The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-25
The BraVeSt of
the Gods

The holiday vacation was drawing near
its close. The cousins had already begun
to think ruefully of returning school days,
and Uncle Frank was making ready to go
back to college. One wintry evening, the
last before the merry party was to break
up. as all sat around the big fire in the
parlor. the young folks clamored for a
story to while away the hour before bed
time. Down the chimney the old north
wind waved and screamed. Against the
window panes the whistling sleet dashed
fitfully. Everything indicated a bad night,
and it was that. perhaps, which reminded
the young man of an old story concerning
the gods who once ruled the world. AT any
rate, he stirred the logs until they sparkled
and cleaned. and then, settling comforta-
bly, back in the old armchair, he began:
I'm the good old times a long. long while
ago. when the gods lived upon the earth
with happy men and women. the world was
as bright and beautiful as May morning.
Flowers bloomed beside every path, and
harvests ripened without labor. There was
no sorrow in the world, nor any pain. War
there was none upon the earth, for every
one desired peace. Joyful men sang praises
to the good gods who had granted them
such happiness. and the gods smiled upon
them again because of their praise. oh,
those were happy days. and 1 fear much
that their like will not come soon again.
But. my little friends usually when men
are happy something occurs to change their
joy into sorrow. Besides the gods, who
protected and helped the people of the
earth. there were others who liked nothing
SO well as TO make men miserable. These
We're the evil spirits, who were SO strong
and fierce that the gods themselves were
often afraid. OF all the bad demons Fenriv
was the worst. He dwelt far in the north,
where the cold would have killed any one
else, even of the strong demons. And, liv-
ing there, he grew to be as terrible as the
cold. A glance of his eye turned every liv
ing creature into stone: his breath stilled
the running brook and the great river. His
football was silent, but when he had done
his mischief horrible howl told of his
triumph. Do you think fierce and cruel
demon would like to see men happy? Fen
riv did not, and in the shape of great
gray wolf he swept down upon the earth
and did what harm he could. The songs
of men changed into walls of despair. The
starving people could no longer gather any
harvest. Even the little flowers of the
woods were not spared. Where once had
been brightness and joy and beauty was
gray desolation and mourning. The people
sent up prayers and groans to the gods,
but Thor. the greatest of them, answered:
What can 1 do? / have struck him
with my hammer, and he needed the stroke
no more than he would hy's football. My
Itch,
do not brighten him. l am much afraid
that he will destroy the world and all its
people. 1 can do nothing
Now, among the gods Tyr was the
youngest and most beautiful The distress
of the people moved him, and he resolved TO
do what he could against the grim wolf.
And so he asked Thor for permission to go
and struggle with Fenriv. The great god
told him of the danger. but when the youth
| could not be persuaded to give up his inten-
| ton Thor consented.
$50 one bright morning Tyr left the pleas
| ant dwelling Of the gods and sought an old
| man who was said to know all things. The
young god told the sage of what he pro-
| posed to do, and then he said
| ~ have come to you, old man. because
IT is said you know all things. Therefore,
| tell me, is there any way to kill Fenriv?
| Alas, there is none, my young friend"
May nothing be done to prevent him
from destroying the earth and perhaps the
very gods themselves?
| "'Yes, my friend answered the sage.
| This Fenriv is a cruel and strong beast,
but he is not cunning. 1t may be that you
| can chain him or bind him, if the chain be
light and strong, and IL you are skillful
| enough to make him think there is no dan
| ger. Otherwise, he may not be conquered.
Eagerly Tyr replied, OF what may a
| rope be made strong enough TO mold the