Page:The land of enchantment (1907, Cassell).djvu/149

, said the ancient Norsemen, the salmon have pointed tails to this day.

The gods silently bore Loki, who had resumed his own shape, to a cave, where they laid him on three upright stones, and bound him fast tothem. Over his head they fastened a huge and terrible snake. From its mouth dropped a deadly poison, and when the venom touched Loki’s face, the strong god writhed in agony. So they went away and left him; but his faithful wife, Sigyn, remained by his side, and held a cup to catch the venomous drops and save her husband pain. When the cup was full, she had to go forth and empty it. Then the poison fell on Loki’s face, and he shook so that the whole world trembled, and men said this caused the earthquake.

So it was decreed that Loki should lie there to the Day of Doom, when his fetters would be riven asunder, and he would perish with all other things, good and evil.

was a time when there was no evil, when the gods played with their golden disks, when none did wrong. And this was the golden age. But the love of gold awoke among gods and men, and guilt was born, oaths were broken, and strife and murder came into the world. So it came about that the gods must perish with the world they had created.

Evil portents were to precede the Day of Doom, signs that all could read. When Iduna fell from the sunny heights, when Balder was slain, the gods felt that the dread time would not be long in coming. But there were other signs to be looked for as the day drew nearer. First there would be three long years of terrible war, when all bonds should be loosened, when faith, and law, and order should perish, when father should turn against son and brother against brother, and all evil things should rule the world. After this there would be three years of icy, freezing winter, without spring or summer. A bitter frost would check all growth, the trees would not bud, the flowers would not blossom, the corn would not grow. The snow would fall and fall, and cover all the earth with its white cloak; fierce winds would rage from pole to pole; the pale sun grow sad and give no warmth. When this comes to pass, men may know that the end draws nigh. When