An Introduction to Norse Mythology

[Vikingr]

In the beginning

There were two areas, a region of icy fogs and mists, darkness and cold in the north, now called Niflheim, and Muspelheim, a torrid region of fire to the south. These were separated by the Ginnungagap (primordial void), a seeming void between the two regions. Waters from the Niflheim flowed into the void where it froze, forming vast sheets of ice. Hot air from Muspellheim melted some of the ice, creating a zone of meltwater. Here life began, and the first living thing was a frost giant, Ymir. As the snow and ice continued to melt, the divine cow Audumla was formed, who nourished Ymir. Audumla got nourishment by licking salty ice blocks of the Ginnungagap, and this action formed Buri, the first god.

The Arrival of Gods

Buri had a son named Bor, Bor married Bestla, the daughter of the frost giant Bolthorn, and the two of them had three children: Odin, Vili and Ve. The giant Farbauti and the giantess Laufey had a son named Loki. Loki took Sigyn as his wife and the giantess Angrboda as his mistress, with whom he fathered the gigantic wolf, Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent Jormungand, and the goddess of death Hel.
Creation
Odin and his brothers had no liking for Ymir or the frost giants, so killed Ymir, whose rivers of blood drowned all but two of the remaining giants. From the body of Ymir the three brothers created all of the cosmos. The maggots which swarmed in Ymir’s flesh were given the wits and shape of men, but they lived under the hills and mountains, and were called dwarfs.
They created and named the 9 worlds:

Asgard, world of the Aesir
Vanaheim, land of the Vanir
Alfheim, land of the light elves
Midgard, land of the humans
Nidavellir, land of the dwarfs
Jotunheim, land of the giants
Svartalfheim, land of the dark elves
Helheim, realm of the dead
Niflheim, world of the dead

After creating the cosmos, the three brothers walked along a beach where they found two logs, from which they formed Ask and Embla, the first two humans. The realm of Midgard was given to them as their residence.

Ragnarok Delayed

The gods learned of a prophecy which stated Fenrir and his family would one day be responsible for the destruction of the world. Realising how dangerous Loki’s children could be, the gods then abducted them from the hall of Angrboda and cast them into the underworld.
Hel now presides over Helheim where she distributes the wicked and those who died of sickness or old age. The entrance to Helheim is guarded by the monstrous hounds Garm and Modgud. It is said that the four-eyed blood-soaked Garm can be appeased by any who have given bread to the poor by offering him some Hel cake.
The Gods managed to trick Fenrir into getting tied up by asking him to demonstrate his strength against regular chains, which Fenrir easily broke. They asked him for another demonstration, but this time Fenrir only agreed if one of the gods would place his hand between his jaws. The god of war, Tyr, agreed to this condition. Fenrir was bound by a special ribbon created by the dwarfs and, discovering himself trapped, bit off Tyr’s hand. The gods carried Fenrir away and bound him to a rock a mile beneath the earth, with a sword between his jaws to prevent him biting.
Jormungand the serpent was cast into the sea around Midgard. The serpent was so large that it spanned the entire world, hence the name Midgard Serpent. It lies deep in the ocean where it bites its own tail.

Aesir

The principle gods became the Aesir, but they were at war with the Vanir, a group of wild nature and fertility gods and goddesses. They decided to make a peace by trading hostages. The Vanir sent the wealthy Njord and his children Freya and Freyr, and their wisest man Kvasir over to the Aesir, in return the Aesir sent Honrir, who they claimed was suited to rule and Mimir, the wisest man.
The Vanir became suspicious about Honrir because he didn’t seem that bright. They discovered that it was Mimir who was advising him, so cut off Mimir’s head and sent it back to the Aesir. Fortunately this did not cause another war, and so the two groups became integrated.

Norns

Connecting all worlds is Yggdrasil, the ‘World Tree’. Three wells lie at it’s base: Wisdom guarded by the head of the giant Mimir, Fate guarded by the Norns and Hvergelmir, the source of many rivers.
The Norns are the demi-godesses of destiny, represented by the three sisters: Urd, Verdandi and Skuld and their job is to prevent Yggdrasil from decaying. They do this by constantly pouring mud and water over its branches. Some believe that each person has their own personal Norn.
One of the threats to Yggdrasil are the serpents that gnaw at its roots, including Nidhogg, ‘tearer of corpses’ who lives in the Nastrond region of Niflheim, eating corpses to sustain itself.

Death of Baldur

Odin had 6 children: with his wife Frigg he sired Balder, his blind twin brother Hod and Hermod. With the goddess Jord he fathered Thor, and with the giantess Grid he sired Vidar.
Balder was troubled by dreams about his death, so his mother extracted an oath from every creature, object and force in nature that they would never harm Balder. All agreed, and the gods had great fun thereafter using Balder for target practice as nothing could harm him.
However, Loki changed his appearance and asked Frigg if there was nothing that could harm Balder, and Frigg admitted that she hadn’t bothered asking the mistletoe as it was so small and insignificant. Loki fashioned a dart from mistletoe and tricked Balder’s brother Hod into throwing it. Balder, fatally wounded, died. Because he wasn’t killed in battle he was trapped in Helheim.
Odin sent Hermod to Hel to plead for Balder’s release, and Hel agreed only if everything wept for Balder. Everything did with one exception, Loki, so Balder remained trapped.
So the gods took Balder’s body and placed him on a funeral pyre on board his ship, Ringhorn. Beside him lay his wife Nanna, who had died from a broken heart. The pyre was set on fire and the ship was sent to sea.
For revenge, Odin sired another child with the giantess Rind. The child was called Vali, he was bred for but one purpose, and he put Hod to death.
Loki did not escape punishment either. He was chained to three large boulders and a poisonous snake placed above his head whose dripping venom made him twist in pain, causing earthquakes.

Battle Ready

Warriors who died in battle were taken to Odin’s hall, Valhalla. Here they trained for battle during the day and feasted with Odin at night whilst their wounds mended. Slain warriors were known as the Einherjar, heroes who died with great bravery.

Ragnarok

The doom of the gods, the end of the cosmos. It will be preceeded by Fimbulvetr, the winter of winters, three winters in a row with no summers in between. Conflicts break out, even between families, and all morality will disappear.
The earth will shudder with earthquakes, breaking the bonds of Fenrir and the chains of Loki. Jormungand will writhe and twist and make his way towards land. Loki will lead a ship that carries the inhabitants of Helheim to the battle. The ship of giants freed by the waves created by Jormungand will be led by the giant Hymir. The fire giants, led by Surt, will leave Muspell to join against the gods.
On the day of battle, Heimdall who stands guard at Bifrost, the only entrance to Asgard, will sound his horn and the bravest of the Einherjar will march with Odin to battle the frost giants, enemies of the gods. From all the corners of the world the gods, giants, dwarves, demons and elves will head to the plain of Vigrid (’battle shaker’) for the last battle.
Thor will attack Jormungand, Surt will kill Feryr, Tyr will fight the monstrous Garm, Loki and Heimdall will face each other on the field, killing each other. Odin and Fenrir’s battle will rage for a long time, and Vidar will avenge Odin’s eventual death by ripping the jaws of Fenrir apart.
Surt will fling fire in every direction and the nine worlds will burn, friends and foes will alike perish, the earth will sink into the sea.

The End? Or the Beginning? (Circular world)

After the destruction, a new and idyllic world will arise. Some gods will survive, others, including Baldur and Hod, will be reborn. The decendants of Lif and Lifhrasir, the last surviving humans, will inhabit the earth.

Defiant

“Beware of gods who cannot laugh.�
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And now, if you have anything more to ask, I can’t think how you can manage it, for iv’e never heard anyone tell more of the story of the world. Make what use of it you can.
Snorri Sturluson (Prose Edda)

[TrueValues]

I do not mean to belittle this thread, and this is a straight question, but i cant help wondering if Tolkien used the above mythology as a great influence in his works.

I found the above post very interesting, did adherants to the Norse Gods and traditions have a take on or code for morality and conduct?

[Vikingr]

Yes to Tolkien, it has been documented that his experiences during the first world war and his intrest in Norse Mythology have huge bearing on his books. Sam being the loyal soldier (former gardner) Frodo the officer (land owner wealthy inheritence0. Sam steadfast resolute getting the job done, Frodo decision maker leader often questioning his own decisions. The Mythology itself is self explanitary.

Moral codes and ethics i live to two codes firstly to the Nine Noble virtues,

http://www.odinsvolk.ca/O.V.A.%20-%20NNV.htm

And Tyr's 3 Prohibitions Which are to be found not given.

[Vesper]

I love norse mythology Have you read the Robin Jarvis 'Wyrd Museum' trilogy? (I wouldn't exactly call it a cracking read, but it's based entirely on norse mythology with the central characters being the three sisters of destiny)

There seems to be several versions of the norse myths out there. Didn't Odin/Woden sacrifice himself on Yggdrasil to gain enlightenment/become a god himself?

[Coyotero]

Defiant: Fancy seeing you here

Vesper: I believe you are referring to this passage in Havamal:

Wounded I hung on a wind-swept gallows
For nine long nights,
Pierced by a spear, pledged to Odhinn,
Offered, myself to myself
The wisest know not from whence spring
The roots of that ancient rood

They gave me no bread,
They gave me no mead,
I looked down;
with a loud cry
I took up runes;
from that tree I fell.

He hung himself from a tree (universally accepted to mean the world-tree Yggdrasil) to gain knowledge of the runes. He later traded his eye at the well of Mimir for a draft of the water which granted him knowledge of his own fate.

[Vikingr]

I love norse mythology Have you read the Robin Jarvis 'Wyrd Museum' trilogy? (I wouldn't exactly call it a cracking read, but it's based entirely on norse mythology with the central characters being the three sisters of destiny)

There seems to be several versions of the norse myths out there. Didn't Odin/Woden sacrifice himself on Yggdrasil to gain enlightenment/become a god himself?

Suggested Online Reading,

Folk Interested in Odinism may want to look at the following sites for reference.

Online Poetic Edda (Bellows' translation) - http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/index.htm
Online Prose Edda - http://redirectingat.com/?id=593X1004&u ... Findex.htm

Please also read the Circle of One Harrier section to the forum and read about the Nine Noble Virtues and Norse Mythology(Brief) threads which are,


http://oneharrier.freeforums.org/norse- ... -t249.html

http://oneharrier.freeforums.org/nine-n ... -t248.html

[Bag-Of-Hammers]

"Rune" is one of my all time favorites video games. I always had the the notion that being guided by the Spirit is like being in the Halls of Valhala in the council of Warriors and Kings.

[Mascaput]

Yes to Tolkien, it has been documented that his experiences during the first world war and his intrest in Norse Mythology have huge bearing on his books. Sam being the loyal soldier (former gardner) Frodo the officer (land owner wealthy inheritence0. Sam steadfast resolute getting the job done, Frodo decision maker leader often questioning his own decisions. The Mythology itself is self explanitary.

Moral codes and ethics i live to two codes firstly to the Nine Noble virtues,

http://www.odinsvolk.ca/O.V.A.%20-%20NNV.htm

And Tyr's 3 Prohibitions Which are to be found not given.

And the Lord of the Rings series has many references to the Runes, a form of writing going back to ancient Norse times. The name is from a root run- (Gothic runa), meaning "secret" or "whisper". The Gaelic word for secret is "rún", which is pronounced "roon", just like the Norse.

I know that I hung on a windy tree
nine long nights,
wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin,
myself to myself,
on that tree of which no man knows from where its roots run

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runic_alphabet

Strangely, there are even runes inscribed on the lintel of the door to the Holy Sephulcre in Jerusalem, if you take the time to look closely. Very odd indeed.

Mascaput

M