The Norse were a people who lived mainly in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland, though they travelled all across Europe. You have probably heard of them as the Vikings, the raiders who terrorized England and Ireland in the eighth and ninth centuries. But the Norse were also traders, farmers, and artists; and like all peoples, they had their own religion.
Like the Greeks and Egyptians, the Norse worshipped many gods, most of whom ruled over some aspect of nature. But the Norse experienced nature very differently than the Greeks and Egyptians did. Because they lived far to the north, their lives were a battle to stay warm through the icy winters. So it is not surprising that--unlike the Greek gods--the Norse gods were locked in a constant battle with the Frost Giants and Fire Giants who wanted to destroy the world.
As you read the stories about the Norse gods, think about how they are similar to the other mythologies you have read, and how they are different. What might have caused the Norse to tell such stories about the world around them? What would it be like to believe in Odin instead of Zeus?
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