Oxford Myths & Legends
2 total works
German Hero-sagas and Folk Tales
by Barbara Leonie Picard and Joan Kiddell-Monroe
Published December 1958
This collection includes the splendid legends of the great German heroes, among them the story of Gudrun, and the saga of Siegfried and the vengeance of Kriemhild. There is also a lively collection of traditional folk tales, with the escapades of the rascally Till Eulenspiegel, and stories such as The Mousetower and The Ratcatcher of Hamelin.
The Vikings told many stories of their gods: mighty Odin; Thor the god of thunder; gentle Freya; and Loki the mischief-maker and the tricks he played. In the stories, the gods are forced to always strive against the hated giants, who symbolize the pitiless northern snows and the grim mountains. These exciting and dramatic tales open with the beginning of all things, and follow the story through to the gods' final battle against the forces of winter.