NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY. 65 
perceive how much it has sunk by thy draughts. The cat was the Midgard 
serpent, whose body encompasses the ocean; when we saw that one of his 
paws was off the floor, we were terror-stricken, for he was then only long 
enough to inclose the waters between his teeth and tail. The wrestling with 
£lla was also a wonderful feat, for she is Old Age, and there was never yet 
any one whom she will not sooner or later lay low if he abide her coming. 
And I was the first giant who met thee in the forest, for the purpose of 
frightening thee from coming here. Mayest thou never return any more!” 
When Thor heard this he raised his mallet to kill the king of the giants, 
but the latter had already vanished, and with him the city of Utgard. The 
three travellers saw nothing but a beautiful plam. They then returned to 
Asgard to plan another expedition. 
It was a firm belief of the northern nations, and a prominent article of 
their creed, that a time would come when all the visible creation, the gods 
of Valhalla and Nifleheim, the inhabitants of Jotunheim, Alfheim, and 
Midgard, together with their habitations, would be destroyed. This we have 
already mentioned as the end of Loke’s sufferings, Ragnaroek, the Twilight 
of the gods. The Asir themselves were the first cause of the calamity ; for 
by making peace with the giants, and admitting the wicked Loke into their 
society, as well as by their intermarriages with the daughters of the giants, 
they introduced wickedness into the region of bliss, and incurred the penalty 
which sooner or later must overtake it. The fearful day of final retribution 
will not, however, be without its forerunners. The gods themselves having 
ceased to be what they were, the purity of their race will have departed, 
and craft and injustice begin to characterize their deeds. 
Wickedness having increased everywhere, the race of the giants will once 
more rule with power and might. Then comes the beginning of this fearful 
period. It will open with the dreadful /%mbulvetur, a triple winter, during 
which snow will fall from the four corners of the heavens, the frost be very 
severe, the wind piercing, the weather tempestuous, and the sun impart no 
gladness. Three such winters will pass away without being tempered by a 
single summer. Three other similar winters will then follow, during which 
war and discord will spread over the universe. Brethren, parents, and 
children, for the sake of mere gain, will kill each other, and no one spare a 
human being no matter what the tie of relationship. The earth itself will 
be frightened and begin to tremble, the trees will be torn up by the roots, 
the sea leave its basin, the heavens tear asunder, and men fall in numbers 
victims to death’s arrows, while the eagles of the air feast upon their still 
quivering bodies. The wolf /enris, now become aware that his time has 
come, will break his bands, and the Aidgard serpent will rise out of her 
bed in the seaj and fill the atmosphere with her poisonous breath. Loke, 
too, released from his bonds, will join the enemies of the gods. Amidst 
this general devastation, the sons of M/wspelheim will rush forth under their 
leader Surtur, before and behind whom are flames and burning fire. His 
sword outshines the sun itself. Onward they ride over B2frost, the rainbow 
bridge, which breaks under the horses’ hoofs ; but they, disregarding its fall, 
direct their course to the battle-field called Vigrid. Thither also repair the 
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