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Contents

  1. Chap. Page
  2. I. [The Beginning] 1
  3. II. [Odin] 16
  4. III. [Frigga] 42
  5. IV. [Thor] 59
  6. V. [Tyr] 85
  7. VI. [Bragi] 95
  8. VII. [Idun] 103
  9. VIII. [Niörd] 111
  10. IX. [Frey] 117
  11. X. [Freya] 131
  12. XI. [Uller] 139
  13. XII. [Forseti] 142
  14. XIII. [Heimdall] 146
  15. XIV. [Hermod] 154
  16. XV. [Vidar] 158
  17. XVI. [Vali] 162
  18. XVII. [The Norns] 166
  19. XVIII. [The Valkyrs] 173
  20. XIX. [Hel] 180
  21. XX. [Ægir] 185
  22. XXI. [Balder] 197
  23. XXII. [Loki] 216
  24. XXIII. [The Giants] 230
  25. XXIV. [The Dwarfs] 239
  26. XXV. [The Elves] 246
  27. XXVI. [The Sigurd Saga] 251
  28. XXVII. [The Frithiof Saga] 298
  29. XXVIII. [The Twilight of the Gods] 329
  30. XXIX. [Greek and Northern Mythologies—A Comparison] 342
  31. [Index to Poetical Quotations] 367
  32. [Glossary and Index] 369

List of Illustrations

  1. Norsemen Landing in Iceland (Oscar Wergeland) Frontispiece
  2. To face page
  3. [The Giant with the Flaming Sword] (J. C. Dollman) 2
  4. [The Wolves Pursuing Sol and Mani] (J. C. Dollman) 8
  5. [Odin] (Sir E. Burne-Jones) 16
  6. [The Chosen Slain] (K. Dielitz) 18
  7. [A Viking Foray] (J. C. Dollman) 20
  8. [The Pied Piper of Hamelin] (H. Kaulbach) 28
  9. [Odin] (B. E. Fogelberg) 36
  10. [Frigga Spinning the Clouds] (J. C. Dollman) 42
  11. [Tannhäuser and Frau Venus] (J. Wagrez) 52
  12. [Eástre] (Jacques Reich) 54
  13. [Huldra’s Nymphs] (B. E. Ward) 58
  14. [Thor] (B. E. Fogelberg) 60
  15. [Sif] (J. C. Dollman) 64
  16. [Thor and the Mountain] (J. C. Dollman) 72
  17. [A Foray] (A. Malmström) 88
  18. [The Binding of Fenris] (Dorothy Hardy) 92
  19. [Idun] (B. E. Ward) 100
  20. [Loki and Thiassi] (Dorothy Hardy) 104
  21. [Frey] (Jacques Reich) 118
  22. [Freya] (N. J. O. Blommér) 132
  23. [The Rainbow Bridge] (H. Hendrich) 146
  24. [Heimdall] (Dorothy Hardy) 148
  25. [Jarl] (Albert Edelfelt) 152
  26. [The Norns] (C. Ehrenberg) 166
  27. [The Dises] (Dorothy Hardy) 170
  28. [The Swan-Maiden] (Gertrude Demain Hammond, R.I.) 174
  29. [The Ride of the Valkyrs] (J. C. Dollman) 176
  30. [Brunhild and Siegmund] (J. Wagrez) 178
  31. [The Road to Valhalla] (Severin Nilsson) 182
  32. [Ægir] (J. P. Molin) 186
  33. [Ran] (M. E. Winge) 190
  34. [The Neckan] (J. P. Molin) 194
  35. [Loki and Hodur] (C. G. Qvarnström) 202
  36. [The Death of Balder] (Dorothy Hardy) 206
  37. [Hermod before Hela] (J. C. Dollman) 210
  38. [Loki and Svadilfari] (Dorothy Hardy) 222
  39. [Loki and Sigyn] (M. E. Winge) 228
  40. [Thor and the Giants] (M. E. Winge) 230
  41. [Torghatten] 234
  42. [The Peaks of the Trolls] 244
  43. [The Elf-Dance] (N. J. O. Blommér) 246
  44. [The White Elves] (Charles P. Sainton, R.I.) 248
  45. [Old Houses with Carved Posts] 250
  46. [The Were-Wolves] (J. C. Dollman) 260
  47. [A Hero’s Farewell] (M. E. Winge) 264
  48. [The Funeral Procession] (H. Hendrich) 268
  49. [Sigurd and Fafnir] (K. Dielitz) 274
  50. [Sigurd Finds Brunhild] (J. Wagrez) 278
  51. [Odin and Brunhild] (K. Dielitz) 280
  52. [Aslaug] (Gertrude Demain Hammond, R.I.) 282
  53. [Sigurd and Gunnar] (J. C. Dollman) 284
  54. [The Death of Siegfried] (H. Hendrich) 288
  55. [The End of Brunhild] (J. Wagrez) 290
  56. [Ingeborg] (M. E. Winge) 304
  57. [Frithiof Cleaves the Shield of Helgé] (Knut Ekwall) 308
  58. [Ingeborg Watches her Lover Depart] (Knut Ekwall) 312
  59. [Frithiof’s Return to Framnäs] (Knut Ekwall) 316
  60. [Frithiof at the Shrine of Balder] (Knut Ekwall) 318
  61. [Frithiof at the Court of Ring] (Knut Ekwall) 320
  62. [Frithiof Watches the Sleeping King] (Knut Ekwall) 324
  63. [Odin and Fenris] (Dorothy Hardy) 334
  64. [The Ride of the Valkyrs] (H. Hendrich) 344
  65. [The Storm-Ride] (Gilbert Bayes) 358

Introduction

The prime importance of the rude fragments of poetry preserved in early Icelandic literature will now be disputed by none, but there has been until recent times an extraordinary indifference to the wealth of religious tradition and mythical lore which they contain.