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Myths of the Norsemen Author: H. A. Guerber The Project Gutenberg EBook of Myths of the Norsemen, by H. A. Guerber This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Myths of the Norsemen From the Eddas and Sagas Author: H. A. Guerber Release Date: April 4, 2009 [EBook #28497] Language: English *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MYTHS OF THE NORSEMEN *** Produced by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ Myths of the Norsemen From the Eddas and Sagas By H. A. Guerber Author of "The Myths of Greece and Rome" etc. London George G. Harrap & Company 15 York Street Covent Garden 1909 Printed by Ballantyne & Co. Limited Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, London CONTENTS Chap. Page I. The Beginning 1 II. Odin 16 III. Frigga 42 IV. Thor 59 V. Tyr 85 VI. Bragi 95 VII. Idun 103 VIII. Niörd 111 IX. Frey 117 X. Freya 131 XI. Uller 139 XII. Forseti 142 XIII. Heimdall 146 XIV. Hermod 154 XV. Vidar 158 XVI. Vali 162 XVII. The Norns 166 XVIII. The Valkyrs 173 XIX. Hel 180 XX. Ægir 185 XXI. Balder 197 XXII. Loki 216 XXIII. The Giants 230 XXIV. The Dwarfs 239 XXV. The Elves 246 XXVI. The Sigurd Saga 251 XXVII. The Frithiof Saga 298 XXVIII. The Twilight of the Gods 329 XXIX. Greek and Northern Mythologies--A Comparison 342 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Norsemen Landing in Iceland (Oscar Wergeland) Frontispiece To face page The Giant with the Flaming Sword (J. C. Dollman) 2 The Wolves Pursuing Sol and Mani (J. C. Dollman) 8 Odin (Sir E. Burne-Jones) 16 The Chosen Slain (K. Dielitz) 18 A Viking Foray (J. C. Dollman) 20 The Pied Piper of Hamelin (H. Kaulbach) 28 Odin (B. E. Fogelberg) 36 Frigga Spinning the Clouds (J. C. Dollman) 42 Tannhäuser and Frau Venus (J. Wagrez) 52 Eástre (Jacques Reich) 54 Huldra's Nymphs (B. E. Ward) 58 Thor (B. E. Fogelberg) 60 Sif (J. C. Dollman) 64 Thor and the Mountain (J. C. Dollman) 72 A Foray (A. Malmström) 88 The Binding of Fenris (Dorothy Hardy) 92 Idun (B. E. Ward) 100 Loki and Thiassi (Dorothy Hardy) 104 Frey (Jacques Reich) 118 Freya (N. J. O. Blommér) 132 The Rainbow Bridge (H. Hendrich) 146 Heimdall (Dorothy Hardy) 148 Jarl (Albert Edelfelt) 152 The Norns (C. Ehrenberg) 166 The Dises (Dorothy Hardy) 170 The Swan-Maiden (Gertrude Demain Hammond, R.I.) 174 The Ride of the Valkyrs (J. C. Dollman) 176 Brunhild and Siegmund (J. Wagrez) 178 The Road to Valhalla (Severin Nilsson) 182 Ægir (J. P. Molin) 186 Ran (M. E. Winge) 190 The Neckan (J. P. Molin) 194 Loki and Hodur (C. G. Qvarnström) 202 The Death of Balder (Dorothy Hardy) 206 Hermod before Hela (J. C. Dollman) 210 Loki and Svadilfari (Dorothy Hardy) 222 Loki and Sigyn (M. E. Winge) 228 Thor and the Giants (M. E. Winge) 230 Torghatten 234 The Peaks of the Trolls 244 The Elf-Dance (N. J. O. Blommér) 246 The White Elves (Charles P. Sainton, R.I.) 248 Old Houses with Carved Posts 250 The Were-Wolves (J. C. Dollman) 260 A Hero's Farewell (M. E. Winge) 264 The Funeral Procession (H. Hendrich) 268 Sigurd and Fafnir (K. Dielitz) 274 Sigurd Finds Brunhild (J. Wagrez) 278 Odin and Brunhild (K. Dielitz) 280 Aslaug (Gertrude Demain Hammond, R.I.) 282 Sigurd and Gunnar (J. C. Dollman) 284 The Death of Siegfried (H. Hendrich) 288 The End of Brunhild (J. Wagrez) 290 Ingeborg (M. E. Winge) 304 Frithiof Cleaves the Shield of Helgé (Knut Ekwall) 308 Ingeborg Watches her Lover Depart (Knut Ekwall) 312 Frithiof's Return to Framnäs (Knut Ekwall) 316 Frithiof at the Shrine of Balder (Knut Ekwall) 318 Frithiof at the Court of Ring (Knut Ekwall) 320 Frithiof Watches the Sleeping King (Knut Ekwall) 324 Odin and Fenris (Dorothy Hardy) 334 The Ride of the Valkyrs (H. Hendrich) 344 The Storm-Ride (Gilbert Bayes) 358 INTRODUCTION The prime importance of the rude fragments of poetry preserved in early Icelandic literature will now be disputed by none, but there has been until recent times an extraordinary indifference to the wealth of religious tradition and mythical lore which they contain. The long neglect of these precious records of our heathen ancestors is not the fault of the material in which all that survives of their religious beliefs is enshrined, for it may safely be asserted that the Edda is as rich in the essentials of national romance and race-imagination, rugged though it be, as the more graceful and idyllic mythology of the South. Neither is it due to anything weak in the conception of the deities themselves, for although they may not rise to great spiritual heights, foremost students of Icelandic literature agree that they stand out rude and massive as the Scandinavian mountains. They exhibit "a spirit of victory, superior to brute force, superior to mere matter, a spirit that fights and overcomes." [1] "Even were some part of the matter of their myths taken from others, yet the Norsemen have given their gods a noble, upright, great spirit, and placed them upon a high level that is all their own." [2] "In fact these old Norse songs have a truth in them, an inward perennial truth and greatness. It is a greatness not of mere body and gigantic bulk, but a rude greatness of soul." [3] The introduction of Christianity into the North brought with it the influence of the Classical races, and this eventually supplanted the native genius, so that the alien mythology and literature of Greece and Rome have formed an increasing part of the mental equipment of the northern peoples in proportion as the native literature and tradition have been neglected. Undoubtedly Northern mythology has exercised a deep influence upon our customs, laws, and language, and there has been, therefore, a great unconscious inspiration flowing from these into English literature. The most distinctive traits of this mythology are a peculiar grim humour, to be found in the religion of no other race, and a dark thread of tragedy which runs throughout the whole woof, and these characteristics, touching both extremes, are writ large over English literature. But of conscious influence, compared with the rich draught of Hellenic inspiration, there is little to be found, and if we turn to modern art the difference is even more apparent. This indifference may be attributed to many causes, but it was due first to the fact that the religious beliefs of our pagan ancestors were not held with any real tenacity. Hence the success of the more or less considered policy of the early Christian missionaries to confuse the heathen beliefs, and merge them in the new faith, an interesting example of which is to be seen in the transference to the Christian festival of Easter of the attributes of the pagan goddess Eástre, from whom it took even the name. Northern mythology was in this way arrested ere it had attained its full development, and the progress of Christianity eventually relegated it to the limbo of forgotten things. Its comprehensive and intelligent scheme, however, in strong contrast with the disconnected mythology of Greece and Rome, formed the basis of a more or less rational faith which prepared the Norseman to receive the teaching of Christianity, and so helped to bring about its own undoing. The religious beliefs of the North are not mirrored with any exactitude in the Elder Edda. Indeed only a travesty of the faith of our ancestors has been preserved in Norse literature. The early poet loved allegory, and his imagination rioted among the conceptions of his fertile muse. "His eye was fixed on the mountains till the snowy peaks assumed human features and the giant of the rock or the ice descended with heavy tread; or he would gaze at the splendour of the spring, or of the summer fields, till Freya with the gleaming necklace stepped forth, or Sif with the flowing locks of gold." [4] We are told nothing as to sacrificial and religious rites, and all else is omitted which does not provide material for artistic treatment. The so-called Northern Mythology, therefore, may be regarded as a precious relic of the beginning of Northern poetry, rather than as a representation of the religious beliefs of the Scandinavians, and these literary fragments bear many signs of the transitional stage wherein the confusion of the old and new faiths is easily apparent. But notwithstanding the limitations imposed by long neglect it is possible to reconstruct in part a plan of the ancient Norse beliefs, and the general reader will derive much profit from Carlyle's illuminating study in "Heroes and Hero-worship." "A bewildering, inextricable jungle of delusions, confusions, falsehoods and absurdities, covering the whole field of Life!" he calls them, with all good reason. But he goes on to show, with equal truth, that at the soul of this crude worship of distorted nature was a spiritual force seeking expression. What we probe without reverence they viewed with awe, and not understanding it, straightway deified it, as all children have been apt to do in all stages of the world's history. Truly they were hero-worshippers after Carlyle's own heart, and scepticism had no place in their simple philosophy. It was the infancy of thought gazing upon a universe filled with divinity, and believing heartily with all sincerity.
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