The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-09-05
The Apples OF Iduna.

The Apples of Iduna.
We extract the following legend from
story entitled "The Apples of Iduna,"
printed in st. Nicholas. The scene of
the story is laid in Iceland, late in the
winter of the year 1850. Olaf is seated,
holding his son Thorold and the little
Thurida on his knees. A great wood
fire crackles and blazes before them,
and the children listen as Olaf speaks !:
"Once," said he, ga long time ago,
before the Christians came to Iceland,
the god Odin, with Henri and the
wicked Loki, went on a journey. The
ancient gods surely differed little from
mortals, for, like us, they often were
hungry and thirsty and tired. When
these three had travelled far, they came
to beautiful valley where herd of
oxen were grazing. Being very hungry,
these gods-not even the best of whom
was really good-did not scruple to
steal and kill one of the oxen for their
supper. They cut the OK into quarters,
which they put into their big kettle to
boil. But boil the beef would not. In
vain the three travellers piled on the
fuel; in vain the water in the kettle
dubbed and boiled. Every time that
the lid of the kettle was removed the
meat was found to be as raw as at first
While wondering what the reason for
this could be, the perplexed travellers,
hearing voice, looked up, and beheld
an enormous eagle, perched on the
stoutest branch of very large oak tree.
If we are willing said the voice,
to let me have my share of the flesh, it
shall soon be boiled
"Of course the hungry gods said
Yes when instantly down flew the
loud-fapping eagle, and with his great
beak snatched up three quarters of the
beef!
"'Stop! stop!' exclaimed Loki, zone
quarter only is thy SHARE and with that
he struck fierce blow with his travel
ing staff upon the eagles back. So
much the worse was this for Loki, for
while one end of the unlucky staff stuck
fast to the back of the eagle, Loki,
found himself unable to loose his hold
from the other end, which he the more
desired to do because he now found, to
his dismay, that the supposed eagle was
no other than the renowned Frost Giant
Thjassi, who, with his great eagle wings,
went flying over rocks and forest tops,
dragging after him the unhappy Loki
till he was torn almost in pieces.
"For long time the giant took no
notice of Loki's piteous entreaties, but,
at last, Thjassi deigned to tell him that
he should be released when he had
bound himself by a solemn oath to
bring Iduna and her apples out from
her safe retreat behind the bright walls
of Asgard, the city of the gods.
"Loki, who was selfish enough to do
anything, willingly took the oath, and,
all tatters and wounds as he was, soon
reioined his companions. But he told
them nothing of his OATH"
my father" interrupted Thurida,
"what are apples?"
"They are round things that grow on
trees, as I've been told" said Olaf, "but
never saw any.
Now, these apples of Iduna were
very different from all other fruits, for
it was by eating them that the gods
kept themselves always young, and
handsome and strong. So Loki did
not dare to tell of the oath he had
taken.
"On the return of the three travellers
to bright Asgard, the crafty and cruel
Loki told the beautiful and kind Iduna
that, In forest short distance off, he
had found apples which he thought
were of much better quality than her
own, and that at ali events it was worth
while to make a comparison between
them.
"Iduna, deceived by his words, took
her apples and went with him into the
forest; but, no sooner had they entered
it, than Thjassi, clad in his eagle plum
age, flew rapidly toward them, and,
catching up Iduna, regardless of her
tears, carried her and her treasures with
him to gloomy Jotunheim, the dreary
city of the Frost Giants.
Now the gods, left in lofty Asgard
without the society of the beautiful
Iduna, and without any of her youth
giving apples to eat, soon became
wrinkled and bent and gray. Old age
was creeping fast upon them, and their
mourning for Iduna was loud and sim
cere. 1t was long before they discov.
cred that Loki was the author of the
mischief When they did so, he could
only save himself from their wrath by
promising to bring safely back the
beloved Iduna and her youth-giving
apples.
To do this, Loki borrowed from the
goddess, Frigga, the falcon plumage
which she sometimes wore, and, dis
guised in it, few to Jotunheim.
I" In spite of his disguise. it was not
without fear that Lok appi cached the
grim and terrible walls of the city OF