Myths of the Norsemen Part 14

Won by his pa.s.sionate wooing, Gunlod consented to become his wife, and after he had spent three whole days with her in this retreat, she brought out the vessels from their secret hiding-place, and told him he might take a sip from each.

"And a draught obtained Of the precious mead, Drawn from Od-hroerir."

Odin's Rune-Song (Thorpe's tr.).

Odin made good use of this permission and drank so deeply that he completely drained all three vessels. Then, having obtained all that he wanted, he emerged from the cave and, donning his eagle plumes, rose high into the blue, and, after hovering for a moment over the mountain top, winged his flight towards Asgard.

He was still far from the G.o.ds' realm when he became aware of a pursuer, and, indeed, Suttung, having also a.s.sumed the form of an eagle, was coming rapidly after him with intent to compel him to surrender the stolen mead. Odin therefore flew faster and faster, straining every nerve to reach Asgard before the foe should overtake him, and as he drew near the G.o.ds anxiously watched the race.

Seeing that Odin would only with difficulty be able to escape, the aesir hastily gathered all the combustible materials they could find, and as he flew over the ramparts of their dwelling, they set fire to the ma.s.s of fuel, so that the flames, rising high, singed the wings of Suttung, as he followed the G.o.d, and he fell into the very midst of the fire, where he was burned to death.

As for Odin, he flew to where the G.o.ds had prepared vessels for the stolen mead, and disgorged the draught of inspiration in such breathless haste that a few drops fell and were scattered over the earth. There they became the portion of rhymesters and poetasters, the G.o.ds reserving the main draught for their own consumption, and only occasionally vouchsafing a taste to some favoured mortal, who, immediately after, would win world-wide renown by his inspired songs.

"Of a well-a.s.sumed form I made good use: Few things fail the wise; For Od-hroerir Is now come up To men's earthly dwellings."

Havamal (Thorpe's tr.).

As men and G.o.ds owed the priceless gift to Odin, they were ever ready to express to him their grat.i.tude, and they not only called it by his name, but they wors.h.i.+pped him as patron of eloquence, poetry, and song, and of all scalds.

The G.o.d of Music

Although Odin had thus won the gift of poetry, he seldom made use of it himself. It was reserved for his son Bragi, the child of Gunlod, to become the G.o.d of poetry and music, and to charm the world with his songs.

"White-bearded bard, ag'd Bragi, his gold harp Sweeps--and yet softer Stealeth the day."

Viking Tales of the North (R. B. Anderson).

As soon as Bragi was born in the stalact.i.te-hung cave where Odin had won Gunlod's affections, the dwarfs presented him with a magical golden harp, and, setting him on one of their own vessels, they sent him out into the wide world. As the boat gently pa.s.sed out of subterranean darkness, and floated over the threshold of Nain, the realm of the dwarf of death, Bragi, the fair and immaculate young G.o.d, who until then had shown no signs of life, suddenly sat up, and, seizing the golden harp beside him, he began to sing the wondrous song of life, which rose at times to heaven, and then sank down to the dread realm of Hel, G.o.ddess of death.

"Yggdrasil's ash is Of all trees most excellent, And of all s.h.i.+ps, Skidbladnir; Of the aesir, Odin, And of horses, Sleipnir; Bifrost of bridges, And of scalds, Bragi."

Lay of Grimnir (Thorpe's tr.).

While he played the vessel was wafted gently over sunlit waters, and soon touched the sh.o.r.e. Bragi then proceeded on foot, threading his way through the bare and silent forest, playing as he walked. At the sound of his tender music the trees began to bud and bloom, and the gra.s.s underfoot was gemmed with countless flowers.

Here he met Idun, daughter of Ivald, the fair G.o.ddess of immortal youth, whom the dwarfs allowed to visit the earth from time to time, when, at her approach, nature invariably a.s.sumed its loveliest and gentlest aspect.

It was only to be expected that two such beings should feel attracted to each other, and Bragi soon won this fair G.o.ddess for his wife. Together they hastened to Asgard, where both were warmly welcomed and where Odin, after tracing runes on Bragi's tongue, decreed that he should be the heavenly minstrel and composer of songs in honour of the G.o.ds and of the heroes whom he received in Valhalla.

Wors.h.i.+p of Bragi

As Bragi was G.o.d of poetry, eloquence, and song, the Northern races also called poetry by his name, and scalds of either s.e.x were frequently designated as Braga-men or Braga-women. Bragi was greatly honoured by all the Northern races, and hence his health was always drunk on solemn or festive occasions, but especially at funeral feasts and at Yuletide celebrations.

When it was time to drink this toast, which was served in cups shaped like a s.h.i.+p, and was called the Bragaful, the sacred sign of the hammer was first made over it. Then the new ruler or head of the family solemnly pledged himself to some great deed of valour, which he was bound to execute within the year, unless he wished to be considered dest.i.tute of honour. Following his example, all the guests were then wont to make similar vows and declare what they would do; and as some of them, owing to previous potations, talked rather too freely of their intentions on these occasions, this custom seems to connect the G.o.d's name with the vulgar but very expressive English verb "to brag."

In art, Bragi is generally represented as an elderly man, with long white hair and beard, and holding the golden harp from which his fingers could draw such magic strains.

CHAPTER VII: IDUN

The Apples of Youth

Idun, the personification of spring or immortal youth, who, according to some mythologists, had no birth and was never to taste death, was warmly welcomed by the G.o.ds when she made her appearance in Asgard with Bragi. To further win their affections she promised them a daily taste of the marvellous apples which she bore in her casket, and which had the power of conferring immortal youth and loveliness upon all who partook of them.

"The golden apples Out of her garden Have yielded you a dower of youth, Ate you them every day."

Wagner (Forman's tr.).

Thanks to this magic fruit, the Scandinavian G.o.ds, who, because they sprang from a mixed race, were not all immortal, warded off the approach of old age and disease, and remained vigorous, beautiful, and young through countless ages. These apples were therefore considered very precious indeed, and Idun carefully treasured them in her magic casket. No matter how many she drew out, the same number always remained for distribution at the feast of the G.o.ds, to whom alone she vouchsafed a taste, although dwarfs and giants were eager to obtain possession of the fruit.

"Bright Iduna, Maid immortal!

Standing at Valhalla's portal, In her casket has rich store Of rare apples gilded o'er; Those rare apples, not of Earth, Ageing aesir give fresh birth."

Valhalla (J. C. Jones).

The Story of Thia.s.si

One day, Odin, Hoenir, and Loki started out upon one of their usual excursions to earth, and, after wandering for a long while, they found themselves in a deserted region, where they could discover no hospitable dwelling. Weary and very hungry, the G.o.ds, perceiving a herd of oxen, slew one of the beasts, and, kindling a fire, they sat down beside it to rest while waiting for their meat to cook.

To their surprise, however, in spite of the roaring flames the carca.s.s remained quite raw. Realising that some magic must be at work, they looked about them to discover what could hinder their cookery, when they perceived an eagle perched upon a tree above them. Seeing that he was an object of suspicion to the wayfarers, the bird addressed them and admitted that he it was who had prevented the fire from doing its accustomed work, but he offered to remove the spell if they would give him as much food as he could eat. The G.o.ds agreed to do this, whereupon the eagle, swooping downward, fanned the flames with his huge wings, and soon the meat was cooked. The eagle then made ready to carry off three quarters of the ox as his share, but this was too much for Loki, who seized a great stake lying near at hand, and began to belabour the voracious bird, forgetting that it was skilled in magic arts. To his great dismay one end of the stake stuck fast to the eagle's back, the other to his hands, and he found himself dragged over stones and through briers, sometimes through the air, his arms almost torn out of their sockets. In vain he cried for mercy and implored the eagle to let him go; the bird flew on, until he promised any ransom his captor might ask in exchange for his release.

The seeming eagle, who was the storm giant Thia.s.si, at last agreed to release Loki upon one condition. He made him promise upon the most solemn of oaths that he would lure Idun out of Asgard, so that Thia.s.si might obtain possession of her and of her magic fruit.

Released at last, Loki returned to Odin and Hoenir, to whom, however, he was very careful not to confide the condition upon which he had obtained his freedom; and when they had returned to Asgard he began to plan how he might entice Idun outside of the G.o.ds' abode. A few days later, Bragi being absent on one of his minstrel journeys, Loki sought Idun in the groves of Brunnaker, where she had taken up her abode, and by artfully describing some apples which grew at a short distance, and which he mendaciously declared were exactly like hers, he lured her away from Asgard with a crystal dish full of fruit, which she intended to compare with that which he extolled. No sooner had Idun left Asgard, however, than the deceiver Loki forsook her, and ere she could return to the shelter of the heavenly abode the storm giant Thia.s.si swept down from the north on his eagle wings, and catching her up in his cruel talons, he bore her swiftly away to his barren and desolate home of Thrym-heim.

"Thrymheim the sixth is named, Where Thia.s.si dwelt, That all-powerful Jotun."