Chapter I: Front Matter

THE CHILDREN OF ODIN The Book of Northern Myths

By Padraic Colum

Illustrated by Willy Pogany

Master storyteller Padraic Colum's rich, musical voice captures all the magic and majesty of the Norse sagas in his retellings of the adventures of the gods and goddesses who lived in the Northern paradise of Asgard before the dawn of history.

Here are the matchless tales of All-Father Odin, who crosses the Rainbow Bridge to walk among men in Midgard and sacrifices his right eye to drink from the Well of Wisdom; of Thor, whose mighty hammer defends Asgard; of Loki, whose mischievous cunning leads him to treachery against the gods; of giants, dragons, dwarfs and Valkyries; and of the terrible last battle that destroyed their world.

These ancient stories from Northern Europe, which make up one of the great myth cycles of Western civilization, spring to life in _The Children of Odin_. This classic volume, first published in 1920 and reissued in 1962, is now available for the first time in paperback, illustrated with the original line drawings by Willy Pogany, to inspire a new generation of readers.

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The late Padraic Colum was a poet, playwright, founder of the _Irish Review_ and a leader of the Irish Renaissance, but he is perhaps best known today for his outstanding books for children. He was awarded the Regina Medal in 1961 for his "distinguished contribution to children's literature," honoring works like _The Children's Homer_, _The Golden Fleece_ (a Newbery Honor Book), _The Arabian Nights_, _The King of Ireland's Son_ and _Roofs of Gold_.

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THE CHILDREN OF ODIN

The Book of Northern Myths

by

PADRAIC COLUM

illustrated by Willy Pogany

Collier Books Macmillan Publishing Company New York

Collier Macmillan Publishers London

Copyright Macmillan Publishing Company, a division of Macmillan, Inc., 1920; copyright renewed by Padraic Colum and Macmillan Publishing Company 1948 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher.

Macmillan Publishing Company 866 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022 Collier Macmillan Canada, Inc.

_The Children of Odin_ is also published in a hardcover edition by Macmillan Publishing Company. First Collier Books edition 1984 Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Colum, Padraic, 1881-1972.

The children of Odin.

Summary: A retelling of the Norse sagas about Odin, Freya, Thor, Loki and the other gods and goddesses who lived in Asgard before the dawn of history.

1. Mythology, Norse--Juvenile literature. [1. Mythology, Norse] I. Pogany, Willy, 1882-1955, ill. II. Title.

BL860.C63 1984b 293'.13 83-20368 ISBN 0-02-042100-1 (pbk.: alk. paper)

CONTENTS

PART I _The Dwellers in Asgard_

1. Far Away and Long Ago 3

2. The Building of the Wall 6

3. Iduna and Her Apples: How Loki Put the
Gods in Danger 13

4. Sif's Golden Hair: How Loki Wrought
Mischief in Asgard 27

5. How Brock Brought Judgment on Loki 34

6. How Freya Gained Her Necklace and How
Her Loved One Was Lost to Her 44

7. How Frey Won Gerda, the Giant Maiden,
and How He Lost His Magic Sword 51

8. Heimdall and Little Hnossa: How All
Things Came to Be 62

9. The All-Father's Forebodings: How He
Leaves Asgard 69

PART II _Odin the Wanderer_

1. Odin Goes to Mimir's Well: His Sacrifice
for Wisdom 77

2. Odin Faces an Evil Man 82

3. Odin Wins for Men the Magic Mead 90

4. Odin Tells to Vidar, His Silent Son, the
Secret of His Doings 99

5. Thor and Loki in the Giants' City 102

6. How Thor and Loki Befooled Thrym the
Giant 116

7. AEgir's Feast: How Thor Triumphed 124

8. The Dwarf's Hoard, and the Curse that
It Brought 136

PART III _The Witch's Heart_

1. Foreboding in Asgard 151

2. Loki the Betrayer 155

3. Loki Against the AEsir 164

4. The Valkyrie 169

5. The Children of Loki 174

6. Baldur's Doom 180

7. Loki's Punishment 193

PART IV _The Sword of the Volsungs and the
Twilight of the Gods_

1. Sigurd's Youth 199

2. The Sword Gram and the Dragon Fafnir 208

3. The Dragon's Blood 215

4. The Story of Sigmund and Signy 223

5. The Story of Sigmund and Sinfiotli 233

6. The Story of the Vengeance of the
Volsungs and of the Death of Sinfiotli 239

7. Brynhild in the House of Flame 245

8. Sigurd at the House of the Nibelungs 250

9. How Brynhild Was Won for Gunnar 255

10. The Death of Sigurd 260

11. The Twilight of the Gods 265