ou would go this way."

"No, no," said Thor. "I will not leave in any one's charge the hammer
that defends Asgard. And I may not be turned back from going with Odin
and my comrades."

"There is another way to Urda's Well," said Heimdall. "Behold these two
great Cloud Rivers, Koermt and Ermt. Canst thou wade through them? They
are cold and suffocating, but they will bring thee to Urda's Well, where
sit the three holy Norns."

Thor looked out on the two great rolling rivers of cloud. It was a bad
way for one to go, cold and suffocating. Yet if he went that way he
could keep on his shoulder the hammer which he would not leave in
another's charge. He stept out into the Cloud River that flowed by the
Rainbow Bridge, and with his hammer upon his shoulder he went struggling
on to the other river.

Odin, Tyr, and Baldur were beside Urda's Well when Thor came struggling
out of the Cloud River, wet and choking, but with his hammer still upon
his shoulder. There stood Tyr, upright and handsome, leaning on his
sword that was inscribed all over with magic runes; there stood Baldur,
smiling, with his head bent as he listened to the murmur of the two fair
swans; and there stood Odin All-Father, clad in his blue cloak fringed
with golden stars, without the eagle-helmet upon his head, and with no
spear in his hands.

The three Norns, Urda, Verdandi, and Skulda, sat beside the well that
was in the hollow of the great root of Ygdrassil. Urda was ancient and
with white hair, and Verdandi was beautiful, while Skulda could hardly
be seen, for she sat far back, and her hair fell over her face and eyes.
Urda, Verdandi, and Skulda; they knew the whole of the Past, the whole
of the Present, and the whole of the Future. Odin, looking on them, saw
into the eyes of Skulda even. Long, long he stood looking on the Norns
with the eyes of a God, while the others listened to the murmur of the
swans and the falling of the leaves of Ygdrassil into Urda's Well.

Looking into their eyes, Odin saw the shadows and forebodings that Hugin
and Munin told him of take shape and substance. And now others came
across the Rainbow Bridge. They were Frigga and Sif and Nanna, the
wives of Odin and Thor and Baldur. Frigga looked upon the Norns. As she
did, she turned a glance of love and sadness upon Baldur, her son, and
then she drew back and placed her hand upon Nanna's head.

Odin turned from gazing on the Norns, and looked upon Frigga, his
queenly wife. "I wo