The Younger Edda; Also called Snorre's Edda, or The Prose Edda
a white fay--but blind. Her treasure (the very names of Ottilia and
Adela point to a treasure) is continually being taken from her by
the third fay, a dark and evil one, as well as by the first. This
myth has been interpreted as meaning that the Present, being blinded
as to its own existence, is continually being encroached upon,
robbed as it were, by the dark Future and the Past. Of this
particular trait there is no vestige in Shakspeare’s Weird Sisters.
They, like the Norns, “go hand in hand.” But there is another point
which claims attention Shakspeare’s Witches are bearded. (“You
should be women, and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you
are so.” Act i, scene 3.)
It need scarcely be brought to recollection that a commingling of
the female and male character occurs in the divine and semi-divine
figures of various mythological systems--including the Bearded
Venus. Of decisive importance is, however, the fact of a bearded
Weird Sister having apparently been believed in by our heathen
German forefathers.
Near Wessobrunn, in Upper Bavaria, where the semi-heathen fragment
of a cosmogonic lay, known as “Wessobrunn Prayer,” was discovered,
there has also been found, of late, a rudely-sculptured three-headed
image. It is looked upon as an ancient effigy of the German Norns.
The Cloister of the three Holy Bournes, or Fountains, which stands
close by the place of discovery, is supposed to have been set up on
ground that had once served for pagan worship. Probably the later
monkish establishment of the Three Holy Bournes had taken the place
of a similarly named heathen sanctuary where the three Sisters of
Fate were once adored. Indeed, the name of all the corresponding
fays in yet current German folk-lore is connected with holy wells.
This quite fits in with the three Eddic Bournes near the great Tree
of Existence, at one of which--apparently at the oldest, which is
the very Source of Being--the Norns live, “the maidens that over the
Sea of Age travel in deep foreknowledge,” and of whom it is said
that:
They laid the lots, they ruled the life
To the sons of men, their fate foretelling.
Now, curiously enough, the central head of the slab found near
Wessobrunn, in the neighborhood of the Cloister of the Three Holy
Bournes, is _bearded_. This has puzzled our archæologists. Some of
them fancied that what appears to be a beard might after all be the
hair of one of the fays or Norns, tied round the chin. By the light
of the description of the Weird Sisters in Shakspeare’s _Macbeth_
we, however, see at once the true connection.
In every respect, therefore, his “Witches” are an echo from the
ancient Germanic creed--an echo, moreover, coming to us in the
oldest Teutonic verse-form; that is, in the staff-rime.
KARL BLIND.
ELVES. The elves of later times seem a sort of middle thing between the
light and dark elves. They are fair and lively, but also bad and
mischievous. In some parts of Norway the peasants describe them as
diminutive naked boys with hats on. Traces of their dance are sometimes
to be seen on the wet grass, especially on the banks of rivers. Their
exhalation is injurious, and is called _alfgust_ or _elfblæst_, causing
a swelling, which is easily contracted by too nearly approaching places
where they have spat, etc. They have a predilection for certain spots,
but particularly for large trees, which on that account the owners do
not venture to meddle with, but look on them as something sacred, on
which the weal or woe of the place depends. Certain diseases among their
cattle are attributed to the elves, and are, therefore, called elf-fire
or elf-shot. The dark elves are often confounded with the dwarfs, with
whom they, indeed, seem identical, although they are distinguished in
Odin’s Raven’s Song. The Norwegians also make a distinction between
dwarfs and elves, believing the former to live solitary and in quiet,
while the latter love music and dancing. (Faye, p. 48; quoted by
Thorpe.)
The fairies of Scotland are precisely identical with the above. They are
described as a diminutive race of beings of a mixed or rather dubious
nature, capricious in their dispositions and mischievous in their
resentment. They inhabit the interior of green hills, chiefly those of a
conical form, in Gaelic termed _Sighan_, on which they lead their dances
by moonlight; impressing upon the surface the marks of circles, which
sometimes appear yellow and blasted, sometimes of a deep green hue, and
within which it is dangerous to sleep, or to be found after sunset.
Cattle which are suddenly seized with the cramp, or some similar
disorder, are said to be _elf-shot_. (Scott’s Minstrelsy of the Scottish
Border; quoted by Thorpe.)
Of the Swedish elves, Arndt gives the following sketch: Of giants, of
dwarfs, of the alp, of dragons, that keep watch over treasures, they
have the usual stories; nor are the kindly elves forgotten. How often
has my postillion, when he observed a circular mark in the dewy grass,
exclaimed: See! there the elves have been dancing. These elf-dances play
a great part in the spinning-room. To those who at midnight happen to
enter one of these circles, the elves become visible, and may then play
all kinds of pranks with them; though in general they are little, merry,
harmless beings, both male and female. They often sit in small stones,
that are hollowed out in circular form, and which are called elf-querns
or mill-stones. Their voice is said to be soft like the air. If a loud
cry is heard in the forest, it is that of the Skogsrå (spirit of the
wood), which should be answered only by a _He!_ when it can do no harm.
(Reise durch Sweden; quoted by Thorpe.)
The elf-shot was known in England in very remote times, as appears from
the Anglo-Saxon incantation, printed by Grimm in his Deutsche
Mythologie, and in the appendix to Kemble’s Saxons in England: Gif hit
wœre esa gescot oððe hit wœre ylfa gescot; that is, if it were an
asa-shot or an elf-shot. On this subject Grimm says: It is a very old
belief that dangerous arrows were shot by the elves from the air. The
thunder-bolt is also called elf-shot, and in Scotland a hard, sharp,
wedge-shaped stone is known by the name of elf-arrow, elf-flint,
elf-bolt, which, it is supposed, has been sent by the spirits. (Quoted
by Thorpe.)
CHAPTER VII.
Our ancestors divided the universe into nine worlds, and these again
into three groups:
1. Over the earth. Muspelheim, Ljosalfaheim and Asaheim.
2. On the earth. Jotunheim, Midgard and Vanheim.
3. Below the earth. Svartalfaheim, Niflheim and Niflhel.
The gods had twelve abodes:
1. THRUDHEIM. The abode of Thor. His realm is Thrudvang, and his palace
is Bilskirner.
2. YDALER. Uller’s abode.
3. VALASKJALF. Odin’s hall.
4. SOKVABEK. The abode of Saga.
5. GLADSHEIM, where there are twelve seats for the gods, besides the
throne occupied by Alfather.
6. THRYMHEIM. Skade’s abode.
7. BREIDABLIK. Balder’s abode.
8. HIMMINBJORG. Heimdal’s abode.
9. FOLKVANG. Freyja’s abode.
10. GLITNER. Forsete’s abode.
11. NOATUN. Njord’s abode.
12. LANDVIDE. Vidar’s abode.
According to the Lay of Grimner, the gods had twelve horses, but the
owner of each horse is not given:
(1) Sleipner (Odin’s), (2) Goldtop (Heimdal’s), (3) Glad, (4) Gyller,
(5) Gler, (6) Skeidbrimer, (7) Silvertop, (8) Siner, (9) Gisl, (10)
Falhofner, (11) Lightfoot, (12) Blodughofdi (Frey’s).
The owners of nine of them are not given, and, moreover, it is stated
that Thor had no horse, but always either went on foot or drove his
goats.
The favorite numbers are three, nine and twelve. Monotheism was
recognized in the unknown god, who is from everlasting to everlasting.
A number of trinities were established, and the nine worlds were
classified into three groups. The week had nine days, and originally
there were probably but nine gods, that is, before the vans were united
with the asas. The number nine occurs where Heimdal is said to have nine
mothers, Menglad is said to have nine maid-servants, Æger had nine
daughters, etc. When the vans were united with the asas, the number rose
to twelve:
(1) Odin, (2) Thor, (3) Tyr, (4) Balder, (5) Hoder, (6) Heimdal, (7)
Hermod, (8) Njord, (9) Frey, (10) Uller, (11) Vidar, (12) Forsete.
If we add to this list Brage, Vale and Loke, we get fifteen; but the
Eddas everywhere declare that there are twelve gods, who were entitled
to divine worship.
The number of the goddesses is usually given as twenty-six.
CHAPTER VIII.
Loke and his offspring are so fully treated in our Norse Mythology, that
we content ourselves by referring our readers to that work.
CHAPTER IX.
Freyja’s ornament Brising. In the saga of Olaf Tryggvason, there is a
rather awkward story of the manner in which Freyja became possessed of
her ornament. Freyja, it is told, was a mistress of Odin. Not far from
the palace dwelt four dwarfs, whose names were Alfrig, Dvalin, Berling
and Grer; they were skillful smiths. Looking one day into their stony
dwelling, Freyja saw them at work on a beautiful golden necklace, or
collar, which she offered to buy, but which they refused to part with,
except on conditions quite incompatible with the fidelity she owed to
Odin, but to which she, nevertheless, was tempted to accede. Thus the
ornament became hers. By some means this transaction came to the
knowledge of Loke, who told it to Odin. Odin commanded him to get
possession of the ornament. This was no easy task, for no one could
enter Freyja’s bower without her consent. He went away whimpering, but
most were glad on seeing him in such tribulation. When he came to the
locked bower, he could nowhere find an entrance, and, it being cold
weather, he began to shiver. He then transformed himself into a fly and
tried every opening, but in vain; there was nowhere air enough to make
him to get through [Loke (fire) requires air]. At length he found a hole
in the roof, but not bigger than the prick of a needle. Through this he
slipt. On his entrance he looked around to see if anyone were awake, but
all were buried in sleep. He peeped in at Freyja’s bed, and saw that she
had the ornament round her neck, but that the lock was on the side she
lay on. He then transformed himself to a flea, placed himself on
Freyja’s cheek, and stung her so that she awoke, but only turned herself
round and slept again. He then laid aside his assumed form, cautiously
took the ornament, unlocked the bower, and took his prize to Odin. In
the morning, on waking, Freyja seeing the door open, without having been
forced, and that her ornament was gone, instantly understood the whole
affair. Having dressed herself, she repaired to Odin’s hall, and
upbraided him with having stolen her ornament, and insisted on its
restoration, which she finally obtained. (Quoted by Thorpe.)
Mention is also made of the Brósinga-men in the Beowulf (verse 2394).
Here it is represented as belonging to Hermanric, but the legend
concerning it has never been found.
CHAPTER X.
This myth about Frey and Gerd is the subject of one of the most
fascinating poems in the Elder Edda, the Journey of Skirner. It is, as
Auber Forestier, in Echoes from Mistland, says, the germ of the Niblung
story. Frey is Sigurd or Sigfrid, and Gerd is Brynhild. The myth is also
found in another poem of the Elder Edda, the Lay of Fjolsvin, in which
the god himself--there called Svipday (the hastener of the
day)--undertakes the journey to arouse from the winter sleep the cold
giant nature of the maiden Menglad (the sun-radiant daughter), who is
identical with Freyja (the goddess of spring, promise, or of love
between man and woman, and who can easily be compared with Gerd). Before