One day Thor turned to Loki and said; “I’m tired of simply lying around in Asgard. I’m bored, there’s nothing to do, nothing to test my mighty strength against. ” Seguir leyendo »

Kalevala is a collage of poems put together some 160 years ago by scholar Elias Lönnrot. It contains several mythical worldviews, ancient myths, ideas adopted from Viking-age adventurers, Christian legends, rustic tales, ideas expressed by female lyric poets, and tradition passed on by wise women, witches and shamans. Seguir leyendo »

He is called Alfadir, Allfather, for he is indeed Father of the Gods. You remember his grief for his favourite son in the death of Balder but he is also the father of Hod and Hermod, Visar and the mighty Thor. At times, Odin Allfather will cross the Rainbow Bridge and mingle with men in our world of Midgard. Seguir leyendo »

When you see a Valkyrie before battle, know then, that you will die, for their primary duty is to choose the bravest of those who have been slain, gathering the souls of dying heroes. Seguir leyendo »

Children raised in the wild, reared by some savage beast, appear in myths frequently. They appear in modern times as well, usually dealing with autistic or intellectually disabled children and not feral at all. Some of the folklore surrounding these children is based on truth but mainly it’s allegorical and safely in the realm of fiction. Seguir leyendo »

House gnomes have always watched and protected homes in Scandinavia, and Elves have guarded the high passes, assisting straying house animals (who cannot survive alone) and finding lost children. Seguir leyendo »

Iduna, the Rejuvenating One, is the guardian of the apples which keep the gods eternally young. Once she was kidnapped by the giant Thiazi. Seguir leyendo »

Poul Anderson is legendary among speculative fiction readers and this, his last dark tale, demonstrates why this is so. Seguir leyendo »