Gods

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Our gods are mainly divided into two families: the Aeir and the Vanir – and to some extent the giants and Alfr. Different gods possess different qualities and have different personalities. Different gods are worshipped for different occasions. Many gods have more than one name. There are more than a hundred named deities in the Asatu, here is a selection.

BALDR

Baldr, meaning ‘the shining one’, is described as the best of all the Aesir. He is beautiful, kind-hearted and wise. Baldr is so bright that it shines around him, so you could call him the god of light. He is the peacemaker of the world and a gentle judge. If he gives someone a harsh punishment, you know they have done something very bad.

He is the son of Odin and Frigg, father of Forsete and husband of Nanna.

Baldr’s hall is called Bredablick, which means ‘the wide around shining one’, and is described as the most beautiful place there is.

The Aesir said that as long as they had Baldr, nothing bad could happen to them. They were of course very frightened when he began to have nightmares about his own death. Odin saddled his horse, Sleipnir, and rode down to Hel – the land of the dead. Once there, a volva confessed to him that they had prepared a chamber for Baldr. When Frigg learnt of this, she made them swear an oath that they would not harm Baldr. The only one who did not swear the oath was a mistletoe that lay west of Valhall, as Frigg thought it was too young to be required to swear. Baldr was thus, almost, invulnerable. The Aesir amused themselves by throwing stones and spears and shooting arrows at Baldr – nothing could harm him anyway.

All the Aesir and creatures loved Baldr – except the jealous Loki. When he learnt that a small mistletoe had not sworn Frigg’s oath, he immediately went and plucked it and made an arrow from it. He gave the arrow and a bow to the unsuspecting Hodr – Baldr’s blind brother. As Hodr was blind, he could not aim the arrow at Baldr himself, so Loki helped him to aim the bow. The mistletoe arrow flew through the air and killed Baldr, causing grief throughout Asgard.

Baldr was given a grand funeral and was to be burnt in his mighty ship Ringhorne. As he was laid on the pyre, Nanna’s heart broke and she died. She was laid on the pyre next to her husband so that they would be burnt together. Odin placed his magic gold ring Draupnir on the pyre. He also bent over Baldr and whispered something in his ear. What Odin whispered remains a mystery. When it was time to push the ship out to sea, not even Thor was able to move it. So the Aesir had to send for the giantess Hyrrokkin, who came riding on a wolf with a viper for a bridle, to push the ship out – and she succeeded. Thor then dedicated the ship with his hammer and it caught fire.

The Aesir, however, did not give up Baldr’s life. Hermod, Baldr’s brother and Odin’s son, was sent down to the realm of the dead to plead for Baldr. Hel, the ruler of the realm of the dead, said that Baldr would be allowed to return to Asgard if all things in the world, living and dead, wept for him. The lovable Baldr was wept for by all things in the world, except for an old giantess called Tock – who was probably Loki in disguise. Baldr was thus condemned to stay in the realm of the dead.

After Ragnarok, Baldr will be resurrected to lead the Aesir in the new world, together with his brother Hodr.

BRAGI

Bragi, meaning ‘the excellent one’, is the god of eloquence and, like Odin, of poetry. If you want to possess these qualities yourself, you should praise him. He is described as stately and with a long beard. Bragi sits near Odin’s high seat in Valhalla and drinks with the ashes and einhejers – the fallen warriors. He welcomes Valhall’s guests and makes everyone feel at home.

Bragi records the great deeds of the Aesir and sings their praises so that they will not be forgotten. Intoxication is the source of Bragi’s poetry. He is also associated with toasting.

Bragi is married to Idun and they have several children, though their names are unknown.

He does not feature much in the stories of the gods. Loki once said that Bragi is better suited as a ‘bench ornament’ than as a warrior.

DAGR

Dagr is the god who personifies the day. He is the son of Natt (Night) and Delling, and half-brother to the goddess Sól (Sun). Some have interpreted him as the ancestor of the light elves. Dagr´s horse is called Skinfaxe. He travels across the sky during the day and, like Natt, is chased by a huge wolf.

FORSETE

Forsete, whose name means ‘the one who has provided’, is the son of Baldr and Nanna. He is the god of law and justice and helps the gods resolve their difficult disputes. Forsete lives in the shining gold and silver hall Glitne.

FREYR

Freyr, also known as Frö, is Freya’s brother and they are both of the Vanirs He is the son of Njordr and the father of Fjolnir. Freyr is a fertility god and has in ancient times been depicted with a phallus. He is described as beautiful, powerful and merciful.

His weapon is the magic sword Sumarbrander, also known as the Sword of Summer that can fight on its own. His ship Skidbladnir, which can sail over both sea and land, can be folded so that it fits in a pocket. The ship also always has a tailwind and holds all the Aesirs. Freyr owns the horse Blóðughófi (sometimes anglicised Blodughofi and meaning “Bloody Hoof” in Old Norse) , who is neither afraid of smoke nor fire, and the boar Gullinbursti who has shiny skin and can run on land or in the sky better than any horse. His servants Beyla and Byggvir are associated with harvesting and beer brewing. Freyr´s home is called Alfheim which means “the kingdom of the Alfr´s”.

Once, when Freyr was unarmed, he killed the giant Bele with only a deer horn.

When Freyr saw the giantess Gerd, he fell head over heels in love with her. He sent his friend Skirner, which means “the shining one,” to the realm of the giants to propose to him. To do this, Skirner received Frej’s horse, Blóðughófi, as a gift. He also wanted to take his sword, Sumarbrandir, with him as protection during the journey. Once in the realm of the giants, the giants took a liking to the sword and said that Gerd could meet Freyr if they could keep it. In the end, Gerd fell for Freyr, but it cost him his horse and his sword.

Frey, like Freyja, is worshipped at Midsummer.

HERMÓDR

Hermódr is the brave son of Odin and Frigg. His name means ‘courage of war’. He is the one who welcomes the most distinguished guests to Valhall.

Loki tricks the blind Hoder into killing Baldr. Hermódr is asked by Odin to ride Sleipnir down to the underworld and demand that Baldr be returned to Asgard. A mission that many other Aesir have not dared to take on.

HEIMDALL

Heimdall or Heimdal, also known as ‘the White Aesir’, is the guardian of the Bifrost – the rainbow bridge between Midgard and Asgard. He watches over the whole world with his great sight and hearing. His hearing is so acute that he can hear the sheep’s wool grow and the grass sprout, and his vision stretches for miles and he needs less sleep than a bird. If the forces of chaos approach Bifrost, he blows the Gjallarhorn to gather the rest of the Aesir. He is also called Golden Tooth, because he has teeth made of gold. His dwelling is called Himinbjorg and his horse is called Gulltoppr. Heimdall is the son of ‘nine mothers’, although it is not known who these nine mothers are. Some have interpreted it as Heimdall being born from the sea and the nine mothers being the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran – the waves. Others have interpreted it as the nine mothers being the nine worlds. According to legend, the early descendants of Ask and Embla were primitive and low-cultured. The Aesir then sent Heimdall down to them, disguised as Rig – a little boy. One day the boy was washed ashore in a boat and the people took him in and raised him as their own. Then the boy grew up and taught them how to decipher runes, tame fire, crafts and more. He also bred the different social classes – jarl´s, men and thralls.

LOKI

Loki appears in a number of deity stories. He is actually of giant blood, but has very close ties to the Aesir. He is especially close to Odin as they have both entered into a foster brotherhood. The fact that he is a giant by blood means that he has difficulty behaving and often makes trouble for himself and others. He appears to be jealous and untrustworthy.

Loki’s wife is called Sigyn and their son is called Narfi. He is the child of the giants Laufey and Farbauti. Loki can change both sex and shape. He has also given birth to Odin’s horse Sleipnir.

Together with the giantess Angerboda, Loki has three terrible children – the Midgard Serpent, the Fenris Wolf and Hel. The Midgard Serpent is a snake so big that it can encircle the whole world and bite itself in the arse. The Fenris Wolf is a huge wolf whose jaws stretch from the sky to the ground. Hel is a sinister creature that rules over the underworld.

On one occasion, Loki makes a bet with some dwarf blacksmiths, using his head as a stake. He loses the bet and the dwarves want to cut his head off. Loki claims that the neck does not actually belong to the head, which was at stake, and therefore they must not cut it off. The dwarves then sew Loki’s mouth shut instead – because it belongs to the head.

Loki has caused a lot of trouble, but the Aesir’s luck ran out when he tricked the blind Hoder into killing his brother Baldr. The Aesir punished him by shackling him with his son Narfi’s intestines – which had turned to iron. He was chained in the underworld on top of three sharp stones. Above him, they put a poisonous snake that drips poison into his eyes. Loki’s loyal wife Sigyn, however, stands holding a bowl that catches the drops before they reach Loki’s eyes. Every now and then, however, she has to empty the bowl and then the drops reach him, and Loki writhes in pain so violently that the world trembles.

MIMER

Mimer is a giant descended directly from the primordial giant Ymir, just like his sister Bestla. He is also called Hoddmimer and has seven sons. Mimer watched over the so-called Mimer’s Well, the fountain of wisdom, which is located at one of the three roots of Yggdrasil. The root that leads to Jotunheim – the kingdom of the giants. He not only guarded the spring, but cleaned it and picked fallen leaves from it. The spring is magical, and anyone who drinks from it can see and hear everything that has happened and everything that will happen in the world. Mimir drank every day and is therefore very wise. Odin sacrificed an eye in the well and can therefore see and hear everything that happens.

After the end of the Vanir War, the Aesir and Vanir exchanged wise men with each other as spoils of war, the Aesir sending Mimir to the Vanir. After a while, however, the Vanir began to suspect that the Aesir had betrayed them in the exchange of the men, perhaps because Mimer is actually a giant? The Vanir beheaded Mimer and sent his severed head back to the Aesir. Odin took care of the head and anointed it with herbs to prevent it from rotting. He then used soap to revive the severed head, so Mimir’s wisdom was not lost. Mimir’s head is kept in Valhall, where Odin talks and exchanges secrets with it.

MÁNI

Máni (which means moon) is the god who pulls the moon chariot across the sky at night. He is hunted by the wolf Hati. He is accompanied on his journey by the two children Hjuke and Bil. He rules over the moon phases new and below. Máni, like his sister, is described as very beautiful. He is the son of the gods Mundilfari and Natt.

NJORDR

Njordr is the god of the sea and fishing. Father of Freyr and Freya. His name means ‘power’ or ‘strength’. He should be invoked when you want a good journey across the sea or good fishing luck. He is the house god of fish.

Njordr is of Vanir descent and grew up in Vanheim. In addition to Freyr and Frejya, he has eight other children. The mother of these children is said to be Njord’s own sister, whose name is unknown. He is the son of Natt and Nagelfari, and half-brother to Frigg.

Njordr lives in Noatun by the sea. His wife Skadi, who grew up in the mountains, hates being by the sea and listening to the cry of seagulls. Njordr, on the other hand, hates being in the mountains and hearing the wolves howl, so they live apart.

ODIN

Odin, the highest of all the Aesir, is a god of death and war – as he gave life to the first humans, Ask and Embla, he could also be called a god of life. He is very wise and knowledgeable in seidr – Norse magic. In Sweden, he is best known as Oden, but he is known by about 200 different names – including Allfather, Wotan and more. At his side he has two ravens named Hugin and Munin which mean “thought” and “memory”. These he sends out for scouting around the world. He also has two wolves named Gere and Freke which means “the greedy” and “the voracious”. His magic spear, which always hits its target, is called Gungnir and his eight – legged horse, which can travel over land, in the air and over the sea, is called Sleipnir. In his possession he also has the armring Draupnir, which every ninth night “drops” out eight identical gold rings. Odin is married to Frigg and is the father of many children – including Thor, Baldr, Hodr, Vale, Vidar and Hermódr. His brothers are named Ve and Vile.

Odin’s residence, which is the largest in Asgard, is called Valhall, which means “the hall of the slain”. Here come the bravest men and women after earthly life.

He can see and hear everything that happens in the world, after casting one eye into Mimir’s well – the fountain of wisdom.

Odin is the creator of the runes. At one point, he sacrificed himself, for himself, by sharpening his spear and hanging himself from a tree. When he had hung in the tree for nine days and nights, without food and water and whipped by the wind, the runes, the futhark, appeared to him. Odin then shared the wisdom of the runes with the people.

He also gave people the gift of poetry, when he spilled some of the so-called poetry mead over Midgard.

THOR

Thor, whose name means ‘thunder’, is the protector of humans. If Odin is the house god of the jarls, then Thor is the god of the ordinary farmer. Thor rules over thunder, rain and crops. It is him you should blot to if you want to get a good harvest. He is big and strong with a red beard and has a hot temper. Thunder and lightning are created as he travels around among the clouds and fights giants. Thor creates order out of chaos. He is Odin’s eldest son. Thor lives with his wife Siv in the hall Bilskirnir in Thrudvangr – which is part of Asgard. Together they have a son Modi and a daughter Trudr. With the giant Jarnsaxa, Thor has a son, Magni. Thor’s mother is a giantess named Jörð (earth)

His weapon is the magic hammer Mjolnir which means “the crusher”. After throwing it at his enemies, it always comes back to him. Mjolnir is forged by the dwarves Sindre and Brokk and Thor got it in his possession after Loki cheated the two dwarves. The hammer is so powerful that Thor must have an iron glove, named Járngreipr, to use it. Mjolnir was once stolen by the giant Thrym and Thor had to dress up as Freyja to sneak it back. Around his waist, Thor wears the belt Meginjord which makes him even stronger.

His carriage is pulled by the goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr, which means “teeth grinder” or “one that grinds teeth” and “teeth thin”, or “one that has gaps between the teeth”. The goats can be slaughtered and eaten every evening, as they are resurrected the next day – however, no bones may be broken.

Despite being so strong, Thor loses a fight with an old woman at one point, but it turns out that the old woman was actually old age itself – and not even Thor can defeat old age.

The Midgard serpent is Thor’s archenemy, they both meet on a number of occasions. The last time they meet is in the battle of Ragnarok.

TÝR

Brave Týr is a god of war – like Odin. He is the one to turn to if you want to win in battle or find courage.   When the Fenris Wolf grew so big that it even frightened the Aesir´s, and they no longer wanted it in Asgard, only Týr was brave enough to chain it. He bound the huge wolf with the magical chain Gleipnir, which is made of women’s beards, the breath of fish, the roots of the mountain, the sinews of the bear, the noise of the cat and the spit of the bird. The Fenris Wolf bit off one of Týr’s hands in revenge, which is why he is called the ‘one-handed god’.

ULLR

Ullr, whose name means ‘splendour’ or ‘glory’, is the god of hunting, oaths and combat. He travels on skis or snowshoes and carries a shield and a bow. Ullr has great similarities with Skadi. He is Thor’s stepson and Siw’s son, his father is unknown. Ullr is described as a handsome and sturdy man in the tales of the gods. His dwelling is called Ydalir, also known as Ydalarna, which means “yew dales”.

Ullr is sparsely mentioned in the Eddas, but many Swedish and Norwegian place names bear his name, which suggests that the cult around him was extensive. He probably belongs to an older version of the heathen gods.

AEGIR

Aegir is a sea god, and possibly also the god of intoxication. His name means ‘sea’. He is from a family of giants. His father is the giant Fornjot and his brothers are Låge – fire, and Kåre – wind. Aegir lives in a shimmering golden palace in the sea. He is associated with treasures that sink to the bottom of the sea in shipwrecks, and also beer guilds. Aegir has a beer-brewing cauldron called the Sea Kettle that is a mile deep, originally owned by the giant Hymir. The sea foam is his beer, which he grinds in his mill.

Aegir is married to Ran, who cares for those who have died by drowning, and together they have nine daughters. Each daughter is named after a type of water wave.

Every year, Aegir invites the Aesir to a beer guild. On one occasion, Loki turns up, even though he is not invited. He kills Aegir’s servant Fimmafang and threatens his cook Elder. He then enters the hall, demands food and a seat at the table, and then insults everyone in the hall. Finally, Thor raises his hammer and Loki leaves the guild, muttering a curse that Aegir’s underwater hall will burn down.

Why we choose not to cover everything and everyone in this text is of course first and foremost because we have Henrik’s booklet to read, and that it would be far too long a text to sit and read through on the computer. These mentioned are also of different families, Aesir´s, giants, etc. this you can immerse yourself in when reading the booklet. Many will certainly find new powers that they have not read about before, new gods that are worth being exposed to. If the god in question is mentioned under several names, this is indicated in brackets.

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