The Golden Apples

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(a) Answer each question briefly :

Q.1. What is a legend ?

Answer : The legend is a story which is coming down from the past.

Q.2. Who was Bragi ? What was he called and why ?

Answer : Bragi was the son of Odin, the king of all gods. He sang so sweetly that he was called the god of song and poetry.

Q.3. Who was Idun ? Where did she live ?

Answer : Idun was the daughter of a dwarf. She lived in dark caves beneath the earth.

Q.4. How was Idun different from her father and brothers ?

Answer : Idun was different from her father and brothers because, unlike them, she was gentle, kind, and associated with youth and immortality. She nurtured life, while they were strong, fierce, and warlike.

Q.5. How were Bragi and Idun married ?

Answer : When Bragi saw Idun, he fell in love with her at once, took her with him to Asgard and there they were married.

Q.6. What was special about the golden apples ?

Answer : Gold apples kept gods and goddesses everlastingly young and immortal.

Q.7. What happened when Loki hit the eagle with a stick ?

Answer : Loki found that he could not lift the stick from the eagle’s body, nor could he let go to the end he was holding.

Q.8. Where did Loki take Idun and why ?

Answer :  Loki took Idun to a deep forest to hand over her to Thiazi, the storm giant. Thus Loki fulfilled his promise to Thiazi.

Q.9. What happened when Idun reached the forest ?

Answer : When Loki and Idun walked among the trees, Thiazi, indisguise of an eagle swooped down from the trees and seize her.

Q.10. How did the gods feel when Idun had gone ?

Answer : The gods felt tired and worth out without the golden apples of youth and immortality.

Q.11. Loki had deceived Idun once. Then why did she trust him again ?

Answer : Idun had no other way of returning to Asgard.

Q.12. What happened when Loki flew back with Idun ?

Answer : Thiazi, in disguise of an eagle, followed the hawk, who was actually Loki.

Q.13. Who were the eagle and the hawk ? Which of the two was more powerful ?

Answer : The eagle was Thiazi and the hawk was Loki. The eagle was more powerful.

(b) Answer each question in about 100 words :

Q.1. Describe in your own words the incident of the cooking deer.

Answer : The incident of the cooking deer occurs when the prince, following an old couple’s advice, tricks the greedy ogre into cooking itself. Disguised as a deer, the prince lures the ogre into chasing him. Pretending to be exhausted, he allows the ogre to capture him. The ogre, eager to eat him, follows his suggestion to cook him in a large pot. However, when the ogre leans over to check the boiling water, the prince pushes it in, ending its tyranny. This clever act frees the kingdom, highlighting the prince’s intelligence and bravery in overcoming evil.

Q.2. How was Thiazi able to carry away Idun and the golden apples ?

Answer : In the story ‘The Golden Apples’ Thiazi was a powerful giant, he was able to carry away Idun and the golden apples through trickery. Disguised as an eagle, he manipulated Loki into luring Idun out of Asgard with her golden apples. Loki, fearing for his life after Thiazi captured him, deceitfully convinced Idun to step beyond Asgard’s gates, where Thiazi swiftly seized her and flew away to his fortress in Jotunheim. With Idun gone, the gods began aging, as her apples granted them eternal youth. Realizing Loki’s role, they forced him to rescue her, leading to a daring adventure to bring Idun and the apples back.

Q.3. How did the gods come to know where Idun had gone ?

Answer : The gods realized something was wrong when they began aging, as Idun’s golden apples kept them eternally young. They searched for Idun but found no trace of her. Suspecting foul play, they interrogated Loki, who had last been seen with her. Under pressure and threats from the gods, Loki confessed that he had tricked Idun into leaving Asgard, leading to her capture by Thiazi. Learning that Thiazi had taken her to Jotunheim, the gods ordered Loki to rescue her. He borrowed Freya’s falcon cloak, transformed into a bird, and set off on a daring mission to bring Idun back.

Q.4. How did Thiazi meet his end ?

Answer : In the story ‘The Golden Apples’ Thiazi met his end when Loki, using Freya’s falcon cloak, flew to Jotunheim and rescued Idun by transforming her into a nut and carrying her back to Asgard. When Thiazi discovered her escape, he furiously pursued them in his eagle form. Seeing the chase, the gods prepared a trap. As Loki neared Asgard, the gods built a massive fire at the city’s walls. The moment Thiazi crossed the flames, his wings were scorched, and he fell to the ground. The gods seized the weakened giant and killed him, ending his threat and restoring youth to Asgard with Idun’s return.

External Resources :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_apple

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