The children of Odin - Germanic Mythology

THE WITCH'S HEART 175
and longed to see the day when the armies of Muspelheim would
break it down in their rush against Asgard.
East of Midgard there was a place more evil than any region
in Jotunheim. It was Jarnvid, the Iron Wood. There dwelt
witches who were the most foul of all witches. And they had a
queen over them, a hag, mother of many sons who took upon
themselves the shapes of wolves. Two of her sons were SkoU
and Hati, who pursued Sol, the Sun, and Mani, the Moon. She
had; a third son, who was Managarm, the woU who was to be
filled with the life-blood of men, who was to swallow up the
Moon, and stain the heavens and earth with blood. To Jarnvid,
the Iron Wood, Loki made his way. And he wed one of the
witches there, Angerboda, and they had children that took on
dread shapes. Loki's offspring were the most terrible of the
foes that were to come against the ^sir and the Vanir in the
time that was called the Twilight of the Gods.