LITMIR.BIZ

      CHAPTER V.

       MYTHOLOGY AND COSMOGONY—continued.

       Table of Contents

      Norse Cosmogony—Midgard, Asgard, and Mannheim—The Asar and Vanir—Thor and Tyr—The Goddesses—The Apples of Youth.

      Where the mythical Odin ends in the Völuspa, if there is any ending to him, is impossible to tell; it appears that he came and built an earthly Midgard,⁷⁰ according to the writer of the Later Edda who gives the tradition and belief of the people in his day.

      Odin himself was originally a Jötun, and it would appear from the mythological literature of the North that, for some reason, he wished to found a new religion, and desired to proclaim himself chief and spiritual ruler over several, if not all the tribes before mentioned; this claim, from the account of the fights which took place, must have been hotly contested. In the history of the birth of every nation, something similar has taken place, and these struggles are always described with wonderful and often supernatural accompaniments. We are led to believe that a devoted band of followers attached themselves to Odin’s cause, and gradually others joined him; thus forming a community over which he was the leader. To protect themselves from their enemies, among whom, according to the Eddas, were included Jötnar and Thursar, &c., the Asar erected a wall round their country, and called the whole enclosed land Midgard.

      In the centre of Midgard, Odin built for himself, his family, chiefs, and councillors, Asgard,⁷¹ called also Asaheim (home of the Asar), and Godheim (home of the gods). As, in the Northern language, afterwards denoted one of the gods, who in course of time were also deified, and to whom, as well as to Odin, sacrifices were offered.

      Within the walls of Midgard, which encircled Asgard, was Mannheim,⁷² where Odin’s adherents dwelt, and hence the name of their country.

      “They gave them clothes and names; the men they called Ash, and the women Embla. From them all mankind is descended, and a dwelling-place was given them under Midgard. In the next place the sons of Bör made for themselves, in the middle of the world, a burgh which is called Asgard, and which we call Troja (there dwelt the gods of their race), and thence resulted many tidings and adventures, both on earth and in the sky. In Asgard is a place called Hlidskjalf, and when Odin seats himself there in the high seat he sees all over the whole world, and what every man is doing, and he knew all things that he saw. His wife was Frigg, and she was the daughter of Fjorgvin, and from their offspring are descended the race which we call Asar, who inhabited Asgard the ancient, the realm that surrounds it, and all that race are known to be gods, and for that reason Odin is called Allfather” (Later Edda).

      After Midgard had been built for the sons of men, there is a golden age on the Ida-völl (plain of movement). Altars and hearths were raised by the Asar, showing that work is conducive to happiness.

      The Asar met,

      Who raised on the Idavoll

      Altars and high temples;

      They laid hearths,

      They wrought wealth,

      They shaped tongs,

      And made tools.

      They played chess on the grass-plot;

      They were cheerful;

      They did not lack

      Anything of gold

      Until three

      Very mighty

      Thurs maidens came (Nornir)

      From Jotunheim.

      Then followed a great battle between the Asar and their neighbours, the Vanir. The Asar seem to have been at first defeated, but afterwards made peace. This fight is the most obscure part of the whole of Völuspa.

      That fight remembers she

      First in the world,

      When they pierced

      Gullveig⁷³ with spears,

      And burnt her

      In the hall of Hár;⁷⁴

      Thrice they burnt

      The thrice-born one,

      Yet still she lives.

      Then all the gods went

      To their judgment seats,

      The most holy gods,

      And counselled about

      Whether the Asar should

      Tribute pay,⁷⁵

      Or if all the gods

      Should have a feast.

      Odin had hurled the spear

      And shot at the host;

      That was moreover the first

      Fight in the world.

      Broken was the timber wall⁷⁶

      Of the Asa-burgh;

      The war-exposed plains

      The Vanir trampled on.

      A fight is also mentioned in the Ynglinga Saga which seems to be the same as the one referred to in Völuspa.

      “Odin went with a host against the Vanir, but they withstood him well and defended their land. Asar and Vanir got the victory by turns; each waged war in the other’s land and plundered. When they became tired of this they appointed a meeting for agreement between themselves, and made peace and gave each other hostages. The Vanir gave their foremost men, Njörd the wealthy and his son Frey, and the Asar gave a man called Hœnir, and said he was well fitted to be a chief. He was a tall and very handsome man. The Asar sent with him a man called Mimir,

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