fore.

The magic sword again disappeared for a long time, to be unearthed once
more, for the last time, by the Duke of Alva, Charles V.'s general,
who shortly after won the victory of Muehlberg (1547). The Franks
were wont to celebrate yearly martial games in honour of the sword;
but it is said that when the heathen gods were renounced in favour
of Christianity, the priests transferred many of their attributes to
the saints, and that this sword became the property of the Archangel
St. Michael, who has wielded it ever since.

Tyr, whose name was synonymous with bravery and wisdom, was also
considered by the ancient Northern people to have the white-armed
Valkyrs, Odin's attendants, at his command, and they thought that
he it was who designated the warriors whom they should transfer to
Valhalla to aid the gods on the last day.

"The god Tyr sent
Gondul and Skogul
To choose a king
Of the race of Ingve,
To dwell with Odin
In roomy Valhal."

Norse Mythology (R. B. Anderson).

The Story of Fenris

Tyr was generally spoken of and represented as one-armed, just as Odin
was called one-eyed. Various explanations are offered by different
authorities; some claim that it was because he could give the victory
only to one side; others, because a sword has but one blade. However
this may be, the ancients preferred to account for the fact in the
following way:

Loki married secretly at Joetun-heim the hideous giantess Angur-boda
(anguish boding), who bore him three monstrous children--the wolf
Fenris, Hel, the parti-coloured goddess of death, and Ioermungandr,
a terrible serpent. He kept the existence of these monsters secret as
long as he could; but they speedily grew so large that they could no
longer remain confined in the cave where they had come to light. Odin,
from his throne Hlidskialf, soon became aware of their existence,
and also of the disquieting rapidity with which they increased in
size. Fearful lest the monsters, when they had gained further strength,
should invade Asgard and destroy the gods, Allfather determined to
get rid of them, and striding off to Joetun-heim, he flung Hel into
the depths of Nifl-heim, telling her she could reign over the nine
dismal worlds of the dead. He then cast Ioermungandr into the sea,
where he attained such immense proportions that at last he encircled
the earth and could bite his own tail.

"Into mid-ocean's dark depths hurled,