Американские боги

           Themensaid,"Wearefar,farfromourhomesandourhearths,farfromtheseasweknowandthelandswelove.Hereontheedgeoftheworldwewillbeforgottenbyourgods."

           Theirleaderclamberedtothetopofagreatrock,andhemockedthemfortheirlackoffaith."TheAll-Fathermadetheworld,"heshouted."HebuiltitwithhishandsfromtheshatteredbonesandthefleshofYmir,hisgrandfather.HeplacedYmir’sbrainsintheskyasclouds,andhissaltbloodbecametheseaswecrossed.Ifhemadetheworld,doyounotrealizethathecreatedthislandaswell?Andifwediehereasmen,shallwenotbereceivedintohishall?"

           Andthemencheeredandlaughed.Theysetto,withawill,tobuildahalloutofsplittreesandmud,insideasmallstockadeofsharpenedlogs,althoughasfarastheyknewtheyweretheonlymeninthenewland.

           Onthedaythatthehallwasfinishedtherewasastorm:theskyatmiddaybecameasdarkasnight,andtheskywasrentwithforksofwhiteflame,andthethunder-crashesweresoloudthatthemenwerealmostdeafenedbythem,andtheship’scattheyhadbroughtwiththemforgoodfortunehidbeneaththeirbeachedlongboat.Thestormwashardenoughandviciousenoughthatthemenlaughedandclappedeachotherontheback,andtheysaid,"Thethundererisherewithus,inthisdistantland,"andtheygavethanks,andrejoiced,andtheydrankuntiltheywerereeling.

           Inthesmokydarknessoftheirhall,thatnight,thebardsangthemtheoldsongs.