 | Under Green Leaves |  |
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THOR'S HAMMER.
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[The dramatis personæ of the following fable are well-known personages in the Scandinavian mythology. Thor is the son of Odin; his Hammer has the same virtues, and the same faculties, as the Sword of Justice in other mythologies; Loki is the spirit of evil, and contemner of the gods; and Friga, mother of Thor, is the goddess of Peace.]
I.
Once on a time,—three thousand years ago,—
Thor left the mountains where the rivers grow,
And took a journey to the world below.
Thor left the mountains where the rivers grow,
And took a journey to the world below.
Clad as a blacksmith, in his hand he bore
The avenging Hammer, forged in Heaven of yore,
And sought, far off, a city on the shore.
The avenging Hammer, forged in Heaven of yore,
And sought, far off, a city on the shore.
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None knew the god: he walk'd 'mid human kind
Manlike, and stalwart as a labouring hind,
Broad-brow'd and thoughtful, and of quiet mind.
Manlike, and stalwart as a labouring hind,
Broad-brow'd and thoughtful, and of quiet mind.
He look'd about him, pondering as he went
Through mart and haven, what the people meant,
With their pale faces, and their shoulders bent:
Through mart and haven, what the people meant,
With their pale faces, and their shoulders bent:
And what possess'd them. Lo! from every sea
Came in the hurrying ships, with white sails free,
Spread to the breeze, that fill'd them joyously.
Came in the hurrying ships, with white sails free,
Spread to the breeze, that fill'd them joyously.
He saw the bursting sacks of plenteous corn,
The silk and wool, and all the tribute borne
Northward, from climes beyond the fruitful morn:
The silk and wool, and all the tribute borne
Northward, from climes beyond the fruitful morn:
Damasks and velvets, trimm'd with sable hems,
The gold, the silver, and the starlike gems,
For fair maids' bosoms, and kings' diadems.
The gold, the silver, and the starlike gems,
For fair maids' bosoms, and kings' diadems.
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The glowing art, the sulpture half-divine,
The oils, the spice, the fruits incarnadine,
The reeling hogsheads, lumbersome with wine.
The oils, the spice, the fruits incarnadine,
The reeling hogsheads, lumbersome with wine.
And all the people pray'd and wrought for gold;
The few lived sumptuously, and free, and bold,
The many toil'd in hunger and in cold:
The few lived sumptuously, and free, and bold,
The many toil'd in hunger and in cold:
But all sought riches; man, and maid, and wife;
Labour's reward, the victory after strife;
Riches, dear riches, aim and end of life.
Labour's reward, the victory after strife;
Riches, dear riches, aim and end of life.
Great Thor was dazzled; and he sat him down
Amid the teeming people of the town,
And doff'd his sheepskin coat and jerkin brown,
Amid the teeming people of the town,
And doff'd his sheepskin coat and jerkin brown,
And robed himself in purple like the rest,
Hiding his mighty Hammer in his breast,
And look'd a king, in all his form and gest.
Hiding his mighty Hammer in his breast,
And look'd a king, in all his form and gest.
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II.
Him Loki follow'd, stealthily and slow,
Loki the jesting, and incredulous foe,
That knew all evil, or aspired to know.
Loki the jesting, and incredulous foe,
That knew all evil, or aspired to know.
And when the god had prankt himself in state,
Loki did likewise, and with step elate,
Moved to his side and made obeisance great.
Loki did likewise, and with step elate,
Moved to his side and made obeisance great.
“Lord!” he exclaim'd, “if in this happy land
Thou art a stranger, as I understand,
Let me be near thee at thy bold right hand;
Thou art a stranger, as I understand,
Let me be near thee at thy bold right hand;
“And I will show thee what the country yields,
Better than clang of swords, and dint of shields;—
The wealth of Industry, and smiling fields.
Better than clang of swords, and dint of shields;—
The wealth of Industry, and smiling fields.
“Is it not good that hungry War should cease,
The household virtues bloom and wealth increase,
And the world prosper in the light of peace?
The household virtues bloom and wealth increase,
And the world prosper in the light of peace?
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“Come! let me show thee how this people thrive,
And how they live and toil, and feast and wive—
These busy workers in the human hive.
And how they live and toil, and feast and wive—
These busy workers in the human hive.
“Come to the palace I have built and stored;
Thou shalt be welcome to a kingly board,
And for thy pleasure shall the wine be pour'd.
Thou shalt be welcome to a kingly board,
And for thy pleasure shall the wine be pour'd.
“To give thee joy shall Beauty deck her bowers,
And twine her flowing locks with summer flowers,
And dart live sunshine through thy heart in showers.
And twine her flowing locks with summer flowers,
And dart live sunshine through thy heart in showers.
“Thou shalt behold more wonder and delight
Than great Walhalla holds, on festal night,
When heroes drink and gods renew the fight.”
Than great Walhalla holds, on festal night,
When heroes drink and gods renew the fight.”
And Thor went with him. On his path were strewn
Roses and lilies. Loud, in joyous tune,
Sounded the fife, the shalm, and the bassoon.
Roses and lilies. Loud, in joyous tune,
Sounded the fife, the shalm, and the bassoon.
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On Beauty's bosom, as it heaved in sighs,
Sparkled the jewels; sparkled loving eyes;
Sparkled the wine-cup; surged the revelries.
Sparkled the jewels; sparkled loving eyes;
Sparkled the wine-cup; surged the revelries.
The god rejoiced; he quaff'd the amber wine,
And mortal beauty, to his raptured eyne,
Glow'd with a splendour equal to divine.
And mortal beauty, to his raptured eyne,
Glow'd with a splendour equal to divine.
He laugh'd and sang; and roystering revel kept,—
Through his hot veins a drowsy pleasure crept,
And in the lap of luxury he slept.
Through his hot veins a drowsy pleasure crept,
And in the lap of luxury he slept.
Prone on the couch his brawny limbs he threw,—
Loki beheld—the scoffer—the untrue,—
And from his slumbering breast the Hammer drew.
Loki beheld—the scoffer—the untrue,—
And from his slumbering breast the Hammer drew.
He stole and vanish'd. Senseless as a stone
Slept mighty Thor, until the morning shone,
And when he waken'd—lo! he was alone.
Slept mighty Thor, until the morning shone,
And when he waken'd—lo! he was alone.
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III.
From Heaven's blue vault there dropp'd a murmur low,
From Hecla's summit crown'd with Polar snow,
Came the shrill echoes of a voice of woe.
From Hecla's summit crown'd with Polar snow,
Came the shrill echoes of a voice of woe.
The big rains patter'd it in bubbling drops,
The wild wind breathed it through the trembling copse
The thunder spake it to the mountain-tops;
The wild wind breathed it through the trembling copse
The thunder spake it to the mountain-tops;
The deep sea moan'd it to the startled shore,—
“Eternal Justice rules the world no more,
Lost is the Hammer of avenging Thor.”
“Eternal Justice rules the world no more,
Lost is the Hammer of avenging Thor.”
Good men received the tidings, and were sad;
The wicked heard, and reel'd about as mad.
“Ours is the world!” they said, “Rejoice—be glad!
The wicked heard, and reel'd about as mad.
“Ours is the world!” they said, “Rejoice—be glad!
“Ours is the world, to use it as we will;
'Tis ours, to bind or loose—to spare or kill;
Let us enjoy it: let us take our fill.
'Tis ours, to bind or loose—to spare or kill;
Let us enjoy it: let us take our fill.
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“Thor hath no Hammer; nerveless is his hand
To deal red vengeance o'er the joyous land,
And scatter nations, as the storms the sand.
To deal red vengeance o'er the joyous land,
And scatter nations, as the storms the sand.
“Rejoice, ye peoples! let the song go round,—
Kings are we all; bring wreaths that we be crown'd,
And where we tread, bestrew with flowers the ground.”
Kings are we all; bring wreaths that we be crown'd,
And where we tread, bestrew with flowers the ground.”
Freed from the fear of Heaven's avenging wrath,
Men planted vices in the open path;
The harvest, vice; and crime the aftermath.
Men planted vices in the open path;
The harvest, vice; and crime the aftermath.
Fast grew, fast spread, the poisonous lust of gold;
Youth's love—as in the happy days of old—
Was given no longer,—but was bought and sold.
Youth's love—as in the happy days of old—
Was given no longer,—but was bought and sold.
The young were greedy, calculating, base;
The greedier old thought nothing a disgrace
But want of money, or the loss of place.
The greedier old thought nothing a disgrace
But want of money, or the loss of place.
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To sin and prosper made the world a friend;
To lie was venial,—if it served an end;
'Twas wise to cringe; 'twas politic to bend.
To lie was venial,—if it served an end;
'Twas wise to cringe; 'twas politic to bend.
To steal for pence was dastardly and mean;
To rob for millions, with a soul serene,
Soil'd not the fingers,—all success was clean.
To rob for millions, with a soul serene,
Soil'd not the fingers,—all success was clean.
Each needy villain haggled for his price;
The base Self-worship spawn'd with every vice,—
Its love was lust, its prudence avarice;
The base Self-worship spawn'd with every vice,—
Its love was lust, its prudence avarice;
Its courage cruelty; its anger hate;
Its caution lies;—the little and the great
Denied the gods, and dared the blows of Fate.
Its caution lies;—the little and the great
Denied the gods, and dared the blows of Fate.
The Heavens grew dark with anger:—“Thor, awake!
Where is thy Hammer? Shall the gods not take
Vengeance for evil? Shall their thirst not slake?
Where is thy Hammer? Shall the gods not take
Vengeance for evil? Shall their thirst not slake?
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“Where is thy Hammer, forged in Heaven of yore—
The earth is foul and rotten to the core—
Where is thy Hammer,—thou avenging Thor?”
The earth is foul and rotten to the core—
Where is thy Hammer,—thou avenging Thor?”
IV.
Through the deep midnight pierced the awful word—
“Bring back thy Hammer.” Earth and Heaven were stirr'd,
And Hell's remotest depths the echoes heard.
“Bring back thy Hammer.” Earth and Heaven were stirr'd,
And Hell's remotest depths the echoes heard.
And miserable Thor, distraught, forlorn,
Roam'd o'er the world, and held himself in scorn,
To be so foil'd by Loki, evil-born.
Roam'd o'er the world, and held himself in scorn,
To be so foil'd by Loki, evil-born.
His quivering lips with proud impatience curl'd,
On Loki's head his bitterest curse he hurl'd,
Plague of the gods, and tyrant of the world.
On Loki's head his bitterest curse he hurl'd,
Plague of the gods, and tyrant of the world.
“Hast thou my Hammer, Earth, or thou, oh Heaven?”
Earth spake not, nor the spheres, 'mid all their seven;
But from the wild sea-waves was answer given:—
Earth spake not, nor the spheres, 'mid all their seven;
But from the wild sea-waves was answer given:—
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“Thine awful Hammer slumbers in my breast;
Seek it, oh Thor! and happy be thy quest,
And free the world from rapine and unrest!”
Seek it, oh Thor! and happy be thy quest,
And free the world from rapine and unrest!”
And Thor took ship, and sail'd the stormy sea:—
“Courage and Hope, my comrades twain shall be,
Where'er ye waft me, oh ye wild winds free!
“Courage and Hope, my comrades twain shall be,
Where'er ye waft me, oh ye wild winds free!
“Farewell, farewell! to all delights of yore,
To gods and heroes, and the Asgard shore,—
Without my Hammer I return no more!
To gods and heroes, and the Asgard shore,—
Without my Hammer I return no more!
“In storm, or calm, or in the treacherous mist,
The waves shall bear, and float me as they list,
And pitying Heaven shall watch me and assist!”
The waves shall bear, and float me as they list,
And pitying Heaven shall watch me and assist!”
Northward, three days, 'mid sleet and driving rain,
The vessel sped; and north three days again
It sail'd in starlight, o'er a trackless main.
The vessel sped; and north three days again
It sail'd in starlight, o'er a trackless main.
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Northward, still north, three days and nights it flew,
And the shrill winds that o'er its topsails blew,
Froze into sheets of ice the heavy dew.
And the shrill winds that o'er its topsails blew,
Froze into sheets of ice the heavy dew.
North—ever north! The breeze forgot to blow,
And hush'd its music in the whispering snow;
But still the vessel cleft the waves below.
And hush'd its music in the whispering snow;
But still the vessel cleft the waves below.
North—ever north! Flapp'd out the bellying sail,
'Mid rolling icebergs and a fitful gale,
And storms of cutting sleet and rattling hail.
'Mid rolling icebergs and a fitful gale,
And storms of cutting sleet and rattling hail.
O'er Heaven's dark vault the darting meteors pour'd,
Like hosts in conflict—hurrying horde on horde;—
And the ice crack'd, and sudden thunders roar'd.
Like hosts in conflict—hurrying horde on horde;—
And the ice crack'd, and sudden thunders roar'd.
But Thor held on, undaunted as of old,
Through storm, and fog, and sleet, and pitiless cold,
As the ship bore him, by the gods controll'd.
Through storm, and fog, and sleet, and pitiless cold,
As the ship bore him, by the gods controll'd.
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Northward no more! With sudden swirl and spin,
And clash like booming of artillery's din,
The icebergs fell and broke, and hemm'd him in.
And clash like booming of artillery's din,
The icebergs fell and broke, and hemm'd him in.
He heard a sound of laughter and of shrieks,
And saw a shadow on the frozen peaks,
That brought the warm blood to his angry cheeks.
And saw a shadow on the frozen peaks,
That brought the warm blood to his angry cheeks.
“I know thee, Loki; but the hour draws near
When thou shalt look upon my face; and fear;—
After thy night, my morning heavenly clear.”
When thou shalt look upon my face; and fear;—
After thy night, my morning heavenly clear.”
And as he spake, there flash'd a crimson glow,
Amid the pinnacles, through berg and floe,
And cover'd all the ship from poop to prow.
Amid the pinnacles, through berg and floe,
And cover'd all the ship from poop to prow.
And o'er the ice came tripping like a fawn,
In the clear sunlight of a rosy dawn,
When the dews glisten on the grassy lawn,
In the clear sunlight of a rosy dawn,
When the dews glisten on the grassy lawn,
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The fair-hair'd Friga, peaceful and benign,—
Her soft blue eyes stream'd forth a joy divine,
And rainbows clad her in celestial shine.
Her soft blue eyes stream'd forth a joy divine,
And rainbows clad her in celestial shine.
“Beneath thy keel,” she said, “thy Hammer sleeps;
Plunge thou, and seize it, in the deepest deeps,
Where Loki cast it; Heaven expects and weeps.”
Plunge thou, and seize it, in the deepest deeps,
Where Loki cast it; Heaven expects and weeps.”
Quick as a thought, upon the floe he sprang;
The ice divided with an iron clang,
And down he plunged, while Loki's laughter rang.
The ice divided with an iron clang,
And down he plunged, while Loki's laughter rang.
Up from the wild wave, radiant as the day,
Issued the god, and shook the icy spray
From his broad shoulders, glancing in the ray,
Issued the god, and shook the icy spray
From his broad shoulders, glancing in the ray,
And held aloft the Hammer in both hands:—
“Rejoice, ye nations, and be glad, ye lands,
The throne of Justice on the hill-top stands;
“Rejoice, ye nations, and be glad, ye lands,
The throne of Justice on the hill-top stands;
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“And Thor's great Hammer vindicates the Right!”
Loki fled howling, while in roseate light
The ship sail'd homeward through the gloomy night.
Loki fled howling, while in roseate light
The ship sail'd homeward through the gloomy night.
And Heavenly voices flew from shore to shore;
“Tremble ye wicked! Earth is yours no more;—
Found is the Hammer of avenging Thor!”
“Tremble ye wicked! Earth is yours no more;—
Found is the Hammer of avenging Thor!”
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