The Eddas, mentioned in the story, are books containing the sacred lore of the old Scandinavians.
In the old Norse mythology the first human beings were represented as having sprung from the ash tree; hence the use made of the ash in this story.
A continual state of warfare existed among the tribes of the ancient Scandinavians, and valor in war was regarded the supreme virtue, and prowess in battle the supreme achievement of men. Valhall was the heaven of sword-fallen heroes, called Enherjar, who forever lived there in the enjoyment of fighting each other daily, drinking mead from beakers, and eating the flesh of a hog that was slaughtered each day, but each night became alive and whole again.
In Norse mythology the Valkyrias made contests on the Vidar Plains (at the North Pole) to determine which favorites should enter Valhall first. In the course of these events, the spears and shields of the contestants gleamed and flashed until the northern heavens were illuminated—the “Northern Lights.”
At the winter solstice was held a great sacrificial feast in memory of Balder, the second son of Odin, the god of heaven, and Frigga, the goddess of earth. He was of heaven and earth, like the Christ, and, like Him, was pure and loving. At the instigation of the evil Loki, the son of Surtur (Satan) he was killed by blind Hoder, as Christ was killed by the truth-blind people.
The Scandinavian pagans believed in a God-Power so holy and great that they dared not even give a name. The three head representatives of this Power were Odin, Vele and Ve, who overcame the evil giants. These giants strove to injure men, while the gods fostered them. Thor was Odin’s son, the strong-arm of retribution, punishing evil doing among men and giants.]
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.
BY W. J. MORRISON.
ONE December, years and years before people had rail-roads or street cars, crowds of men, women and children were traveling on the roads and paths that led to a little town, called by the Jews, House of Bread. The dark-skinned Arabs, who lived out in the desert, called this town the House of Meat, but all children know it by the Bible name, Bethlehem, in the country of Judea. Some of these people were riding, and some were walking, toward this town of Bethlehem. Among them, seated on a donkey, was a beautiful young woman by the name of Mary, the donkey being led by her husband, a Jew, named Joseph, who, though a poor carpenter, was related to King David, and belonged to what was called the royal family.