THE SEVENTEENTH FABLE.

A

Of the Wolf Fenris.

S to the Wolf FENRIS, the Gods bred him up among themselves; Tyr being the only one among them who durft give him his food. Nevertheless, when they perceived that he every day increased prodigioufly in fize, and that the oracles warned them that he would one day become fatal to them; they determined to make very strong iron fetters for him, and prefenting them to the Wolf, defired him to put them on to fhew his ftrength, in endeavouring to break them. The Monfter perceiving that this enterprize would not be very difficult to him, permitted the Gods to do what they pleafed; and then violently stretching his nerves, burst the chains, and fet himself at liberty. The Gods having feen this, made a new set of iron chains, half as strong again as the former, and prevailed on the Wolf to put

them

them on, affuring him that in breaking these he would give an undeniable proof of his vigour. The Wolf faw well enough that these second chains would not be very eafy to break; but finding himself increase in strength, and that he could never become famous without running fome risk, he voluntarily submitted to be chained. As foon as this was done, he shakes himfelf, rolls upon the ground, dashes his chains against the earth, violently stretches his limbs, and at last bursts his fetters, which he made to fly in pieces all about him. By these means he freed himself from his chains; and gave rife to the proverb which we still apply, when any one makes strong efforts *. After this, the Gods defpaired of ever being able to bind the wolf: wherefore the Univerfal Father fent Skyrner, the meffenger of the God Frey, into the country of the black Genii, to a dwarf; to engage him to make a new bandage to confine Fenris +. That bandage was perfectly

fmooth,

* In the Icelandic, Leyfa or Lathingi edr drepi or Droma, i. e. according to Goranfon's Latin verfion, Solvi ex Ladingo, et excutti ex Droma. DROMA is the name given in the EDDA, to this chain of the Gods.

T.

+ Goranfon's Edition adds, "This nerve or ftring "was made of fix things, viz. of the noife made by

cats feet; of a woman's beard; of the roots of

"moun

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fmooth, and as limber as a common string, and yet very strong, as you will presently fee. When it was brought to the Gods, they were full of thanks and acknowledgments to the bringers; and taking the Wolf with them into the ifle of, a certain lake, they fhewed him the ftring, entreating that he would try to break it, and affuring him that it was fomewhat ftronger than one would think, on seeing it fo flender. They took it themselves, one after another into their hands, attempting in vain to break it; and then told him, that there was none befides himself, who could accomplish such an enterprize. The Wolf replied, That ftring which you prefent to me is fo flight, that there will be no glory in breaking it; or if there be any artifice in the manner of its formation, although it appear never fo brittle, affure yourselves it fhall never touch a foot of mine. The Gods affured him that he would easily break fo flight a bandage, fince he had already burst asunder fhackles of iron of the moft folid make; adding, that if he should not fucceed, he would then have fhown the Gods that he was too feeble to excite their terror, and

"mountains; of the nerves of bears; of the breath "of fishes; and the fpittle of birds, &c." (with much more.) T.

there

if

therefore they should make no difficulty of setting him at liberty without delay. I am very much afraid, replied the monster, that you once tye me fo faft that I cannot work my deliverance myself, you will be in no hafte to unloofe me. I would not therefore voluntarily permit myself to be tied, but only to fhow you, that I am no coward: yet I infift upon it, that one of you put his hand in my mouth, as a pledge that you intend me no deceit. Then the Gods, wiftfully looking on one another, found themselves in a very embarraffing dilemma; till Tyr presented himself, intrepidly offering his right hand to the monster. Hereupon the Gods having tied up the Wolf; he forcibly stretched himself, as he had formerly done, and exerted all his powers to difengage himself: but the more efforts he made, the closer and ftraiter he drew the knot; and all the Gods (except Tyr, who

loft his hand') burft out into loud peals of laughter at the fight. Observing him then fo faft tied, as to be unable ever to get loose again, they took one end of the string, and having drilled a hole for it, drew it through the middle of a large broad rock, which they funk very deep into the earth; afterwards, to make it ftill more fecure, they tied the end of the cord which came through the rock, to a great ftone which they funk ftill

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ftill deeper. The Wolf, opening wide his tremendous, jaws, endeavoured to devour them, and rushed upon them with violence. Which the Gods feeing, thrust a fword into his mouth, which pierced his under jaw up to the hilt, so that the point touched his palate. The howlings which he then made were horrible; and fince that time, the foam flows continually from his mouth, in fuch abundance that it forms a river, called Vam, or The Vices. But that monfter shall break his chain at the Twilight of the Gods, that is, at the end of the world (A).

Such is the wicked race engendered by Loke. Hereupon Gangler fays to Har, But fince the Gods have fo much to fear from the Wolf, and from all the other monsters whom Loke' hath produced; why have they not put them to death? Har replied, The Gods have fo much refpect for the fanctity of their tribunals, and cities of peace (B), that they will not have them ftained with the blood of the Wolf although the oracles have intimated to them, that he will one day be deftructive to ODIN:

RE