IllustrationF16-Shay

Odin the Mighty

Long ago in a land called Aalborg there lived a village of Vikings. Each member of the village was gifted with a special Viking skill.

Some were great singers, others were impressive warriors, and some even made fine cheeses from the milk of the great mean goats that roamed the mountain sides surrounding Aalborg.

One of the greatest and most important Vikings in the village was King Basil. He was especially strong, and brave, and fast too! Everyone wanted to be just like him, especially his little brother, Odin, who wasn’t particularly good at anything quite yet.

Odin watched Basil get bigger and stronger every day. And while Odin loved his big brother he couldn’t help but wish he was just as good at being a Viking as Basil was.

One day Odin decided that he wanted to try and be just like King Basil. Odin tried swinging one of the massive Viking axes their father kept in the great hall. But his arms were so little and his back wasn’t bumpy with muscles like Basil’s was.

Then Odin tried to make his mother her favorite Danish butter horns just like Basil made her. But his eyes got tired and he dozed off while they were baking. And he ended up serving her crispy black piles of ash instead.

Finally Odin decided to go to the ancient library to read the tomes of his ancestors. Surely if he read them he would be smart just like Basil. But the books were thick with dust and the words were written in funny languages that Odin didn’t know how to read.

Feeling defeated Odin sat on his Viking bed and cried. His arms and back were sore, he smelled of burned butter, and his nose kept itching from all the old dusty books. The worst part is that Basil was still better than him at EVERYTHING. Odin had failed at everything he’d tried.

As he wept, feeling sorry for himself, his bedroom door crept open. It was Basil. Odin could tell because his great beard and tiny pink nose peaked into the light of his bedroom before anything else showed.

“Pssssst” said Basil “can I come in for a visit?”

“I s’pose”

In boomed the King. His great size made Odin feel small and unimportant.

Basil smiled warmly at his little brother.

“So I hear you’ve been trying lots of stuff today”

“Failing at lots is more like it” scuffed Odin.

“Bah” replied Basil “failing is just the world’s way of sayin’ you’ve got somewhere to go! Did you know that when you were born you didn’t know how to move? Ya just laid there in a little heap. Mom and Dad had to feed ya, and wash ya, and clean up after ya. Now look at ya? You’re the best mover I know! It’s because you worked hard over and over again, even when you failed, until you were great!”

Odin looked down at his feet and up at Basil.

“But I can’t swing an axe, or bake butter horns, or read the books from the library like you can” Muttered Odin.

“I couldn’t do any of those things when I was your age either, not even close! I’m still learnin’ which is why it’s so important to fail! It may not always be fun, but it’s always worth something. I’ll tell you what dad told me the first time I nearly burnt down the kitchen”

You’re stronger than you think you are.

You’re bolder than you know.

I know you can do anything.

For I have watched you grow.

So when you question who you are,

And if you’ve got the stuff

Just know I’ve seen how far you’ve come

And know you are enough.

The tears that once filled Odin’s eyes were now just dried streaks on his cheeks. He smiled at his brother.

“Do you want to fail at something together for a while?”

“With you Odin? Anytime!”