The Children of Odin

The Book of Northern Myths

By Padraic Colum

Illustrated by Willy Pogany

Master storyteller Padraic Colum’s rich, musical voice captures all the magic and majesty of the Norse sagas in his retellings of the adventures of the gods and goddesses who lived in the Northern paradise of Asgard before the dawn of history.

Here are the matchless tales of All-Father Odin, who crosses the Rainbow Bridge to walk among men in Midgard and sacrifices his right eye to drink from the Well of Wisdom; of Thor, whose mighty hammer defends Asgard; of Loki, whose mischievous cunning leads him to treachery against the gods; of giants, dragons, dwarfs and Valkyries; and of the terrible last battle that destroyed their world.

These ancient stories from Northern Europe, which make up one of the great myth cycles of Western civilization, spring to life in The Children of Odin. This classic volume, first published in 1920 and reissued in 1962, is now available for the first time in paperback, illustrated with the original line drawings by Willy Pogany, to inspire a new generation of readers.

The late Padraic Colum was a poet, playwright, founder of the Irish Review and a leader of the Irish Renaissance, but he is perhaps best known today for his outstanding books for children. He was awarded the Regina Medal in 1961 for his “distinguished contribution to children’s literature,” honoring works like The Children’s Homer, The Golden Fleece (a Newbery Honor Book), The Arabian Nights, The King of Ireland’s Son and Roofs of Gold.

Collier Books
Macmillan Publishing Company
New York

Collier Macmillan Publishers
London

Copyright Macmillan Publishing Company, a division of Macmillan, Inc., 1920; copyright renewed by Padraic Colum and Macmillan Publishing Company 1948
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher.

Macmillan Publishing Company
866 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022
Collier Macmillan Canada, Inc.

The Children of Odin is also published in a hardcover edition by Macmillan Publishing Company.
First Collier Books edition 1984
Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Colum, Padraic, 1881-1972.

The children of Odin.

Summary: A retelling of the Norse sagas about Odin, Freya, Thor, Loki and the other gods and goddesses who lived in Asgard before the dawn of history.

1. Mythology, Norse—Juvenile literature.
[1. Mythology, Norse] I. Pogany, Willy, 1882-1955, ill.
II. Title.

BL860.C63 1984b 293′.13 83-20368
ISBN 0-02-042100-1 (pbk.: alk. paper)