Mitología Nórdica

Norse Mythology
Legends of Gods and Heroes
by

Peter Andreas Munch
In the revision of Magnus Olsen
Translated from Norwegian by
Sigurd Bernhard Hustvedt

New York
The American-Scandinavian Foundation
1926

vii

CONTENTS
PAGES

Translator’s Preface
Introduction

xi
xiii

I. MYTHS OF THE GODS
The Creation of the World — The Giants — The Æsir — Men
and Women — Dwarfs —Vanir — Elves ………………………
The Plains of Ida — Valhalla — Yggdrasil ……………………..
Odin ………………………………………………………………...
Thor ………………………………………………………………...
Balder ………………………………………………………………
Njord ………………………………………………………………..
Frey ………………………………………………………………...
Tyr ……………………………………………………………….....
Heimdal …………………………………………………………....
Bragi ………………………………………………………………..
Forseti ……………………………………………………………...
Hod — Vali —Vidar — Ull ……………………………………….
Hœnir — Lodur ……………………………………………………
Loki and His Children …………………………………………….
Hermod — Skirnir …………………………………………………
The Goddesses — Frigg — Jord — Freyja .…………………...
Saga — Eir — Gefjon — Var — Vor — Syn — Snotra ……….
Idun — Nanna — Sif ...…………………………………………...
The Norns ………………………………………………………….
Familiar Spirits — Attendant Spirits …………………………….
The Valkyries……………………………………………………...
Thorgerd Hœlgabrud and Irpa …………………………………..
The Forces of Nature — Ægir …………………………………...
Night — Day ……………………………………………………….

1
5
7
10
12
13
15
16
17
18
18
18
19
21
25
25
28
29
30
31
32
34
34
37

viii
Hel ………………………………………………………………….
The Giants …………………………………………………………
The Dwarfs ………………………………………………………...
The Vettir …………………………………………………………..
The Heroes and Life in Valhalla…………………………………
Corruption ………………………………………………………….
The Treasures of the Gods ………………………………………
The Rape of Idun …………………………………………………
Thor’s Unlucky Journey to Jotunheim ………………………….
Thor’s Visit to Hymir ………………………………………………
Thor’s Visit to Geirrœd …………………………………………...
Thor’s Combat with Rungnir ……………………………………..
Thrym Steals Mjollnir ……………………………………………..
The Necklace of the Brisings …………………………………....The Death of Balder ………………………………………………
Ægir’s Banquet — The Chastising of Loki …………………......
Other Norse Myths Concerning the Death of Balder (in Saxo)
The Death of Kvasir — Suttung …………………………………
Odin’s Debate with Vafthrudnir ………………………………….
Odin (Grimnir) and Geirrœd ……………………………………..
Harbard and Thor …………………………………………………
Ragnarok — The Twilight of the Gods …………………………
On the Mythology ofthe Eddas …………………………………

37
39
41
42
48
49
50
53
56
65
70
72
76
79
80
86
94
97
100
102
105
108
112

II. HEROIC LEGENDS
Introductory Remarks …………………………………………….
Wayland ……………………………………………………………
The Hjadnings …………………………………………………….
The Legend of Tyrfing ……………………………………………
The Legends of the Volsungs — Helgi Hjorvardsson ………...

123
126
129
130
147

ix
Volsung —Siggeir — Sigmund — Sinfjotli …………………….
Helgi Hundingsbane ……………………………………………...
Sinfjotli ……………………………………………………………..
The Death of Sigmund …………………………………………...
Sigurd Fafnirsbane ……………………………………………….
The Niflungs — The Slaying of Sigurd ………………………....
Atli …………………………………………………………………..
Jormunrek …………………………………………………………
Aslaug ……………………………………………………………...
German Legends Dealing with Siegfried and theNibelungs ...
The Development of the Legendary Cycle of the Volsungs ….
Hadding ……………………………………………………………
Frodi the Peaceful and His Mill ………………………………….
Helgi and Rolf Kraki ………………………………………………
Starkad the Old ……………………………………………………
Orvar-Odd …………………………………………………………
Norna-Gest ………………………………………………………..
Asmund Kempibane ……………………………………………...
Romund Greipsson ……………………………………………….
Ragnar Lodbrok andHis Sons …………………………………..
Hjorleif and Half …………………………………………………...
Fridthjof …………………………………………………………….

151
159
165
166
168
175
184
187
190
192
197
204
211
215
221
235
237
239
242
245
251
256

III. THE WORSHIP OF THE GODS
Of Temples, of Sacrifices, and of Divination …………………..
The Principal Temples in the North ……………………………..
Bibliography...