the gods
caught sparks from the Home of Fire and set them in the sky for stars;
and they took the living flame and made of it the sun and moon, which
they placed in chariots of gold, and harnessed to them beautiful
horses, with flowing manes of gold and silver. Before the horses of
the sun, they placed a mighty shield to protect them from its hot
rays; but the swift moon steeds needed no such protection from its
gentle heat.

And now all was ready save that there was no one to drive the horses
of the sun and moon. This task was given to Mani and Sol, the
beautiful son and daughter of a giant; and these fair charioteers
drive their fleet steeds along the paths marked out by the gods, and
not only give light to the earth but mark out months and days for the
sons of men.

Then All-Father Odin called forth Night, the gloomy daughter of the
cold-hearted giant folk, and set her to drive the dark chariot drawn
by the black horse, Frosty-Mane, from whose long wavy hair the drops
of dew and hoar-frost fall upon the earth below. After her drove her
radiant son, Day, with his white steed Shining-Mane, from whom the
bright beams of daylight shine forth to gladden the hearts of men.

But the wicked giants were very angry when they saw all these good
things; and they set in the sky two hungry wolves, that the fierce,
grey creatures might for ever pursue the sun and moon, and devour
them, and so bring all things to an end. Sometimes, indeed, or so say
the men of the North, the grey wolves almost succeed in swallowing sun
or moon; and then the earth children make such an uproar that the
fierce beasts drop their prey in fear. And the sun and moon flee more
rapidly than before, still pursued by the hungry monsters.

One day, so runs the tale, as Mani, the Man in the Moon, was hastening
on his course, he gazed upon the earth and saw two beautiful little
children, a boy and a girl, carrying between them a pail of water.
They looked very tired and sleepy, and indeed they were, for a cruel
giant made them fetch and carry water all night long, when they should
have been in bed. So Mani put out a long, long arm and snatched up
the children and set them in the moon, pail and all; and there you can
see them on any moonlit night for yourself.

But that happened a long time after the beginning of things; for as
yet there was no man or woman or child upon the earth.

And now that this pleasant Midgard was made, the gods determined to
satisf