PART I: EXCERPTS OF GERMANIC MYTHOLOGY
Gínungagap
In the beginning there was nothing. Only a bottomless, resting space. There were no stars, no earth or heaven, only all and nothing, only Gínungagap.
Above was Niflheimr, the dormant divine thought. Below was Múspellsheimr, the dormant divine womb. Central among them was Gínungagap. So awoke the universe after a fire. From the middle of Niflheimr flowed twelve streams from a well, Hvergelmir, the lung of the universe that breathes rhythmically and which governs the universe’s breathing. They poured over the edge into Gínungagap, where they froze to ice. Thus, one edge of Gínungagap became covered with ice and cold, snow and moisture. The names of the twelve rivers are Svöl (the cold), Gunnþrá (conflicting desire), Form (shape, figure and image), Fimbul (big, powerful), Thule (voice, cantation), Slíðr (fowl, sorry and sword rattling), Hríðr (thunder-tide, shower and storm), Sylgr (supple, slurp, swallowing [of fire] and drink), Ýlgr (of ýlugr, of YLE, meaning honking), Víð (forest, wood), Leiptr (skin, leather, shiny) and Gjöll (bouncing, swelling).
In Múspellsheimr, flames stood up and splashed sparks over the edge down into Gínungagap. No one can walk in Múspellsheimr who does not belong there. Surtr sits with flaming (burning) sword at the world's end (border) toward the land breeze. In the middle of Gínungagap was it mild and quiet.
The drops of substance of cold and frost from Élivágr ran into Gínungagap and solidified and became hard, and waxed until it became a huge giant called Ymir. Formed by the cold and brought to life by the warmth of the sparks that flew from above to below, the conscious divine forces came into existence, the active manifestations of the universe’s energy. On the side of the giant Ymir – which by the rime-giants is called Aurgelmir, the head of solid substance and origin – became the cow Auðhumbla. From Auðhumbla’s teats flowed four rivers of milk that Ymir lived on. Ymir laid and muttered and moaned, mumbled and hooted. From his left armpit stepped out two beings, the two first Jötner (Giants). The whole time waxed new and grotesque creations from Ymir’s body. Disorder reigned.
Around them both were there large, salty, frost-laden stones. Auðhumbla lapped at the rocks. The first day that Auðhumbla lapped the rocks emerged a man’s hair, the next day a man’s head, and on the third day rose forth a great man. He is called Búri; he was beautiful, big and powerful. Auðhumbla was the twilight of the simple-minded universe – in that she made it diverse by the creation of Búri. She is the leer, the useless, empty dark ocean that disappears where live occurs, because it is no longer leer, empty and dark. Búri begat a son, Börr, who begot three sons with Bestla – daughter of Bölþorn. The three were called Óðinn, Vílir and Véi. Óðinn learned the nine great songs from the famous son of Bölþorn. Börr joined with the best of the wretched matter, which not even the gods could live without. That was the union between spirit and matter. The living matter that had to separate itself from the dead, in order to realize itself and then the whole world.
Börr’s sons – the first embodied laws of nature – decided to make uproar against the laying powers of chaos, against Ymir’s and his children’s disorder. Glazing whirlwinds were ordered, sparks from Múspellsheimr turned to stone and of Ymir’s meat were earth, other planets and planet orders created. Of his frost-cold bones were the mountain ranges donned, and his head formed the sky. There sat the four dwarves to hold it up; one in each corner. The blood became the sea, some of which was put in a circle outside the ground - for most it would seem impossible to get across this ocean. Of the hair gods shaped forests, the eyebrows did make defense ‘round Miðgarðr and of his brains were donned the clouds in the heavens. Ymir’s offspring fell into the abyss, and only one power of chaos survived; Bergelmir – son of Þrúðgelmir – and his wife. He is the origin of the Jötun’s kin.
The salted cow Auðhumbla licking itself is a symbol of spiritual power, the spiritual nourishment that we know from the saying, “salt of the earth”. The cow itself is the first nourishing form. The salt and the cow together; the spirit and the nourishing form, and bring forth a boy related. The earth’s and the heaven’s formation is only a magnified picture of the Greeks’ “world egg”. That the celestial bodies arise from Múspellsheimer’s sparks corresponds to the Egyptian belief that Phtah – the first creation being – separated into individual, shiny, bright parts, that became the sun, moon and flaming stars. The great flood corresponds to the Sumerian myth of Xisuthros.
Heavenly Bodies
The heavenly bodies were the sparks from Múspellsheimr, which were loose around in and under the heavens. Gods shaped them not, but ordered them and their paths, and set them to inform heaven and earth. With this became night and day and counting of years became possible. It was not until the gods set the embers in the heavens that the grass came over the fields. The sun warmed and the fields became grown with all sorts of green herbs. Máni (moon) went first and Sól (sun) came after, both pulled over the heavens by horses.
Máni’s and Sól's father is called Mundilfæri, and the horses that slip Sól across the sky are called Árvakr and Alsviðr. Under their hooves have the gods hidden iron-coals. Between the sun and the earth is a shield, Svalinn - the shining god’s shield; mountain and sea would burn if it fell. Hugruner is carved on the shield, and on Árvak’s ear and Alsvið’s hoof.
Nátt (night) was born from Nörvi. Nátt was married to a man named Naglfari and she begot him a son named Uðr (Auðr). Later she gave to him Ánnarr (Ónarr) and begot with him a daughter, Jörð (earth). Finally Dellingr took her in marriage and they too begot a son, Dagr (day). Óðinn gave Nátt and Dagr two horses and two carriages, and placed them in the heavens, to ride over the heavens every day. Nátt rides first drawn by Hrímfaxi while Dagr comes after drawn by Skinfaxi.
Skoll was called the wolf that pursues Sól into the sea, Hati another wolf, the son of Hróðrsvitnir, that will run in front of heaven's bright bride - Máni. These wolves were born east of Miðgarðr in iron woods to a gyger (or jötunnkvinne – giantess) and are filled with all the human lives that die - the most powerful of all wolves is Mánagarmr who will even swallow Máni.
Mani took once two children from earth, Bil and Hjúki. They went away from the well Byrgir, and on their axles sowed the Soegr with stand Simul. Their father is called Viðfinnr. These children follow the moon.
The significance is that the people went away from the end and life in the barrier, by the wheat on a strip of land. So did they care for their old and sick, and their children by giving them wheat bread. Since it was in the moonlight the idea of it came - when it is most needed at night when the suffering is greatest - it says that it was the craze that took away their reluctance, disorder and the need to prepare the final end that is no longer needing care, then they got plenty of food. Bil and Hjúka are Viðfinns children due to our ancestors' attention to the Sami's exceptionally primitive lifestyle, their low cultural level and their enormous poverty and hunger. I can refer here to De origine situ moribus ac populis Germanorum of Cornelius Tacitus from the year 98, just where this is commented upon.
Máni reigns for new (Hjúki) and old (Bil), as the beneficent powers created to year’s expense for the people. Where considered there were only two seasons, Winter - son of Vindsvalr, the wind cold - and Summer - the son of Svasaðr, the gentle. Spring and autumn are under them.
The myth of Hjúki and Bil shows that our forefathers knew about the moon’s influence on health. The evident difference between night and day are mentioned above, however also the moon’s size has great importance. We know all the myths and legends about wolves that go wild under the full moon. Furthermore we know that magic is to be practiced when it is full. During the new moon magic works poorly; for then is when Máni is eaten by wolves, and he loses his power. Magic also does not work under Sól, which explains why the rune stones with their magical formulae are always placed with the runes pointing down, so that Sól’s rays are not during the runes, and therewith tap them for power.
Basking one’s self in the Máni’s light can make one go mad. The reflected sunlight has a magic effect that for many faint souls can lead into madness. It is for this reason that only the morally superior – and thus the strong in soul – maidens should involve themselves with seið.
The wind that fares over us, and that we never see, comes from a jötunn, Hræsvelgr, that sits at the sky’s end at the north in the eagle’s home. From his wings comes the wind over all men.
The Doctrine of the Elements
The family’s progenitor is Fornjótr. He had three sons, Hlér (OEgir), Logi and Kári, the rulers of the sea, fire and wind. Logi was married to Glöð (glow) and had two daughters with her, Eysa (glowing ash) and Eimyrja (fiery soup). Hálogi (the high flame) had to earls under him, Vífill and Veseti, who courted his daughters, the first to Eimyrja, the other to Eysa, but when the fire-king rejected them, they kidnapped his daughters. Veseti settled on Borgundarhólmr (Bornholm) and had a son, Búi. Vífill sailed further east and settled on the island Vífilsey on the coast of Sweden, and had a son, Víkingr.
This is only a mystic foretelling that expresses the first use and cultivation of fire tens of thousands of years ago. Vífill is the holy trencher that the fire first attaches itself to, Veseti the secret holy place where embers are laid and focused. The son Búi is the first to take fixed residence, while Víkingr is indicative of the active lifestyle.
Kári had a great family, his son called Jökull or Frosti, the grandson named Snær. Again his son was named Þorri and the daughters Fonn, Drífa and Mjöll. Þorri had two sons, Norr and Górr, and a daughter Gói.
Gói disappeared and her brothers went out to hunt after her. Górr took the way to the sea, Norr the way to the land. Górr came to Denmark where he found his kinsfolk who descended from the old Hlér in Læsø. From there he travelled back up north. Norr went to the Fjord of Trondheim. After much travelling the two brothers met in Sogn, where Norr married a sister of Hrolf, who had married Gói. That was the event of the settlement of Norway.
(continued in PART I., The Golden Age - Giants - Spirits)
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