Американские боги

           Hebegantostruggle,then,pullingattheropes,flailinghisbody,tryingtogetdown,togetfree,togetaway.Hemoaned.

           Theknotsweregood.Theropeswerestrong,andtheyheld,andsoonheexhaustedhimselfoncemore.

           Inhisdelirium,Shadowbecamethetree.Itsrootswentdeepintotheloamoftheearth,deepdownintotime,intothehiddensprings.HefeltthespringofthewomancalledUrd,whichistosay,Past.Shewashuge,agiantess,anundergroundmountainofawoman,andthewaterssheguardedwerethewatersoftime.Otherrootswenttootherplaces.Someofthemweresecret.Now,whenhewasthirsty,hepulledwaterfromhisroots,pulledthemupintothebodyofhisbeing.

           Hehadahundredarmswhichbrokeintoahundredthousandfingers,andallofhisfingersreachedupintothesky.Theweightoftheskywasheavyonhisshoulders.

           Itwasnotthatthediscomfortwaslessened,butthepainbelongedtothefigurehangingfromthetree,ratherthantothetreeitself,andShadowinhismadnesswasnowsomuchmorethanthemanonthetree.Hewasthetree,andhewasthewindrattlingthebarebranchesoftheworldtree;hewasthegrayskyandthetumblingclouds;hewasRatatoskthesquirrelrunningfromthedeepestrootstothehighestbranches;hewasthemad-eyedhawkwhosatonabrokenbranchatthetopofthetreesurveyingtheworld;hewasthewormintheheartofthetree.