Baldur's wife, Nanna, died of grief, and was burned on her husband's funeral pile; but Odin's son, Vale, though at tliat time but one night old, avenged Baldur by slaying Hod, who had been the immediate cause of his death.
Pursued by the gods, Loke now fled upon a mountain, whence he coidd look out upon the world in all direc- tions, and when he saw the gods approaching in search of him, he changed himself into the form of a salmon, and sprang into a waterfall near by, called the Yranan- ger Force. But Odin had seen him from Hlidskjalf, and by means of a fishnet they captured him. Having Loke in their power, they dragged him without pity into a cavern, wherein they placed three sharp-pointed rocks, boring a hole through each of them. Having also seized Loke's children,yale and Narfe, they changed the former into a wolf, and in this likeness he tore his brother to pieces and devoured him. The gods then made cords of his intestines, with which thej' bound Loke on the points of the rocks, one cord passing under his shoulders, another under his loins, and a third under his hams; and when this was done they transformed these cords into fetters of iron. Then the giantess Skade took a serpent, and suspended it over him in such a manner that the venom should fall into his face, drop by drop. But Sigjai, Loke's wife, stands by him, and receives the drops as they fall in a cup, which she empties as often as it is filled. But while she is emp- tying it venom falls upon Loke's face, which makes him shriek with horror, and twist his body about so violently that the whole earth quakes and quivers. Such, saj's the Norseman, is the cause of earthquakes. There will Loke lie until Ragnarok, which is not far off.
5. Intimately connected with these traditionary nar- ratives are the Norse views as to the future. The time will come when the whole world shall be destroyed, when gods and men shall perish in Raynarok, or the twilight of the gods. Increasing corruption and strife in the world are the signs that this great and awful event is approaching. Continuous winters rage without any intervening summers, and the air is filled with vio- lent storms, snow and darkness, and these are signs that Ragnarok is near at hand. The sun and moon are de- voured by the giants heretofore mentioned, who pursue them in the guise of wolves, and the heavens are stained with blood. The bright stars vanish, the earth trem- bles, and the mountains topple down with a tremendous crash. Then all chains and fetters are severed, and the terrible Fenris-wolf gets loose. The Midgard-serpent writhes in his giant rage, and seeks land upon the tu- multuous waves. The ship Naglfar, which has been constructed of the nail-parings of dead men, floats upon the waters, carrying the army of frost-giants over the sea, and the giant Ilrj-m is its helmsman. Loke, freed also from his chains, comes at the head of the hosts of
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Hel. The Fcnris-wolf advances and opens his enormous mouth. His lower jaw reaches tlie earth, and the upper one touches tlie skies; he would open it still wider had he the room to do so. Fire flashes from his eyes and nostrils. The Midgard-serpent, placing himself by the side of the Fenris-wolf, vomits forth floods of poison, which (ill the air and the waters. In the midst of this confusion, crashing, and devastation, the heavens are rent in twain, and the sons of Muspel come riding through the opening in brilliant array. Surt rides first, wrapped in flames of fire ; his flaming sword outshines the sun itself. Bifrost (the rainbow) breaks as they ride over it, and all direct their course to the great bat- tle-field called Vigrid.
Meanwhile Heimdal arises, and with all his might he blows the horn of Gjoll to awake the gods, who assemble without delay. In his embarrassment Odin rides to Mimer's fountain, to consult Mimer as to how he and his warriors are to enter into acti(jn. The gresit ash Yggdrasil begins to quiver; nor is there anything in heaven or on earth that does not fear and tremble in that awful hour. The gods and all the einherjes of Valhall arm themselves, and speedily sally forth to the field of battle, led on by Odin, Avitli his golden hel- met, resplendent cuirass, and flashing spear, Gungner. Odin places himself against the Fenris-wolf. Thor stands by Odin's side, but can render him no assistance, as he must himself fight with the Midgard-serpent. Frej' encounters Surt, and fearful blows are exchanged ere Frey falls, and he owes his defeat to his not having that trusty sword which he gave to his servant, Skirner, when he sent him to ask the hand of the giantess Gerd. On this last daj' of the world, the dog Garm, which had been chained in the Gnipa-cave, also breaks loose. He is the most fearful monster of all, and attacks Ty, and they kill each other. Thor gains great renown for kill- ing the Midgard-serpent, but he retreats only nine paces before he falls dead, having been suffocated b}' the floods of venom which the dj'ing serpent vomits forth upon him. The Fenris-wolf swallows Odin, but Vidar im- mediatel}' advances, and, setting his foot upon the mon- ster's lower jaw, he seizes the other with his hand, and thus tears and rends him till he dies. Vidar is able to do this, for he wears the shoe previously described in this sketch. Loke and Heimdal fight a duel, and kill each other. The conflict is still raging with un- abated fury, when Surt flings fire and flame over the world. Smoke wreathes up around the all-nourishing world-ash Yggdrasil, the high flames play against the heavens, and earth, consumed, sinks down beneath the sea.