FOR THE CHILDREN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2592, 28 August 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOR THE CHILDREN.

IDUNA AND THE GOLDEN APPLES.

In the ancient days the English people lived in a country between Denmark and Germany. They were then a fierce race of heathen warriors and seafarers. They loved the noise of battle and the hazards ,of adventure, and they worshipped savage deities of thunder and war. But though they were rough and wild, and scorned the arts of peace, they loved to hear songs about brave men and beautiful women, and this side of their character is shown in the stories they used to tell about Bragi and Iduna and the golden apples. Bragi, the tall and comely god ot poetry, dwelt with the other gods, in Asgard, a land of eternal spring, that shone with its golden battlements far up in the sunlit sky. Bragi had a harp with golden strings. When he took it in Ins hands and began to sing to the music he made, all the gods put everything aside, and listened with delight to him. His voice was divinely sweet, and nobody could resist it. Sometimes Bragi would come down from Asgard and wander about the earth. One day he sailed to an island where the air was sweet with the flowers of spring. There he sang the joy of life and the power of love; and, as he sang, a maiden, crowned with blossoms and leaves, rose up before him, among the flowering grasses ■and the budding bushes. She was Iduna, the spirit of eternal youth, fair , as the daybreak and. pure as running water. She guarded the enchanted tree on which grew the golden apples, of immortality When Bragi saw her, he sang with such joy that the sound of his voice filled the nine worlds. Then he stretched out his arms to Iduna and she came to him. After they were married they went to Asgard. The gods welcomed Iduna with joy, and she gave them some oi her apples to eat, and they were filled, with the gladness of immortal youth. Unhappily an old and ugly giant living in the bleak and wintry land ot Thunder, heard of the arrival of Iduna as Asgard, and resolved to obtain one

of her apples, so that he nngbt hat it,, and become young andlK-autitul. no seiz'd one of the gods, Lola, who came near his domain, and heid him a pnson or until he promised to bring Iduna .to him Laid returned to Asgard, and found Iduna alone, Bragi having gone off alone on a long journey. “Come with me, Iduna, out of As garil ante, and X will show youjjg* that bears golden fn.it vvonderful apples,” J R*||| Iduna followed him, id. . . , 1 ",jHi to the giant of ThunderW W. ; F the other gods thought ; , p| ,i' : V ■ a journey with Bragi- h > ||Jr 1 weeks passed and their turn grey, and their races A white and withered, no -apples of immortality to eat; iky then began to search for he Jj» ; ““ d of' that she was last seen walking out ot the gate with Loki, The traitor thea confessed, but promised Li bnng lduna back if he were given a pair oi wings. His reauest was granted, and he flew swiftly to theland of Thunder, and* there he found Iduna sitting very jad < and lonely in a bare hut. Happily tha iraint was away. But just as Loki be fan to carry Iduna back to Asgard, the monster appeared. He was very, \eiy an"rv as he had not succeeded m persuading Iduna to give him one of lmr apples. Putting on an eagle s dress he rushed after the fugitives like a All the gods stood on the battlements of Asgard, anxiously matching chase Loki came along at marvellous speed", but, as he neared the gate„ the siant sprang upon him. He was too late, however, for the other gods came to the rescue, and slew him. Iduna gave them all some °Ml®rap nle« and they recovered. their beauty and 5 their yo/th; and soon afterwards Bragi returned and sang a song o triumph, and all the gods were pleased.