Norse Mythology

Neil Gaiman has compiled a short book of Nose myths, which I just finished reading. It was quite entertaining. I was most touched by the story of Loki's son Fenrir, the Fenris Wolf. Odin used a magical cord created by dwarves to bind the wolf, with the promise of release if he could not break free. Odin broke that promise, creating a powerful enemy when the Fenris Wolf could have been a friend and costing the war God Tyr a hand in the process. In a moment of synchronicity, the next day after reading the book, Paul Krugman in the New York Times mentioned the Fimbrullwinter that preceded Ragnarok, a time when winter followed winter and humanity became bloodthirsty. And then there was a great earthquake so powerful it released all bonds. But not all the gods died, and Balder came back to life, so they all lived happily ever after. Hopefully, we live in Balder's new age, and not in the time before the end. Balder world never be as deceitful as Odin.