The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson
mighty and powerful; but since the gods have so much to fear from the
wolf, why did they not slay him?"
"The gods have so much respect for the sanctity of their
peace-steads," replied Har, "that they would not stain them with the
blood of the wolf, although prophecy had intimated to them that he
must one day become the bane of Odin."
OF THE GODDESSES.
36. "Tell me now," said Gangler, "which are the goddesses?"
"The first," replied Har, "is Frigga, who has a magnificent mansion
called Fensalir. The second is Saga, who dwells at Sokkvabekk, a very
large and stately abode. The third is Eir, the best of all in the
healing art. The fourth, named Gefjon, is a maid, and all those who
die maids become her hand-maidens. The fifth is Fulla, who is also a
maid, and goes about with her hair flowing over her shoulders, and her
head adorned with a gold ribbon. She is entrusted with the toilette
and slippers of Frigga, and admitted into the most important secrets
of that goddess. Freyja is ranked next to Frigga: she is wedded to a
person called Odur, and their daughter, named Hnossa, is so very
handsome that whatever is beautiful and precious is called by her name
(_hnosir_.) But Odur left his wife in order to travel into very remote
countries. Since that time Freyja continually weeps, and her tears are
drops of pure gold. She has a great variety of names, for having gone
over many countries in search of her husband, each people gave her a
different name. She is thus called Mardoll, Horn, Gefn, and Syr, and
also Vanadis. She possesses the necklace Brising. The seventh goddess
is Sjofna, who delights in turning men's hearts and thoughts to love;
hence a wooer is called, from her name, _Sjafni_. The eighth, called
Lofna, is so mild and gracious to those who invoke her, that by a
peculiar privilege which either All-Father himself or Frigga has given
her, she can remove every obstacle that may prevent the union of
lovers sincerely attached to each other. Hence her name is applied to
denote love, and whatever is beloved by men. Vora, the ninth goddess,
listens to the oaths that men take, and particularly to the troth
plighted between man and woman, and punishes those who keep not their
promises. She is wise and prudent, and so penetrating that nothing
remains hidden from her. Syn, the tenth, keeps the door in the hall,
and shuts it against those who ought not to enter. She presides at
trials when any thing is to be denied on oath, whence the proverb,
'Syn (negation) is set against it,' when ought is denied. Hlina, the
eleventh, has the care of those whom Frigga intends to deliver from
peril. Snotra, the twelfth, is wise and courteous, and men and women
who possess these qualities have her name applied to them. Gna, the
thirteenth, is the messenger that Frigga sends into the various worlds
on her errands. She has a horse that can run through air and water,
called Hofvarpnir. Once, as she drove out, certain Vanir saw her car
in the air, when one of them exclaimed,
"'What flieth there?
What goeth there?
In the air aloft what glideth?'
"She answered,
"'I fly not though I go,
And glide through the air
On Hofvarpnir,
Whose sire's Hamskerpir,
And dam Gardrofa.'
"Sol and Bil are also reckoned among the goddesses, but their nature
has already been explained to thee.
37. "There are besides these a great many other goddesses, whose
duty it is to serve in Valhalla; to bear in the drink and take care of
the drinking-horns and whatever belongs to the table. They are named
in Grimnismal, and are called Valkyrjor. Odin sends them to every
field of battle, to make choice of those who are to be slain, and to
sway the victory. Gudur, Rota, and the youngest of the Norns, Skuld,
also ride forth to choose the slain and turn the combat. Jord (earth),
the mother of Thor, and Rinda, the mother of Vali, are also reckoned
amongst the goddesses."
OF FREY AND GERDA.
38. "There was a man," continued Har, "named Gymir, who had for wife
Aurboda, of the race of the Mountain-giants. Their daughter is Gerda,
who is the most beautiful of all women. One day Frey having placed
himself in Hlidskjalf, to take a view of the whole universe,
perceived, as he looked towards the north, a large and stately mansion
which a woman was going to enter, and as she lifted up the latch of
the door so great a radiancy was thrown from her hand that the air and
waters, and all worlds were illuminated by it. At this sight, Frey, as
a just punishment for his audacity in mounting on that sacred throne,
was struck with sudden sadness, insomuch so, that on his return home
he could neither speak, nor sleep, nor drink, nor did any one dare to
inquire the cause of his affliction; but Njord, at last, sent for
Skirnir, the messenger of Frey, and charged him to demand of his
master why he thus refused to speak to any one. Skirnir promised to do
this, though with great reluctance, fearing that all he had to expect
was a severe reprimand. He, however, went to Frey, and asked him
boldly why he was so sad and silent. Frey answered, that he had seen a
maiden of such surpassing beauty that if he could not possess her he
should not live much longer, and that this was what rendered him so
melancholy. 'Go, therefore,' he added, 'and ask her hand for me, and
bring her here whether her father be willing or not, and I will amply
reward thee.' Skirnir undertook to perform the task, provided he might
be previously put in possession of Frey's sword, which was of such
excellent quality that it would of itself strew a field with carnage
whenever the owner ordered it. Frey, impatient of delay, immediately
made him a present of the sword, and Skirnir set out on his journey
and obtained the maiden's promise, that within nine nights she would
come to a place called Barey, and there wed Frey. Skirnir having
reported the success of his message, Frey exclaimed,
"'Long is one night,
Long are two nights,
But how shall I hold out three?
Shorter hath seemed
A month to me oft
Than of this longing-time the half.'
"Frey having thus given away his sword, found himself without arms
when he fought with Beli, and hence it was that he slew him with a
stag's antlers."
"But it seems very astonishing," interrupted Gangler, "that such a
brave hero as Frey should give away his sword without keeping another
equally good for himself. He must have been in a very bad plight when
he encountered Beli, and methinks must have mightily repented him of
the gift."
"That combat," replied Har, "was a trifling affair. Frey could have
killed Beli with a blow of his fist had he felt inclined: but the time
will come when the sons of Muspell shall issue forth to the fight, and
then, indeed, will Frey truly regret having parted with his falchion."
OF THE JOYS OF VALHALLA.
39. "If it be as thou hast told me," said Gangler, "that all men who
have fallen in fight since the beginning of the world are gone to
Odin, in Valhalla, what has he to give them to eat, for methinks there
must be a great crowd there?"
"What thou sayest is quite true," replied Har, "the crowd there is
indeed great, but great though it be, it will still increase, and will
be thought too little when the wolf cometh. But however great the band
of men in Valhalla may be, the flesh of the boar Sæhrimnir will more
than suffice for their sustenance. For although this boar is sodden
every morning he becomes whole again every night. But there are few,
methinks, who are wise enough to give thee, in this respect, a
satisfactory answer to thy question. The cook is called Andhrimnir,
and the kettle Eldhrimnir. As it is said,--'Andhrimnir cooks in
Eldhrimnir, Sæhrimnir.' 'Tis the best of flesh, though few know how
much is required for the Einherjar."
"But has Odin," said Gangler, "the same food as the heroes?"
"Odin,' replied Har, 'gives the meat that is set before him to two
wolves, called Geri and Freki, for he himself stands in no need of
food. Wine is for him both meat and drink.
"Two ravens sit on Odin's shoulders and whisper in his ear the tidings
and events they have heard and witnessed. They are called Hugin and
Munin.[133] He sends them out at dawn of day to fly over the whole
world, and they return at eve towards meal time. Hence it is that Odin
knows so many things, and is called the Raven's God. As it is said,--
'Hugin and Munin
Each dawn take their flight
Earth's fields over.
I fear me for Hugin,
Lest he come not back,
But much more for Munin.'"
40. "What have the heroes to drink," said Gangler, "in sufficient
quantity to correspond to their plentiful supply of meat: do they only
drink water?"
"A very silly question is that," replied Har; "dost thou imagine that
All-Father would invite kings and jarls and other great men and give
them nothing to drink but water! In that case, methinks, many of those
who had endured the greatest hardships, and received deadly wounds in
order to obtain access to Valhalla, would find that they had paid too
great a price for their water drink, and would indeed have reason to
complain were they there to meet with no better entertainment. But
thou wilt see that the case is quite otherwise. For the she-goat,
named Heidrun, stands above Valhalla, and feeds on the leaves of a
very famous tree called Lærath, and from her teats flows mead in such
great abundance that every day a stoop, large enough to hold more than
would suffice for all the heroes, is filled with it."
"Verily," said Gangler, "a mighty useful goat is this, and methinks
the tree she feeds on must have very singular virtues."
"Still more wonderful," replied Har, "is what is told of the stag
Eikthyrnir. This stag also stands over Valhalla and feeds upon the
leaves of the same tree, and whilst he is feeding so many drops fall
from his antlers down into Hvergelmir that they furnish sufficient
water for the rivers that issuing thence flow through the celestial
abodes."
41. "Wondrous things are these which thou tellest me of," said
Gangler, "and Valhalla must needs be an immense building, but methinks
there must often be a great press at the door among such a number of
people constantly thronging in and out?"
"Why dost thou not ask," replied Har, "how many doors there are, and
what are their dimensions; then wouldst thou be able to judge whether
there is any difficulty in going in and out. Know, then, that there is
no lack of either seats or doors. As it is said in Grimnismal:--
"'Five hundred doors
And forty more
Methinks are in Valhalla.
Eight hundred heroes through each door
Shall issue forth
Against the wolf to combat.'"
42. "A mighty band of men must be in Valhalla," said Gangler, "and
methinks Odin must be a great chieftain to command such a numerous
host. But how do the heroes pass their time when they are not
drinking?"
"Every day," replied Har, "as soon as they have dressed themselves
they ride out into the court (or field), and there fight until they
cut each other to pieces. This is their pastime, but when meal-time
approaches they remount their steeds and return to drink in Valhalla.
As it is said:--
"'The Einherjar all
On Odin's plain
Hew daily each other,
While chosen the slain are.
From the fray they then ride,
And drink ale with the Æsir.'
"Thou hast thus reason to say that Odin is great and mighty, for there
are many proofs of this. As it is said in the very words of the
Æsir:--
"'The ash Yggdrasill
Is the first of trees,
As Skidbladnir of ships,
Odin of Æsir,
Sleipnir of steeds,
Bifrost of bridges,
Bragi of bards,
Habrok of hawks,
And Garm of hounds is.'
OF THE HORSE SLEIPNIR.