Tales out of school

by Frank R. Stockton

The Scandinavians believed that Ymer was the very first god of all, and he made his appearance in the following manner. Before the world was created heavy mists filled all the dark space. This space must have been have been very cold, for the frosty air condensed the mists, and out of this compressed fog, the god Ymer came into existence.

But his brain does not seem to have been at all foggy; for, after a short time, becoming tired of being alone, he set his wits to work to find out how he could have the company of other beings like himself. He made a very good guess as to how he had taken shape; and, gathering the mists around him into foggy masses, he shaped them into forms like his own; and then waited to see what would happen. Soon the cold winds came and congealed the mists, and behold! a number of gigantic companions for the lonely god! He took good care, however, to make them smaller than himself; for, although they were twice the height of the tallest mountains on our earth, yet Ymer himself, when he laid down (if he ever did lie down) required about half the world for his bed.

Ymer was so much pleased with his success that he concluded he would make some more things out of the mists. He spread some of it out in great smooth surfaces, some he collected in small piles, and some he heaped up in great masses of many curious shapes. And that is the way the valleys, mountains, and hills were created.

The foggy material that was left fell down to an immense depth, and became the ocean.

Ymer made nothing more, for he did not know how to work in anything but mists, and they were all gone.

What he and his companions did in the way of employment or amusement I cannot say. Let us hope they took comfort in striding around the world—a walk of an hour or so—and in talking with each other. They could not see anything except by occasional gleams of lightning, for there was no light anywhere.

Monstrous creatures, such as dragons, hydras, griffins, and the like, now made their appearance in the world, but there is no account of their creation, and they must have come of their own accord.

One day a marvelous thing happened. Ymer and his giants saw a pink flush spreading over the black sky. This grew brighter, and brighter, until the whole firmament was a brilliant flame color. And, while they were wondering what this could mean, whizz! came in sight a great ball of fire! This was nothing less than a new god, named Odin. Where he came from nobody knew, but there he was. He descended upon the mountains, and took possession of Ymer’s world.

He brought with him the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars. He told the Sun to light up the world, and to warm up things generally, and to be sure to melt the ice that covered a great part of the earth. The Moon and the Stars were to take care of the earth during the night.

Odin brought with him also, a large number of followers; and, according to the invariable rule of all discoverers of new countries, he proceeded to kill all the original inhabitants; beginning with great Ymer himself, and ending with the land and sea monsters. That is, he intended to kill them all, and he thought he had. But one of the giants escaped, and also a wolf, named Fenris (a terrible creature that made nothing of crushing a mountain with his teeth). And the great sea-serpent Iormungandur was not slain.