The Wolf of Ragnorok
Fenrir is totally gay for Tyr
I sense you.
You cannot hide from me on my own island. Just because I cannot see or smell doesn't mean every sense I have has been dulled by this damnable rope.
Listen here, mortal, to me.
The tale of Fenrir, the wolf of doomsday, is not as you know it. My tale is not as you know it.
Oh, a sassy one, I can tell.
Come closer. I want to see the soul foolish enough to mouth off to me. My father would have your tongue cut out for such language directed towards him. Trust me, mine grew back.
There you are. You're one of my kin, aren't you? An animal, forsaken by the gods and by man.
Is that a tremble in your voice? Is your courage wavering? Of course you are like me, no matter how much you deny it.
Still denying it? But you do not sound so certain. After all, you see me. I am shaped just as you are. I walk on two legs just like you. I speak just as you do. I cannot see your face, but perhaps you are one of mine, another of my pack. One of my sons, perhaps? Or maybe you are a different sort, one of Ratatosk's brood, or one of Arion's foal? My senses have dulled over the years.
Ohoho, now you want to hear my story. Well, let me tell you, small one, that though the gods fear the silver tongue of my father and his children, you do not have to. I speak only truths. Maybe as I speak my senses will return. Even now I see that you have brought a paradoxical rope. Prepared to bind me? I still cannot make out your face...
Well said! But just because the gods thought it to be right doesn't make it so.
No, they are not always right.
You are a stubborn one. So sure that the gods are always correct? Only Mimir knows all. He has never opposed me, only Ragnorok itself. The fool Odin thinks that the world will end when he and his hammer-wielding son die. This is not true. I will eat them, yes, but it will be the long winter that cleanses the world, not Ragnorok. I will not eat Sol, she is one of my best friends, no matter that my sons chase her across the sky. No, it will be Apophis that eats the sun gods and Sol, starting the winter. Seth and Loki will challenge the other gods with their armies. I will be released, yes, but not by my own choosing. Does it look to you that Gleipnir prevents me from leaving? No, it merely limits my limitless power. If I leave the island, I will be reduced to mere mortal, but on the island I am immortal and very powerful. I have had many visitors but all challenged me. You do not seem that foolish, pack of my pack.
Ah, you flinched! My senses are coming back! I told you this, did I not? And yet you stay. This will be interesting, wolf. Stay in the heather if you wish. But I will tell you the story of my father, mother, and sisters.
My father, Loki, met his bride in Niflheim. They conceived me first, then my sisters, Jormangund and Hela. Are you surprised? The gods told everyone that Jormangund was male so they could tremble in fear of a male. It would look bad if they were afraid of a female, no?
No? Are you sure? Some other males would certainly disagree. Losing to a female is like getting their manhood cut off to them.
Do not change the subject. You wanted to hear my story so I'm telling you. Loki and his giantess wife had the three of us in winter. We grew up in that winter. My youngest sister, Hela, was a delicate creature. But she was immortal just as I am. She was caught outside one night and would have died if not for this immortality. She was frostbitten horribly, though, and half of her body was blue muscle and tendons and bone. Nowadays, that half-dead part of her is put to good use in Helheim, her very own world, which is more than I got.
No, I cannot leave the island.
You.... Want to take with you? Thank you, pack of my pack, blood of my blood. But unless you find a way, or until you find a way, to unbind me, I will continue my story. By her second moon, Jormangund was bigger than the small house we lived in. We released her into the waters of Midgard. She is now my only company in the long winters, aside from my occasional and unfortunate prey.
Of course I feel bad for them. Stop interrupting. And stop changing the subject.
As my sisters grew, so did I. I took down my first big prey on the eve of my first moon. It was a buck. I chased it down, under the guidance of my father, and tore into it's leg, its soft underflesh, its neck. It was a good dinner.
You're squeamish, aren't you? Do you still want to release me? Knowing the havoc that I would cause? I could fell a man in half a blow. I could fell a god in a bite. I have grown much since my old friend Tyr sacrificed his hand to me.
Of course we were friends. Why else would someone sacrifice their hand, their ability to fight, their self-respect and the respect of their peers so some beast could be bound?
You couldn't understand. You could never understand unless the world went back to fighting to put food on the table. Think about this, pack of my pack.
The winter raged. Skadi was angry that year, anger at our births, anger at Odin's disappearance. We learned later that he hung himself from the World Tree, piercing himself with his spear to learn the secrets of the runes. But no one knew that year. Finally, one day, the sun came out. 'Fenrir, come here,' said my father. 'it is time to see my blood-brother, Odin. Your king.'
Yes, I'm sure my father isn't Thor's brother. That redheaded hammer-wielding oaf wouldn't know either way.
You smell defiant, like you don't believe it. Believe it, pack of my pack, son of my father. My sense of smell is returning, but my tongue still only speaks truth I would not lies even if I could. We went to Odin as soon as we heard that he had returned. As we had entered Asgard, my father said 'They do not like me here. Be careful.' And we were. We went straight for Odin's hall, flanked by his Valkyries. No god dared attack us, but a few came close. NOW, every god would attack me, but then they wouldn't dare. 'Welcome, welcome,' Odin said, sitting on his throne. He was flanked by his wife, Frigga, a0d another. I later learned that he was Njord.
Yes, Njord, the god of boats. Odin looked at me, analyzing me. He raised his eyebrow. 'More spawn, Loki? I thought that Hella and Jormangund were enough.' Loki gave a pained smile. 'But I also gave you your steed.' He considered this. 'Perhaps. But you were his mother, may I remind you. Not his father. Why do you bring your spawn here, Loki? Haven't you caused enough trouble?' asked Odin, exasperated.
My father only grinned in response. 'Well, I was thinking that this one could be more help to the gods than harm.' And so I was allowed. Over the years, Tyr and I became close. He helped me develop morality and sense of law. Odin helped me learn the horrors of war, but also wisdom.
Yes, he's a wisdom god, I'm sure.
Do you want to hear the story or not? Be silent!
One day, Odin went away. He visited a vala, inquiring about my future. The vala delivered a prophecy: 'If you forsake him, you will be destroyed.' But I didn't know this until later. After that, Odin and Tyr conspired to bind me instead of risking my rage.
No, I don't blame Tyr at all. He did what he had to do. As the god of law, he must follow his king. Twice they bound me with chains, and twice I escaped. On the first, I gained the respect if Tyr. On the second, we became friends.
Yes, it was very stable friendship. Nothing more. As you young people say, get your mind out of the gutter.
For the third time, they visited dwarves. I do not know the smith's name, but I do know his product- Gleipnir. Made from a cat's footfalls, a fish's breath, and a woman's beard. Paradox ingredients to give the rope strength. As Tyr presented it to me, he said 'one last test of strength. Then you will be the god of wolves.' And I trusted him. Why not, we were friends? But then I saw Odin in the back.
I didn't trust him because he's the one that bound me before. Didn't I tell you to stop interrupting?
I'm sure I, in fact, did. Continuing, Tyr placed his hand in my mouth as a show of trust as Odin bound me. And I couldn't escape. Tyr, knowing the price, waited patiently. I bit his hand off. I appologised to my old friend and he said 'It is fine, Fenrir. I accept my fate.' And then he bent to whisper into my ear. 'I await your escape.' I was carted off to my currant prison, the isle of heather, where I now await the long winter.
What do you mean, 'about that'? Let go of my rope!
It's finally time?
I... I can see Tyr again.
You have done a great deed today, Kaminari, pack of my pack.
I will see you after Ragnorok
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