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Teutonic Mythology
Gods and Goddesses
of the Northland
IN
THREE VOLUMES
By VIKTOR RYDBERG, Ph.D.,
MEMBER OF THE SWEDISH ACADEMY; AUTHOR OF THE "THE LAST ATHENIAN"
AND OTHER WORKS.
_AUTHORISED TRANSLATION FROM THE SWEDISH_
BY
RASMUS B. ANDERSON, LL.D.,
EX-UNITED STATES MINISTER TO DENMARK; AUTHOR OF "NORSE
MYTHOLOGY," "VIKING TALES," ETC.
HON. RASMUS B. ANDERSON, LL.D., Ph.D.,
EDITOR IN CHIEF.
J. W. BUEL, Ph.D.,
MANAGING EDITOR.
VOL. I.
PUBLISHED BY THE
NORROENA SOCIETY,
LONDON COPENHAGEN STOCKHOLM BERLIN NEW YORK
1906
[Illustration]
_OF THE_
Viking Edition
_There are but six hundred and fifty sets made for the world,
of which this is_
_No._ 99
[Illustration: NORROENA]
COPYRIGHT,
T. H. SMART,
1905.
[Illustration: IDUN, HEIMDAL, LOKE, AND BRAGE.
(_From an etching by Lorenz Froelich._)]
Idun was the beautiful goddess who in Asgard was keeper of the apples
which the gods ate to preserve eternal youth. She is most generally
regarded as the wife of Brage.
Heimdal, the son of nine mothers, was guardian against the giants of the
bridge of the gods, Bifroest. With a trumpet he summoned all the gods
together at Ragnarok when he and Loke slew each other. He was the god of
light.
Loke though beautiful in form was like Lucifer in character and was
hence called the god of destruction. By the giantess Angerboda he had
three offspring, viz: the Midgard serpent, the Fenris-wolf, and Hela,
the latter becoming goddess of Hel.
Brage was the son of Odin and being represented as the chief skald in
Valhalla he is called the god of poetry.
TEUTONIC MYTHOLOGY.
* * * * *
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
VOLUME ONE.
PART I.
Page
Introduction--The Ancient Aryans 1
(a) The Aryan Family of Languages 3
Hypothesis of Asiatic Origin of the Aryans 5
Hypothesis of European Origin of the Aryans 15
The Aryan Land of Europe 20
(b) Ancient Teutondom 26