Have you ever heard of Asgard? It's a magical place high in the sky where the Norse gods live. One of these gods was named Frey. Frey was usually a happy god, in charge of sunshine, rain, and making sure all the plants grew tall and strong.

One sunny afternoon, Frey was feeling a bit curious. He spotted Odin's special high seat, called Hlidskjalf. From this seat, you could see everything in all the worlds! "Hmm," Frey thought, "I wonder what I can see from up there?"

So, he climbed onto the tall seat. He looked far, far away, all the way to Jotunheim, the land of the giants. And there, in a giant's garden, he saw a giantess named Gerd. She was walking towards a bright hall, and as she raised her arms to open the door, they shone so brightly that they lit up the sky and the sea! Frey's heart did a little flip. He had never seen anyone so beautiful.

From that moment on, Frey wasn't happy anymore. He wouldn't eat, he wouldn't talk, he just sighed all day long. He sat by himself, looking gloomy. His father, Njord, and his stepmother, Skadi, got very worried. "What's wrong, Frey?" they asked. But Frey just shook his head.

Frey had a very good friend and servant named Skirnir. Skirnir was brave and clever. He went to Frey and said, "My lord, you look so sad. Please tell me what is wrong. Maybe I can help!"

Frey sighed a very big sigh. "Oh, Skirnir," he said, "I have seen the most wonderful giantess in Jotunheim. Her name is Gerd, and I cannot stop thinking about her. But she is so far away, and she's a giantess! How can I ever tell her how I feel?"

Skirnir smiled. "Don't worry, Frey! I will go to Jotunheim for you. I will tell Gerd how much you admire her."

Frey was so relieved. He gave Skirnir his best horse, which could run through fire and over water. He also gave Skirnir his magic sword, which could fight all by itself! "Take these," Frey said. "And please, ask Gerd if she will meet me."

Skirnir rode like the wind, all the way to Jotunheim. It was a wild, rocky land. He found Gerd's house, which was surrounded by fierce dogs and a watchful herdsman on a mound. Skirnir cleverly got past them and went to the door of Gerd's hall.

Gerd heard the noise and asked from inside, "Who is making such a racket outside my home?"

Skirnir announced himself and said he came with a message from Frey. Gerd, curious, invited him in.

Skirnir told Gerd all about Frey, the kind god of sunshine and harvests, and how he had seen her from afar and thought she was incredibly lovely.
First, Skirnir offered Gerd eleven golden apples of youth if she would agree to love Frey.
Gerd looked at the shiny apples and said, "No, I will not take them for any man's love."

Then, Skirnir offered her the magical ring Draupnir, which dripped eight new gold rings every ninth night.
Gerd looked at the beautiful ring and said, "No, I have plenty of gold in my father's halls. I do not need more."

Skirnir saw that Gerd was very proud. He then showed her Frey's magic sword and warned her that if she refused Frey's love, she might face great sadness and loneliness. He told her she might never find happiness and would wither away like a thistle no one wants. He wasn't trying to be mean, but he wanted her to understand how serious Frey was and how much he cared.

Gerd listened. She thought about the lonely life Skirnir described. Perhaps this god Frey was truly special.
Finally, she said, "Alright. I will meet Frey. Tell him to come to the quiet woods of Barri in nine nights. There, I will meet him."

Skirnir was overjoyed! He rushed back to Asgard as fast as his horse could carry him.
"Frey! Frey!" he shouted. "She said yes! Gerd will meet you in nine nights in Barri wood!"

Frey jumped up, his sadness gone! But then he frowned a little. "Nine nights?" he said. "Oh, that is such a long time to wait! One night will feel as long as a month, and two nights will feel like two months! How will I ever wait that long?"

But Frey did wait. And after nine very, very long nights, he went to Barri wood. There, under the trees, he met Gerd. When they saw each other, they both smiled, and they knew Skirnir had been right. Frey, the god of sunshine, and Gerd, the shining giantess, were happy to be together, and soon they were married, bringing a little bit of Jotunheim's wild beauty to Asgard's golden light.

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