192 lord over all inland waters, and the protector of sea-faring men, and therefore to be invoked before setting oat on any voyage or fishing expedition. He was the giver of fruitfulness, ease and wealth, and was himself exceedingly rich. As Vaner or spirit of air he watched over temples and places of worship, which in the beginning were without covering. Njord was often in league with Ægir, the god of the sea. Njord, who with ocean’s god,1 Full oft in league is found, Loves o’er the raging flood In swift career to bound. Skimming each billow’s back, Loud neighs his coal-black steed, On the calm wave no track He leaves—so great his speed.                           Oehlenschläger. It was a custom amongst the Vaner for brothers and sisters to marry, and, previously to his reception amongst the Aser, Njord had two children by his sister, namely, Freyr and Freya. He afterwards married Skada, the daughter of the Giant Thiasse, who was killed by Thor, and the occasion of their marriage was as follows: When Skada heard how her father had been 1 Vid. c. 2.

193 slain, she took her helmet and arms, and set out for Asgard to avenge him. The Aser offered her an amicable arrangement and atonement, and it was agreed that she should choose a husband from amongst them, but that, whilst making the choice, her eyes should be blinded. Perceiving, however, feet which were small and well shaped, she cried out: “I choose this one: Baldur is without blemish,” but it was not Baldur, it was Njord from Noatun. The new married pair could never agree about their place of residence, Njord desiring to live near the sea, and his bride amongst the rocks and mountains, where her father used to dwell. At length it was agreed that they should pass, alternately, nine days on the mountain at Thrymheim, and three days by the sea at Noatun. This arrangement, however, did not last long; they separated, and she was married to Odin, by whom she had several sons, of whom Seming was the most noted. Since that time she has lived on the mountains, hunting and running on snow-shoes.2 It was she 2 For Magnussen’s explanation of the fable of the marriage of Njord and Skada, see ch. 1. p. 39. He is of opinion that the spring or May-festival, which prevailed throughout the North, was originally in commemoration of this event. The magpie (Danicé Skada) was sacred to this goddess, and is still held in superstitious reverence throughout Scandinavia.

194 who hung the poisonous snake over Loke’s head, in revenge for the abuse which he poured on her at Ægir’s feast. Njord was probably a deity of greater importance than would appear from the little said of him in the Prose Edda, witness the solemn oath of the old Scandinavians, “So help me Freyr and Njord and the mighty Aser.”3 Freyr, Njord’s son, although born in Vanaheim, was considered as one of the chief of the Aser. He was the lord of the sun and the rain, and dispensed fruitfulness over the earth. The gods gave him Alf-heim, or the kingdom of the Light Elves, as a present, on the occasion of his cutting his first teeth. He was to be invoked for peace and good times, and the first Runic letter was called after him. One day Freyr was tempted by curiosity to ascend to Odin’s throne in Hlidskialf, and, looking 3 The person about to take the oath advanced towards the altar, and dipping a ring in the blood of the victim upon it, not unfrequently a human one, pronounced the above words. The mighty Aser might be Odin or Thor, most probably the latter, since that god is often represented sitting between two other figures, probably Njord and Freyr, the thunder god between the two Vaner, deities of the atmosphere.

195 over all the world, his eye at length rested on a large building in the north, from which there issued a maiden of such surpassing beauty that the splendour of it lighted up the whole country round. This maiden was Gerda, a daughter of Gymer, a giant. As a punishment for his presumptuousness in having sat upon Odin’s holy seat, Freyr was seized with a violent passion for this maiden, so that he ‘would neither converse, sleep, nor drink, and no one ventured to speak to him. At length Njord called Skirner, his armour-bearer and companion, the same who had been sent V Odin to the dwarfs to procure the chain with which Fenris was bound, and directed him to learn from his son the cause of his anger. Skirner, after some hesitation, ventured to address him.         SKIRNER.4 Tell me this, Freyr! Prince amongst gods, Which I desire to know— Why dost thou sit alone In the spacious hall— Lord! the live-long day. 4 The following is a literal translation from the Poetic Edda.

196         FREYER. How shall I tell thee, Thou young man! My great sorrow of heart; For the rays of the Elves5 Shine out every day, But gladden not my soul.         SKIRNER. Thy sorrow, I trow, Is scarce so great That thou may’st not tell it to me; We have lived together In the morning of childhood, We two should trust each other.         FREYER. In Gymer’s court I have seen a maiden For whom I long. Her arms shone So that air and sea Were brighten’d therewith. I love the maid more ardently Than e’er loved youth In the spring of his days. Yet of Aser or Elves6 5 The Light Elves who livedi n the region of the sun, of which Freyr was the symbol, were poetically supposed to the dispensers of its rays. 6 The Aser would be naturally averse to any alliance between their race and that of the giants.

197 None will permit That we should live together. Skirner then offered, if Freyr would give him his courser, to bear him through flames; and his sword, to wield against the giants; to undertake to woo the maiden for him. Having mounted, Skirner thus addressed his horse: It is murk without, It is time for us to hasten Over the misty mountains, Through the land of the Thurser. We will return together, Or we will both be taken By that powerful Giant. He rode to Jotunheim to Gymer’s house. There were savage hounds bound before the gate of the court. Seeing a herdsman sitting on a hillock, he rode towards him and said: Tell me, Herdsman! Who sittest on a hill, Watching the way; How shall I succeed To speak with the young maiden, For Gymer’s hounds?         HERDSMAN. Art thou about to die, Or already one of the dead?

198 Never shalt thou speak With Gymer’s daughter.         SKIRNER. A better remedy Than lamentation, has he Who willingly confronts death. For but a day and a night Has mine age been doomed And my life destined by the fates. Gerda hearing the noise without, sent one of her maidens to enquire the cause of it; who brought back word that a stranger had arrived and just dismounted from his horse. Gerda desired her to invite him in to drink mead. On his entrance she said: Who art thou of the Elves, Or the sons of the Aser, Or of the wise Vaner? Why comest thou hither, alone, Over raging flames, To visit our hall? Skirner denied that he was one of the race of the Elves, or of the Aser, or of the Vaner; but, taking eleven golden apples from his breast, he offers them to her, if she would bestow her love on Freyr. Gerda refused the apples, and declared that she

199 and Freyr should never live together. He next offered Odin’s magic ring, which she rejected also. Skirner now drew Freyr’s sword, and threatened to behead her if she did not accept Freyr as her husband; but Gerda was not to be intimidated, and merely said that she foresaw that if Skirner and her father met, there would be bloodshed between them. Seeing that she feared not death, Skirner told her that he would shut her up in a cavern where no eye should see her, that she should there lose her beauty, and when she was suffered to depart should have a form so hideous, as to fill all who saw her with horror, so that she should become a byword to gods and giants. He added, that she should be wedded, moreover, to a three-headed Trold, or remain for ever husbaudless, a prey to fiery passion. None of these threats, however, seeming to make any impression on Gerda, Skirner continued: I went to the mountain. To the dewy wood, To search out a magic wand; The magic wand I found. Odin is wroth with thee; The first of Aser is wroth with thee; Freyr shall shun thee, Thou maid of evil!

200 Nor shalt thou escape The powerful vengeance of the gods. Hear it, ye Giants! Hear it, spirits of the frost, Sons of Suttung! And ye friends of the Aser,7 How I prohibit, How I shut out the maid From the converse of man. I carve thee, Thurs!8 And characters three, Impotence, frenzy, and impatience. Gerda’s resolution could not hold out against this threat, and without giving Skirner time to finish his incantation, she held out to him a cup full of mead in token of her yielding; saying that she had not thought that she should have ever bestowed her love on one of the race of the Vaner. Before he would leave her, however, Skirner made her name the day on which she would be Freyr’s bride, and she agreed to meet him after nine nights in the wood Barre. 7 This evocation included Giants of every kind, Dwarfs, Aser, Vaner, and Elves. 8 Thurs was the name of the Runic letter \> (th), and together with the other three characters would have completed the spell which Gerda so much dreaded.

201 Skirner now rode homewards, and found Freyr on the look out for him. Tell me, Skirner! Ere thou tak’st saddle from steed Or advancest a step, How hast thou sped In Jotunheim, To thy or my desire?         SKIRNER. Barre is the name Of the pleasant grove, Which we both know: There after nights nine Njord’s son and Gerda Shall embrace with passion.         FREYR. One night is long, Two are long, How shall I hold out for three! Often hath a month Appeared to me shorter Than the half of the nights of desire. Gerda kept her promise, and Freyr rewarded Skirner with his famous sword. This was the reason why he was weaponless in his contest with Bele, whom he slew with a hart’s horn; but the time will come when he will have more reason to

202 regret his loss, when the sons of Muspell issue out to fight the Aser. Freyr’s sister, Freya, was the goddess of love, and herself unrivalled in grace and beauty. She was the kindest of all goddesses, and fond of singing. Her residence in Vingolf was called Folkvangur, whither all maidens of birth, and those who killed themselves, hoped to come. Oehlenschläger has given a full description of the hoddess and of her palace.             ——— Freya’s hall, With precious gems o’erlaid, Stands in a lonely vale, Which rose-tree forests shade; Swans, white as virgin snow, There on the calm lakes sail, Lovers, who ne’er brake vow, Tell there their ardent tale. But in Folkvangur’s bower Nought like its matchless queen; Mid many a beauteous flower No flower like her, I ween. Her form so round and slight, Her look which love doth beam, Her step as Zephyr’s light, Exceeds e’en poet’s dream. Each small, white, taper hand A blushing rose doth bear, Which through her faery land

203 Breathe forth their fragrant air. Their sweets no guardian thorn From rude touch needs defend, Tis they to even and morn The roseate tints which lend. Like her no goddess kind, She saves from wounds and death, Her sigh—the sweet south wind O’er the wild flowers doth breathe.9 Round tears for mortal woe Each morn her blue eyes till, Which on the flowers below In purest dew distill. Her daughters Siofha10 hight And Hnos, with amber hair, Not e’en the spirits of light Can boast of aught so fair. Whate’er is passing bright On earth, from Hnos we call: Siofha gives slumbers light, The mom on pure souls fall.                            Oehlenschläger. Freya had an equal share with Odin in the spirits of those slain in fight; an allusion to the wars and bloodshed caused by the passion of love. Her 9 O, it came o’er mine ear like the sweet south, That breathes upton a bank of violets.                               Twelfth Night, Act i. Sc. 2. 10 Freya’s daughters were Hnos and Gersime, Siofna was only one of her followers.

204 chariot was drawn by two cats or leopards, and, after Frigga, she was the most powerful of the goddesses. She had two beautiful daughters, Hnos and Gersime, by her husband Odr, or Oddur. They were so fair, says the Edda, that everything that was beautiful upon earth was called after them. Respecting Oddur the Edda only says that he travelled far away, and that Freya was so attached to him that she followed him over all the world, weeping tears of gold. Notwithstanding this proof, however, of conjugal affection, she was by no means celebrated for her chastity, and amongst others she is accused of having bestowed her favours on four dwarfs in succession, as a price for her matchless gold chain, Brysing, their workmanship. In her journey after Oddur through so many countries she received various names,—Marthaul, Forn, Hæn, Gafn, Syr, and Vana-dis, or the goddess of the Vaner. Her name was given to the sixth day of the week, and all women of distinction were called after her.11 She was the goddess of the moon, and in the north the constellation, Orion’s belt, still bears the name of Freya’s spinning wheel. 11 In Danish the word Frue, in German Frau, answers to our lady.

205 Oehlenschläger, in his poem of the Vaner, profiting by the obscurity of the Edda respecting Freya’s husband Oddur, has converted him into Bacchus or Osiris, who in their Indian expeditionsmight have very well fallen in with the gods of Caucasian Asgard, themselves of Indian descent.12 As the poem is not long, and there can be no more faithful or more agreeable interpreter of the Edda than Oehlenschläger, it can scarcely be deemed out of place here. THE VANER. When the gods of wide Valhalla Ruled of yore in eastern land, Far away, mid Asia’s mountains, Near where Vana13 rolls his sand; 12 Speaking of the festival of Rama and Seeta, at Allahabad, Bishop Heber remarks: “I was never so forcibly struck with the identity of Rama and Bacchus. Here were Bacchus (Rama), his brother Ampelus (Luchmun), the Satyrs smeared with wine-lees commanded by Pan (the monkey army, their bodies died with Indigo, led on by the divine monkey general Huniman). The fable, however, can hardly have originated in India, and has been imported, probably, both by Greeks and Brahmins, from Cashmire or some other central country of the grape.”— Heber’s Journal. 13 Vana, or Vanaquivl, the Tanais or Don.

206 Ere they hither, northwards wended, Where tall glaciers break the flood, Ere they blended Hostile dwarfs’ and giants’ blood; Then were wont the skilful Vaner Oft to Asgard to repair; Vaner, famed for hidden wisdom, Arts and manners debonair; They the Aser first instructed Flowers to plant, to till the earth, There conducted, Hostage, Njord, of noble birth. When in sultry heat of summer, Earth is parch’d and fevers rule: If Njord mount his coal-black courser, Air and earth once more are cool. Njord the skies with rain-clouds covers, Hides awhile, the fair blue sky; Anxious hovers O’er the murk storm passing by. Njord was wed by law of Vaner: Heeded nought blood’s holy tie, Children twain had of his sister, Blue-eyed Freya, lofty Frey. Fair as spring flowers earth which gladden, All with joy their charms behold: Swain and maiden Own their beauty—young and old. When Valhalla’s mighty princes From their native vales went forth,

207 Fire of southern clime to mingle With the cold blood of the north; Asgard’s warriors nought contented, Till Njord to their prayer they’d won; Njord relented, Followed too with maid and son. Odin spake: “The north invites us With its mountains, pine o’er-grown; With its lakes, and falls, and rivers, And dark woods to ocean down: Spite of foe or hostile barrier, Soon we’ll reach the verdant shore, Thor, the warrior, There shall lead our chiefs to war. “Soon its tyrant, giant rulers, ’Fore our conquering spears shall bow, Soon shall rise a loftier Asgard, Where clear mead in streams shall flow, When with cold north’s iron race Fiery east shall mingle blood— From the embrace Think what matchless warrior brood!” Njord in front, on winged charger, Leads the sacred squadrons on; Dries up marshes, levels mountains, Beats the compact forests down; Thick, opposing clouds doth sever, Shows the winds the vessel’s course Restless ever, Wearies ne’er his mettled horse.

208 ’Twas a goodly sight to look on Njord glide through the cloudy way, With his dark steed’s pinions waving, Like a dream in morning grey; Swift as light—o’er horse-neck pendent— Past, e’er yet well seen from far— Beams resplendent On his helm the morning star. And without benignant Vaner What were th’ Aser in the North? What thy wisdom, mighty Odin? What, great Thor! thy prowess worth? Freyr calls forth the quickening waters, Makes fair fruits in deserts grow; On earth’s daughters Freya beauty doth bestow. Freya once had husband, godlike, He, in Asgard, Oddur hight, Him she met beyond the Ganges, Victor god, in morion bright. Youths and maids, with flutes and cymbals, Follow, shouting, joyous throng, Ocean trembles, Earth re-echoes with their song. In his golden chariot seated, See him in his proud career, Tawny lions, mottled tigers, Crouching at his feet for fear; The forest’s lords the car rolls after, Maids with timbrels dance before, Shouts and laughter Drown e’en father ocean’s roar.

209 Wondering at th’ unwonted clamour, Rugged men start from the glade, Trembling, gazing, leaping, shouting, Half enraptured, half afraid. Oddur calm’d their groundless terror, Charm’d them with his magic lay, Held his mirror, Shew’d to peace and wealth the way. On south slope of sun-gilt mountain, Near a river swift and clear, First the stocks divine he planted, Which the luscious berry bear; Soon he taught the simple nation Press the sugar’d purple blood, Love’s hot passion From the nectar takes its food. Freya, once bewilder’d roaming, Chanced the treacherous drink to sip: Oddur, drank with wine and pleasure, Watch’d the rich juice kiss her lip: Oddur now in manhood’s flower, Grapes and vine-leaves wreathed his hair, From his bower Raptured view’d the goddess fair. Oddur saw how Freya musing, In a soft delirium lay; At her feet his burning passion Told, could Freya turn away? Feather’d choir their pleasures vaunted, Violets were their bridal bed, Earth, enchanted, Thousand sweets around them shed.

210 Freya thus was spouse to Oddur, Still together were they seen, And when th’ Aser left their city, Oddur followed too his queen. In his gold car drawn by leopards, Sate the warrior with his bride, Maids and shepherds Sorrowing paced the car beside. True, his sunny land t’ abandon, And vine hills, the god did grieve;14 But the grape’s more vapid pleasures Who for beauty would not leave! Piled on high, in osier waggons, Choicest wine with care he stores, Which in flagons Rist each noon to Odin pours.15 For though all less noble Aser Quaff but cider, ale and mead, Still for Odin, raven-monarch, Oddur’s purple grape must bleed. Freya’s heart with grief corroding, When he quitted Valhal’s shore; Left to Odin Of the nectar, Oddur, store. 14 M. de Chaptal considers Iberia (now Georgia) near Mount Ararat, as the original country of the vine, which still grows wild there in great luxuriancy. 15 It was the privilege of Rist and Mist, two of the Valkyrs, to pour out daily to Odin his wine, the only nourishment he ever took.

211 So they lived, the joy of Asgard, Brighter dawn’d each golden morn, Secret prayer of love-sick maiden, On soft sighs, to them was borne. And could love so pure, so holy, Like a vision melt away? Like youth’s folly, Scarce outlive a summer’s day. Idun, stol’n by false Loke’s treason, Long Valhalla’s gods had wept, And old age, with withering wrinkles,16 O’er each late full cheek had crept. When for Freya, blooming, youthful, Radiant with celestial charms, Sorceress loathful Oddur found within his arms; Starting from the couch with horror, “Ha! and am I thus deceived? Was’t for this then, foul enchantress! Fondly I thy tale believed? Spells worn out the cheat discover, Now in native form thou’rt seen; The charm over, Henceforth, witch! thine arts are vain.” Freya’s weeping nought avail’d her; From her arms in wrath he tore, From those arms, now shrunk and feeble, Where he’d found his joy before. 16 Vide page 91.

212 Not e’en one last farewell taking, Mounted quick his golden car, With heart aching, Freya follow’d him from far. But when Asgard’s chiefest treasure Coward Loke again retrieved; Beauty’s queen a prey to sorrow, Still to witness, Odin grieved; Full of wrath ’gainst fickle Oddur, Breach of vow to punish bent, Swift Hermodur,17 Arm’d with Runic staff, he sent. Spirits sunk, with dark forebodings Oddur secret shades had sought; On his once loved, blooming Freya, And fond dream of joy he thought; Nymphs with loose hair, ivy-woven, Dancing, sought to soothe his pain, With feet cloven, Satyrs sang and piped in vain. Sick at heart, the sun’s light loathing, In the dark grove’s thickest gloom, Oddur thought in bitter anguish On his joys soon withered bloom: Bow’d to earth—his aching forehead ’Twixt his burning palms he prest, 17 Hermodur was the son and messenger of Odin, and resembled Mercury or Hermes in attributes as well as in name. Odin gave him a helmet.

213 Visions horrid Rack’d his brain, sobs rent his breast. Hermod through the leaves stole on him, On his head the Rune-stock laid, And the heart-blood’s fervid current, Chill’d in death, at once was staid, Thus, long since, the poet found him, Changed into a senseless stone, All around him Vines and ivy wild had grown! Long the goddess sought her lover, O’er parch’d sands and mountains cold; From her eyes, all swoln with weeping, Dropp’d round tears of purest gold. All, who ‘neath love’s fever languish, Hence derive their burning care; Freya’s anguish Each true lover’s breast must share.                                  Oehlenschläger. Besides her two beautiful daughters, Hnos and Gersime, Freya had four nymphs, attendants, each of whom presided over a particular department of that complicated passion of which their mistress was the supreme chief. Siofna was the goddess of first love: “It was her business,” says the Edda, “to dispose favourably the minds of young people, both men and women, towards each other.” Lofna, the second of these Diser or nymphs, was mild and propitious to all who called on her. She received from Odin and Frigga the power to unite

214 hearts in the bonds of love, to remove all obstacles which might stand in the way of true lovers, and to reconcile those who had quarrelled. Magnussen derives her name from the old word “leyfa,” to love, as that of Siofna, from “Sion,” sight, and “sia,” to see, since it is sight which causes first love. Var or Vor is the goddess of betrothal. She hears the oaths and solemn engagements which lovers make to each other. She is wise but severe, and punishes with the utmost rigour those who break their troth. Lastly, Sin is the door-keeper of Freya’s palace, which she keeps closed against those who are not worthy to enter it. It is she who persecutes unfortunate lovers, either because their motives are impure, or that the attainment of their wishes would bring misfortune on them. Thus could the Scandinavian Mythology boast a more complete, more beautiful, and infinitely a purer system of love than that of the Greeks. “Freya,” remarks Magnussen, “was the goddess of true love and of wedded faith, and although her name has not been free from reproach, yet that reproach proceeded only from the slanderer Loke, who spared none, and from the Sagas written after the introduction of Christianity.”18 18 Magnussen.

215 Before we terminate this chapter on the Vaner, it will be necessary to speak of Heimdall who is often said to be of their race. He was one of the twelve principal Aser, the son of nine virgins, called the white, or bright Aser, also the god with golden teeth, his teeth being of that metal. He was the warder of Asgard, and lived on the celestial mount, at the entrance of heaven close to the bridge Bifrost, which he ascended every morning early to observe all that was passing throughout the universe. Bifrost was the bridge which the gods had to traverse in passing from heaven to earth. It was extremely solid and built with great art: mortals call it the Rainbow, and the red colour which is seen in it is a flaming fire, to serve as a defence against the giants. Heimdall needed less sleep than a bird, and could see a hundred miles round him, by night as well as by day. No sound could escape him: he heard the grass grow in the earth, and the wool on the sheep’s back. He had a horse, Gullintop, with a golden mane, and a sword called Höffud, also a trumpet (Gjallar-horn), the sound of which, when blown by him, was heard in all the worlds. It was with this that he was to awake the gods to the great fight at Ragnarokur. He was said to be the progenitor of the inhabitants of the north.