The gods of Asgard were strong and beautiful, but they were not immortal like the Greek gods. They could grow old and die. Their secret weapon was Idun, the gentle Goddess of Spring. She carried a magical wooden box that was always full of golden apples.
Every morning, the gods lined up. Odin, Thor, Freya... they all took a bite of Idun's apples. One bite kept their grey hairs away and their muscles strong. Without Idun, Asgard would crumble into a retirement home.
One day, Odin, his brother Hoenir, and Loki went exploring in the mountains of Midgard. They were hungry. They caught an ox and tried to roast it over a fire. But strangely, the meat wouldn't cook. The fire was hot, but the meat stayed raw.
A giant eagle was sitting in a tree above them. "It is my magic that keeps the meat raw," the eagle squawked. "Give me the best parts of the ox, and I will let it cook." The gods were so hungry they agreed.
The eagle swooped down and snatched the entire ox, leaving only bones. Loki was furious! He grabbed a long branch and struck the eagle's back. But the branch stuck to the eagle's feathers, and Loki's hands stuck to the branch!
The eagle flew up! Loki dangled helplessly in the air. The eagle dragged him through thorny bushes, over sharp rocks, and against snowy mountain peaks. "Stop!" screamed Loki. "My arms are ripping off!"
The eagle revealed he was actually a Giant named Thiazi in disguise. "I will only let you go," Thiazi growled, "if you promise to bring me Idun and her apples." Loki, terrified and in pain, promised.
Back in Asgard, Loki approached Idun in her garden. "Idun," he whispered, "I found a forest with apples even more golden than yours! You should bring your basket to compare them." Idun, who was innocent and trusting, followed him out of the safety of Asgard.
As soon as they entered the dark woods, Thiazi in eagle form swooped down. With his massive talons, he grabbed Idun and her basket. He flew her far away to his icy home in Thunder-Home.
Days passed. In Asgard, strange things began to happen. Thor noticed his knees were creaking. Freya found a wrinkle on her forehead. Odin's beard turned white as snow. The gods were aging rapidly!
The gods gathered in the Great Hall. They were weak, hunched over, and trembling. "Where is Idun?" they wheezed. "The last time she was seen, she was walking with Loki." All angry eyes turned to the Trickster.
Thor, now looking like an old man, grabbed Loki. "Bring her back," Thor coughed, "or I will break every bone in your body." Loki knew he had no choice. "I need Freya's falcon cloak," he said.
Loki put on the magical feather cloak and transformed into a falcon. He flew faster than the wind, crossing the frozen oceans to the land of Giants. He found Idun alone in Thiazi's castle while the giant was out fishing.
"We have to go!" squawked Loki-Falcon. "But you are too big to carry!" He used his magic to turn Idun into a tiny hazelnut, keeping the apples inside the nut too. He grabbed the nut in his claws and flew for his life.
Thiazi returned and saw Idun was gone. He roared in rage and transformed back into his giant eagle form. An eagle is much faster than a falcon. He took off, his massive wings creating a storm.
Loki flew with all his might, but the shadow of the eagle was getting closer. The gods on the walls of Asgard watched the chase. They saw the small falcon desperately flapping, and the giant eagle opening its beak to swallow him.
"Build a fire!" ordered Odin. The gods, despite being old and weak, piled wood shavings along the top of the great walls of Asgard. They waited until the very last second.
Loki-Falcon dive-bombed over the wall, dropping to safety. WHOOSH! The gods lit the fire instantly. The flames roared up high. Thiazi, flying too fast to stop, flew straight into the wall of fire.
The fire burned Thiazi's wings. He fell to the ground inside Asgard, no longer a threat. The brave gods had outsmarted the giant, but Thiazi's daughter Skadi would come looking for answers — though that is another story!
Loki turned the nut back into Idun. She opened her box and gave the gods a feast of apples. The wrinkles vanished. The grey hair turned gold and red. Strength returned to Thor's arms. Asgard was saved, and Loki was forgiven — for now.
