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How Idunna Brought the Golden Apples to the Aesir
It was not long after the Aesir-Vanir war,
That Njord,
And his son Freyr and daughter Freyja,
Were sent to Asgard.
That Bragi the son of Odin and the Giantess Gunnlod,
Was out walking one winter day,
As he was walking he played a golden harp,
That the dwarfs had given him when he was born,
As he walked through the forest,
The trees started to bud and began to bloom.
A young Goddess had just finished bathing,
As she was drying off,
She began to hear the sweetest music she had ever heard,
Dressing quickly,
She went in search of the music.
The young Goddess was called Idunna,
She was the daughter of the dwarf smith Ivaldi,
From time to time the dwarves let her visit Midgard.
Soon she came across a young God playing a golden harp,
Catching him off guard, Idunna said,
What fine music you play!
The forest seems to come to life at the very sound of it.
Bowing she said, I am called Idunna,
What is your name, Idunna asked,
Bowing, the young God, said I am called Bragi,
Where in the worlds did you learn to play so well? asked Idunna,
I am not sure, I think it is in my blood, answered Bragi,
Are you hungry? Idunna asked,
Yes said Bragi, I could use something to eat.
Then follow me, she said,
I'd love to hear more of your beautiful music.
Bragi followed Idunna to her home,
There Bragi met Idunna's father Ivaldi,
They all sat down to eat,
After their meal Bragi played his golden harp for Ivaldi and his daughter
Idunna.
Idunna and Bragi became fast friends,
They soon fell hopelessly in love with each other,
It was not long before Idunna and Bragi were married.
One day Bragi said, He would liked to go to Asgard to see his father Odin,
And to introduce his new bride to him,
On the day of their departure,
Idunna was given a sack with many packets of seeds,
That she could plant in a garden,
When Idunna and Bragi made their new home,
Among the seed packets
Was one golden packet,
That contained a golden seed,
From that one seed,
Would grow a beautiful tree with golden fruit.
Idunna knew that the fruit of this tree
Would bring vitality and renewed youth to all who ate of them.
They made their way to Asgard,
Once there, they met Bragi's father Odin and were welcomed,
All the Aesir and Asynjur greeted them warmly,
Their was a big feast put on in their honor.
Bragi and Idunna soon made their new home in a grand hall in Asgard,
It was not long after they settled in
That Idunna planted her garden,
Soon she had many vegetables to eat.
In the middle of her garden,
Idunna planted the golden seed,
From that seed grew a very special tree,
And on it grew big golden apples.
Since Idunna and Bragi had arrived in Asgard,
She had noticed that the Gods were becoming
Slow and weary, as if they were growing older and weaker
With the passing of each day.
Idunna knew how she could help,
Getting her basket,
Idunna picked some of the golden apples,
Then off she went to visit each of the Aesir.
After giving them the gold apples,
And them, having eaten of them,
Began to grow in strength,
And to become young again.
© Robert Etter
Author of
"A Devotional: Honoring Thor and Family"
and "Thor,
Midgard's Veurr, and the Fylgja",
Both together in one book:
Thor,
God Of The Common Man
Image: "Idhun feeds apples to the Gods", J.Penrose, ca. 1890