The Children of Odin: The Book of Northern Myths. Illustrated by Willy Pogany [Norse Gods and Heroes]

New York: The Macmillan Company, 1966. Scarce earlier printing in wrapper. Impressed at back board: "Macmillan Master Library Edition." Stated at copyright page: "Copyright 1920 by The MacMillan Company. Renewed by Padraic Colum and The Macmillan Co. 1948. Fourth printing, 1966." Larger 5 3/8" x 8 1/2" design. Deep red full cloth boards, black impressed cover design, spine titles, moderate shelf wear, rub. Cover features vignette of charging horsemen with long risen sword. Pages generally very good. Few with moderate discoloration. Few stamps for St. John's, residue behind front flap, card pocket inside back cover. Illustrated throughout with full and partial-page dynamic line drawings by Willy Pogany who received universal acclaim for eloquent drawings that accompany all the Colum books. Bind good, square; hinges intact. Scarce original wrapper in orange, yellow, red and black, moderate edge wear, spine sunning, slightly short; front flap clipped, protected in new clear sleeve. Jacket design by The Strimbans. Rare early printing in classic original wrapper. Dedicated to Harriet Vaughn Moody. Lover of Tales and Reader of Runes. Beautifully illustrated by Willy Pogany with four color plates and numerous line drawings throughout. Padraic Colum, in this compilation of Northern Myths, retells the great Norse sagas in a sequence clearly laid and easy to follow. First, there comes the home of Norse gods, Asgard, and the plotting of Loki; with the foundations of Norse belief. Then Odin wanders among men on earth, and pays a great price for wisdom at Mimir's well. Then, there is Sigurd and the story of the Volsungs, and finally the tragedy of the destruction of Asgard. Only a writer of Padraic Colum's skill and understanding could make so clear an arrangement and handle such difficult material, yet entertainingly present it for all ages. Colum has done what great poets and storytellers must always do and taken the old tales and traditions and made them his own. But, he remains faithful where he must, while creating new loveliness and truth. The epic narrative through all of these Northern tales is presented in beautiful sequence. Perhaps the last half of "The Children of Odin" involving the stories of Sigurd have never been so clearly compiled for young minds. Readers find here the old tales lavished in a poet's phrasing with the dynamic artistry of Willy Pogany's imagination! Printed in the United States of America. 271 pages. Insured post.. First Edition Thus. Hard Cover. Good/Good. Illus. by Pogany, Willy. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" Tall.