gullindagan

But these myths, where did they come from? For certain, we can find parallels with other myths, in the Indo-European family and even wider afield. We can trace them back to ages shrouded in mist. But these particular myths, of Odin bound by fate to fall in the jaws of Fenrir, his blood-brother's son. Of Frey who fights the fire giant with an antler-weapon, his sword lost to lustful longings. Of Vidur, silent and vengeful. Of Thor, the son of Earth, who kills and is killed by the limits of the world. Of Baldr bright and free from Hel's cold hall after the end of the world. We have them by chance, or fate, but certainly slimly. By thin threads of luck can we read these poems of long-dead gods reborn. They might have been eaten by moths, or hungry Icelanders in the cruel years of Denmark's rule. They might have been fed to fires, rotted in rain, or proffered as palimpsest-parchment long ago. But some of these poems survived, and have given rise to new revivals of faith and fantasy. But who wrote them? Were they handed down, mouth to ear for generations untouched? Did they change and evolve with each new telling? How true are they? How authentic? How valid? Are Odin's brother's Vili and Ve or Lodur and Hoenir? Is Lodur Loki? Is Freya Frigg? Do Odin, Frey and Thor die in the great battle? Or is this the tale of Christianity's triumph at the end of an age?

If a poet is inspired, does he then speak for the gods? How do we know if he's inspired? If his poetry is regarded as well-crafted? If it spreads far and wide? If it stands the test of time? Are the writers of Disney's dreams inspired? Do they speak for the gods? Is that just your elitism speaking? In 1000 years, will they speak of Loki and Thor as brothers and friends of (whatever Marvel characters they're friends with tbh I haven't watched any of those movies except Ironman like 1000 years ago) thanks to some comic books that survived?
 

I've been reading Lee Hollander's book The Skalds about the great warrior poets of old Norway and Iceland. Quite romantic figures they cut. Witty and quick of words, but quicker still to kill and pillage. They crafted verse to keep their heads, to gain great gifts from golden kings, to mourn their loved ones, and to show their skill to all who'd hear. These masters of meter and alliteration were noble barbarians indeed. Some of the oldest and most classical poems were descriptions of the art on fancy shields, specifically of the myths portrayed upon them in paint. A piece of art about a piece of art about a piece of myth. So, though the wood has long rotted, the intangible thoughts and sounds have retained their meaning, and transferred much of what we know of the ancient beliefs.

I was surprised to see some variances from what I thought of as canon myth (from Gylfaginning, Voluspa and the other poetic myths.) In one of these poems-about-a-shield, Haustlong, by Thiodolf of Hvin (830-933) we see Frey being designated as the husband of Skadi: "Then grew fast to Freyr's-wife's-father, Sigyn's lover" (The Skalds, pg 44) these are kennings showing  Loki being caught by Thiatsi-as-eagle in the myth where Thiazi eats all of Odin, Hoenir and Loki's ox, captured Loki after Loki hits him, and gets Loki to bring him Idun. Anyway, at the end of this myth in Gylfaginning, Thiazi's daughter, Skadi, is married to Njord as reconciliation. But in this older poem, it designated Freyr, Njord's son, as the husband of Skadi. Unless of course, Thiazi is also the father of Gerd. Or maybe Njord and Freyr are the same person and Gerd and Skadi are the same person!  Just a few stanzas earlier, Odin is designated by kenning as "Fenrir's-slayer." (The Skalds, pg 44) I thought Viddar was Fenrir's slayer, and Fenrir was Odin's slayer!  I'm not trying to nit-pick, but it seems to me that myths are much more malleable than we think. The Norse myths specifically have a very dream-like quality to them. Could it be that Ragnarok has already happened, is happening now, and will never happen? Could it be that Odin is not only alive, but Woden and Viddar too? Could it be that the great ruler Freyr is still king to those who call upon him? All I know is that, while it is quite important to learn the rules, what is known for sure, what is carved in stone and mind, it is also important to be open to the unknowable aspect of the divine. To be certain, what is knowable about any divinity is almost nothing for any human.