HALFDAN’S ( MANNUS ) CHARACTER. THE WEAPON-MYTH
The myths and heroic poems are not wanting in ideal heroes, who are models of goodness of heart, justice, and the most sensitive nobleness. Such are, for example, the Asa-god Baldur, his counterpart among heroes, Helgi Hjörvarðsson, Beowulf, and, to a certain degree also, Sigurður Fáfnisbane. Halfdan did not belong to this group. His part in the myth
Odin’s Wife: Mother Earth
Odin’s wife Frigg, in her role as Baldur’s mother, clearly possesses characteristics of an earth goddess. She commands all earthly things do do her son no harm, and has their vættir swear oaths to that effect. She makes her home in Fensalir, the marsh-halls. And she lives on in German folklore as Frau Holle, a
The Face of The Earth
In Germanic sources, Mother Earth holds a prominent position. The evidence (as compiled in the previous chapters) is overwhelming. She is present from the beginning of the record. In Germania, chapter 2, Tacitus informs us that the Germanic tribes in common claim descent from an earth-born god. In chapter 40, he says that no less
SORCERY THE REVERSE OF THE SACRED RUNES. GULLVEIG-HEID, THE SOURCE OF SORCERY. THE MORAL DETERIORATION OF THE ORIGINAL MAN. ( Part 2 )
But already in the beginning of time, evil powers appear for the purpose of opposing and ruining the good influences from the world of gods upon mankind. Just as Heimdall, “the fast traveler,” proceeds from house to house, forming new ties in society and giving instruction in what is good and useful, thus we soon
THE SACRED RUNES LEARNED FROM HEIMDALL ( Part 1 )
The mythic ancient history of the human race and of the Teutons may, in accordance with the analysis above given, be divided into the following epochs: – (l) From Ask and Embla’s creation until Heimdall’s arrival; (2) from Heimdall’s arrival until his departure; (3) the age of Skjold-Borgar; (4) Halfdan’s time; (5) The time of Halfdan’s sons.
On The Vanir
The Germanic mythology, like the Vedic mythology, knows two high clans of gods. In character, both clans completely correspond to one another. Among the Teutons, these clans are called the Aesir and the Vanir. The Aesir’s call is to defend the order of the world against its foes. For this reason, they inhabit a realm
Frigg -Friia- Frea – Nerthus – Mother Earth
The life-producing, fruit-bearing earth’s female representative among the powers, the goddess Frigg, has, as I shall demonstrate below, mythological prerequisites that go back to the Proto-Indo-European era; but, as a pronounced epic personality, she belongs to the same period that gave rise to Njörd, Frey, and Freyja. In order not to perpetuate an error that lies
Agni-Heimdall, the Culture-Bringer
~Agni-Heimdall, the Culture-Bringer~ 76) As we have seen, the Indo-European concept of the first human pair was far removed from that of Christian dogma in that they possessed brilliance in reason and holiness in will. One seems rather to have imagined them as gifted but unevolved and as such, easily accessible to evil. Their offspring
THE WAY OF THOSE FALLEN BY THE SWORD TO VALHAL IS THROUGH THE LOWER WORLD.
The modern conception of the removal of those fallen by the sword to Asgard is that the valkyries carried them immediately through blue space to the halls above. The heathens did not conceive the matter in this manner. It is true that the mythological horses might carry their riders through the air without pressing a
THE WAY TO HADES COMMON TO THE DEAD
It has already been demonstrated that all the dead must go to Hel—not only they whose destination is the realm of bliss, but also those who are to dwell in Asgard or in[Pg 483] the regions of torture in Nifelheim. Thus the dead tread at the outset the same road. One and the same route
