School mythological pictures 2.

The children's pictures dedicated to Scandinavian legends.

It is related that when certain of the Asir, Odin and Loki and Henir, went forth to explore the earth, they came to a certain river, and proceeded along the river to a waterfall. And beside the fall was an otter, which had taken a salmon from the fall and was eating, blinking his eyes the while. Then Loki took up a stone and cast it at the otter, and struck its head. And Loki boasted in his catch, that he had got otter and salmon with one blow. Then they took up the salmon and the otter and bore them along with them, and coming to the buildings of a certain farm, they went in. Now the husbandman who dwelt there was named Hreidmarr: he was a man of much substance, and very skilled in black magic. The Asir asked him for a night's lodging, saying that they had sufficient food with them, and showed him their catch. But when Hreidmarr saw the otter, straight way he called to him his sons, Fafnir and Reginn, and told them that the otter their brother was slain, and who had done that deed. It Now father and sons went up to the Asir, seized them, bound them, and told them about the otter, how he was Hreidmarr's son. The Asir offered a ransom for their lives, as much wealth as Hreidmarr himself desired to appoint; and a covenant was made between them on those terms, and confirmed with oaths. Then the otter was flayed, and Hreidmarr, taking the otter-skin, bade them fill the skin with red gold and also cover it altogether; and that should be the condition of the covenant between them. Thereupon Odin sent Loki into the Land of the Black Elves, and he came to the dwarf who is called Andvari, who was as a fish in the water. Loki caught him in his hands and required of him in ransom of his life all the gold that he had in his rock; and when they came within the rock, the dwarf brought forth all the gold he had, and it was very much wealth. (Edda).

"Then Reginn went to King Hjalprekr at Thjod, and there he became his smith; and he took into his fostering Sigurdr, son of Sigmundr, Volsungr's son, and of Hjordis, daughter of Eylimi. Sigurdr was. most illustrious of all Host-Kings in race, in prowess, and in mind. Reginn declared to him where Fafnir lay on the gold, and incited him to seek the gold. Then Reginn fashioned the sword Gramr, which was so sharp that Sigurdr, bringing it down into running water, cut asunder a flock of wool which drifted down-stream onto the sword's edge. Next Sigurdr clove Reginn's anvil down to the stock with the sword. After that they went, Sigurdr and Reginn, to Gnita Heath, and there Sigurdr dug a pit in Fafnr's way and laid him self in ambush therein. And when Fafnir glided toward the water and came above the pit, Sigurdr straightway thrust his sword through him, and that was his end. Then Reginn came forward, saying that Sigurdr had slain his brother, and demanded as a condition of reconciliation that he take Fafnir's heart and roast it with fire; and Reginn laid him down and drank the blood of Fafnir, and settled himself to sleep. But when Sigurdr was roasting the heart, and thought that it must be quite roasted, he touched it with his finger to see how hard it was; and then the juice ran out from the heart onto his finger, so that he was burned and put his finger to his mouth. As soon as the heart's blood came upon his tongue, straightway he knew the speech. (Edda).

Speaking about eshatology of ancient Scandinavians, it is necessary to mention that it finds out surprising similarity to similar plots of Zoroastrian Iran. Edda informs that "giant winter" which will come at the end of times. Chthonic monsters - World Wolf Fenrir and World Serpent Jormungand leaves the chasms and will be set on the world of gods. Giants will join them and demonic Loki, released from fetters. The gods and falling heroes from retinue Odin will beat against monsters and will win, but thus the majority of them will be lost. According to Persian sacral texts ("Frashegird") there will be great disasters at last centuries of the world. All wolves will be left together and will merge in one huge wolf. People will beat with it and will win. After centuries, all snakes will be slipped together and will grow together in the huge snake. And again, people will battle to it and will win. Will pass years and held down in a muzzle of a volcano Demavend threheaded serpeent Aji-dahaka, former is no time shah, will break off circuits and will escape on light. Then Supreme god Ahuramazda call up great warrior Keresaspa and that will strike a monster. Then Dives and other demons will be destroyed. Scandinavian and ancient Persian cultures have a line of the similar moments and besides eschatology. The plot about gold of dwarf Andvari, paid by gods is widely known as the repayment for death of his son, killed in an image of an otter. The damnation (the given plot has served as a begining to a history about Sigurd (Siegfried) and Nibelung) was imposed on this gold. And in Zoroastrian Iran above all animals the otter - "a water dog" was esteemed. For murder of an otter severe compensation in case of which default the person was cursed was imposed. But the attention and one fundamental psychological difference of the Iranian and Scandinavian mythology pays to itself. It is in the field of morals. Great sin for ancient Persians was the lie. Therefore, their shahs tried to not break already the made peace contracts (than, by the way, used the Romans, having concerning fidelity to agreements more free representations). As the guarantor of observance of the contract god Mitra - Indo-Iranian variant of the Cultural Hero acted. Scandinavians were not so scrupulous in the given question, and as we saw, an example in it their own Cultural Hero - Odin submitted.

School mythological pictures 3.