Norse Mythology or the Religion of Our Forefathers Containing All the Myths of the Eddas

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NORSE MYTHOLOGY OR THE RELIGION OF OUR FOREFATHERS, CONTAINING ALL THE MYTHS OF THE EDDAS, SYSTEMATIZE AND INTERPRETED by R, B. ANDERSON. I think Scandinavian Paganism, to us here, is more interesting than any other. It is, for one thing, the latest it continued in these regions of Europe till the eleventh century eight hundred years ago the Norwegians were still worshipers of Odin. It is interesting also as the creed of our fathers the men whose blood still runs in our veins, whom doubtleuH we still resemble in so many ways. Strange they did believe that, while we believe so differently. Let us look a little at this poor Noroc creed, for many reasons. We have tolerable means to do it for there IB another point of interest in these Scandinavian mythologies that they have been preserved so well. Neither is there no use in knowing something about this old Paganism of our fathers. Unconsciously, and combined with higher things, it is in yet, that old faith withal. To know it consciously brings UK into dower and clearer relations with the past, , -with our own potweHgiouH in the pat For the whole past, as I keep repeating, is the poHBwsion of the present. The past had always something trua, and is a precious posaewdoii, In a different time, in a different place, it is always some other wWe of our common htixn n natxire that, has been developing Itself. Tkornas CWyi. PKEFACE: AMERICA NOT DISCOVERED BY COLUMBUS having - A been so favorably received by the press generally, as well as by many distinguished scholars, , who have expressed themselves in very flattering terms of our recent debut in English, we venture to appear again and, although the subject is somewhat differ ent, it still as did the first has its fountain head in the literature of the North. We come, this time, encouraged by all your kind words, with higher aspirations, and perhaps, too, with less timidity and modesty. We come to ask your opinion of Norse mythology. We come to ask whether Norse mythology is not equally as worthy of your attention as the Greek. Nay, we come to ask whether you will not give the Norse the preference. We pro pose to call your attention earnestly, in this volume, to the merits of our common Gothic or Teutonic inheritance, and to chat a few hours with you about the imaginative, poetic and prophetic period of our Gothic history. We are well aware that we are here giving you a book full of imperfections so far as style, origi nality, arrangement and external adornment of the subject is concerned, and we shall not take it much to hour, even if we are severely entieiml in tliwit respects we shall rather take it a an earnest admo nition to study and improve in language and com position for the future. But if the spirit of the bnL that w, the cause which we have undertaken ft plead therein, if that be frowned down, or rejected, or laughed at we tthall be the recipient of a most bitter disappointment, und yet we shall not wholly despair. The time mut come, when our common Jothie inheritaiuv will lie loved and respected...