The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-07-24
THE SWORD OF TYR.
.,oo1uERN MYTH THAT is STRANGE
MIXED WITH HISTORY.
u.autiful Weapon Made by Clever
-, Possessed Magical Powers-The
80 of the Norns and How 1t Was
.,a,,ed In Several Instances.

/
.,e,,ed In Several Instances.
o.,u Morse ancestors had many things to
IND with besides the aggressiyeness Of
Gun D.~ ,rorlike neighbors The extreme cold
..oother. the long periods OF darkness,
ting half the year, terrible storms and
Ns,ortv and hunger were formidable foes,
thew tended to develop in the north
w. both combativeness and superstition
:. a. not strange, then, that their gods
.'ore supposed to be warlike, or that they |
'Iorld think that frost giants and evil |
lifts were abroad in that frigid, storm |
swept land. -,
odin. the father of all the gods, while |
10 nossessed many attributes and was "a
,otron of song and story, was particularly |
t'o+irguished for his martial spirit and
.osecssed a marvellous spear, gungnir,
,rhicb was endowed with miraculous quail
;ties and which he always carried with
him This wonderful spear was the handi-
,rorl of sl1illful smith, dwarf Of the
name of Dvalinz
Among Odin's sons was one that had in
horited his fathers warlike spirit and
whose name was Tyr, god of war and
couroqe One of Tyr's most valuable pos
SESSIONS was sacred sword made by the
clever dwarf who had fashioned his IA
,ber,s spear. The sword was hung in the
temple. where the first rays of the morn
;rg sun caressed its shining blade. 1t was
carefully guarded night and day, but in
snite of all precautions it mysteriously
disappeared.
There was CONSERVATION in Asagrd when
tbe loss was discovered, and immediate
seorcb was made for the missing weapon.
A druidess, who possessed the gift of div
ination. was consulted, and from her 1t
was learned that the Norns had decreed
that whoever came into possession of the
sword should conquer the world, but
would eventually come to his death by it,
The druidess, however, refused to disclose
the hiding place of the sword.
In the ancient city of Cologne, which
was founded by the Romans, the project,
or governor of the province, sat one day
feasting upon the choicest viands and
drinking of the richest wines of his prov
ince. Vitellius was noted for his german
dizing proclivities, and it was surprising
TO those who knew him that he should be
selected for the honors that came to him.
As he sat at his table surrounded by the
convivial spirits of the city servant came
to him saying that stranger wished to
see him upon matter that would admit
of no delay.
Reluctantly he left off his feasting to re-
ceive the visitor, tall, dignified stranger
who presented him with the sword of Tyr
remarking that it would bring him great
honor and renown. He then saluted vi
tellius as emperor. Immediately those
present took up the cry, "Hail to the en-
perorl" and Vitellius was elect | emperor
of Rome.
He at once proceeded toward Rome, the
capital of the empire, but pursued his
journey very leisurely, paying much more
attention to feasting than to marching.
One day, while in u state OF intoXicatlon,
he left his sword, the sacred sword of Tyr,
unguarded in one of the outer apartments
of his tent, where it was observed by d
German soldier, who appropriated it, leav'
ing in it's place rusty weapon that nc
had been carrying.
Vitellius was so absorbed with his feast
ing that he did not miss the sword until
after his arrival Mt Rome. Learning thai
Vespasian was marching toward the city
TO dispute his claim to the throne, ne
sought the sword, thinking to resist his
rival but it had disappeared. Believing
this to be an omen of defeat, he secretee
himself in a dark recess of his palace
where he was found by the angry peopi'
who had so recently declared him emperor
and was ANONYMOUSLY dragged forth ant
hurried away to the foot of the Capitolin
hill The German soldier who had stolel
the sacred sword happened to arrive at tn
same moment as the disgraced monarch
and, drawing the sword, he cut OH TN
emperor's head with single stroke, ful
filing the decree of the Norns that TN
sword should slay its possessor.
The German soldier kept the swor
many years, fighting in many dlneren
regiments and in various countries an
was always victorious He became famou
on account of his skill and power as
warrior and was greatly honored. Az las
old age compelled him to give up MS MAJ
tial pursuits, and he retired to private liz
still retaining in his possession the woi
derful sword.
Fearful lest it might be taken from hin
he buried it upon the banks of the rive
Danube and built himself a modest dwell
ing over the spot where the sword lay hi
den. At last he died, and though n
friends begged him to disclose the man
place of the sword he refused, saying tina
though its possessor might be able TO col
quer the world, he could not escape u
curse of death.
The sword, however, was not destin,
to remain always hidden. Many years al
er the death of the German soldier u
Hun leader Attila, with an army Oh J.
yaders, passed along the Danube AS TN
approached the spot where had former
stood the Germans hut Attila noticed
peasant ruefully examining his cows 10
and paused to inquire what was the ma
ter. The peasant told him that the CO
had cut her foot upon something that :"
hidden In the tall grass
They began search, and soon ioui
the point of sword sticking out Oh
ground The sword was unearthed. a.
when Attila saw the fine Workmanship
knew that he had found the lost sword
Tyr 1t had not lost its luster or lts VIC
derful virtues by its long imprisonment
the damp earth, for, from that day, vicoo
attended Attila in his encounters WIN
enemy.
last, becoming surfeited with 81
80, he determined to retire to private II
k,,& l. Cor Wifi n