, and there shall begin the final battle of the gods:


                         “ Surtr fares from southward with switch-eating flame;
                            On his sword shimmers the Sun of the War-gods;
                            The rocks are falling, and the fiends are reeling,
                            Heroes tread Hel-way, Heaven is cloven… ”
                                     - RAGNARÖK BEGINS

Odin and Fenrir
Painting by Emil Doepler

The towering din will make the cosmos quake, as both sides hurl themselves against the other. Odin, atop Sleipnir, Lord of Horses, will ride against Fenrir, bane of the Aesir, with great valour. Alongside him shall charge his mighty son, Thor the Thunderer. But the wolf is a power beyond any of them, and the King of the Gods sees his folly, recalling that ancient prophecy of his doom. Thor sees his father will be in trouble, but to no avail, for his nemesis, Jörmungandr, will lash out at him, and god and serpent will be locked in war. The fair god Freyr will oppose the infernal Surtr, and will fight will unequalled valour. Great will be his bravery, but greater still the arms of Surtr. With a strike of pure fire will the ashen Giant fell the god, and the first of the Aesir will crumple to the ground. The monstrous hound Garm will then be unleashed, and none will stand before his dreadful visage save brave Tyr, who lost his hand to the jaws of Fenrir (click here). Their fight will shudder the field and shake the spirits of all, and when the dust will clear, both will fall, each the bane of the other.

Jörmungandr and Thor
Painting by Emil Doepler

Seeing his friends dying around him, the Thunderer redoubles his rage, taking up the mighty Hammer Mjöllnir. The World Serpent, once defied by Thor (click here), lashes out, more mighty a foe than ever the Thunderer has faced. A terrible realisation comes over Thor, as he sees that all his trials and his wars have lead to this. Bellowing in fury, the Thunderer brings down Mjöllnir one final time, for a mightier strike than ever before. The Hammer will slay Jörmungandr, terror of the seas, but No! The Serpent’s fang will pierce his arm. Nine paces will the victorious god stride before succumbing to the fiery poison, and Thor too will collapse to the Earth to die. King Odin, Lord of the Aesir, distraught by the death of his great son, will hurl himself anew at Fenrir, but alas in vain. For the mightiest of wolves will swallow him whole, and the wisest of the Aesir will be gone. His beloved Frigg will then mourn. It will be then that Vidar, youngest of Odin’s sons, will find his courage at last. “With one hand he shall seize the Wolf’s upper jaw and tear his gullet asunder”, and Fenrir will crumble to the Earth, dead. Heimdall, vigilant watchman of the gods, who always suspected the treachery of Loki, faces down the Deceiver on Vígrídr’s burning plain. The valour of Heimdall will break upon the dark rage of Loki, his betrayal at last laid bare. Loki shall pierce the watchman’s side, but not before his foe’s mighty sword crashes down upon his crown, and both shall fall to die. The greatest champions on both sides lie dying, and in that moment Surtr will swing his flaming sword hither and thither, and all-consuming fire will burn all the world:


                           “ The Sun shall be darkened, Earth sinks in the Sea,
                              Glide from the Heaven, the glittering stars;
                              Smoke-reek rages, and reddening fire,
                              The high heat licks against Heaven itself. ”
                                           - THE DESTRUCTION OF THE NINE WORLDS


Now man will be judged. They who have broken oaths, and murderers and their kind will wade in the rivers of Jörmungandr’s lethal poison, and great will be their screams. The World will be overturned in fire and crumble into the Sea. The Cosmos as it is known will end. But hope will emerge.


                           “ Unsown then the fields will grow,
                              Evil be amended;
                              Baldr is coming… ”
                                    - THE NEW WORLD

The New World
Painting by Emil Doepler

There will come a time when the Earth will be born anew from beneath the Ocean, and it shall be green and fair, and abundant will be the fruits of Heaven. Vidar and Váli, the sons of Odin shall survive, for neither the fires of Surtr nor the power of the Sea shall claim them. Where once there stood Asgard in the days of the Aesir there will stand the plains of splendour, called Ida, and they shall reside there. To there shall come also Módi and Magni, the sons of Thor, and they shall find waiting there Mjöllnir, ready to serve new masters. Released now from the bonds below the Earth, he shall come to rule them, Baldr the fair, restored to glorious life. With him shall be Höðr his brother, redeemed of Loki’s taint, and he shall sit with his brother and the sons of Odin and Thor on the gentle grass and hold speech. They shall find the golden chess pieces of the Aesir, and they shall speak of the end of the last Age. It will be revealed that before the Fimbulwinter, a woman and a man, Lif and Lifþrasir sought shelter in the wood of an ancient tree, Hoddmímis Holt. Emerging from their sanctuary, the morning dew shall sustain them, and the human race will be born anew. The goddess Sól, lady of the Sun swallowed by Sköll, will bequeath to the World a daughter as beautiful as she, and she will take up the mantle of her mother, and her rays will bathe all the world in a radiant glow.

                                            “ She a hall see standing,
                                               Brighter than the Sun,
                                               With gold bedecked,
                                               There shall good people,
                                               Household build,
                                               And in a long time,
                                               Happiness enjoy… ”
                                                  - THE BEGINNING

United Kingdom

The Prose Edda:
The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)
(Contains many of the original tales of Norse Mythology, written a thousand years ago)

The Poetic Edda:
The Poetic Edda (Oxford World's Classics)
(The heroic poetry of the Norsemen, written a thousand years ago)

United States

The Prose Edda:
The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)
(Contains many of the original tales of Norse Mythology, written a thousand years ago)

The Poetic Edda:
The Poetic Edda (Oxford World's Classics)
(The heroic poetry of the Norsemen, written a thousand years ago)

The Beginning of the End of the Worlds

Baldr
Illustration by Jacques Reich

“ The second son of Odin is Baldr, and good things are to be said of him. He is best, and all praise him; he is so fair of feature, and so bright, that light shines from him. A certain herb is so white that it is likened to Baldr's brow; of all grasses it is whitest, and by it thou mayest judge his fairness, both in hair and in body. He is the wisest of the Æsir, and the fairest-spoken and most gracious; and that quality attends him, that none may gainsay his judgments. He dwells in the place called Breidablik, which is in heaven; in that place may nothing unclean be… ”

Such was the reverence of Baldr held by his fellow gods and goddesses. The envy of gods and desire of goddesses, not one evil could one attest to his name. Peace was at hand in the Nine Worlds, the fields of Asgard glowed gold and Midgard was bathed in the radiant glow of the Sun. For a time, all was well. But, tragically, events would be set into motion that would hurl man and god into the most dreadful apocalypse.

Lurking in the shadows as ever he did skulked the figure of Loki, the half giant friend to the gods, trickster and joker. But little did the Aesir know of the terrible truth now. The blood of the Jötunn flowed in Loki’s veins, and with it an anger which did not forget, or forgive. From the moment Loki saw all the other gods laugh at him in his humiliation, when his mouth was sewn by the Dwarf Brokk (for this story, please click here), when his friend Thor stood and laughed, his allegiance to them all had perished. He had seen his own children, Fenrir (here) and Jörmungandr (here), bound and smote by the gods, and in secret he was now a sworn enemy of the gods, walking among them, laughing with them in face, concealing the vengeance within. Now, the time to strike had come at last.

One night in Asgard, a nightmare of monstrous and eerie horror terrorised Baldr as he lay in sleep. Premonitions, evil portents of Death and a vision of his own end roused the fair god from his slumber with a scream that chilled the blood of the Aesir. Utter dread flooded him, as he felt the rotting hand of Death coming for him. Rising from his bed, drenched in cold sweat, Baldr rushed to tell someone, anyone, of the ghastly apparitions. When the Aesir heard these things, an ominous chill gripped the Hall of Valhalla. But it was nothing compared with the faces of Odin and Frigg, King and Queen of the Aesir and parents of Baldr. Never before had mighty Odin seemed so shaken. Once, long ago, he had heard this day would come, and swiftly upon its heels would come the end of the world. Frigg wailed for her son, her boy who had only just become a man, favoured of her children. The Aesir decided that all would defend Baldr from any foe. Frigg was relentless, as she embarked upon a vast journey throughout the Nine Worlds of the Cosmos. The mother of Baldr visited every single thing, asking each to swear an oath never to harm her son. Fire and water swore the oath. Wood, stone, ice, iron, gold, bronze, silver and all metals swore the oath. Gods, giants, dwarves, elves, trolls, serpents, poisons, venoms, plagues, birds and beasts all swore to Frigg never to harm Baldr. After her epic journey, Frigg returned to Valhalla, and could rest easily once more.

Each arrow overshot his head
Illustration by Elmer Boyd Smith

Time passed, and the gods had come to find fun in Baldr’s newfound invulnerability. They had devised a game by which the gods would hurl whatever came to hand at the fair god, and watch with amazement as each flew harmlessly away from him at the last moment – the oaths of all things were unbreakable. Spears rebounded wide, stones deflected off thin air, and swords magically stopped before they reached his flesh. “But when Loki saw this, it pleased him ill that Baldr took no hurt”. His eyes burned with wrath at the harmony in Asgard, and the Deceiver made his move. Above all other things, Loki was gifted as a shape shifter. Taking the form of an elderly woman, Loki moved among the shadows as the other gods were immersed in their new entertainment, and came before Frigg. The Queen of the Gods saw the woman, and pitied her ragged state. Frigg explained the game to her, proudly pointing out how no thing could harm her son. Loki pounced. “Have all things taken oaths to spare Baldr?” Frigg, distracted by the party, thought carefully and conceded “there grows a tree-sprout alone Westward of Valhalla, it is called mistletoe; I thought it too young to ask the oath of”. This revelation came as a triumph to Loki, and the ruin of all other things. Immediately, the trickster rushed to the place, and pulled up a sprig of mistletoe, and set to work fashioning a spear from it.

With haste he returned to sacred Valhalla, where the Aesir made merry and laughed raucously at Baldr’s invincibility. Scanning the hall, Loki saw his opportunity. The blind brother of Baldr, Höðr, stood back from the crowd, a dejected look upon his sightless face:


            “ Then spake Loki to him, ‘Why dost thou not shoot at Baldr?’ He answered
               ‘Because I see not where Baldr is, and for this also, that I am weaponless’.
               Then said Loki ‘Do thou also after the manner of other men, and show
               Baldr honour as the other men do. I will direct thee where he stands,
               shoot at him with this wand… ”
                                - LOKI'S DECEPTION

Baldr Slain
Painting by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg

And so Höðr took the mistletoe spear, and took aim at his brother, his arm steadied by the hand of Loki. With a mighty throw he let the shaft fly, and its aim was true. The blade pierced Baldr’s heart and with a murmur of dread, fell cold to the floor, dead. Words failed the Aesir, struck dumb by shock were they. Then rose a great lamentation, as the wails which heralded the beginning of the end of times sounded through Valhalla. But in none was the grief as terrible as Odin’s for he and he alone knew what the death of his son would truly begin.


The day came when the body of Baldr was borne out to sea, laid to rest in a magnificent vessel.The King of the gods laid his most precious ring, Draupnir, forged by the dwarves, upon his son’s chest as he wept. Nanna, wife to the fallen god, was so stricken with grief her will to live was broken, and followed her husband in Death. The giantess Hyrrokkin pushed the craft far out into the Ocean, with such force a spark flickered, and flames consumed Baldr. It was then, when mourning reached its peak, that Frigg asked the Aesir if there was one among them who would take the road to Hel, and try to persuade her to release Baldr, and restore him to life. Hermóðr, son of Odin, took up the challenge. Taking his father’s noble steed, Sleipnir the Lord of Horses, Hermóðr galloped nine days and nights through dark forest and dale grim. At last he reached the Gjöll Bridge, where marched many companies of dead men to their fate. Onward, Down and North, to Hel’s realm of decay Sleipnir’s hooves thundered, until there at last, seated on throne high was Hermóðr’s brother, the fair god Baldr. He moved to embrace him, but found his way barred by the goddess Hel herself. Flinging himself at her feet, Hermóðr begged the rotting lady of Death to release his brother, pouring out his heart to her and telling of the world of grief that Asgard had become. Hel considered him, and could not fail to be moved, bound as she was by the laws of the Cosmos as she was. “If all things in the world, quick and dead, weep for him, then he shall go back to the Aesir, but he shall remain with Hel if any gainsay it or will not weep”. Hermóðr looked up, excited. Could there really be a chance to get Baldr back?

Hermóðr rides to Hel
Image taken from the 18th century
 Icelandic manuscript SÁM 66

Frantically, Hermóðr thundered back to Asgard, and there was much rejoice amongst the Aesir. So, once again, Frigg undertook her mighty voyage, asking all things to weep for Baldr. Fire and water mourned. Wood, stone, ice, iron, gold, bronze, silver and all metals mourned. Gods, giants, dwarves, elves, trolls, serpents, poisons, venoms, plagues, birds and beasts all wept for the fair god. The spirit of Baldr had been readying to rejoin the land of the Aesir, when at last, only one remained to be asked. Messengers of the Aesir came to the cave of the giantess called Þökk. They approached her and prayed that she would shed tears for Baldr. But Þökk replied.






                         “ Þökk will weep waterless tears,
                            For Baldr’s bale-fare;
                            Living or dead, I loved not the churl’s son;
                            Let Hel hold to that she hath! ”
                                      - THE GIANTESS REFUSES TO MOURN

With her words rose a terrible scream of “No!” from the mouth of Frigg. The rotten hand of Hel grasped Baldr, and pulled him back down to the shadow land, there forever to dwell. Tears of the uttermost despair fell on Asgard’s golden meadows.

But then, the eye of Odin caught sight of the giantess Þökk. Her form changed. With a surge of realisation at the terrible truth, the King of the gods saw Loki standing in her place laughing manically at his triumph, for it had been he all along. Rage such as that never before seen exploded in the Aesir, all trace of grief replaced with an earth shattering roar as one. Having seen and suffered Loki’s tricks all this time, at last they saw their foe before them. The wrath of the gods turned upon him, as Thor hurled himself at his friend of old, ready to tear him limb from limb. But too skilled and agile a being was the Deceiver. Odin commanded all gods to seize Loki, to face justice at last for his heinous crimes. The Aesir gave chase, as Loki made his escape from Valhalla. For days he eluded them, until he came at last to a great river which would grant him escape from Asgard. The gods bore down on him, and many a hand dived for him, but Loki was a giant no more, but a salmon! Leaping into the waves he escaped them once again. Once, in a time before, the Aesir would have stopped, but not this time. Relentless, the Aesir planned a stratagem, and wove a net of unyielding strength, such as that which bound the wolf Fenrir all that time ago. Many times wily Loki evaded them, but there at the final dash to the sea, the net was drawn, Thor grasping one end and the rest of the Aesir the other. With a powerful burst Loki soared over the net, but not over the Thunderer’s fist. The Aesir immediately closed ranks and bound Loki tightly.

Loki in Agony
Illustration by Mårten Eskil Winge 

Given over to anger, the gods dragged Loki to a certain cave. Across three stones they lashed him to the rock, tying the chains with cruel force. Skadi, the frost giantess took up a great serpent and coiled it in the roof of the cave above him. Sealing the cave, with Loki and his wife Sigyn within, the Aesir departed. Venom dripped from the serpent’s fangs, and when each drop struck the Deceiver’s cheek, he writhed in agony, each throe rousing a terrible earthquake. Sigyn, desperate to help her husband, took a bowl and held it under the serpent’s jaws. But there come times when the bowl is full, and Sigyn must empty it. In the seconds in which she does, the fiery poison strikes Loki’s cheek once again, and maddening pain is his. Once, Loki had desired to humiliate the Aesir, but only humiliate them. As each drop of the serpent’s venom kindled his rage, his hate grew. Events had now been set in motion that could not be reversed. For Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods, where the world will be overturned in fire, is coming. It will begin here, in this cave, when Loki will break free of his chains, to one end alone – the annihilation of the gods.  


United Kingdom

The Prose Edda
The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)
(The original old tales of Norse Mythology, written a thousand years ago)

United States

The Prose Edda
The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)
(The original old tales of Norse Mythology, written a thousand years ago)

The Stolen Hammer

Sometimes, it was not just mortals who had to go to incredible lengths in the name of honour. Sometimes, even the gods themselves were forced to endure shame and indignity for a greater good. One famous example of this was the time when the Hammer of Thor, son of Odin, god of Thunder and powerful deity of the Norse pantheon, was stolen...

Mjöllnir
Amulet discovered in Skåne, Sweden

One day, high in the golden fields of Asgard, there was great consternation. For it was that Thor, mighty among the Aesir, had awoken to his greatest fear. As he rose from his bed, he discovered to his horror that Mjöllnir, his legendary Hammer, was no where to be found. The Thunderer let out a shout of rage which shook Valhalla to its very foundations. For Mjöllnir was no ordinary tool of war. Forged by the dwarves deep in their earthly forge (for the story of this, please click here), the thunder god's hammer was more powerful than any other weapon in the cosmos. So great was the Hammer's power that only one who wore megingjörð, the belt of hyper strength, and the Járngreipr, the gloves of iron, could wield it. Understandable, therefore, was Thor's anguish. Roused by the thundering bellow, Loki, the scheming and deceitful ally to the Aesir, came before the dismayed son of Odin. Desperate now, Thor turned to Loki and said:


             " Listen, Loki, to what I am saying,
               what no one knows neither on earth
               or in Heaven: the Hammer of the God is stolen! "
                             - THOR'S PLEA

Freyja
Painting by Nils Blommér

Delighting in chaos, as ever he did, Loki heard Thor's call. The trickster soothed Thor, assuring him that he would look for it. Without delay, both made leave for the goddess Freyja. Renowned throughout the Nine Worlds for her beauty, Freyja was the envy of ladies of every race. Loki bowed to the fair goddess, and asked of her the exquisite cloak of feathers which she possessed, an enchanted artifact which could change the form of any being to an eagle. "I'd give it to you even if it were made of gold", she replied at once, handing the magical plumage over. In a flash, Loki drew the cloak around his shoulders, and in an instant, spread forth his elegant wings, and soared into the sky. On and on he charged through the skies, past the boundaries of the divine house, past the golden plains, past the boundaries of Asgard itself. Soon, the airborn deceiver circled Jötunheim, the cruel land of snow and ice, home of the Jötunn, the fierce race of frost giants (for more on this race, please click here). This was a land hostile to gods, for the giants and the Aesir were locked in perpetual war, but Loki, himself half giant, could enter where gods could not (for more on Loki's past, click here). Spotting a giant from a great distance through his aquiline eye, Loki made haste toward his fellow Jötunn. The giant Thrym, King of Jötunheim, sat high upon a grave mound, tending his monstrous flock. Loki, in uncharacteristic urgency, demanded to know the location of the Hammer, suspecting as he did the evil machinations of the Jötunn. Triumphantly, Thrym replied:


          " I have hidden Thor's Hammer
            eight leagues under the earth;
            no man will ever take it back again,
            unless I am brought Freyja as my wife "
                           - THRYM'S TAUNT


Elated that the location of the Hammer was known, Loki sped forth to return to the Aesir's Halls, unknowing of the indignity of the words he was to bear. The son of Odin leaped to his feet at the approach of the trickster, and leaped higher still when Loki told him of his beloved Mjöllnir. Both friends came once again before fair headed Freyja, and told her of their plight. Snorting in rage, Freyja furiously refused Thrym's request, suffering not the dishonour of living as a Jötunn's bride. Fair though her decline was, great was Thor's dismay. Summoning the Aesir to their glorious array, the Thunderer put forth his ghastly plight. Silent were the words on the Aesir's lips, when out spake far sighted Heimdall, watchman of the gods:


          " Let's dress Thor in a bridal head-dress,
             let him wear the necklace of the Brisings.

             Let keys jingle about him
             and let women's clothing fall down to his knees,
             and on his breast let's display jewels,
             and we'll arrange a head-dress suitably on his head! "
                             - HEIMDALL'S PLAN

Loki conceals Thor
Engraving by Carl Larsson

At once, the Thunderer leaped up in rage. Such outrage! Such indignity! The mightiest of the war gods, dress as a woman! The shame would be the end of him. Then out spake Loki, whose mischievous words were cloaked in honey. He too would don a maid's attire, so that he would not be alone. Only Thor alone could wield Mjöllnir, no other god could lift it. Thor, seething with fury, saw wisdom in Loki's words, and thought only of the Jötunn who would pay. All too conscious of his powerless state, Thor bade the Aesir dress him without delay. Not a moment passed, and both friends made haste to Jötunheim.

King Thrym was overjoyed at the sight before his eyes, and could scarcely believe his good fortune. The two maidens were welcomed into the royal halls, whence forth a magnificent banquet was soon laid. The Jötunn gathered from far and wide for the union of their mightiest kin and fairest god, little aware of the bride's true veil. The night drew in, the fires roared and the places were set. There at the head of the high table sat the king of the giants and his apparent bride. Thor, who had a godly appetite, soon devoured his way through many a plate of roasted meat, oblivious as he was to the countless eyes upon him. The king of the icy realms looked on bewildered, but quick thinking Loki allayed his fears. "For eight days and eight nights the lady has not eaten, so excited was she at the thought of marriage to thee", the trickster explained. Delighted at this, was the king of giants and merrily he beckoned forth more plates. The revelry went on into the night, and when the wine began to take its dark effect, King Thrym leant in to embrace his new wife. A flash of crimson darkened Thor's eyes, as the Thunderer's anger grew, and the Jötunn saw it. Cunning Loki struck up once more, "For eight days and eight nights the lady has not slept, so excited was she at the thought of marriage to thee". The cruel king once again was elated at this news, and the merriment grew. The king of the frozen peaks called for silence to the gathered crowd, and beckoned a servant to enter the hall.

In he came, bearing the most splendid gift fit for the finest of brides, and there, seated upon opulent cushion, was the mighty Hammer of Thor. At the king's command, the gift was laid upon the knees of his bride, and the hall looked on eagerly. A dark smile passed over the bride's face. His moment come at last, the son of Odin tore his veil asunder, seizing the haft of Mjöllnir. A flash of lightning, his true identity revealed, and the Jötunn saw their fate sealed. With a roar that rocked the cosmos, the Thunderer took up the Hammer, and with every muscle in his swing, did verily spare not one thing. A ripple of fear gripped the room, but nothing could save them from their doom...

United Kingdom

The Poetic Edda:
The Poetic Edda (Oxford World's Classics)
(A sizeable collection of stories, telling many of the myths of Norse Mythology, each in a short and accessible poem)

United States

The Poetic Edda:

The Poetic Edda (Oxford World's Classics)
(A sizeable collection of stories, telling many of the myths of Norse Mythology, each in a short and accessible poem)

The Blacksmith's Revenge

Legend tells of a King who once lived in the far northern wastes of Sweden, a King infamous for his cruelty his greed and his savage megalomania - King Nidud. His subjects, and his servants, lived in constant fear of the King's wrath, which could be sparked by the most trivial of things, or even by his boredom. The feared King, however, would learn to rue the day he turned his ferocity toward the blacksmith Völundr.

Völundr
Image in the public domain

One day, long ago, the three sons of the King of the Finns went hunting in the high mountains. Their names were Eginn, Slagfinn, and the youngest was called Völundr. Blissfully lost in the woods, the brothers came to a clearing by the side of a great lake, a place so beautiful they decided to build a house there. Their tiring work done, the brothers admired their handiwork, and slept soundly in their new abode. When the brothers awoke the next morning, they were transfixed by the sight before them. Three young women, laughing and spinning flax, were relaxing by the calm waters. Stricken by their beauty, the stunned brothers realised who they were - Valkyries (for more about them, please click here). Overjoyed at their fortune, the brothers invited the maidens to their new dwelling, and were gracious hosts to their glamorous guests. Time passed, and soon each brother had fallen for a Valkyrie. Völundr was captivated by the Valkyrie Alvit, and soon the two were bound in matrimony. For seven years they lived in joyful serenity, having a son, until one day, Völundr awoke to find her missing. Searching far and wide, he could find no trace of her, and soon discovered that the same had happened to his two brothers. The Valkyries had departed the land, for as the servants of Odin, they were bound to his will and obeyed his summons. Alvit had left her beloved Völundr with just a golden ring to remember her by. Racked with grief, Eginn and Slagfinn set off in vain search of their Valkyries, whilst Völundr remained behind, sad, yet hopeful that he may one day see Alvit again. He lived a life of quiet grace, focusing his mind on his ability to work metal in place of his sorrow. Soon, his skill was such that he became famous throughout the lands of the North for the fabulously ornate objects that emerged from his forge.

Völundr at the Forge
Image taken from the 'Franks Casket' (British Museum)

Far away, word reached the ear of King Nidud of Völundr's talent. A greedy and heartless man, Nidud resolved to make a slave of this blacksmith, so that no other might boast of riches greater than his own. Like many wicked men, he sought such riches not to admire their beauty, but simply to possess them.  The cruel King sent forth his soldiers to seize the smith and his treasures, and to bring Völundr before him. The soldiers found Völundr asleep, dreaming of the return of Alvit, when they seized his possessions, and hurled the blacksmith himself into a sack. When Völundr opened his eyes again, he found himself, hands bound, staring into the harsh face of King Nidud himself. The King eyed the smith, running his fingers over a golden ring. Völundr saw, to his anger, that it was the ring which his beloved Alvit had left him. Nidud declared that Völundr would henceforth make riches only for him, until the day he died. His anger building, Völundr cried "Never!" The King, secretly a coward, was unnerved that someone would not be afraid of him. His fear soon turning to fury, Nidud ordered his guards to take Völundr to the tiny island of Saevarstad, where the blacksmith would either comply, or die. Just then, the King's wife, who was no better a person than her husband, suggested that the sinews in the blacksmith's legs be severed, so that he may never run, or swim, and escape. Nidud's two sons howled with laughter as Völundr's screams of pain pierced the night.


When Völundr regained consciousness, he found himself on the smallest, most miserable and lonely island one can imagine. So small he could easily see the whole coast, and the raging torrents crashing upon them, he was given a squalid hut in which to work, and if the previous day's work was satisfactory to the King,  a messenger would bring food. There would be no comforts here. Tears of rage flowed down Völundr's fair cheek, with Alvit as distant as ever, whilst Nidud besmirched the glory of his works with his cruel hand:


                                           " Shines Nidud's
                                             sword in his belt,
                                             which I whetted
                                             as I could best,
                                             and tempered,
                                             as seemed to me most cunningly;
                                             that bright blade forever
                                             is taken away from me:
                                             never shall I see it borne
                                             into Völundr's smithy... "
                                                    - THE MELANCHOLY OF VÖLUNDR


Descended from the Elves, Völundr possessed some of the cunning of that race, and thought desperately of how to escape his sorry plight. Time passed, and soon the treasuries of King Nidud overflowed with the most exquisite works of gold and silver imaginable, and the King was pleased, for he was the envy of the land. Every night, after his backbreaking work for the King's lust for riches was done, Völundr set to work, crafting for himself a set of wings, with struts of silver, and feathers of the most finely beaten brass. Slowly, over time, the wings began to take shape.

Bodvild and Völundr
Relief by Johannes Gehrts

One day, when the wings were nearing completion, a visitor came to Völundr's island - the King's daughter, Bodvild. Now Bodvild was something of a black sheep in her family. Spared the cruel nature of her father, mother and brothers, Bodvild had a warmer, gentler nature. Indeed, from the moment she saw Völundr in her father's hall and pitied him, had fallen for him. Now she came before him, and tentatively asked the lame smith if he might adjust a ring for her, too big for her own finger as it was. Turning to face her, Völundr saw that she was running her finger over a golden ring - Alvit's ring. Burning with fury, Völundr took back the ring and seized his hammer, determined to slay her then. If he could not reach the King, then she would have to do. Neither Völundr nor Boldvid could have imagined what was going through the other's mind. But then, just as Völundr advanced upon her, she declared her anger with her father for his cruelty, and confessed her feelings.  Blinded with silent rage, Völundr would not be swayed from his vengeance, yet saw now a new way to retaliate. The morning after, Völundr spurned her advance, commanding her to leave him and never seek him out again, knowing that he would condemn her to a lifetime of mournful melancholy. The princess fled in tears, distraught, and truly alone. Völundr, who had suffered such torments, now rapidly descended into the very thing he hated so much.


Back in the palace, selfish though he was, Nidud could not help noticing that Bodvild was a shadow of her former self, wandering the corridors as though a shade. But fresh disturbances began to plague him. His sons, his heirs to his kingdom, had not been seen since the day before. As the royal family sat down to their banquet that evening, messengers brought fresh gifts from Völundr to the High Table. King Nidud marvelled at his latest treasure - two goblets. The cups were rather grander in size than any normal chalice, rather similar in size, in fact, to a human skull. Gazing hungrily at the silver gilt cups, the greedy King drank deeply from them, as the heartless Queen placed her gift around her neck - a magnificent necklace, of four precious stones. Each stone was unlike any seen before, circular, and rather like the shape of a human eyeball. The Queen rather thought it reminded her of her two boys, but she could not place her finger upon exactly why. Bodvild, dejected, barely noticed her own gift, of a golden brooch, inlaid with many rows of nuggets, each rather like a human tooth in size.

Völundr's forge
Image taken from Ardre Image Stone VIII

Far away, on the lonely isle, the vengeful blacksmith had at last finished work on his shiny new wings. As a storm raged outside, Völundr took flight, heading toward Nidud's castle. As the night closed in, a flash of thunder suddenly roused the King from his slumber, and he was afraid. It suddenly occurred to him that perhaps his boys had visited Völundr, and maybe the blacksmith might know of their fate? He did not have to wait long to see him. For there, framed in his window, stood Völundr himself, dripping with rainwater, his face contorted with savage pleasure. "Where are my brave boys?" demanded King Nidud. Völundr laughed. They had both come to his smithy, demanding him to craft for them swords of gold. He had slain them both, gilt their skulls in silver and cast their bodies beside his forge. He further had wrenched their eyes from their sockets and set them too, in metal, and wove them into a necklace, which the boys' own mother now wore. He had broken their teeth and set them in a brooch of gold, which the boys' own sister now wore pinned to her chest. Völundr mocked Nidud, as now he had slain both his sons, and broken the heart of his daughter. The King wailed, as to his horror, he realised that he had drunk wine from the skulls of his own sons. The Queen, her sanity broken forever, simply laughed maniacally at the night, whilst the King, for the first time in his life, wept. Völundr, who now had truly forgotten his old self, leapt from the window, and took flight...

The saga of Völundr is at once a tragedy, a moral tale and a warning. It is common for heroes to grow in virtue as their quest develops, but Völundr is completely the opposite. As a result of his arduous life, each test served only to shake the foundations of his humanity, and is a stark reminder that cruelty so often breeds more cruelty, and that life does not always have a happy ending...

United Kingdom

The Poetic Edda:
The Poetic Edda (Oxford World's Classics)
(A grand collection of tales, mythology and fable from across the Norselands)

United States

The Poetic Edda:
The Poetic Edda (Oxford World's Classics)
(A grand collection of tales, mythology and fable from across the Norselands)

The Mortality of Gods

The natural balance and harmony of everyday life is a delicate thing so easily overturned. The alarming speed with which this can transpire is a powerful reminder of its fragility. This much was a terrible truth as much to the gods of the Norse lands as it is to us today. For the Aesir who dwelled in the highest of the Nine Worlds struggled daily for their supremacy over the cosmos, with foes outside and within. Tales abound of their triumphs, and their perils, as they desperately try to stay the hand of Chaos. One such story is the legend of the Golden Apples.

The Eagle watches
Image taken from the 18th century Icelandic
manuscript SÁM 66

One day, three among the Aesir came down to Midgard in the realm of Men. These three were Odin, King of the gods, Loki the trickster and Hoenir, one of the gods who had helped Odin in the creation of the cosmos (for the story of the Creation, please click here). In their wanderings, they scaled vast mountains, stalked great plains and crossed mighty rivers and lakes. Weary from their toil, the gods soon desired rest from their journey, and sustenance for the road ahead. Reaching the crest of a large valley, the Aesir saw before them a great herd of oxen, grazing in the dale. Delighted by this fortuitous find, the gods took the most powerful bull from its brethren, in anticipation of the splendid feast they would soon enjoy. Coming to the eaves of a magnificent forest, the Aesir slaughtered the bullock and began to roast the fine meat, as they lay down to rest under a towering tree. A little while later, eager to dine, the gods looked into the pot and saw to their horror that the meat was as raw as though no flame had so much as touched it. Thinking they had made a mistake with the fire, they tried once again, and to their dismay, the meat still would not cook. As the gods took counsel as to what this bizarre turn of events might mean, a powerful voice sounded from the branches above. The voice declared that it had stayed the fire's heat. Looking up, the Aesir saw no man or god, but a mighty eagle, perched upon a strong bough, greater in stature by far than any eagle seen before. The eagle spoke once again, and declared that the meat would cook if they would allow him a share of the ox in return. Dying of hunger, the famished Aesir assented. The magnificent bird took flight, soaring down to the cooking pot, and in a clatter of talons, seized the two hams of the bullock, and both shoulders, the finest cuts of the ox. Furious at being the sport of a mere bird, Loki seized his spear, and thrust it into the eagle.


With a shout of pain and anger, the eagle leapt into the skies with the spear, and Loki, holding on for dear life. Flying low, the eagle dragged the trickster through the scrub and harsh mountains, the god writhing in pain from the battering. Loki begged the bird to release him, but the eagle was adamant, he would release Loki only if he would give him his word that he would send out of Asgard the lady Idunn and the Golden Apples. This was an audacious request indeed, for the Golden Apples of Asgard were the divine fruit which granted immortality to whomsoever would eat from them, and were a mighty gift indeed (just like the Golden Apples from Greek Mythology, which you can read about here). For Loki, who was not truly one of the gods (for more about this, please click here), to hand over such a cornerstone of the gods' strength would be a terrible sin indeed. But Loki, ever the deceiver and bent on spreading Chaos, saw now a perfect opportunity to bring about the anarchy he so craved. Agreeing to the eagle's request, Loki was at once released, and he returned to Odin and Hoenir, neglecting to mention the fell pact he had just made.

The Eagle and Idunn
Painting by Harry Theaker

On their return to golden Asgard, the gods were still as yet oblivious to the blasphemy about to unfold. One night, Loki came before Idunn, and spoke of some majestic apples he had found in a certain wood in Asgard. Unaware of Loki's lies, Idunn was intrigued, for it was though only the Golden Apples in her care were enchanted. Loki asked her if she would go to the wood, with the Golden Apples, so that she may compare them. This seemed reasonable to Idunn, so she quickly stole away from the confines of the fortress, heading for the open plains. At once, Idunn saw a shadow grow around her, and she looked up, seeing an enormous eagle swooping upon her. Snared in the creature's talons, Idunn was spirited away to the icy wastes of Jötunheim, the home of the fierce Jötunn, a race of cruel giants with whom the Aesir are continually at war (for more about this race, please click here). However, there is one among the Aesir who does not sleep, and the theft did not escape his gaze. For he was Heimdall, the vigilant watchman of the gods, who keeps an eternal sentry over the rainbow bridge which connects the realm of the gods and that of men, Bifrost. Here he awaits any sign of the coming end of the world, known as Ragnarök, ready to blast a warning on Gjall, a horn so loud its roar will shake the foundations of the Nine Worlds. Meanwhile, the Aesir were struck with anguish at the loss of the Golden Apples. Deprived of the source of their eternal youth, the gods grew feeble, and their hair was rapidly turning as white as the snows of Jötunheim. As their youth waned, so too did their strength, as even mighty Thor was bent with age. Panic spread throughout Asgard, as with the failing of the strength of the Aesir, there would be nothing to stop the Jötunn should they mount an attack on the Heavens. The dying gods held urgent council, desperate for knowledge of where Idunn and the Golden Apples had gone. Loki sat silent, relishing the agony he had unleashed. But to his horror, Heimdall took the floor, revealing the true extent of Loki's machinations. The watchman revealed that he had seen the eagle bear Idunn to Thrymheimr in the land of Jötunheim. Heimdall's revelations struck deep in Odin. For in that moment he realised the extent of the deception - the eagle was no true eagle at all, but had been the giant Thiazi, a Jötunn who dwelled in Thrymheimr and excelled in disguise. In a rage the Aesir seized Loki and threatened him with all manner of torture and death if he did not return Idunn and her Apples at once. Fearing for his life, Loki had no choice but to comply.


To assist him, the goddess Freyja lent Loki the magical hawk's plumage she possessed, which allowed its wearer to shape shift into the form of a hawk. Taking flight, Loki soared with all haste to Jötunheim. Coming to Thiazi's abode in the frozen mountains, Loki found Idunn and the Apples within, but the giant out. Transforming the lady into a nut, Loki snatched her and the Apples in his talons, and tore off back to Asgard. Just then the Jötunn returned, furious that his prize had gone. Spying a hawk on the horizon, Thiazi immediately took on his eagle form and soared after Loki. In Asgard, the Aesir saw Loki approach, tailed closely by Thiazi, and prepared a bonfire to guide Loki's way. As Loki sped over the ramparts and down to the courtyard, the Aesir lit the fires. Loki just managed to get through, but Thiazi was unable to stop in time, hurtling straight into the blaze. The flames burned his feathers, as his disguise began to unravel in the conflagration. Their anger at the giant's balsphemy still raw, the Aesir set upon him and slew him. Loki resumed his normal form and proudly presented Idunn and her Apples back to the gods, though in secret, he was maddened that his schemes had failed once again, and he ever after bore a grudge against Heimdall.

Skadi
Original artwork by Carl Fredrick von Saltza

But all was not yet at peace. For in Jötunheim, Skadi, the daughter of Thiazi, had returned home and learned the truth of her father's fate. Seizing her arms and armour, she at once made for Asgard, determined to avenge her father. The Aesir, however, impressed by her loyalty and bravery, offered their reconciliation and desire for peace. Skadi requested two things, firstly, that she be granted a husband from among the Aesir, and secondly, that they make her happy. The gods agreed to her first request, and told her she may choose from any of the gods, on the condition that she make her choice based on looking at their feet only. So the line up began, and Skadi set about her inspection, hoping to choose Baldr, the famously handsome son of Odin. Coming to the fairest pair of feet she could find, Skadi announced that she had chosen. Looking up, however, it was with dismay that she saw it was not Baldr, but Njord, the rugged god of the sea. But her disappointment was short lived, for in response to Skadi's second request, Odin obliged by granting her the gift of laughter, something no frost giantess before had yet known. As a final mark of gratitude, Odin took the eyes of Thiazi and cast them into the Heavens where they would reside forever as a constellation in the night sky... 

United Kingdom

Penguin Classics:
The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)
(A fast paced 'episodic' version well suited to the casual reader)

United States

Penguin Classics:
The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)
(A fast paced 'episodic' version well suited to the casual reader)

Sleipnir

Unlike the gods which rule over the more familiar civilisations of Greece and Rome, the gods of the Norselands, whilst mighty cosmic beings, are not all powerful. In their natural form they are born, grow old and die, and can be killed in war as readily as mortal men. Divine strength alone is never enough to assure them of their supremacy, as wits and cunning count for much in Norse Mythology, far more than brute force ever could. Second to none in cunning was the god Loki (whose exploits can be found in this site, click here for one). Though cruel and ambitious at heart, Loki just sometimes could be the saviour of those he is destined to destroy. This is one such story.

The Ride of the Valkyries
Drawing by John Charles Dollman.

Early in the days of the Nine Worlds, the Aesir, or war gods, established the world of Midgard as the realm of Men, and the golden land of Asgard as their own domain. At the centre of Asgard lay the towering walls of Valhalla, the Hall of the Slain. It was here that Odin, King of the gods, made his great throne, and watched over the cosmos, as his two loyal Ravens, Huginn and Muninn, whispered the tidings of the Nine Worlds to him. Valhalla itself was a mighty structure, with spear shafts as rafters, a roof thatched with shields, five hundred and forty doors; each one wide enough for eight hundred armed warriors to pass through abreast at any one time. This was entirely practical, for the Hall of Valhalla was filled with mighty heroes. Odin, aware that the stability of the cosmos depended on a delicate balance between all the races that inhabited it, knew that in the end it must come to one final, apocalyptic war - Ragnarök. In ever vigilance for when that day might come, the greatest heroes amongst the world of men, when they fell in battle, were borne to Valhalla by the faithful handmaidens of Odin - the Valkyries. Every day in Valhalla, these heroes, known as the Einherjar, marched forth to fight and hone their skills in war, and every night they would return to feast, consuming huge quantities of eternally replenishing pork and wine. But strong arms and valour alone would not prevail.

Freyja
Painting by J Doyle Penrose.

One day, a strange sight greeted the Aesir as they awoke in Asgard. A humble man appeared, leading a weary looking packhorse towards them. The man came before the bewildered gods with a startling proposal. Bowing before the Aesir, the man offered to build them a mighty stronghold, so powerful and great that it would never yield before any foe, not even the cruel Jötunn could breach it. Furthermore, the man claimed to be able to do so in just three seasons. But the man asked in return a great price. As wages for this great work, the man demanded the hand of the goddess Freyja in marriage, as well as the Sun and the Moon for his own. Freyja, not one of the Aesir, but of the Vanir, or fertility gods, was renowned throughout the Nine Worlds for her beauty, and coveted by many a god, let alone a man. As for the Sun and Moon, their journey around the Earth kept the life force of the Worlds flowing, and the consequence of their loss was unthinkable. The Aesir held council. In their pride, the gods could not believe that this man could do all he claimed in just three seasons. But to be safe, the Aesir returned to the man and promised him all he had asked - if he completed the work in one winter, without the help of any man. If by the first day of summer any part of the citadel was incomplete, he would forfeit his wager. The man humbly accepted the terms, asking only that he be permitted the help of the loyal stallion, who he called Svaðilfari, at his side. But before the Aesir could deliberate on this, Loki spoke out, decreeing that this seemed fair and reasonable. Since the gods were confident of victory, all agreed, and the bet was on.

On the first day of Winter the man set to work straight away on the citadel, his stallion eagerly following the bidding of its master. Soon however, it had not escaped the notice of the Aesir, "what great rocks that horse drew". This was clearly no ordinary horse, as it dragged the mightiest boulders in its wake with ease. So magnificent was the horse, the fortress began to take shape with alarming speed. The Aesir began to become unsettled, particularly as the greatest warrior among them, Thor, was away in the East at war with the Trolls. Yet they waited, still even now disbelieving that the work could be done in one Winter, especially since the man had originally said three seasons.

Loki and Svaðilfari
Drawing by Dorothy Hardy.

Time passed, the nights grew long and the days cold. As the snow began to fall in Asgard, the man and his horse toiled away endlessly, working through the frozen eves. The towering ramparts grew higher and higher, with no sign of weariness from man or horse. On the third day before the dawning of Summer, the man was nearing the gates of the citadel, and the structure was so high and robust that it was already invulnerable to attack. The gods sat in council, and there was much consternation. Now seriously troubled that they would lose their wager, the gods looked for the one responsible for their current plight. All eyes fell on Loki, the one who had allowed the man to take the mighty horse as an assistant. The Aesir decreed that Loki would deserve a horrible death, if he could not now find a way out of their darkest hour. Threatening the deceitful god with violence, the Aesir charged Loki with stopping the completion of the citadel at all costs. That same evening, the man and his Svaðilfari emerged once more, bearing stone for the keep. As they neared the fortifications however, a mare suddenly emerged from the forests, neighing at Svaðilfari. The stallion, going beserk, thrashed around wildly until its restraints were shattered and bounded off after the mare into the forests. The horses chased each other all night, and the man chased Svaðilfari all night too.

Odin and Sleipnir
Painting by Arthur Rackham.

When day broke, the man had still not found Svaðilfari, and realised that he could not complete the work without him. Frustrated, the man fell into a fury, tearing away his disguise and revealing himself to be a giant, a Jötunn. Seeing the deception and trickery, for the evil Jötunn were not permitted in the sacred grounds of Asgard, the Aesir roared in fury. Hearing the shouts of his kin, the Thunder god himself returned to Asgard, and Thor stepped into the field. Raising Mjöllnir high over his head, the Thunderer slammed the mighty hammer with all his might into the giant's head, shattering his skull and sending shards flying through the Nine Worlds. The Giant who tried to deceive the gods was now sent flying to Niflheim, the land of the dead. Emerging from the woods came Loki, but he was not alone. A majestic horse accompanied him, the finest charger ever to walk the cosmos, with eight thundering hooves. For the mare who had seduced Svaðilfari had truly been Loki in disguise, and their union had produced the Lord of Horses - Sleipnir. The Aesir showered their gratitude upon Loki for sparing them the humiliation, and in return, Loki gifted Sleipnir to Odin. This was a mighty gift. Swifter and more powerful than any horse from the earthly plain, Sleipnir could bear Odin with the swiftness of the winds across the Cosmos upon its eight poweful legs. All was well, for now...

United Kingdom

Penguin Classics:

The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)

(A fast paced 'episodic' version well suited to casual reading)

United States

Penguin Classics:

The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)

(A fast paced 'episodic' version well suited to casual reading)