Norse Myths

Myths & Legends

by Philip Ardagh

A collection of stories, primarily about brave warrior gods, told around the fireside on cold winter nights by the people of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland.

Genres: Mythology

48 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 1999

About the author

Over six-and-a-half feet tall, with a bushy beard, Philip Ardagh is not only very big but also very hairy. He is the author of the Eddie Dickens Trilogy and when not writing silly books, Mr. Ardagh is quite serious and frowns a great deal. He lives in a seaside town somewhere in England with his wife and their son, Fred.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third entry in the World Book Myths & Legends Series that I have read - following upon Ancient Egyptian Myths & Legends and Ancient Greek Myths & Legends - this collection offers a very brief introduction to the incredibly rich body of tales that constitute Norse mythology. Like the other volumes in the series, it includes an extensive list for further reading, a "Who's Who" in mythology, a glossary, and an inclusive index.

The seven selections presented in Norse Myths & Legends include: Thor In the Land of the Giants, which sees the mighty god of thunder being taught a lesson by the cunning giant king, Utgard-Loki; The Curse of Andvari's Ring, in which the reparations made for the accidental slaying of the dwarf King Hreidmar's son lead to further tragedy; and Tyr and the Jaws of Fenris, in which Loki's terrible wolf-son Fenris is finally chained, at great cost to the god of war. The other four tales collected here are: The God Who Loved a Giantess, in which Frey, the god of summer, courts the frost-giant Gerda; Thor's Stolen Hammer, in which the thunder god's mighty weapon is stolen by a giant; The Trick That Killed a God, which sees the death of Balder, as orchestrated by Loki; and finally, Balder's Fate & Loki's Downfall, in which the trickster god is punished.

Although certainly not the equal of other titles meant to introduce children to Norse mythology - most notably the brilliant D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths - this is nevertheless an engaging collection of stories from this body of work. I was pleased to see, after my less than positive reaction to Ardagh's Ancient Greek Myths & Legends , that this one was superior, owing no doubt, to the smaller number of selections.

[Eloise Sunshine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ain't no Norse Mythology by all means, but it's a great enough start for kitties to get to know the basics about Thor, Odin and Loki. You can continue with Marvel after that... ;)

Besides, Philip provides you a short introduction to the most important characters as well as an explanation about the 9 realms with Yggdrasil keeping them all together. Useful for the background knowledge.

[Mafalda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este já era e continua ainda a ser o meu livro favorito desta coleção. Foi ele que me fez apaixonar pela mitologia nórdica, quando era miúda, com cada conto de intriga, objetos mágicos e mundos fantásticos. As ilustrações são belíssimas e lembro-me que adorava analisar cada detalhe e identificar cada personagem, quando o li pela primeiríssima vez.

Histórias incluídas:
- Tor na Terra dos Gigantes - conta-nos sobre aquela vez que Tor foi visitar Utgard, na terra dos gigantes, e o rei dos gigantes, Utgard-Loki, deu uma valente lição ao deus dos trovões e a sua companhia.
- A Maldição do Anel de Andvari - uma história sobre o assassínio acidental de um dos filhos de Hreidmar, um rei anão, e uma compensação traduzida em tesouros riquíssimos, entre eles um anel amaldiçoado que viria a trazer ruína a futuras gerações de anões.
- Tyr e as Mandíbulas de Fenris - relata como Fenris, o lobo gigante filho de Loki, foi preso e como Tyr, o deus da guerra, ficou sem uma mão.
- O Deus que Amava uma Giganta - conta como Frey conheceu a sua amada Gerda, uma giganta glacial.
- O Martelo Roubado a Tor - aparentemente Tor está constantemente a arranjar problemas com gigantes e esta história conta-nos como um deles roubou o seu poderoso martelo e como Tor e Loki o recuperaram.
- O Truque que Matou um Deus - fala-nos de uma partida de Loki que foi longe de mais e que fez Hoder matar o seu irmão gémeo Balder, o filho preferido de Friga.
- O Destino de Balder e a Queda de Loki - os deuses vão então atrás de Loki e fazem-no pagar pelo seu crime.

[João Teixeira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comparando com outras fontes, os mitos que Philip Ardagh seleccionou para figurarem neste livro estão muito bem narrados, pelo que é uma excelente introdução para quem gostar de mitologia. Neste caso, o público infanto-juvenil terá acesso à mitologia nórdica/escandinava, tomando contacto com os famosos deuses Loki, Ódin, Tor, mas também com outros deuses que "sobreviveram" ao passar dos tempos e que ainda hoje são "ressuscitados" na banda-desenhada e no cinema...

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

We chose this at random and the girls absolutely loved it. We read one a night as a summer addition to bedtime stories and now plan to read the whole series and explore more Norse myths.

[Brandt Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that introduced me to the Norse gods. Way before marvel did. Thor instantly jumped ahead of Hercules of my favorite ancient heroes. Love the artwork.

[Charlee D · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finally got to know some Norse mythology in a simple, easy one-day read kinda way! I now have basic knowledge lol, thx book

[Brenyn W · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am particularly looking forward to reading this book by Philip Ardagh