Introduction xi
Balder Son of Odin and Frigg . He was the most beautiful and beloved of the gods . There is only one myth about him , but it is one of the best known .
Njord A Vanir god of the seas and seafarers . Njord has two major roles in the myths : as a peace token sent to Asgard , the home of the Aesir gods , along with the twin deities Frey and Freya , his children ; and as the husband of the giantess Skade .
Frey A Vanir god , sent to Asgard as a peace token along with his twin sister , Freya , and his father , Njord . Frey was a god of fertility , peace , and plenty and was much worshipped .
Tyr One of the most ancient gods and the most mysterious , he was also the bravest and most just of the gods when he undertook to put his hand into the jaws of the terrible wolf , fenrir .
Heimdall The watchman of the gods who guarded Bilrost , the bridge that connected Asgard ( the domain of the gods ) with Midgard ( the Middle Earth ). Heimdall had a trumpet , Gjallarhorn , with which he would summon the gods to battle at Ragnarok .
The goddesses play a lesser role in the surviving Norse myths , according to extant manuscripts , but scholars believe they were important to the people who practiced Norse religion . They include :
Frigg The wife of Odin . Her greatest role is in the myth of Balder , her beloved son , whom she tries to protect from death .
Freya The goddess of fertility , the twin sister of Frey , and the daughter of Njord . She is beautiful and has a fatal love of gold . She is loved by dwarfs and giants alike . She may have been acquainted with magic and prophecy , but few facts are known about her .
Idunn The keeper of the apples of youth , she is known only through the myth “ Idunn and the Golden Apples ” ( see Idunn ).
Other females in Norse mythology are the Norns and the Valkyries . The Norns are the three Fates who represent the past , the present , and the future and who determine the destiny of all living creatures . The Norns are more powerful even than the gods .
The Valkyries are Odin ’ s warrior maidens who select the fallen heroes and carry them to Odin ’ s hall , Valhalla .
The forces of evil are represented chiefly by the offspring of Loki : Hel , queen of death and the underworld ; Fenrir , the monster wolf ; and Jormungand , the Midgard Serpent , who is so huge that he encircles the Earth and holds his tail in his mouth . Other wolves chase after the Sun and the Moon , and numerous Jotuns try to outwit and outfight the gods .