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A review by litsirk
D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths by Ingri d'Aulaire, Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
4.0
I'd never heard any Norse myths before, just heard the names Thor, Loki, Odin, in passing. So part of the glory of this book is just hearing what insanity the myths contain, not so much the way it's written. The illustrations, though, oh my word. I wish I could upload photos. I will say every depiction of Odin, with his derangedly sparkling one eye, is delightful.
So, insanity, without too many spoilers:
The creation myth includes a "hornless ice cow" who comes "mooing from the pit" of nothingness from which comes the world;
the dome of the sky is the SKULL of the first living being (second being the ice cow), while his TEETH...and his hair! I won't tell.
Odin invents written language after hanging himself from a tree for 9 days and nights, eventually seeing symbols in the twigs below him (because he's ASPHYXIATING and thus HALLUCINATING)
And Ragnarokk. Do not miss Ragnarokk.
The beginning and end are the best parts, with the middle containing too many feats of strength and not enough lunacy, but all in all, I heartily recommend Norse myths.
So, insanity, without too many spoilers:
The creation myth includes a "hornless ice cow" who comes "mooing from the pit" of nothingness from which comes the world;
the dome of the sky is the SKULL of the first living being (second being the ice cow), while his TEETH...and his hair! I won't tell.
Odin invents written language after hanging himself from a tree for 9 days and nights, eventually seeing symbols in the twigs below him (because he's ASPHYXIATING and thus HALLUCINATING)
And Ragnarokk. Do not miss Ragnarokk.
The beginning and end are the best parts, with the middle containing too many feats of strength and not enough lunacy, but all in all, I heartily recommend Norse myths.