If you follow my blog, you know I have a
predilection for myths, legends, and ancient stories involving heroes
and their various virtues and vices. This has been a passion of mine
for decades. It might have to do with the primal elements involved in
such tales – the pristine condition of the earth, its inherent
beauty untainted by electric lines and smoke stacks, the clarity of
good versus evil often in the form of archetypes, as well as the
courage displayed in the face of overwhelming odds without the
amenities of technology or modern conveniences to aid the good guys
and gals in their struggle. Then there's the bonus of the mystical,
the miraculous, the supernatural, and, most importantly, the wisdom
and lessons learned we often don't find in the modern novel.
This
Public Domain Book, which I downloaded for free from Amazon.com,
quenches many of those thirsts. The
author Colum, a poet and a playwright, was awarded the Regina Medal
in 1961 for his “distinguished contribution in children's
literature.”
First
published in 1920 and later reissued in 1962,
this book contains the Norse Sagas, a collection of the
Scandinavian myths. Stories of the gods of Asgard – Odin, the
All-Father; Thor and his mighty hammer Miolnir; Loki, the trickster;
Iduna and her shining apples of immortality; Sif's golden hair;
Prometheus, the jar (or box, depending on which version of the tale
you prefer) of plagues Pandora uncorked (though this is really a
Greek myth, not a Scandinavian one), as well as the stories of the
Giants, the Valkyries, and heroes such as Sigard and others. Their
mighty deeds, their crimes, greed, deceits, courage, cruelty, etc.
comprise a cycle of cautionary tales, full of grandiose events.
As
with many world myths, a ritualistic pattern abounds; the number
three appears frequently: three temptations, three trials, three
days, three choices, three attempts, and so on. We likewise find this
recurring series of numbers in Greek mythology as well as in The
Bible, particularly the Old Testament, not to mention the stories of
Gilgamesh. Curiously, the numbers three, five, seven, and nine
pervade many world myths and ancient stories. I tend to agree with
C.S. Lewis who wrote, and I'm paraphrasing here of course, that world
religions and myths don't conflict with one another but rather allude
to a single Author preparing us for what would ultimately become the
greatest story ever told, namely the story of Jesus of the New
Testament.
In
fact, early in the cycle, the reader is told that the Gods won't
endure forever. A foreboding about their demise is made clear long
before we immerse ourselves in their tales of grandeur and might. For
that reason, the stories assume a precious, fleeting, transitory
tone. These Gods and their concerns will pass away. What's more, and
this is the more interesting element, allusions to a heaven beyond
the Norse Gods recurs. This heaven is never described, apart from
saying that it's some thing or some place “that Surtur's flames
would not reach.” And the reader can't help but come away with an
impression of the transcendent, something set apart and superior to
the often frivolous, petty squabbling these lesser gods fall prey to.
Bulfinch puts it this way. “Odin is frequently called Alfdaur
(All-father), but this name is sometimes used in a way that shows
that the Scandinavians had an idea of a deity superior to Odin,
uncreated and eternal.” Again, C.S. Lewis alluded to something
similar in his Narnia Chronicles. I think it was Prince Caspian in
which Aslan tells the Pevensie children that their dealings with him
in Narnia will make it easier for them to recognize Him in their own
world.
The
format is reminiscent of The Arabian Nights, in which one
story introduces another. In this case, one great tale links dozens
of smaller ones. As an aside, reading these stories and coming
across some of the place names and personalities, I couldn't help but
notice what was bound to have influenced J.R.R. Tolkien and his books
The Simarillion and The Lord of the Rings. The Norse
Vidar vs. Tolkien's Valar, Asgard vs. Isengard, the Dwarves and their
covetous preoccupation with treasure, the capricious elves. Even the
name Gimli appears in the Norse saga, though only as a thing “that
was untouched by Surtur's fire.” (Surtur is a giant with a flaming
sword who would aid the other Giants in ultimately toppling the Gods
and their abode in Asgard.)
No comments:
Post a Comment