66 MYTHOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS RITES. 
wolf Fenris, the Midgard serpent, Loke with all the followers of Hela, and 
Hrym with his Hrymthussir. 
LTleimdall now stands up, and with all his force sounds the Gjallar-horn 
to assemble the gods and heroes for the contest. The Asir thus summoned 
advance led on by Odin, who is armed with his spear Gungnzr, and wears 
his golden helmet and refulgent cuirass. A battle now commences, such as 
was neyer before seen, nor will ever have its equal. Odin engages the 
wolf Fenris, who devours him; but at that instant his son Védar advances, 
and setting his foot on the monster’s lower jaw, seizes the other with his 
hands and tears them asunder; the wolf dies, and Vidar has avenged the 
death of his father. Zhor gains great renown for killing the Midgard ser- 
pent, but recoils at the same time and falls dead, suffocated with the venom 
which the dying monster vomits over him. The dog of hell Garm, who 
has broken loose from the Gnipa cave, attacks Tyr, and they kill each 
other. Loke and Heimdall meet and fight until they are both slain. 
The Asir and their enemies having fallen in battle, Surtwr, who has killed 
Freyr, darts fire and flames over the world, and the whole universe is burn- 
ing and consuming. The sun becomes dim with smoke, the earth sinks 
into the ocean, the stars fall from heaven, and time is no more. 
After this ‘Alfadur, the eternal and uncreated god, will cause a new 
heaven and a new earth to arise out of thesea, where the gods and men will 
live happily together. The new earth, filled with abundant supplies, will 
spontaneously produce its fruits without requiring labor or toil. Neither 
will wickedness or misery any more mar the happiness of its inhabitants, 
who will live amidst scenes of uninterrupted bliss, innocence, and joy. 
Before we close this section we will make a few remarks on the worship 
and religious ceremonies of the Scandinavians. 
Their priests were called Llodgodar or Blodmen, and their high priests 
Hofdingt. They were all divided into different classes according to their 
respective ranks. 
We read also of priestesses, Blodgydiur, who lived in separate dwellings 
which were considered sacred, and were an asylum, particularly for perse- 
cuted virgins. 
These priestesses were only in the service of the goddesses, but officiated 
also at the worship of Baldur. 
The chief business of the priesthood was to consult the oracles, to predict 
future events, and to superintend the ceremonies of enchantments. Their 
soothsaying was termed Sezd. 
The Scandinavians had no temples; for, holding that the gods could not 
be inclosed in walls, they erected their altars in sacred groves or on emi- 
nences, and sometimes inclosed them with a hedge. Public opinion alone 
invested them with a character of sanctity. The ring worn by the priest 
when offering the sacrifice was always kept upon the altar, and upon it 
every one placed his hand who was about taking a solemn oath. Sacrifices 
of men or animals constituted the chief feature of their worship. 
They had several religious festivals, of which we mention two which were 
considered the most important. The annual chief festival, or Yule, which 
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