NORSE MYTHOLOGY - LEGENDS OF GODS AND HEROES BY PETER ANDREAS MUNCH
TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE
The Norwegian original on which the present translation is based was
written by Peter Andreas Munch, the founder of the Norwegian school of
history. Munch’s scholarly interests embraced also many related subjects,
such as general history, archaeology, geography, ethnography, linguistics,
and jurisprudence. His varied labors have in large part stood the test of
time. His most important work, the “History of the Norwegian People” (Det
norske folks historie, 8 vols. 1851–63) covering the period of Norway’s
ancient independence ending with the Kalmar Union of 1397, still remains a
source book and a point of departure for historians
I. MYTHS OF THE GODS
The Creation of the World — The Giants — The Æsir — Men
and Women — Dwarfs — Vanir — Elves ……………………… 1
The Plains of Ida — Valhalla — Yggdrasil …………………….. 5
Odin ………………………………………………………………... 7
Thor ………………………………………………………………... 10
Balder ……………………………………………………………… 12
Njord ……………………………………………………………….. 13
Frey ………………………………………………………………... 15
Tyr ………………………………………………………………..... 16
Heimdal ………………………………………………………….... 17
Bragi ……………………………………………………………….. 18
Forseti ……………………………………………………………... 18
Hod — Vali — Vidar — Ull ………………………………………. 18
Hœnir — Lodur …………………………………………………… 19
Loki and His Children ……………………………………………. 21
Hermod — Skirnir ………………………………………………… 25
The Goddesses — Frigg — Jord — Freyja .…………………... 25
Saga — Eir — Gefjon — Var — Vor — Syn — Snotra ………. 28
Idun — Nanna — Sif ...…………………………………………... 29
The Norns …………………………………………………………. 30
Familiar Spirits — Attendant Spirits ……………………………. 31
The Valkyries ……………………………………………………... 32
Thorgerd Hœlgabrud and Irpa ………………………………….. 34
The Forces of Nature — Ægir …………………………………... 34
Night — Day ………………………………………………………. 3
Hel …………………………………………………………………. 37
The Giants ………………………………………………………… 39
The Dwarfs ………………………………………………………... 41
The Vettir ………………………………………………………….. 42
The Heroes and Life in Valhalla ………………………………… 48
Corruption …………………………………………………………. 49
The Treasures of the Gods ……………………………………… 50
The Rape of Idun ………………………………………………… 53
Thor’s Unlucky Journey to Jotunheim …………………………. 56
Thor’s Visit to Hymir ……………………………………………… 65
Thor’s Visit to Geirrœd …………………………………………... 70
Thor’s Combat with Rungnir …………………………………….. 72
Thrym Steals Mjollnir …………………………………………….. 76
The Necklace of the Brisings ………………………………….... 79
The Death of Balder ……………………………………………… 80
Ægir’s Banquet — The Chastising of Loki …………………...... 86
Other Norse Myths Concerning the Death of Balder (in Saxo) 94
The Death of Kvasir — Suttung ………………………………… 97
Odin’s Debate with Vafthrudnir …………………………………. 100
Odin (Grimnir) and Geirrœd …………………………………….. 102
Harbard and Thor ………………………………………………… 105
Ragnarok — The Twilight of the Gods ………………………… 108
On the Mythology of the Eddas ………………………………… 112
II. HEROIC LEGENDS
III. THE WORSHIP OF THE GODS