132 
ANCIENT ICELANDIC FABLE. 
empt from danger. The Gods are clad in armour; 
Odin puts on his golden helmet and his resplendent 
cuirass ; he grasps his sword, and marches directly 
against the wolf Fenris . He has Thor at his side ; 
but this God cannot assist him, for he himself fights 
with the Great Serpent. Frey encounters Surtur , and 
terrible blows are exchanged on both sides, till Frey 
is beat down ; and he owes his defeat to his having 
formerly given his sword to his attendant, Skyrner. 
That day also is let loose the dog named Garmer, 
who had hitherto been chained at the entrance of 
a cavern. He is a monster dreadful even to the 
Gods; he attacks Tyr , and they kill each other. 
Thor beats down the Great Serpent to the earth; 
but at the same time, recoiling back nine steps, he 
falls dead upon the spot, suffocated with floods of 
venom which the Serpent vomits forth upon him. 
Odin is devoured by the wolf Fenris . At the same 
instant Vidar advances, and pressing down the mon¬ 
ster’s lower jaw with his foot, seizes the other with 
his hand, and thus tears and rends him till he dies. 
Loke and Heimdal fight, and mutually kill each 
other. After that Surtur darts fire and flame over all 
the earth ; the whole world is presently consumed.” 
