Reddit mentions of The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)

In the Prose Edda, dwarves fit with the 'legendary smith' characterisation in that they make some of the best gear. Along with the elves (and possibly they're the same, though not...I think...in the edda, at least), they make most of the really interesting bits of kit that the gods have. Rather than having a smith god like Vulcan or Hephaestus, when the gods get something interesting it's often from a dwarf.

Take the story about Thor's hammer, for example. Loki and a dwarf compete to see who can make the best three treasures for the gods. Loki gets his treasures from a dark elf, the dwarf makes the treasures himself.

The dwarf makes three things: Thor's hammer (really light, infinitely strong, can fit under a jacket, all kinds of good stuff), Freyr's boar (it provides light, drives his chariot, again, really useful) and Draupnir (it's a ring that drips several gold rings now and then).

Meanwhile Loki's crew (the people at svartalfheim, the dark world, the dark elves, in other tellings of the story also dwarves) make three other things: Odin's spear (always thrusts cleanly), Sif's hair (literally gold, but also a stylin' wig that grows) and Skidblanir (it's a big ship, and it folds up into a piece of cloth you can put in your bag).

So what we get is an archetype of a master craftsman, someone well versed in making obviously magical items that even the gods can't or won't create for themselves. And that's dwarves! No obvious association with mountains in the edda, but it's a starting point for your archetype.

Source: Prose Edda, Jesse Bycock's translation.

I think Tolkien is a good guess for how the trope comes to pass into modern fiction. Tolkien wanted to draw on norse mythology, among other things, to create a modern mythology for England. Quite a few of his names can be found in the Edda, dwarven and not-dwarven (Gandalf, for example, is a name in there), but his dwarves aren't totally based on norse dwarves: their language, for example, is based on Hebrew, and many people think they are partially based on medieval jews: not necessarily in a disparaging way but in the sense of being a wandering people, cast out from their homeland and plying their trades elsewhere. Tolkien's dwarves are tremendously influential: dwarfs, for example, was the more common plural before he wrote his work, and his seem to form the first complete example of the modern archetype you've mentioned (bearded, mountain dwelling, smithing, capable warriors, and so on).

You should check out the Poetic and Prose Eddas. [Prose here] ( http://www.amazon.com/The-Prose-Edda-Mythology-Classics/dp/0140447555)

• Ovid - Metamorphoses
  
• Hesiod - Works & Days and Theogony
  
• Vergil - Aeneid
  
• Homer - Iliad, Odyssey
  
• Apollodorus' Library & Hyginus' Fabulae
  
• Apollonius' Argonautica
  
• Snorri Sturluson - Prose Edda
  
• Poetic Edda

Every time questions similar to this pop up, people recommend Neil Gaimen. Well, his book is not bad (I own it), but recommending it to a person asking for a detailed recount of the original myths is downright silly. It's a pretty short collection of myths retold into short-stories by Gaimen. They're well written and absolutely closely based on the original myths, but he still invents new stuff, and again, it's a novel-like retelling, not a detailed account of the actual myths. Here are some further suggestions:

Gods and Myths of Northern Europe by H.R. Ellis Davidson is a great and thorough description of Nose myth and religion by an acclaimed specialist in the field. It's also laymen-friendly.

The Poetic Edda is arguably the single most important source of Norse myths. It's a collection of poems, written down in Christian times but many dating to well into the Pagan era. I've linked the new translation by Jackson Crawford (whose channel is great for learning about Norse myth, btw), but there are others.

Then there's the Prose Edda, which is likewise a very important original source. Whereas the Poetic Edda is a collection of poetry, the Prose Edda sees many of them retold into more consistent prose narrative (hence the title). As a source, however, the Prose Edda is less reliable than the Poetic, since the latter is a collection of actual Pagan myths, while the former is a compilation and retelling by an (early medieval Icelandic) Christian.

The Sagas of Icelanders important sources to Norse myth and particularly religious practice. The Sagas are actual prose stories (and good ones, too), written in the first few centuries after conversion. Figures from Norse mythology, particularly Odin, are often prominent, but the narratives tend not to primarily concern the mythology.

A notable exception is the Saga of the Volsungs, which is one of the most important narratives in Norse myth. Wagner's Ring Cycle and Tolkien's works were both heavily influenced by it. The Volsunga Saga features Norse gods, viking raids, dragon-slaying and much more.

There are more good books, but those ought to be a decent start.

As other people have said, read the sources themselves. Neil Gaiman is good but he doesn't get as good as the original! Caroline Larrington's translation of the Poetic Edda is quite cool: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Poetic-Edda-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199675341/ref=dp_ob_title_bk Here is a good translation of the Prose Edda with commentary: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prose-Edda-Mythology-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140447555/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=AK4RMWSXZRA97ZZRP1WH

Just to make it clear, "The Prose Edda" and "The Poetic Edda" are very different texts from Medieval Iceland, which both happened to be called Eddas later because of a literary tradition. The Poetic Edda is a collection of short narrative poems on mythological and heroic subjects - these poems have no known authorship, and were likely written over a few centuries and then collected on one manuscript. The Prose Edda is basically a summary of Old Norse mythology written by an Icelandic bloke called Snorri Sturluson, about whom you will be hearing a lot further on. An amazing storyteller, Snorri did more or less what Neil Gaiman did, that is, wrote a book outlining the most important mythological stories - but he did so for 13th century audience, which makes for a more complex and more fascinating read.

If you are more interested in narratives about heroes like Ragnar loðblók, there are numerous Old Norse sagas to read. If you are interested in mythology more that with history, I recommend Saga of King Hrolf Kraki and Saga of the Volsungs to start with. They go heavy on Odin, dragons, berserkir, armies of living dead etc. Penguin has really good annotated editions of these sagas (both translated by Jesse Byock).

Either look in a library for books of Norse mythology, or search Amazon for the Eddas.

I understand this. Some relevant links in Norwegian:
University of Oslo on how Christianity came to Norway

Here an article on the first Christian inscriptions in Norway from University of Technology and Science in Trondheim

Both the above articles refer to the fundamental academic book on early Christian influence in Norway: Fritjof Birekli Tolv vintre hadde kristendommen vært i Norge = Christianity had been 12 winters in the country

Snorri Sturlassons books on Norse mythology as well as on king Haakon the Good and other early Norwegian kings are available in English. His books are fundamental sources for an understanding of the Norse universe of thoughts for the twelfth century when they were written - and is what OP is looking for

Penguin Classics

When I started watching this show a few years ago I ended up buying quite a few books about Norse Mythology and Asatru (the reconstruction religion that is becoming more popular).

Here are a few good ones

The Norse Myths This is a good basic breakdown of the stories in the Sagas/Eddas and is easy to read.

Viking Age: Everyday Life During the Extraordinary Era of the Norsemen This is a fantastic book that really isn't related to the myths (there is a religion section) but this is a great book that goes over the everyday lives of Vikings and their families. Everything from political structure down to what they ate and how they dressed. It also has great illustrations.

The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics) - one of the source materials of the myths.

The Sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok - I dont have this one personally but it is on my list to buy.

If you want to read about the reconstruction religion that has gained in popularity since the 70s check this book out. Essential Asatru: Walking the Path of Norse Paganism - This is another easy to read book that not only goes over the basics of the Myths/Gods but also goes over the ceremonies and rituals of those who choose to practice today what the Vikings practiced. Minus the live sacrifices... those have been replaced with food and drink thankfully.

If you are just wanting to dip your toes into learning about the myths I cannot recommend the first link more than enough. It is far easier to read than the Eddas/Sagas and from what I understand from other subs is a widely regarded starting point.

Also check out /r/norse and /r/asatru.

The Prose Edda. Much of what we know of Norse mythology comes from this book. It's a fun read!

For Norse sagas, Penguin classics has some fantastic editions:

• The Saga of Icelanders
  
  
• Njals Saga
  
  
• Prose Edda
  
  
• Volsungs saga
  
  
• Kalevala
  
  For eastern mythology, you'll want:
  
  
• Bhagavad Gita
  
  
• The Epic of Gilgamesh
  
  
• The Arabaian Nights Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3
  
  
• Journey to the West Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4
  
  For Celtic mythology:
  
  
• The Mabinogion
  
  
• Arthurian Romances
  
  
• Early Irish Myths and Sagas

Robert Graves' 2 volume The Greek Myths is comprehensive, but there's a catch: Graves has arranged and chosen his version of the myths in order to facilitate a kind of narrative continuity that's not particularly true to the way that the Greeks understood their myths. Karl Kerenyi and Carl Kerenyi's The Greek Gods and The Greek Heroes are closer to the source material, and will give you a better sense of the variety and disagreements involved. Ultimately, though, it's a matter of preference: Do you want narrative sweep, or fidelity to tradition?

Alternately, you could go back to the sources themselves. Ovid's Metamorphoses is basically a treasury of Greco-Roman myth. Again, there's a catch: Ovid's theme is that of things transforming into something else (hence the title), so there's a definite bias in favor of myths that suit that motif. That said, Ovid is also as close as you're going to get to the original form of a lot of Greco-Roman myths, so it's hard to go wrong there.

If you really want to do some heavy lifting on the Greco-Roman myths, get a copy of Pausanius' Guide to Greece, Vol. I and Vol. II. This is basically a travelogue of Greece, written for the Roman Emperor, and it lists in detail most of the locations associated with Greek myths and legends, and gives some detail on most of the lesser known ones. There's a lot to sift through here, and you'll probably want to have an Atlas of the Ancient World on hand to get a sense of where he's talking about at any given time, so I definitely don't recommend starting out here, but if you're looking for really in-depth source material, this is the place to go.

For the Norse myths, there's the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, as well as a slew of sagas that are worth looking into. On of the most famous is certainly The Nibelungenlied, on which Wagner based his [Ring Cycle]() (you know, "Ride of the Valkyries," and all that), which was the basis for much of Lord of the Rings. Personally, my favorite of the sagas I've read so far is the Volsungs.

For the Sumerians, the obvious starting point is Gilgamesh. Our sources are pretty fragmented, and there are editions that reflect that fragmentation, but for pure readability, I suggest the Herbert Mason retelling. Or, if you're really into it, get both and compare. The go-to author for Sumerian myth and religion in general is Samuel Noah Kramer; his book Sumerian Mythology is as good a general survey as you're likely to find, particularly if you're interested in the archeological method behind our knowledge of the Sumerians.

What else? For the Egyptians, E. A. Budge is your man. Dover Books in general has a good series of older, public domain works on mythology, including books on Japanese and Chinese mythology. I wish I had some sources to give you on meso-American or African myth, but those are areas of inquiry I'm just delving into myself. But then, you're probably overwhelmed as it is.

Good luck.

But to answer your question. Penguin Classics has one released which is a very quick and easy read.


ISBN-13: 978-0-140-44755-2.
The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)

books that i have read that you may enjoy.
"The Children of Odin"

"Myths of the Norsemen"

"The Poetic Edda"

"The Younger Edda"

also the AFA has some great recommendations on the Website

Enjoy! :)

Hey Bean! I love that you want to honor your mom this way, and not just because of the gifting. I also love that my mom, whilst hating my father more than she'll admit, tries so hard to help my sister and I. plus, she's taking me to disney world with my girlfriend.

Link!

Milk all you want! I'm happy to provide. If you would like to do your own investigations, I highly recommend either purchasing The Prose Edda or The Poetic Edda. Another option is downloading The Uppsala Edda for free. :D

As for Tyr...

> High replies: ‘Then there is also an Áss that is called Týr. He is the bravest and changeable in his mind and he has a lot of control over victory in battles. It is good for men of action to pray to him. There is a saying that a man is týr-valiant who surpasses others. And it is one proof of his valour
and bravery, when the Æsir were luring Fenriswolf so as to get the fetter
Gleifnir on him, then he did not trust them that they would let him go until they placed Týr’s hand in his mouth as a pledge. And when the Æsir refused to let him go, then he bit off his hand at the place that is now called the wolf joint, and he is one-handed. He is so intelligent that it is also said that so-and-so is týr-wise.

(The Uppsala Edda 43-45)

> 'How should Tyr be referred to?'
> 'By calling him the one-handed god, the foster-father of the wolf, the god of battles and the son of Odin.'

(The Prose Edda 110)

I would argue that he is God of War, Justice, and Law. As we know, almost all things that have to do with the law is a battlefield. Same with justice. As seen above, we know him as the god of battle. So you are definitely correct, I think, in saying that he is also strongly associated with justice and law!

I understand completely. Sometimes the book itself just has an intrinsic value that transcends the information on it's pages. One of my prized possessions is a copy of the Elder Edda published around 1870, and it's written in Old Danish. I can't read Danish of any age, but that doesn't stop the book from having great value to me.

That said, if I were looking for reasonably priced physical copies of the Sagas and Eddas, I'd go with Sagas of the Icelanders published by Penguin, The Poetic Edda translated by Lee M. Hollander and maybe The Prose Edda By Snorri Sturlusson translated by Jesse L. Byock. Good translations, good editions.

Not a pagan, but I have read the Poetic Edda (Hollander's edition) after being inspired by the works of JRR Tolkien and his son Christopher's excellent commentaries on them. The Edda is really awesome.

There is also the Prose Edda, and I would recommend The Sagas of Icelanders

How about a modern translation of the Edda?

Here's more info on the Edda.

The prose edda is pretty good, penguin has a print of it you can get off of amazon for pretty cheap. https://www.amazon.com/Prose-Edda-Mythology-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140447555

Well the Poetic Edda would be where you start. It's all the stories of the norse mythology. I bought two transcripts of two texts that were written in old icelandic and in arabic. Book 1 was about the discovery of Vinland (North America) by the vikings. Book 2 one is about an Arab who wrote down what he saw when he met Vikings. This is the only detailed account that we have about a viking burial.

I recommend them very highly, but the Poetic Edda would be what you're looking for ;)

I prefer the originals. And if you want a story that's actually about a Viking family, try this one.