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A Book for All and None
First part
ODIN'S FOREWORD
1.
When Odin was thirty years old, he left his home and the
lake of his home, and went into the mountains. There he enjoyed
his spirit and loneliness, and for ten years did not weary of it.
But
at last his heart changed,— and rising one morn with the rosy
dawn, he went before the sun, and spake thus unto him:
Thou great star! What would thy joy be if thou hadst not
those for whom thou shinest!
For ten years hast thou climbed hither unto my cave: thou
wouldst have wearied of thy light and of the journey, had it not
been for me, mine eagle, and my serpent.
But we awaited thee every morn, and took from thee thine
overflow and blessed thee for it.
Lo! my wisdom overburdens me, like the bee that hath gathered
too much honey; I need hands outstretched to take it.
I would fain bestow and distribute, until the wise have once
more become blissful in their folly, and the poor joyous in their
riches.
Therefore must I go down into the deep: as thou doest at even,
when, sinking behind the sea, thou givest light also to
the nether-world, thou overabundant star!
Like thee must I GO-UNDER, as men say, to whom I shall
go down.
Bless me, then, thou bestilled eye, that canst behold even the
greatest bliss without envy!
Bless the cup that is about to overflow, that the golden water may
stream out of it, overwhelming all in the reflection of thy bliss!
Lo! This cup is again going to empty itself, and Odin is
again going to be a man.
Thus began Odin’s down-going.
2. Odin went down the mountain alone, no one meeting him. When he reached the woods, however, there suddenly stood before him an old man, who had left his holy hut to seek roots. And thus spake the old man to Odin:
“No stranger to me is this wanderer: many years ago passed he by.
Odin he was called; but he hath changed.
Then thou carriedst thine ashes into the mountains: wilt thou today carry thy fire into the valleys Fearest thou not the fire-starter’s doom?
Yea, I know Odin. Pure is his eye, and no loathing lurketh about his mouth. Goeth he not along like a dancer?
Changed is Odin; a child hath Odin become; an awakened one is Odin: what wilt thou do in the land of the sleepers?
As in the sea hast thou lived in loneliness, and it hath borne thee up. Alas, wilt thou now go on land? Alas, wilt thou again drag thy flesh thyself?”
Odin answered: “I love mankind.”
“Why,” said the holy man, “did I go to the forest and the wilderness? Was it not because I loved mankind over-much?
Now I love God: mankind, I love not. Mankind is a thing too unwholesome for me. Love to mankind would kill me.”
Odin answered: “What spake I of love! I am bringing gifts unto mankind.”
“Give them nothing,” said the holy man. “Take rather part of their load, and bear the burden along with them—that will serve them best: if it only serve thyself well!
And if thou art going to give them aught, give them no more than an alms, and let them also beg for it!”
“No,” replied Odin, “I give no alms. I am not poor enough for that.”
The holy man laughed at Odin, and spake thus: “Then see to it that they accept thy treasures! They are distrustful of anchorites, and do not believe that we come with gifts.
The fall of our footsteps ringeth too hollow through their streets.
And just as at night, when they are in bed and hear a man abroad long before sunrise, so they ask themselves concerning us: Whithergoeth that thief?
Go not to mankind, but tarry in the forest! Go rather to the animals!
Why not be like me — a bear amongst bears, a bird amongst birds?”
“And what doeth the holy man in the forest?” asked Odin.
The holy man answered: “I make songs and sing them; and in making songs I laugh and weep and mumble: thus do I praise God.
With singing, weeping, laughing, and mumbling do I praise the God who is my God. But what dost thou bring us as a gift?”
When Odin had heard these words, he bowed to the holy man and said: “What should I have to give thee! Let me rather hurry hence lest I take aught away from thee!”—And thus they parted from one another, the old man and Odin, laughing like young boys.
When Odin was alone, however, he said to his heart:
“Could it be possible! This old holy man in the forest hath not yet heard, that GOD IS DEAD!”
