Norsemen: Myths and Legends SThe myths of the Norsemen are darkly romantic, heroic and tragic. For sheer adventure and high drama, they are without equal. These stirring tales are as powerful now as they were a thousand years ago. Less well known are the stories themselves, stories with all the classic qualities of a long-lost age: valor, nobility and a triumphant greatness of spirit. These were the human attributes the medieval Norsemen admired most. What dazzling inspirations for young Viking warriors must these tales have been, vividly told beside blazing fires on dark, and frozen nights. The preservation of these myths, from the oral tradition to the prose sagas that have been handed down to us owes much to the Norse colonization of Iceland. On these northerly shores, the learned men who were proud of their pagan past adapted the art of storytelling to the written word. This book provides an enjoyable digest of these ancient sagas, along with a running commentary and an invaluable glossary of a multitude of characters. -- Publisher description. |
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Ægir Æsir Asgard avenge bade Balder Balder Dead Matthew beautiful Bifröst Bragi brother Brunhild called dark daughter Dead Matthew Arnold death declared divine dwarfs dwelling earth Edda Thorpe's tr elves father feast Fenris fire flames Frey Freya Frigga Frithiof Saga Geirrod giant giantess goddess gods gold golden GREEK AND NORTHERN Gudrun Gunnar hall hammer hand heaven Heimdall Helgé Hermod hero Hodur Hrungnir Hymir Idun Ingeborg Jötun-heim king land Loki Loki's magic maiden Matthew Arnold Midgard Midgard snake mighty mountain myth Mythology R. B. Anderson Niblungs Nifl-heim night Niörd Norns Norse Mythology Norse Mythology R. B. North NORTHERN MYTHOLOGIES Northern races Odin Odin's palace personification runes Sæmund's Edda Thorpe's Sigmund Sigurd Ring Sinfiotli Skadi slain Sleipnir soon steed Stephens's tr story Surtr sword Tegnér Thiassi Thor Thor's thou Valhalla Valhalla J. C. Jones Valkyrs Vidar Viking Volsung Völund warriors wife