Viktor Rydberg's Investigations Into Germanic Mythology Volume II
Viktor Rydberg's Investigations into Germanic Mythology Volume II Translated and Annotated by William P. Reaves © 2007 15. The Primeval Smiths. 36) It has already been stated that in Germanic mythology, primeval smiths contribute to the adornment and perfection of the world's creation. They form different groups: Mimir with his smiths, Ivaldi's sons, "swarthy elves" and "dwarves." In the beginning they stand in the best relationship to the gods and forge the finest precious objects for them, but later a breech occurs between the gods and certain smiths that afflicts Creation with severe suffering and threatens it with ruin. The Germanic myths have all these features in common with the Vedic myths.1 Later, I will return to a most remarkable story about a rising enmity between the gods and the primeval smiths and the results of this enmity. 37) One among the circle of Rigveda's smiths, although not of divine birth, has high god-rank, and because he is simultaneously the source of religious wisdom, sacred ancient hymns, prayers and sacrifices, as well as being the guardian of the mead-well in the underworld, he occupies a high position in Rigveda, and becomes the highest omniscient god after the end of the Vedic period and into the Brahmanic epoch. There, he still retains his character of primeval smith, who artistically unites creation (Rigv. X, 72, 2), gives the sun-disc her brilliance (Rigv. IX, 28, 5), adorns her with rays (Rigv. IX, 97, 31) and sharpens heaven's stone for Indra. Because his activity is compared in other places with a weapon-smith's, he probably was one in the epic songs as well.
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