Land of Lost Things
Page 18
It couldn’t be . . .
Amid the coughing and spluttering, all eyes were fixed on the doorway. A tall figure stepped inside.
‘I’m sorry for not telling you I was coming, Freyja. My invitation must’ve gotten lost.’ The smoke cleared to reveal a handsome man with collar-length blond hair wearing a red tunic.
Loki.
Whetstone tried to sink into the floor. A cake-smeared Lotta stared open-mouthed as a second figure appeared behind Loki.
Loki’s son: Vali.
Author’s Note
The children of Loki – what a strange bunch.
The most famous of Loki’s children are Jormungandr, Fenrir and Hel. Odin believed that they would bring about the end of the Gods and tried to prevent this by separating them across the Nine Worlds. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work.
Jormungandr, a poison-spraying sea serpent, was cast into the oceans of Midgard, where he grew so large that he could encircle the whole world. When Thor accidentally managed to pull him out of the water during a fishing trip, they became mortal enemies and it’s said that they will destroy each other at Ragnarok.
Fenrir is a wolf whose rapid growth and incredible strength worried the Gods. According to legend, he will eventually be tricked and tied up in a magic ribbon. In retaliation, he bites off the hand of the God of Justice, Tyr. At Ragnarok, Fenrir will break free and get his revenge by swallowing Odin whole. Perhaps the Gods were right to be scared. I think I prefer my version of Fenrir, who is much fluffier.
Their sister, Hel, half-living-half-dead, rules over Helheim (translates as Hel’s Home), a freezing land where the dead go to await Ragnarok. Not a place of punishment, but one of dullness and boredom. In the original stories, the Helhest was Hel’s three-legged horse (she really does like naming things after herself), rather than the gooey shapeshifting creature in my book. The Hel’s Belles are entirely my own (fabulous) invention.
Loki’s most ‘human’ child is Vali. He only really pops up in Norse Mythology in connection with his very unpleasant ending, and as far as I know he is never turned into a Troll. In Scandinavian folklore, trolls are mountain-dwelling creatures who turn to stone when caught in the sunlight. They’re unhelpful and dangerous loners – actually, they do sound a bit like Vali.
I am sure we will learn more about Loki’s children in future stories.
Acknowledgements
This book was written under the less-than-brilliant conditions of lockdown, so I would like to thank all the keyworkers and everyone who kept the country ticking over during this difficult time.
A big thank you as always to my lovely family. To my husband, Steve, for bringing me cups of coffee, and to our daughters for letting me eat all the biscuits. A big thank you to my mum for always being supportive, even when she has no idea what I’m talking about.
I would also like to say thank you to my agent, Alice Williams, and the whole crew at Macmillan Children’s Books for being endlessly enthusiastic. Sim, Lucy, Rachel, Sabina, Sarah, Cheyney and everyone else who has toiled away tirelessly to make Land of Lost Things a success.
Once again, a massive thank you to Katie Kear, for bringing the mad world of Whetstone and Lotta to life through your fabulous illustrations.
A final thank you goes to all the libraries, schools, bookshops, writing groups, and readers who have shown such love for How to be a Hero. You’re all Heroes. No, honestly.
About the Author
Cat Weldon writes funny books for children and is a little bit obsessed with Vikings. With an MA in Scriptwriting, and a background in children’s theatre, Cat has also worked as an English and Drama teacher – and in lots of other jobs where she can talk while waving her hands around wildly.
Cat Weldon now lives in East Anglia with her husband, daughters, and collection of delinquent chickens.
Although she has a favourite cup, it has never once recited poetry to her.
About the Illustrator
Katie Kear is a British illustrator and has been creating artwork for as long as she can remember.
Katie has an illustration degree from the University of Gloucestershire and has worked with publishers including Pan Macmillan, Penguin Australia, Andersen Press and Hachette. She is always on the hunt for brilliant stories to illustrate.
In her spare time she loves drawing, adventures in nature, chocolate, stationery, the smell of cherries and finding new inspirational artists!
To Steve, whose boat doesn’t smell of toenails
C.W.
First published 2021 by Macmillan Children’s Books
This electronic edition published 2021 by Macmillan Children’s Books
an imprint of Pan Macmillan
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ISBN 978-1-5290-4506-2
Text copyright © Cat Weldon 2021
Illustrations copyright © Katie Kear 2021
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