Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas

by H. A. Guerber

Table of Contents

• [Contents]
• [List of Illustrations]
• [Introduction]
• [Chapter I: The Beginning]
  • [Myths of Creation]
  • [Ymir and Audhumla]
  • [Odin, Vili, and Ve]
  • [The Creation of the Earth]
  • [Mani and Sol]
  • [Dwarfs and Elves]
  • [The Creation of Man]
  • [The Tree Yggdrasil]
  • [The Bridge Bifröst]
  • [The Vanas]
• [Chapter II: Odin]
  • [The Father of Gods and Men]
  • [Odin’s Personal Appearance]
  • [Valhalla]
  • [The Feast of the Heroes]
  • [Sleipnir]
  • [The Wild Hunt]
  • [The Pied Piper]
  • [Bishop Hatto]
  • [Irmin]
  • [Mimir’s Well]
  • [Odin and Vafthrudnir]
  • [Invention of Runes]
  • [Geirrod and Agnar]
  • [May-Day Festivals]
  • [The Historical Odin]
• [Chapter III: Frigga]
  • [The Queen of the Gods]
  • [The Stolen Gold]
  • [Odin Outwitted]
  • [Fulla]
  • [Gna]
  • [Lofn, Vjofn, and Syn]
  • [Gefjon]
  • [Eira, Vara, Vör and Snotra]
  • [Holda]
  • [The Discovery of Flax]
  • [Tannhäuser]
  • [Eástre, the Goddess of Spring]
  • [Bertha, the White Lady]
• [Chapter IV: Thor]
  • [The Thunderer]
  • [Thor’s Hammer]
  • [Thor’s Family]
  • [Sif, the Golden-haired]
  • [Thor’s Journey to Jötun-heim]
  • [Utgard-loki]
  • [Thor and Hrungnir]
  • [Groa, the Sorceress]
  • [Thor and Thrym]
  • [Thor and Geirrod]
  • [The Worship of Thor]
• [Chapter V: Tyr]
  • [The God of War]
  • [Tyr’s Sword]
  • [The Story of Fenris]
• [Chapter VI: Bragi]
  • [The Origin of Poetry]
  • [The Quest of the Draught]
  • [The Rape of the Draught]
  • [The God of Music]
  • [Worship of Bragi]
• [Chapter VII: Idun]
  • [The Apples of Youth]
  • [The Story of Thiassi]
  • [The Return of Idun]
  • [The Goddess of Spring]
  • [Idun Falls to the Nether World]
• [Chapter VIII: Niörd]
  • [A Hostage with the Gods]
  • [The God of Summer]
  • [Skadi, Goddess of Winter]
  • [The Parting of Niörd and Skadi]
  • [The Worship of Niörd]
• [Chapter IX: Frey]
  • [The God of Fairyland]
  • [The Wooing of Gerda]
  • [The historical Frey]
  • [Worship of Frey]
  • [The Yule Feast]
  • [How the Sea became salt]
• [Chapter X: Freya]
  • [The Goddess of Love]
  • [Queen of the Valkyrs]
  • [Freya and Odur]
  • [Freya’s Necklace]
  • [Story of Ottar and Angantyr]
  • [The Husbands of Freya]
  • [Worship of Freya]
• [Chapter XI: Uller]
  • [The God of Winter]
  • [Worship of Uller]
• [Chapter XII: Forseti]
  • [The God of Justice and Truth]
  • [The Story of Heligoland]
• [Chapter XIII: Heimdall]
  • [The Watchman of the Gods]
  • [The Guardian of the Rainbow]
  • [Loki and Freya]
  • [Heimdall’s Names]
• [Chapter XIV: Hermod]
  • [The Nimble God]
  • [Hermod and the Soothsayer]
• [Chapter XV: Vidar]
  • [The Silent God]
  • [Vidar’s Shoe]
  • [The Norn’s Prophecy]
• [Chapter XVI: Vali]
  • [The Wooing of Rinda]
  • [The Birth of Vali]
  • [Worship of Vali]
• [Chapter XVII: The Norns]
  • [The Three Fates]
  • [The Norns’ Web]
  • [Other Guardian Spirits]
  • [The Story of Nornagesta]
  • [The Vala]
• [Chapter XVIII: The Valkyrs]
  • [The Battle Maidens]
  • [The Cloud Steeds]
  • [Choosers of the Slain]
  • [Their Numbers and Duties]
  • [Wayland and the Valkyrs]
  • [Brunhild]
• [Chapter XIX: Hel]
  • [Loki’s Offspring]
  • [Hel’s Kingdom in Nifl-heim]
  • [Ideas of the Future Life]
  • [Pestilence and Famine]
• [Chapter XX: Ægir]
  • [The God of the Sea]
  • [The Goddess Ran]
  • [The Waves]
  • [Ægir’s Brewing Kettle]
  • [Thor and Hymir]
  • [Unloved Divinities]
  • [Other Divinities of the Sea]
  • [River Nymphs]
  • [Legends of the Lorelei]
• [Chapter XXI: Balder]
  • [The Best Loved]
  • [Balder’s Dream]
  • [The Vala’s Prophecy]
  • [The Gods at Play]
  • [The Death of Balder]
  • [Hermod’s Errand]
  • [The Funeral Pyre]
  • [Hermod’s Quest]
  • [The Condition of Balder’s Release]
  • [The Return of Hermod]
  • [Vali the Avenger]
  • [The Signification of the Story]
  • [The Worship of Balder]
• [Chapter XXII: Loki]
  • [The Spirit of Evil]
  • [Loki’s Character]
  • [Sigyn]
  • [Skrymsli and the Peasant’s Child]
  • [The Giant Architect]
  • [Loki’s last Crime]
  • [Ægir’s Banquet]
  • [The Pursuit of Loki]
  • [Loki’s Punishment]
  • [Loki’s Day]
• [Chapter XXIII: The Giants]
  • [Jötun-heim]
  • [Origin of the Mountains]
  • [The First Gods]
  • [The Giant in Love]
  • [The Giant and the Church Bells]
  • [The Giants’ Ship]
  • [Princess Ilse]
  • [The Giantess’s Plaything]
• [Chapter XXIV: The Dwarfs]
  • [Little Men]
  • [The Tarnkappe]
  • [The Legend of Kallundborg]
  • [The Magic of the Dwarfs]
  • [The Passing of the Dwarfs]
  • [Changelings]
  • [The Peaks of the Trolls]
  • [A Conjecture]
• [Chapter XXV: The Elves]
  • [The Realm of Faery]
  • [The Elf-dance]
  • [The Will-o’-the-wisps]
  • [Oberon and Titania]
  • [Alf-blot]
  • [Images on Doorposts]
• [Chapter XXVI: The Sigurd Saga]
  • [The Beginning of the Story]
  • [The Volsunga Saga]
  • [Sigi]
  • [Rerir]
  • [Volsung]
  • [The Wedding of Signy]
  • [The Sword in the Branstock]
  • [Sigmund]
  • [Siggeir’s Treachery]
  • [Signy’s Sons]
  • [Sinfiotli]
  • [The Werewolves]
  • [Sigmund and Sinfiotli taken by Siggeir]
  • [Sigmund’s Vengeance]
  • [Helgi]
  • [The Death of Sinfiotli]
  • [Hiordis]
  • [Elf, the Viking]
  • [The Birth of Sigurd]
  • [The Treasure of the Dwarf King]
  • [Sigurd’s Sword]
  • [The Fight with the Dragon]
  • [The Sleeping Warrior Maiden]
  • [The Fostering of Aslaug]
  • [The Niblungs]
  • [Gunnar’s Stratagem]
  • [The Coming of Brunhild]
  • [The Quarrel of the Queens]
  • [The Death of Sigurd]
  • [The Flight of Gudrun]
  • [Atli, King of the Huns]
  • [Burial of the Niblung Treasure]
  • [The Treachery of Atli]
  • [The Last of the Niblungs]
  • [Swanhild]
  • [Interpretation of the Saga]
• [Chapter XXVII: The Story of Frithiof]
  • [Bishop Tegnér]
  • [Birth of Viking]
  • [The Game of Ball]
  • [The Blood Feud]
  • [Thorsten and Belé]
  • [Birth of Frithiof and Ingeborg]
  • [Frithiof’s Love for Ingeborg]
  • [Helgé and Halfdan]
  • [Frithiof’s Suit]
  • [Sigurd Ring a Suitor]
  • [At Balder’s Shrine]
  • [Frithiof Banished]
  • [Atlé’s Challenge]
  • [Frithiof’s Home-coming]
  • [Frithiof an Exile]
  • [At the Court of Sigurd Ring]
  • [Frithiof’s Loyalty]
  • [Betrothal of Frithiof and Ingeborg]
• [Chapter XXVIII: The Twilight of the Gods]
  • [The Decline of the Gods]
  • [The Fimbul-winter]
  • [The Wolves Let Loose]
  • [Heimdall Gives the Alarm]
  • [The Terrors of the Sea]
  • [The Terrors of the Underworld]
  • [The Great Battle]
  • [The Devouring Fire]
  • [Regeneration]
  • [A New Heaven]
  • [One too Mighty to Name]
• [Chapter XXIX: Greek and Northern Mythologies]
  • [Comparative Mythology]
  • [The Beginning of Things]
  • [Cosmogony]
  • [The Phenomena of the Sky]
  • [Jupiter and Odin]
  • [The Creation of Man]
  • [Norns and Fates]
  • [Myths of the Seasons]
  • [Frigga and Juno]
  • [Musical Myths]
  • [Thor and the Greek Gods]
  • [Idun and Eurydice]
  • [Skadi and Diana]
  • [Frey and Apollo]
  • [Freya and Venus]
  • [Odur and Adonis]
  • [Rinda and Danae]
  • [Myths of the Sea]
  • [Balder and Apollo]
  • [Ragnarok and the Deluge]
  • [Giants and Titans]
  • [The Volsunga Saga]
  • [Brunhild]
  • [Sun Myths]
• [Index to Poetical Quotations]
• [Glossary and Index]
  • [A]
  • [B]
  • [C]
  • [D]
  • [E]
  • [F]
  • [G]
  • [H]
  • [I]
  • [J]
  • [K]
  • [L]
  • [M]
  • [N]
  • [O]
  • [P]
  • [Q]
  • [R]
  • [S]
  • [T]
  • [U]
  • [V]
  • [W]
  • [Y]
  • [Z]