Books with title Myths of the Norsemen

"This is the great story of the North, which should be to all our race what the Tale of Troy was to the Greeks-to all our race first, and afterwards, when the change of the world has made our race nothing more than a name of what has been-a story too-then should it be to those that come after us no less than the Tale of Troy has been to us."-William Morris. This new edition of H. A. Guerber's classic work contains all the original text and includes introductory matter from two earlier editions, along with indices, glossary, and pronunciation guide. It has been hand-edited and entirely reset in 446 pages along with 64 marvellous illustrations. It is a comprehensive overview of Norse legend and mythology, and a treasure trove of historical marvels, tales of glory and death, defeat and victory. As the author wrote in the forward: "The aim of this handbook is to familiarize the English student with the religion of his heathen ancestors, and to set forth, as clearly as possible, the various myths which have exercised an influence over our customs, arts, and literature." Drawing upon the rich legacy of the Eddas and Sagas, this work traces not only the full pantheon of the Northern gods and their foes, but also provides a fascinating insight into the historical origins of some of the main characters-who appear to have been based on real-life characters whose deeds immortalized them into legend-and gives a comparison with classical Greek mythological characters, showing the interrelatedness of the great Indo-European peoples. Read also of the Norse origins of well-known legends such as Sleeping Beauty, the Pied Piper of Hamelin, customs and rituals such as Yule, days of the week, and much, much more.

To be captured by the Northern Thing means to be taken with the Norse stories of the Gods. If that describes you, then The Norse Myths should help. It contains the most complete versions of the Norse myths available in the English language. The Norse Myths is presented as a narrative from the beginning of creation to the final great battle of Ragnarok, followed by the Rebirth. The Norse Myths is split into several parts: Part One: In the Beginning. Eight chapters that set up the Universe. Part Two: The Adventures. Twelve chapters about the adventures of Gods, Elves, Jotuns, Humans. Part Three: The Ending of All Things. Overarching in all the stories is Ragnarokr, the Doom of the Gods. Even in the humorous stories there's a sense of fatality. Part Three is eight chapters leading to the final battle (Ragnarokr) and the subsequent Rebirth into a more Utopian world. Finally, there is a complete Glossary of all the characters, places, and objects in the book. The spelling used in the book is presented with definitions of the word and alternate spellings, followed by a complete description. And there’s a Genealogy chart showing the familial relationships of many of the characters. Norse mythology comes from the Nordic countries, including Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland. These countries were heavily influenced by Teutonic (German) mythology. This book contains all of the legends which pertain to the Gods. Future volumes will be about family sagas like The Niebelungenlied (The Ring Saga). There is a deep foreboding, a sense of doom, that pervades Norse mythology. The Gods are not immortal. They can be injured and need to be healed. They can find themselves bent with old age. Against the right enemy they can be killed. From the beginning the Gods know they are in a violent battle of good versus evil. The Gods, mankind of Midgardr, and light elves, are doing what they can to stave off the last battle, Ragnarokr, the Doom of the Gods. They fight against evil giants, ferocious wolves, giant sea serpents, and the cunning Loki. The Nordic countries have harsh winters resulting in a mythology that is darker than most. The Norse hero wants to die a hero’s death, in battle, fighting for right. The worst death is the straw death, in bed, old, infirm, and away from the fight. The hero who dies in battle goes to Valhalla or one of the other fighting halls to practice and prepare for the last great battle. Those who die straw deaths go to the torturous halls in Niflheimr. Glory does not await them. Pain, venous snakes, and starvation awaits them. Yet, there is hope . . . always hope. There is the vision of a better life filled with peace and tranquility, the Rebirth. Norse mythology has influenced many fantasy novels including The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, who taught Norse mythology at Oxford. The Norse Myths will take you to a world of legend with Thor, Odin, Loki, Gods, Goddesses, monsters, giants, and dwarves doing what they can to help or hurt each other.

H. A. Geuerber's "The Myths of the Norsemen" is a classic collection of stories retold from Norse mythology. Beginning with the Norse myth of creation and following through the sagas of more than twenty gods, heroes and villains, "The Myths of the Norsemen" recounts the rich mythological tradition of the Norse people. Of the more familiar characters in this collection one might immediately recognize the stories of Odin and Thor. These stories are brought together with less familiar Norse myths in a collection that includes reproductions of illustrations from the original edition. Readers both young and old will delight in these classic tales of adventure and fantasy.

Students of Icelandic literature agree that the Norse deities stand out as rude and as massive as the Scandinavian mountains. They exhibit "a spirit of victory, superior to brute force, superior to mere matter, a spirit that fights and overcomes." "The Norsemen have given their gods a noble, upright, great spirit, and placed them upon a high level that is all their own." "It is a greatness not of mere body and gigantic bulk, but a rude greatness of soul." It was in the infancy of thought gazing upon a universe filled with divinity, and believing heartily with all sincerity that a large-hearted people reached out in the dark towards ideals which were better than they knew. But, Ragnarok was to undo their gods because they had stumbled from their higher standards. The weighty words of William Morris regarding the Volsunga Saga may also be fitly quoted as an introduction to this collection of "Myths of the Norsemen": "This is the great story of the North, which should be to all our race what the Tale of Troy was to the Greeks-to all our race first, and afterwards, when the change of the world has made our race nothing more than a name of what has been-a story too-then should it be to those that come after us no less than the Tale of Troy has been to us." We have to thank a curious phenomenon for the preservation of so much of the old lore as we still possess. While modern and foreign influences were changing the Norse language, it remained practically unaltered in Iceland. And so here it is, re-presented for you to discover as it was writ over a thousand years ago.

The prime importance of the rude fragments of poetry preserved in early Icelandic literature will now be disputed by none, but there has been until recent times an extraordinary indifference to the wealth of religious tradition and mythical lore which they contain. The long neglect of these precious records of our heathen ancestors is not the fault of the material in which all that survives of their religious beliefs is enshrined, for it may safely be asserted that the Edda is as rich in the essentials of national romance and race-imagination, rugged though it be, as the more graceful and idyllic mythology of the South. Neither is it due to anything weak in the conception of the deities themselves, for although they may not rise to great spiritual heights, foremost students of Icelandic literature agree that they stand out rude and massive as the Scandinavian mountains. They exhibit “a spirit of victory, superior to brute force, superior to mere matter, a spirit that fights and overcomes.” “Even were some part of the matter of their myths taken from others, yet the Norsemen have given their gods a noble, upright, great spirit, and placed them upon a high level that is all their own.”“In fact these old Norse songs have a truth in them, an inward perennial truth and greatness.It is a greatness not of mere body and gigantic bulk, but a rude greatness of soul.”