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Norse mythology part 5 - The God Tyr and the wolf Fenrir

MiniMe3388

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At that time there lived a terrible monster, the wolf called Fenrir. The blood of Loki flowed in him, and the giantess Angrboda gave birth to him. His siblings were the serpent Jörmungandr and Hel. The Gods allowed Fenrir to live freely, although as a puppy he was known for his unbridled voracity and great strength. Eventually, however, the Gods drove him out of Asgard so that he would do no more harm. He then ran to the Iron Forest, which formed the border between Utgard and Midgard. There he ran among the mighty metal and stone trees, calling to other wolves and forming a bloody company. One day he encountered a giantess Gygur, called the Old One. She bore him two wolves, Sköll and Hati. These rascals were given important tasks by their father: they were to run across the sky, chasing the Sun and the Moon, and to devour them at the first opportunity. Fenrir hated the light and would have liked to eat the Sun and the Moon himself, but it had been prophesied to him that he would have few moments of freedom left, so he preferred to entrust this task to his sons. And indeed, the Gods had had enough of Fenrir's madness. Besides, they also didn't want to let it grow as fast as before, because it would become a threat not only to Midgard and people, but even to Asgard and the Gods. So they decided to act while there was still time. Odin, Thor, Tyr, Heimdall, Njord, Frey, Hœnir - they all came together with the intention of capturing Fenrir. They found the wolf in the Ironwood, crouched by a stone tree, waiting for the rest of the pack to arrive. They approached him and saw that he showed no fear at the sight of them.
-Hello, Fenrir - Tyr said.
-Greetings, gods. Would you like to hunt humans with me?
-No - Tyr shook his head. - We want to see for ourselves how much truth there is in the stories about your brawn.
-What should I do? - asked the wolf, pleasantly flattered by his vanity.
-We forged the Laeding Chain for you. If you tear it apart, we'll think you're even stronger than Thor.
Fenrir allowed himself to be bound by Laeding, then only tensed his muscles, and the chain broke in many places.
-Oh, God's work - Fenrir muttered contemptuously. - Just holes in the stuff.
The celestials labored for three days to forge another chain, twice as thick and stronger than the previous one. They called it Dromi. Again the Gods sought out Fenrir and offered him a trial. When they tethered him, the wolf tensed his muscles, but nothing happened. Victorious smiles were about to grace the faces of the Aesir when Fenrir strained harder. The chain broke and fell to the ground.
-Oh, God's work - laughed the monster.
The disheartened Gods returned to Asgard in gloomy moods. Suddenly Tyr had an idea.
-Listen. Now I know what Fenrir's words mean: "Oh, God's work." We can't make the proper chain ourselves! We'll have to ask the master smiths - the dwarves!
They did as Tyr said. After three days, the dwarves, overjoyed and honored by the divine order, brought back not a chain but a rope named Gleipnir. An unusual rope, for it used a rock root, a woman's beard, a fish's breath, a bird's saliva, a bear's strength, and the sound of a cat's footsteps. The joyful Gods immediately sought out Fenrir. The wolf eyed the rope warily.
-Are you by any chance mocking me? - he asked. - You come with some ridiculous string, so thin a child would break it. Unless it's a magic cord, and then even my muscles can't help it. No, I'm not going to try.
-You got scared, didn't you? - Tyr asked maliciously.
-Me!? Fear!? - Fenrir frowned in anger. - Okay, tie the knots, but one of you will put his right hand in my mouth as a sign that you will release me if I don't free myself.
The Gods were hesitant to fulfill this pledge, for they knew it meant losing a hand - they had no intention of freeing Fenrir. Finally Tyr —he was the God of oaths and justice— slid his right hand into the monster's drooling mouth. The Gods have bound Fenrir. The wolf strained and strained, but he could not break the rope. Finally, he considered himself defeated and asked the Gods to release him. But they refused. Thus the heroic God Tyr, for the sake of Asgard, lost his right hand. So was Fenrir bound. And still lies bound in the wasteland. He waits for Ragnarok, when the end-time magic will free him to go into battle against the Gods.

Source: Szrejter Artur - Mitologia germańska
 

Al Jilwah: Chapter IV

"It is my desire that all my followers unite in a bond of unity, lest those who are without prevail against them." - Satan

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