THE APPLE OF YOUTH. 49 



on air and water, called Hojhvarfiiir ( = hoof-turner) " (' Later 

 Edda,' Gylfaginning, 35). 



The gods, it would seem, had it in their power, if not to 

 secure everlasting life, at least to retain perpetual youth, 

 unlike poor Tithonus of the well-known Greek myth. It may 

 not be inappropriate to continue here the legend relating 

 to this. Idun, the wife of Bragi, who was celebrated for his 

 wisdom and eloquence, kept in a box the apples which when 

 the gods felt old age approaching they ate in order that they 

 might keep their youth till Ragnarok. 



"Odin, Loki and Hoenir went from home over mountains 

 and uninhabited land, and it was not easy for them to get food. 

 When they came down into a valley they saw a herd of oxen, 

 took one of them and prepared it for the fire. When they 

 thought it was cooked they took it off, but it was not cooked. 

 A second time, after waiting a little, they took it off, and 

 it was not cooked. They considered what might be the 

 cause of this. Then they heard a voice in the tree above 

 them which said that he who sat there caused this. They 

 looked up, and a large eagle sat there. The eagle said : 

 ' If you will give ine my fill of the ox, it shall be cooked.' 

 They assented, and the bird came slowly down from the tree, sat 

 down on the hearth, and at once gobbled up the four shoulder- 

 pieces of the ox. Loki got angry, took a large pole, raised 

 it, and with all his strength struck the eagle. At the blow 

 the eagle flew into the air. The pole adhered to its body, 

 and the hands of Loki to one end of it. The eagle flew so 

 that Loki's feet touched the rocks, the stone-heaps and the 

 trees. He thought his hands would be torn from his shoulders. 

 He shouted, eagerly asking the eagle to spare him, but it 

 answered that Loki would never get loose unless he swore 

 to make Idun leave Asgard with her apples. Loki promised 

 this, got loose and went to his companions, and no more 

 tidings are told about their journey till they reached home. 

 At the appointed time Loki enticed Idun to go to a wood 

 out of Asgard by saying he had found apples which she 

 would prefer to her own, and asked her to take her own apples 

 with her to compare them. Thjassi Jotun then came in an 

 eagle's shape and took Idun and flew away to his abode 

 in Thrymheim. The Asar were much grieved at the disap- 

 pearance of Idun, and soon became grey-haired and old. They 

 held a Thing and asked each other for news of Idun. The 

 last seen of her was when she walked out of Asgard with Loki. 

 He was brought to the Thing and threatened with death or 



VOL. I. E 



