Chapters 114-123 - Germanic Mythology

ecomes the beautiful Asynje's mate and surrenders the sword of Völund to the god of
the harvests, Frey. That, in spite of this crossing of his revenge-plan, that Völund still did
not abandon it may be taken for granted. He is described not only as the most revengeful,
but also as the most persistent and patient person (see "Deor the Scald's Complaint"),
when patience could promote his plans. When the sword of victory had fallen into the
hands of the gods, making war on them with the aid of the giants, could no longer have
the slightest forecast of success. After the myths have given Völund satisfaction for the
detestable judgment over his smithery, it unites the chain of events in such a manner that
the same weapon which refuted the judgment and was to cause the ruin of the gods
became their palladium 42 against its own craftsman. What was Völund able to do
afterwards, and what had he done? The answer to this question is provided to us in the
myth about Thjazi. With Idun — the heroic poem's Hervör Alvitur —he confined himself
in a mountain, whose halls he presumably decorated with all the wonders [718] which the
medieval stories of splendid mountain-halls and pleasure-gardens inside the mountains'
womb, inherited from the myths. The mountain must have been situated in a region,
difficult for the gods to access, according to Skáldskaparmál [Bragarœdur] in Jötunheim.
In any case, Thjazi is secure therein against any attempt to disturb him, by force, in his
retreat. The means against the ravishes of years, which Idun owns, possesses its power
only in her care. Without this means, even Asgard's gods are subject to time's influence
and shall grow old and die. And in the sense of mythic nature-symbolism, the same
means had its share in the rejuvenation of creation through the rising of saps every year in
trees and herbs. The world's devastation, the approach of which Völund wants to
accelerate with his sword of revenge – shall slow down, but surely approaches, if Idun
remains estranged from Asgard. This plan is thwarted by the gods through Loki, as a tool
forced by need— forced by need (Haustlöng 11), 43 although he derives perverse pleasure
also in deceiving his allies. Alongside Thjazi's mountain-halls is a body of water, on
which he occasionally rows out to fish (Skáldskaparmál [Bragarœdur]). While he is
away on such an occasion, perhaps accompanied by Skadi, Idun is home alone. Loki,
who seems to have studied his habits, flies into the mountain on a borrowed feather guise
steals Idun, who, transformed into a fruit, 44 carries in his claws through space to Asgard.
But the theft of Idun was not enough for Loki. He enticed Thjazi to pursue. In his
thoughtless zeal, the latter dons his eagle guise and hastens after the robber into Asgard's
waverflames, where he falls by the gods' missiles and by Thor's hammer. Sindri's work,
the one surpassed by Völund, causes his death, and gets its revenge. I have already
pointed out that this event explains Loki's words to Idun in Lokasenna, where he speaks
of the murder of one of the Ivaldi sons, and states that she, Idun, embraced him who was
his bane.
The great artist's fate and his tragic death cast light to a degree on the character of
Loki and the role that he played in the myths. Ivaldi's sons are, in the beginning, the gods
zealous friends, and their creation's adorners and protectors. They forge ornaments,
which are symbols of vegetation; and they defend, [719] at their outpost by the Elivogar
42 "safeguard."
43 what this is based on is unclear.
44 Idun is transformed into hnotarlíki, the likeness of a nut, according to Skáldskaparmál 3: Brá Loki henni í
hnotarlíki ok hafði í klóm sér ok flýgr sem mest. In Fädernas Gudasaga ch. 28, Rydberg also uses the word
frukt: "bearing a fruit in his claw."