![]() The gods have little to fear except for one of their own who seems fallen from their good graces. The gods are free to interfere in the lives of men as they please by altering the course of battles or making kings out of horrible men. The gods spend their days taunting the giants, disguising themselves in order to play tricks on humans, and engaging in general debauchery amongst themselves. ![]() The gods shaped the earth from the body of a slain giant after two humans dropped from his armpits and a son came from his heel. The myths tell how the world was created from a great void where ice and flame collided. A great deal of life was a mystery and some explanation was needed in order to feel that a man held a purpose on earth. The giants, dwarfs, and monsters the gods battle against are manifestations of the ancient Norse's frustrations with their own lives. ![]() The gods and goddesses of the Norse myths were the only connection to a spiritual world prior to the introduction of Christianity. While the myths themselves are certainly not true, the strong belief in them held by the pagan culture is factual. These myths provide explanations for the ways of the ancient world and give the reader insight into the beliefs of the Nordic pagans. In The Norse Myths, Kevin Crossley-Holland gathers together thirty-two myths important to the Scandinavian culture. ![]()
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