Chapter I: Preface

In preparing the Second Edition of this little volume of tales from the Northern Mythology for the press, the Authors have thought it advisable to omit the conversations at the beginning and end of the chapters, which had been objected to as breaking the course of the narrative. They have carefully revised the whole, corrected many inaccuracies and added fresh information drawn from sources they had not had an opportunity of consulting when the volume first appeared. The writers to whose works the Authors have been most indebted, are Simrock, Mallet, Laing, Thorpe, Howitt and Dasent.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

INTRODUCTION, 9

CHAPTER I. THE ÆSIR.

PART I.--A GIANT--A COW--AND A HERO, 41
II.--AIR THRONE, THE DWARFS, AND THE LIGHT ELVES, 51
III.--NIFLHEIM, 59
IV.--THE CHILDREN OF LOKI, 67
V.--BIFRÖST, URDA, AND THE NORNS, 72
VI.--ODHÆRIR, 81

CHAPTER II. HOW THOR WENT TO JÖTUNHEIM.

PART I.--FROM ASGARD TO UTGARD, 109
II.--THE SERPENT AND THE KETTLE, 130

CHAPTER III. FREY.

PART I.--ON TIPTOE IN AIR THRONE, 147
II.--THE GIFT, 152
III.--FAIREST GERD, 157
IV.--THE WOOD BARRI, 163

CHAPTER IV. THE WANDERINGS OF FREYJA.

PART I.--THE NECKLACE BRISINGAMEN, 169
II.--LOKI--THE IRON WOOD--A BOUNDLESS WASTE, 177
III.--THE KING OF THE SEA AND HIS DAUGHTERS, 185

CHAPTER V. IDŪNA'S APPLES.

PART I.--REFLECTIONS IN THE WATER, 191
II.--THE WINGED-GIANT, 198
III.--HELA, 212
IV.--THROUGH FLOOD AND FIRE, 218

CHAPTER VI. BALDUR.

PART I.--THE DREAM, 231
II.--THE PEACESTEAD, 240
III.--BALDUR DEAD, 247
IV.--HELHEIM, 250
V.--WEEPING, 256

CHAPTER VII. THE BINDING OF FENRIR.

PART I.--THE MIGHT OF ASGARD, 263
II.--THE SECRET OF SVARTHEIM, 272
III.--HONOUR, 279

CHAPTER VIII. THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI, 285

CHAPTER IX. RAGNARÖK.

OR, THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS, 295

INDEX OF NAMES, WITH MEANINGS, 315

List of Illustrations.

PAGE

GIANT SUTTUNG AND THE DWARFS, 86

GIANT SKRYMIR AND THOR, 115

FREYJA IN THE DWARFS' CAVE, 172

IDUNA GIVING THE MAGIC APPLES, 195

SKADI CHOOSING HER HUSBAND, 227

TYR FEEDING FENRIR, 265

THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI, 292

THE HEROES OF ASGARD.