CCSS
R.1, R.3, R.4, R.7, W.1, SL.1, SL.2, L.4, L.6
Gods vs Giants
They’ve been enemies forever. They’re constantly at war. Who will win their latest showdown?
Based on the Norse myth “The Apples of Life”
Before You Read: Click here for a handy audio guide. You’ll hear how some of the names and places in this play are pronounced.
Art by Randy Pollak
Battle Time
Thor fights a frost giant with his magical hammer.
CHARACTERS
*Starred characters have larger speaking parts.
PROLOGUE
Jim McMahon/Mapman ®
The Vikings
The Vikings came from Scandinavia, an area in Northern Europe. Today it includes the countries of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
N1: More than 1,000 years ago, Vikings lived in Scandinavia.
N2: That’s an area in Northern Europe.
N3: They worshipped many gods and believed the world had nine realms, or kingdoms.
N1: The gods ruled over all of the realms.
N2: Humans lived in the realm of Midgard.
N3: The gods lived in the realm of Asgard.
N1: Terrible monsters called frost giants lived in the realm of Jotunheim.
N2: The gods and the frost giants were enemies—and constantly at war.
Art by Randy Pollak
Skilled Fighters
The Vikings were mighty warriors who were feared across Europe. They traveled across the sea in superfast boats like this one.
SCENE 1
Jotunheim, the realm of the frost giants
Shutterstock.com
N3: In a huge ice castle, four frost giants sit at a stone table.
N1: Hymir has a wound on his head.
Thiazi: Did Thor beat you in battle again?
Hymir: He would be nothing without his magical hammer!
Thrym: We must put the gods in their place.
Hymir: But how?
Thrym: We must find their weakness. What is something the gods cannot live without?
Thiazi: The Apples of Life.
Hymir: Yes! They must eat one golden apple a day or they will age quickly and die.
Thiazi: We will steal those apples.
Hymir: But Idunn never lets them out of her sight.
Thiazi: Then we’ll take Idunn as well.
Thrym: How?
N2: Thiazi’s eyes brighten.
Thiazi: There is one god who will do anything to save himself. I will disguise myself and find him!
SCENE 2
Later that day • Midgard, the realm of humans
N3: In a forest, three gods sit around a fire.
N1: Above them, a giant eagle sits in a tree. It is Thiazi in disguise.
Odin: Is the meat ready yet?
Hoenir: It’s still raw.
Loki: What? It’s been cooking for hours.
Thiazi: Hee hee hee!
N2: Thiazi swoops to the ground.
Thiazi: Your meat has been cursed. But if you share it with me, I will remove the curse.
Odin: Well . . . all right.
N3: Thiazi flicks his head. The meat starts to sizzle.
Odin: It’s ready now.
N1: Thiazi devours a large hunk of meat. Then he eats more. And more.
Loki (angry): Hey! Save some for us.
N2: Loki grabs a stick and hits the eagle.
Thiazi: You shall regret that!
N3: Thiazi grabs Loki in his talons and flies off.
Loki: Let me down!
Thiazi: You gods think you rule the realms. But you do not rule us!
Loki: Who are you?
Thiazi: I am Thiazi, a frost giant. I will let you live only if you bring me Idunn and her Apples of Life.
Loki: How? She never leaves the safety of Asgard.
Thiazi: I am sure you will think of something.
Loki: Fine! I’ll do it.
N1: Thiazi swoops down and drops Loki by the campfire.
SCENE 3
That evening • Asgard, the realm of the gods
N2: The gods sit in their fancy gold-roofed hall. Idunn passes out apples.
N3: She hands one to Odin.
Idunn: For you, All-Father.
N1: Odin takes a large bite. His blue eyes start to sparkle.
N2: Loki walks over to Idunn.
Loki: Idunn, I saw something today in Midgard. It was a tree with golden apples like yours!
Idunn: My apples do not grow on trees. They magically appear in my basket.
Loki: But these apples were so shiny. What if they’re better?
Idunn: There’s no way!
N3: Idunn starts to leave . . . then turns back to Loki.
Idunn: Well, perhaps I should take a look at them.
Loki: I will take you to see them tomorrow!
Art by Randy Pollak
Asgard: Home of the Norse Gods
The Vikings believed the world was ruled by gods who lived in a place called Asgard. Thor, god of war and thunder, was the most popular.
SCENE 4
The next morning • Asgard to Midgard
N1: Idunn and Loki walk across the rainbow bridge that leads out of Asgard.
Idunn: Are you sure I will be safe outside Asgard?
Loki: I will protect you.
Idunn: What if the giants get my apples? Then our greatest enemies would be immortal like us!
Loki: I would never let that happen.
N2: Idunn and Loki travel over rolling hills.
N3: They finally arrive at an old oak tree in the forest.
Idunn: Loki, this tree doesn’t have any—
N1: Thiazi, in eagle form, swoops down. He grabs Idunn and her apples.
Idunn: No ! Loki! Help!
N2: Loki watches them fly away.
SCENE 5
That evening • The great hall in Asgard
N3: Odin sits on his throne. He looks around, puzzled.
Odin: I am ready for my apple. Where is Idunn?
Freya: I’ve never gone a day without an apple.
Hoenir: What will happen?
Odin: Let’s not panic.
N1: But a day passes. Then two days. Then three. Then a week.
N2: Idunn never comes.
N3: The gods’ faces become wrinkled.
Freya: Idunn is still missing!
Thor: Where can she be?
N1: Hoenir enters with Heimdall, the watchman.
Heimdall: The last I saw Idunn, she was with Loki. They were heading toward the rainbow bridge.
Odin (very angry): Bring me Loki. NOW!
Art by Randy Pollak
Loki the Trickster
Loki lived among the gods, but his father was a frost giant. He was always stirring up trouble. (He wasn’t all bad, though. He often helped solve the problems he caused!)
SCENE 6
An hour later • The great hall in Asgard
N2: Thor drags Loki in.
Odin: Where is Idunn?
Loki: Thiazi kidnapped her. What could I do?
Thor: Why would she leave Asgard?
Loki: Well . . . I told her there were other golden apples in Midgard.
Odin: What!
Loki: I had no choice! Thiazi was going to kill me.
Freya: Loki was always going to betray us. His father was a frost giant.
Thor: As a half-giant, he can survive without the apples. But we cannot.
Odin: Do you wish to see us dead?
N3: Freya walks toward Loki, her sword raised.
Loki (scared): Wait! What if I could bring Idunn back?
N1: Freya freezes.
Loki: I just need your falcon-feather cloak.
Freya: Give you my special cloak? Ha!
Loki: It’s the only way.
N2: Freya finally gives in.
N3: Loki puts on the cloak, turns into a falcon, and flies away.
Thor: Can we trust him?
Odin: No. But he is our only hope for survival.
SCENE 7
A little later • Thiazi’s castle in Jotunheim
N1: Loki lands at Thiazi’s castle. He removes the falcon cloak.
N2: He finds Idunn locked in a dark room.
Loki: Idunn, I have come to rescue you.
Idunn: I will never trust you again!
Loki: The lives of all the gods depend on it. You only have to trust me one more time.
Idunn: Trick me again and it will be your end.
N3: Loki puts on the cloak.
N1: He turns Idunn into a walnut and flies away with her in his talons.
N2: Just then, Thiazi returns to the castle.
Thiazi: Idunn is gone! The Apples of Life are gone!
N3: Thiazi looks up and sees a falcon flying away.
Thiazi: Loki! Curse you! Curse all the gods!
N1: Thiazi turns into an eagle and flies after Loki.
SCENE 8
A short time later • Asgard
N2: Odin sees the falcon flying toward Asgard.
Odin: It’s Loki! But the eagle—Thiazi—is behind him!
Thor: Quick, let us gather all the wood we can.
N3: The gods use all their strength to make a pile of wood near the entrance to Asgard.
Odin: All right. Light the fire!
N1: Thor uses his magical hammer to make lightning strike the pile.
Thor: Aaaaaaaaaaah!
N2: The wood catches fire.
N3: Loki flies just above the fire. Then the flames rise higher. Thiazi can’t avoid them.
Thiazi: Nooooooo!
N1: Thiazi burns to ash.
N2: Loki lands. He returns Idunn to her goddess form.
N3: The gods gather round as she hands out apples.
N1: They devour them. Their strength returns. Loki smiles.
Odin: It seems you will live another day, Loki. But beware. Betray us again, and it will be the end of you!
PictureLux/The Hollywood Archive/Alamy Stock Photo
Screen Stars
Both Loki and Thor appear in Marvel movies and TV shows. Some details of their stories are pulled from Norse myths. Other details are made up by Marvel.
ACTIVITY:
Inference
You've just read “Gods Versus Giants” Now it’s time to try this activity.
Tip: An inference is something that is not stated but can be figured out from clues in the text.
What to do: Imagine that you are Loki, the day after you returned Idunn to Asgard. You’re writing in your journal about the events of the past week or so. Make inferences to complete each sentence below. For clues, go back and look at the play.
Dear Diary,
When the eagle Thiazi picked me up in his talons, I felt
Hint: Look in Scene 2 for clues.
In order to get Idunn to leave Asgard, I had to make her feel
Hint: Look in Scene 3 for clues.
I told Idunn that I wouldn’t let the frost giants kidnap her, but I actually knew
Hint: Look in Scenes 4 for clues.
The other gods forgave me, but I’m starting to get the feeling they think of me as someone who
Hint: Look in Scenes 6, 7 and 8 for clues.
—Loki
