Page:The land of enchantment (1907, Cassell).djvu/150

 the time is accomplished, the sun and the moon will be overtaken by the hungry wolves that ever chased them through the sky, and they will be devoured. The stars will fall from heaven, and terrible darkness will encompass the world. The earth will shake in terror, the trees be uprooted, the mountains will fall, all bonds and fetters will be broken, and Loki and his evil brood will regain their freedom. The Midgard snake will feel its strength, and will swim to the shore, causing the sea to flood the land. Nagelfar, the ship that has been slowly growing through long ages, will be finished, and come sailing from the east, bearing the giants to their last fight. Over the sea come sailing Muspel’s sons, the children of fire, led by Surtur, and steered by Loki. When they land and ride across the bridge Bifrœst, Heimdall, the warder, will blow a piercing blast on his horn to summon all the gods and the dead warriors to the combat. The Fenris wolf, Loki’s son, will rush on its way with gaping mouth, its upper jaw touching the sky, its lower the earth.

With Loki come Hel and her followers.

Then the gods will ride forth for their last fight. Foremost is Odin on Sleipnir, with his helmet of gold, his gleaming armour, and Gungnir his spear. Yggdrasil shakes, and the heavens tremble. Towards him rushes the Fenris wolf, and terrible is the struggle. But it is decreed that the gods shall suffer for their deeds, and Odin will perish. Not unavenged, however, for Widar, his son, shall grasp the wolf by his jaws, and tear them asunder, so that he dies.

Still more dreadful will be the fight between Thor and the Midgard snake. Thor will kill the hideous monster, but little shall his strength avail him. Not nine paces will he move away ere he falls dead, killed by the poisonous breath of his foe. Loki and Heimdall meet in mortal combat, and fall by each other’s hands. So the battle rages, and one after the other the gods fall, and their enemies perish even in their victory. Then will Surtur fling fire over the world, the sea will rise up and dash over it, impenetrable darkness will reign, and there will be silence.

But not for ever will the darkness and the desolation endure. From the waves will arise a new world, a beautiful world with fields of emerald green where the corn will grow, though no man will sow it. A new sun, a new moon will be born, and Balder and Hœder will return and many others, and they will build a palace brighter than the