he people looked for new stores of grain. The second festival
was in mid-winter, and the third in spring, when Odin was chiefly
invoked for prosperity and victory.

The mythology of the Scandinavians and our ancestors was in many
respects similar. It was from the principal gods of the northern
nations that the names of the days of our week were taken, as will
appear under the observations we shall make on the Calendar. But in
addition to the chief gods there were inferior deities, who were
supposed to have been translated to heaven for their great deeds, and
whose greatest happiness consisted in drinking ale out of the skulls
of their enemies in the hall of Wodin. The Norsemen delight to recount
the exploits of their ancient gods and goddesses and celebrated
mythical persons. The Volsung Tale is often referred to with pleasure.
Volsung, a descendant of Odin, was taken from his mother's womb by a
surgical operation, after six years' bearing. In his hall grew an oak,
whose branches spread out in every direction. In that hall, when
Volsung's daughter was to be given away to Siggeir, king of Gothland,
in came an old guest with one eye. In his hand he held a sword, which
at one stroke he drove up to the hilt in the oak. "Let him," said he,
"of this company who can pull it out, bear it, and none shall say he
bore a better blade." Having said this, he disappeared, and was seen
no more. Many tried to possess himself of the sword, but none could
draw it from the oak, till Sigmund, the bravest of Volsung's sons,
laid his hand upon its hilt. At his touch, it freed itself from the
mighty oak; and the sword turned out to be the celebrated blade Gram,
of which every Norseman has heard. Sigmund was armed with this weapon
when he went out to battle against his brother-in-law, who quarrelled
with him about this very sword; for every one who knew its virtues was
anxious to become its possessor. All perished in the fight except
Sigmund, who was saved by his sister Signy. Sigmund, after taking
vengeance against his brother-in-law, took possession of the kingdom,
which was his by inheritance. When Sigmund was stricken in years, he
went out to fight against the sons of King Hunding. Just as he was
about to prove victorious, a one-eyed warrior, of more than mortal
might, rushed at him with spear in hand. At the outstretched spear
Sigmund struck with his hitherto trusty blade, when it snapped in two.
In the one-eyed warrior's features he disco