Freyja's Necklace

: Asgard Stories Tales From Norse Mythology

"Yes, I really must have some flowers to wear to the feast to-night,"

said Freyja to her husband, Odur.



Freyja was the goddess of love and beauty; she was the most beautiful of

all the Aesir, and every one loved to look at her charming face, and to

hear her sweet voice.



"I think you look quite beautiful enough as you are, without flowers,"

Odur replied, but Freyja was not satisfied; she thou
ht she would go and

find her brother Frey, the god of summer, for he would give her a

garland of flowers. So she wandered forth from Asgard on her way to

Frey's bright home in Alfheim, where he lived among his happy, busy

little elves. As Freyja walked along she was thinking of the feast to

be given that night in Asgard, and knowing that all the gods and

goddesses would be there, she wished to look her very best.



On and on she wandered, not thinking how far she was getting away from

home. Finally the light began to grow fainter and fainter, and Freyja

found herself in a strange place. The sunlight had faded away, but there

was still a little light that came from lanterns carried by funny little

dwarfs, who were busily working. Some were digging gold and gems, others

were cleaning off the dirt from the precious stones, and polishing them

to make them bright, while four little fellows were seated in one

corner, putting the sparkling stones together into a wonderful necklace.



"What can that beautiful thing be?" thought Freyja. "If only I had that,

it would surely make me look more beautiful than any one else at the

feast to-night!" And the more she thought about it, the more she longed

to get it. "Oh, I really must have it!" she said to herself, and with

these words she stepped nearer to the four little men. "For what price

will you sell me your necklace?" she asked.



The dwarfs looked up from their work, and when they saw Freyja's lovely

face and heard her sweet voice, said, "Oh, if you will only look kindly

upon us, and be our friend, you may have the necklace!"






Then a mocking laugh echoed again and again through the dark cavern,

seeming to say, "How foolish you are to wish for these bright diamonds;

they will not make you happy!" But Freyja snatched the necklace and ran

out of the cavern. It did not please her to hear the teasing laugh of

the dwarfs, and she wanted to get away from them as soon as possible.



At last she was once more out in the open air; she tried to be free

and happy again, but a strange feeling of dread came over her, as if

something were going to happen. Soon she came to a still pool of water,

and, putting on the necklace, she bent over to look at her picture in

the clear water. How beautiful the diamonds were! and how they sparkled

in the sunshine! She must hasten home to show them to Odur.



The fair goddess soon reached Asgard, and hurried to the palace to find

her husband. But Odur was not there. Over and over again she searched

through all the rooms in vain; he had gone, and although Freyja had her

beautiful necklace, she cared little for it without her dear husband.



Soon it was time to go to the feast, but Freyja would not go without

Odur. She sat down and wept bitter tears; she felt no joy now for having

the necklace, and no sorrow because she could not feast with the Aesir.



If only Odur would come back, all would be well again. "I will go to the

end of the world to find him!" said Freyja, and she began to make ready

for her journey. Her chariot, drawn by two cats, was soon ready; but

before she could start, she must first ask Father Odin to allow her to

go.



"Allfather, I beg you give me leave to go to look for my Odur in every

corner of the world!"



The wise father replied, "Go, fair Freyja, and may you find whom you

seek."



Then she started forth. First to the Midgard world the goddess of beauty

went, but no one in all the world had seen or heard of Odur. Down under

the earth, to Niflheim, and even to Utgard, the land of giants, she

wandered, but still no one had seen or even heard of her husband. Poor

Freyja wept many tears, and wherever the teardrops fell, and sank into

the ground, they turned into glistening gold.



At last the sad goddess returned to her own palace alone. She still wore

the wonderful necklace, which was called Brisingamen.



One night, when the hour was late, all the Aesir were asleep, except the

ever watchful Heimdall, who heard soft footsteps, like those of a cat,

near Freyja's palace. He listened, and thought, "That is surely some one

bent on mischief; I must follow him."



When Heimdall reached the palace, he found it was Loki, changed into

another form, creeping softly about. Heimdall quietly watched him, and

saw him glide in to Freyja's bedside, where the fair goddess lay asleep,

wearing her beautiful necklace. Loki had come to steal the necklace, but

when he saw that she was lying on the clasp of the chain, so that he

could not undo it without waking her, he changed himself into a gnat,

and, crawling along on the pillow, stung her just enough to make her

turn over, but not enough to wake her. Then he unclasped the chain and

ran off with it as fast as he could.



But Heimdall was not going to let the thief get away. As soon as Loki

found that he was followed, he took his other form, a little flame of

fire; Heimdall then took his other shape, and became a shower of rain,

to put out the fire; but Loki, quick and watchful, changed himself into

a bear, to catch the rain. Then Heimdall too became a bear, and a fierce

fight began. At last the rain-god conquered, and forced wicked Loki to

give back the necklace to Freyja.



The whole land seemed to feel sorry for poor, lonely Freyja; the leaves

fell from the trees, the bright flowers faded, and the singing birds

flew away.



Once more the fair goddess went forth from Asgard to seek Odur. Away,

away to the far-off sunny south she wandered, and there, where the

myrtle trees and the oranges grow, at last she found her long-lost

husband.



Then hand in hand the two turned northward again, to their home, and so

happy were they together, that they spread joy and happiness around them

as they passed along. Everywhere the ice and snow thawed before them,

green grass and sweet flowers sprang up behind their footsteps, the

birds sang their sweetest songs, the warm summer came back to the north

lands, and every one was glad and joyful, for lovely, smiling Freyja was

at home again.



"White were the moorlands

And frozen, before her;

Green were the moorlands

And blooming, behind her.

Out of her gold locks

Shaking the spring flowers,

Out of her garments

Shaking the south wind,

Around in the birches

Awaking the throstles,

Beautiful Freyja came."

--KINGSLEY.



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