THE THIRTY-SECOND FABLE.

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Of the Twilight of the Gods.

ANGLER then inquired; What can you tell me concerning that day? Har replied; There are very many and very notable circumstances which I can impart to you. In the firft place, will come the grand, the defolating' Winter; dur-. ing which the fnow will fall from the four corners of the world: the froft will be very fevere; the tempeft violent and dangerous; and the Sun will withdraw his beams. Three fuch winters fhall pafs away, without being foftened by one fummer. Three others fhall follow, during which War and Difcord will fpread through the whole globe. Brothers, out of hatred, fhall kill each other; no one fhall fpare either his parent, or his child, or his relations. See how it is described in the VOLUSPA; "Bro"thers becoming murderers, shall stain "themselves with brothers blood; kindred

* fhall

"fhall forget the ties of confanguinity "life fhall become a burthen; adultery "fhall reign throughout the world. Ą "barbarous age! an age of fwords! an

age of tempefts! an age of wolves! "The bucklers fhall be broken in pieces; " and thefe calamities fhall fucceed each "other till the world fhall fall to ruin." Then will happen fuch things as may well be called Prodigies. will devour the Sun; found by mankind.

The Wolf FENRIS a fevere lofs will it be Another monster will carry off the Moon, and render her totally ufelefs: the Stars fhall fly away and vanish from the heavens: the earth and the mountains shall be feen violently agitated; the trees torn up from the earth by the roots; the tottering hills to tumble headlong from their foundations; all the chains and irons of the prifoners to be broken and dashed in pieces. Then is the Wolf Fenris let loofe; the fea rufhes impetuously over the earth, because the great Serpent, changed into a Spectre, gains the fhore. The hip Naglefara is fet afloat: this veffel is conftructed of the nails of dead men ; for which reafon great care fhould be taken

*Goranfon has it, Stelle de calo cadunt. See other variations in his Latin Verfion; which feems, in fome refpects, more fpirited than that of M. Mallet, here followed.

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hot to die with unpared nails; for he who dies fo, fupplies materials towards the building of that veffel, which Gods and men will with were finifhed as late as poffible. The Giant Rymer is the pilot of this veffel, which the fea breaking over its banks, wafts along with it. The Wolf Fenris advancing, opens his enormous mouth; his lower jaw reaches to the earth, and his upper jaw to the heavens, and would reach ftill farther, were space itself found to admit of it. The burning fire flashes out from his eyes and noftrils.. The Great Serpent vomits forth floods of poison; which overwhelm the air and the waters. This terrible monster places himself by the fide of the Wolf. In this confufion the heaven fhall cleave asunder; and by this breach the Genii of Fire enter on horfeback. Surtur is at their head: before and behind him fparkles a bright glowing fire. His fword outfhines the Sun itself. army of these Genii paffing on horseback over the bridge of heaven, break it in pieces: Thence they direct their course to a plain; where they are joined by the Wolf Fenris, and the Great Serpent. Thither alfo repair LOKE, and the Giant RYMER, and with them all the Giants of the Froft, who follow Loke even to Death. The Genii of Fire march first in battle array, forming a moft brilliant fquadron on this VOL. II. plain;

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plain; which is an hundred degrees fquare on every fide. During these prodigies, HEIMDAL, the door-keeper of the Gods, rifes up; he violently founds his clanging trumpet to awaken the Gods: who inftantly affemble. Then ODIN repairs to the fountain of Mimis, to confult what he ought to do, he and his army. The great Afh Tree of Ydrafil is fhaken; nor is any thing in heaven or earth exempt from fear and danger. The Gods are clad in armour; ODIN puts on his golden helmet, and his refplendent cuirafs; he grafps his fword, and marches directly against the Wolf Fenris. He hath THOR at his fide: but this God cannot affift him; for he himself fights with the Great Serpent. FREY encounters SURTUR, and terrible blows are exchanged on both fides; 'till Frey is beat down; and he owes his defeat to his having formerly given his fword to his attendant Skyrner. That day alfo is let loose the dog named Garmer, who had hitherto been chained at the entrance of a cavern. He is a monster dreadful even to the Gods; he attacks TYR, and they kill each other. THOR beats down the Great Serpent to the earth, but at the fame time recoiling back nine fteps, he falls dead upon the fpot *,

*The Reader will obferve that our ingenious Author has reprefented this fomewhat differently above, in p. 133.

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fuffocated with floods of venom, which the Serpent vomits forth upon him. ODIN is devoured by the Wolf Fenris. At the fame inftant VIDAR advances, and preffing down the monfter's lower jaw with his foot, feizes the other with his hand, and thus tears and rends him till he dies. LOKE and HEIMDAL fight, and mutually kill each other. After that, SURTUR darts fire and flame over all the earth; the whole world is presently confumed. See how this is related in the VOLUSPA. "Heimdal "lifts up his crooked trumpet, and founds "it aloud., Odin confults the head of "Mimis; the great Ash, that Ash sublime "and fruitful, is violently fhaken, and fends

forth a groan. The Giant bursts his

irons. What is doing among the Gods? "What is doing among the Genii? The "land of the Giants is filled with uproar: "the Deities collect and affemble together. "The Dwarfs figh and groan before the

doors of their caverns. Oh! ye inha"bitants of the mountains; can you fay

whether any thing will yet remain in "existence? [The Sun is darkened; the earth is overwhelmed in the fea; the fhining stars fall from heaven; a vapour, "mixed with fire, arifes: a vehement heat prevails, even in heaven itself *."]

The paffage in Brackets is given from the Latin, of Goranfon, being omitted by M. Mallet.

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