The children of Odin - Germanic Mythology

THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 277
The second winter was called the Winter of the Sword : those
who were left alive amongst men robbed and slew for what was
left to feed on ;
brother fell on brother and slew him, and over all
the world there were mighty battles.
And the third winter was called the Winter of the Wolf. Then
the ancient witch who lived in Jamvid, the Iron Wood, fed the
Wolf Managarm on unburied men and on the corpses of those
who fell in battle. Mightily grew and flourished the Wolf
that was to be the devourer of Mani, the Moon. The Champions
in Valhalla would find their seats splashed with the blood that
Managarm dashed from his Jaws ; this was a sign to the Gods that
the time of the last battle was approaching.
COCK crew ; far down in the bowels of the earth
he was and beside Hela's habitation : the rusty-
red cock of Hel crew, and his crowing made a stir
in the lower worlds. In Jotunheim a cock crew,
Fialar, the crimson cock, and at his crowing the
Giants aroused themselves. High up in Asgard
a cock crew, the golden cock Gullinkambir, and at his crowing
the Champions in Valhalla bestirred themselves.
A dog barked ; deep down in the earth a dog barked ; it was
Garm, the hound with bloody mouth, barking in Gnipa's Cave.
The Dwarfs who heard groaned before their doors of stone. The
tree Ygdrassil moaned in all its branches. There was a rending
noise as the Giants moved their ship; there was a trampling
sound as the hosts of Muspelheim gathered their horses.