Thor’s trip to Jotunheim - Part Three

Thor took his hammer, the Miolnir and watched the door of the house, all night.

At the dawn of the day he went into the forest.

Thor was stunned to see a gigantic man lying in the forest. The giant’s breath swayed the treetops. 

Thor realized that this giant was the reason for their disturbances last night.

Thor bravely went up to the giant to wake the giant up, when the giant itself woke up and looked at Thor.

“Who are you?” Thor demanded. “You made enough noise last night to prevent your neighbours from sleeping well.”

The giant looked at Thor. “I am Skrymir.”

Before Thor could say anything else, the giant continued. “I know who you are. You are little Asa Thor of Asgard.”

Thor was surprised as Skrymir continued. “What have you done with my glove?”

Even as the giant spoke, the giant picked up the ‘hall’ in which Thor and his friends had spent the night.

The hall was the glove and the room where Loki and Thialfi had slept was the thumb of the glove.

Thor was sure that this was a dream.

But Thor raised his hammer. “I have come to Jotunheim to fight and win against evil giants like you.” Thor nodded at the giant. “I am ready to try my strength against yours.

The giant studied Thor. “Try it then.”

Thor picked up the Miolnir and threw it at the giant’s head.

Adapted from Norse Mythology

Thor’s trip to Jotunheim - Part Two

Thialfi was terrified because he realized the importance of Thor’s words. What was worse was that one of the goats limped a little with its hind legs.

Thor saw this and he was angry.

Thialfi wanted to run away from there. But he came forward and fell at Thor’s feet and begged for pardon for what he had done.

Thor heard Thialfi’s words and instead of getting angry, he just nodded.

“I would have punished you, Thialfi. But because you have come forward and confessed your fault so bravely, I will not punish you.” Thor nodded again. “Come on this journey with me so that you can learn the lesson of obedience.”

Rosko also decided to come with her brother.

So from that day, Thor had two faithful servants - Thialfi and Rosko, and they followed him wherever he went.

The four of them - Thor, Loki, Thialfi and Rosko traveled without their chariot and goats. They journeyed to the end of Manhein and came to the strange barren and misty land of Jotunheim.

They crossed a heavy thick forest and were tired.

They came upon a spacious hall and strangely the door was as broad as the house itself.

There was a spacious hall leading into five small rooms.

Thor and his companions were too tired and ate their supper and went to sleep.

But that night, there were strange sounds, louder than any animals that they had ever heard.

Even the house began to shake from side to side and even the earth trembled.

Thor and the others ran to the open door but they could see no enemy.

Thialfi and Loki found a small chamber on the right where they thought they could spend the night in safety from whatever it was.

Adapted from Norse Mythology

Thor’s trip to Jotunheim - Part One

 

Thor and Loki were on a journey in Thor’s chariot, from Asgard to Jotunhein. Thor’s chariot was made of iron and rumbled and was drawn by two milk white goats.

As they traveled all day, they came upon a house in the evening. The house was poor and the people living there had nothing to offer to Thor.

Thor liked to feast and because the people in the house could not provide him with any food, he had to provide for it himself.

Thor killed his own two goats to be served for supper.

Thor asked the family in the poor house to join him. But before they started eating, Thor had a request. “Do not break or throw away any of the bones of the goats that you are going to eat now.”

Thialfi and Roska were the children of the countryman. Thialfi was very surprised with Thor’s condition. “Why should we not break the bones?” Thialfi asked his sister Roska.

Roska did not know the answer.

So when Thor was not looking, Thialfi broke one of the bones that had been served to him, into two.

After eating to their heart’s fill, as directed by Thor all of them threw the bones into the goat skins where Thor had placed it. Thialfi threw the broken bone into the goat skins too.

Thialfi was uneasy with what he had done and could not sleep well that night.

The next morning, Thor held his hammer Miolnir over the goat skins.

Thor muttered some runes onto the goat skins.

When Thor finished speaking the two live goats sprang up and walked towards the chariot.

Adapted from Norse Mythology

Dharmabuddhi and Dushtabuddhi - Part Three

When the kings’ courtiers heard the words from the tree, they were sure that something was wrong. “Dushtabuddhi got us here and he was so sure that the tree would give evidence. That means Dushtabuddhi planned the whole thing. Dushtabuddhi must have placed someone inside the tree to say all this.”

The king’s courtiers introduced some smoke into the tree trunk.

Soon Dushtabuddhi’s father who was inside could not breathe because of the smoke. He stumbled out of the tree trunk.

Then the king’s soldier’s realized that Dushtabuddhi had done all this.

Dharmabuddhi was given all the coins.

Dushtabuddhi was punished for his deeds and exiled from the kingdom.

Adapted from the Katha Sarith Sagara

Dharmabuddhi and Dushtabuddhi - Part Two

“We will go to the tree tomorrow and ask about this.” The king decided.

After that, both Dharmabuddhi and Dushtabuddhi came back home. Dushtabuddhi goes to his father and tells him all that had happened. Then Dushtabuddhi gives some money to his father. “Hide inside the tree trunk and pretend that you are the tree talking to us.”

The father agreed to this.

At night, Dushtabuddhi placed his father inside the tree and then went home.

In the morning, the two brothers and the officers from the king’s court went near the tree.

“Who has taken the coins that were buried here?” They all asked the tree.

Everyone was shocked when the tree replied. “Dharmabuddhi has taken away the coins that were hidden here.”

Adapted from the Katha Sarith Sagara

Dharmabuddhi and Dushtabuddhi - Part One

 

Once, there was a merchant who had two sons. The two sons were called Dharmbuddhi and Dushtabuddhi. The two sons left home to earn wealth and earned two thousand coins. After that the two brothers returned to their city. Before going further, the two brothers hid the  coins at the feet of a huge tree. 

Then the two sons went to their father’s house and lived there with their father.

One day, Dushtabuddhi went by himself to the foot of the tree and there he dug up all the money and took it for himself.

A month later, Dushtabuddhi went to Dharmabuddhi. “I have some expenses, brother. So let us dig up the money and divide the money between us.”

Dharmabuddhi had no problems with this. 

The two brothers went to the tree and dug it up.

However there were no coins there.

Dushtabuddhi was angry. “You have taken away the coins. That belongs to both of us. Give me my share.”

Dharmabuddhi shook his head. “No, I have not taken it. You must have taken them.”

There was a fierce quarrel between the two brothers after this.

They both took the matter to the king’s court.

The king heard both sides.

Then Dushtabuddhi suddenly added. “We kept the coins at the base of a tree. I am sure that the tree itself is a witness to what has happened. The tree will speak about what has happened between the two of us.”

The king and the court were astonished when they heard this, but they decided to let Dushtabuddhi prove his case in this manner.

Adapted from the Katha Sarith Sagara

The Story of Fafnir the Dragon - Part Four

At night when Hreidmar kept his helmet and sword aside and he was first asleep, Fafnir, his son, stabbed Hreidmar to death.

Subsequently Regin found Fafnir and found Fafnir with their father's helmet and sword. Regin at once realized what that meant. But Regin did not talk to Fafnir about that. “Now that you have our father’s treasure, you have to share it with me. I am your brother.”

Fafnir coldly looked at his brother. “I have killed my father for this.” Fafnir had a cold snarl. “I will not give this away to my foolish brother who is too weak to win it himself.”

Regin was afraid of his brother and he walked away from there immediately.

Fafnir carried all the gold to the heath of Gnitta and spread it out before him.

With the magic ring of Andvari, Fafnir acquired more and more wealth.

Even as Fafnir saw his glowing gold, his heart became cold and wicked. He was soon so corrupted that all he cared about was to protect his gold. He used the helmet of his father and struck terror into the heart of anyone who tried to steal his gold or even tried to oppose him.

All Fafnir did was care about keeping his gold safe from everyone.

Soon Fafnir underwent a terrible change and turned into a dragon.

That was the story of how a dwarf driven by greed had become corrupted by the riches.

Adapted from Norse Mythology

The Story of Fafnir the Dragon - Part Three

From all the treasure that they had obtained from Andvari, Odin kept the ring with himself. Loki did not tell Odin that the ring had been cursed either.

After that both Odin and Loki took the gold and filled the otter skin completely with the treasure that they had obtained.

However, a single small portion of hair was alone not filled up. Hreidmar looked at the ring that Odin had with him and asked that. “Once you hand over this ring too, then I will forgive you for my son’s death.”

Odin seemed reluctant at first but he handed over the ring to Hreidmar too.

Hreidmar then freed Odin and Loki.

“Hreidmar you should know that the ring had been cursed.” Loki told the king of dwarves.

Hreidmar scoffed at them. “I think you are just trying to threaten me. I just want to enjoy my gold in peace. So leave this place immediately.”

Both Loki and Odin left the place immediately.

After this, Hreidmar’s remaining two sons went and spoke to him. “Father, we also need a share in the blood price that you have received. Otr was your son and our brother.”

Hreidmar studied his two sons with pursed angry lips. “No! I shall not give you anything.”

The two sons wisely did not push the matter any further. Hreidmar was a skilled sorcerer and he was also an excellent swordsman. Further Hreidmar also had a helmet that stuck fear in the heart of whoever looked at it.

The two men walked away.

Adapted from Norse Mythology

The Story of Fafnir the Dragon - Part Two

Obviously Odon could free himself from the bonds. But despite that, Odin regretted what had happened. He promised to give any much gold and riches as Hreidmar wanted - a monetary price to make up for the crime.

Hreidmar accepted this offer instead of having revenge. Hreidmar gave the skin of the dead otter to Odin and Loki and asked them to fill it with gold.

To get the gold, Loki went to another water stream. Loki knew that another very wealthy dwarf called Andvari lived in this stream. Andvari was also a sorcerer and could turn himself into a huge fish like the pike.

Loki caught a pike from the stream and knew instantly that this was Andvari. “Hand over all your gold, or I will kill you.”

Andvari was caught and did not know what to do. 

So Andvari turned into his dwarf form and led Loki to his treasure.

Andvari gave Loki all the gold that he had. But Andvari kept one particular ring with himself.

“Hand me the ring.” Loki told Andvari.

Andvari pleaded with Loki. “Please let me keep this ring alone. As long as I have this ring, I can grow my wealth again.”

Loki shook his head. “That is all the more reason that I need the ring too.”

Andvari pleaded some more. But Loki was adamant.

Andvari reluctantly handed over the ring to Loki. 

Then the dwarf became angry. “I curse this ring henceforth! Evil will befall anyone who possesses the ring.”

Adapted from Norse Mythology

The Story of Fafnir the Dragon - Part One

Once Odin and Allfather of Norse mythology and Loki together went around the world. They came to a river and there Loki saw an otter. The otter had just caught a salmon which was in its mouth. Loki took a stone and hit the otter which fell dead. Now Loki had two animals in a single stone and Loki felt very gleeful about it.

After that, they traveled on for some more time.

In the evening, they came upon a rich house. This house belonged to the rich king of dwarfs - Hreidmar. 

Hreidmar studied Odin and Loki. “What do you want at my home?”

“We want lodging,” They replied. “But we do not want food, because we already have food.” Loki added.

After that, Loki showed Hreidmas the dead otter and the dead salmon to Hreidmar.

Hreidmar invited both the people into his house but he furiously went inside his house to talk to two of his sons.

Hreidmar was a powerful sorcerer and he had three sons - Fafnir, Regin and Otr. Otr also had his father’s sorcery skills and Otr mostly spent his time as an otter. 

Hearing what their father had said about the people who had come to their house, Hreidmar, Regin and Fafnir all figured out that the two people who had come to their house had killed Otr.

The king of dwarves and his two sons decided that they had to either have revenge or payment for the death of Otr.

Meanwhile the two guests of Hreidmar suspected nothing and they were relaxed and off guard. 

While the sons of the dwarf pulled out their knives, Hreidmar bound the two people and then told the people of what they had done.

Adapted from Norse Mythology

The Black Crow

Apollo was the Greek God of Light, sun, truth and Prophecy. 

One of Apollo’s lovers was Coronis.

Coronis was the daughter of King Phlegyas of the Lapiths.

Coronis was carrying Apollo’s child and at that time, Coronis unfortunately fell in love with another man. 

Coronis fell in love with Ischys, the son of Elatus.

Apollo suspected that Coronis loved another man and so he had left a white crow to guard Coronis. The white crow was supposed to inform Apollo when Coronis met Ischys.

However, the crow did not do as Apollo had asked.

Apollo was very angry with the crow and cursed the bird. The power of Apollo’s curse was so bad that it scorched the feathers of the bird.

Since that day, crows were always black in colour.

Adapted from Greek Mythology

Apollo and Daphne - Part Two

Apollo fell in love with Daphne and followed her. But as soon as Daphne saw him, she fled from there.

Apollo pleaded with her to stop. But Daphne did not heed to him and kept running.

Finally Daphne realized that she could not outrun Apollo and she prayed to her father. “Father, open the earth and enclose me in it. Or at least change my form so that I will not have to face this kind of danger anymore.”

Even as Daphne had spoken, she changed. Her skin became like the bark of a tree and her limbs became stiff. Her hair became leaves and her arms became branches.

Daphne turned into a tree with her feet rooted into the ground.

Apollo looked at the tree and was stunned.

“You cannot be my wife anymore. But you will always be known as my tree. Your leaves shall always be green and will not decay. I will wear your leaves as my crown.”

This was the laurel and is called ‘daphne’ in Greek. 

After that day, the laurel was always considered as the symbol of Apollo.

Adapted from Greek Mythology