13 h 17 minAudiobook15 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 13 h 17 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What do gods fear in a world of giants, monsters, and shifting loyalties?
In Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas, H. A. Guerber gathers northern legends into one continuous account. Drawing on the Icelandic Eddas and sagas, she leads you from the world's making through stories of gods, giants, heroes, and monsters. No background is needed to find your way.
According to these tales, Odin seeks wisdom wherever he can find it, while Thor guards the world with his hammer, Mjolnir. Loki lives among the gods, but his loyalties shift. Alongside their stories come the Volsungs and Sigurd, human heroes caught in tales of gold, swords, love, and betrayal.
What you’ll discover
- A world taking shape Enter the Norse creation story, where ice and fire frame a great empty gap.
- Wisdom at a price Follow Odin's search for knowledge through tales that place wisdom beside war and poetry.
- Thunder and shifting loyalties Meet Thor the defender and Loki, whose place among the gods offers no certain loyalty.
- Heroes beneath doom's shadow Explore the Volsungs and Sigurd through northern legends of love, gold, swords, and betrayal.
- A clear first map Learn who the gods are, where they live, and what they fear.
Who will love it
Readers who love myths, legends and ancient epics will enjoy this book, as will those curious about the gods behind Thursday and Friday, and fans of dragons and tricksters.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Fire and ice give birth to the world
- One great ash tree holds the worlds together
- Odin pays a heavy price for wisdom
- Frigga rules the home and sometimes outwits Odin
- Thor swings his hammer for gods and farmers
- The Vanir bring summer, love and a poet's song
- Balder's death marks the turning point of the gods
- Loki's cruelty brings chains for him and the wolf
- Ragnarok ends the old world and starts a new one
- Heroes carry the old tales and echo Greece
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet or computer, once the book texts are online.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, once the book texts are online.
- Audiobook
- Read by Lucas Linden, complete. It opens once the recording is online.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 15 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout. The eBook and the audiobook open when the book texts go online.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then 0,14 USD a day in your first year on the yearly plan and 0,27 USD a day after, or 0,66 USD a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook, audiobook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
Mythen der Nordmänner: Aus den Eddas und Sagas
by H. A. Guerber · 1909
A one-eyed god trades his eye for wisdom while a wolf waits to swallow the sun and an ash tree holds nine worlds.
Medium level10–20 hours to readDeutsch
Excellent
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeFree for 3 months, then 0,14 USD a dayCancel anytimeHow it works
- Read or listen
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
In short
What happens when fire meets ice at the edge of an endless gulf? In this book the answer is a giant born of frost, a cow that licks salt from the ice, and a god who steps out of a frozen block.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Fire and ice give birth to the world
The Norse story of creation begins with a gulf, not a garden. To the north lies Nifl-heim, a home of mist and freezing streams. To the south lies Muspells-heim, a land of fire guarded by the giant Surtr.
Sparks from the south fall on ice from the north, and the melting ice gives life to Ymir, a giant of frost. A cow named Audhumla feeds him with her milk. She licks salty ice until a god named Buri steps out of it. Buri's grandsons Odin, Vili and Ve kill Ymir, and his blood drowns nearly all his kin.
Free for 3 months · Cancel anytime
You looked at
Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 15 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1909
- Language
- Deutsch
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Guerber, H. A. Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/myths-of-the-norsemen-from-the-eddas-and-sagas.
Guerber, H. A. (2026). Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and sagas. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/myths-of-the-norsemen-from-the-eddas-and-sagas (Original work published 1909)
Guerber, H. A. Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/myths-of-the-norsemen-from-the-eddas-and-sagas.
@book{guerber2026myths,
author = {Guerber, H. A.},
title = {Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/myths-of-the-norsemen-from-the-eddas-and-sagas},
note = {First published 1909}
}
Free gifts
580 USD in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
170 USDFREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
120 USDFREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
60 USDFREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
60 USDFREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
170 USDFREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about Mythen der Nordmänner: Aus den Eddas und Sagas
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy the printed book?
Soon. The paperback, hardcover and large print editions are being prepared. Choose Paperback or Hardcover above, leave your email, and we tell you the day you can order it, printed at cost.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is Myths of the Norsemen about?
It retells the myths of the Norse gods, from the making of the world out of fire and ice to Ragnarok, the last battle. It also covers giants, dwarfs, elves and the hero Sigurd.
Who are the main gods in Norse mythology?
Odin is the chief and father of the gods. Thor is the thunder god, and Frigga is the queen. Tyr, Frey, Freya, Balder, Heimdall and Loki also play major roles in these tales.
Where do these Norse myths come from?
They come mostly from the Elder Edda, a collection of pagan poems gathered in Iceland, and from later sagas. Guerber retells them and adds verse by modern poets.
The author
H. A. Guerber
1859–1929 · American historian and mythologist
H. A. Guerber was Hélène Adeline Guerber, an American writer who lived in the United States from 1859 to 1929. She wrote books about history, mythology, and legends. Her works included The Story of the Greeks (1896), Legends of Switzerland (1899), and The Book of the Epic (1913).
More by H. A. Guerber
Alle Bücher des Autors ansehenMore like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
