Scandinavian mythology: creatures and gods of the Scandinavian pantheon. Scandinavian mythology Scandinavian myths and legends

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NINE WORLDS

(Scandinavian myths)

Let them delve into this book in order to gain

wisdom and fun. We must not forget these

legends or call them a lie.

Snorri Sturluson, "The Language of Poetry"

TWO BROTHERS AND HIDDEN FACE

The autumn sea shook the granite rocks with a crash. The wind picked up the spray and carried inland, over the gorges of the fiords, over the stone passes, past the snow caps of the peaks. And even the eagles, nesting on the impregnable cliffs, could hardly make out a small fishing boat far out to sea.

The storm broke the mast long ago, tore off the sail and dragged it somewhere into low clouds. At first, two sailors tried to row, but the heavy waves snatched the oars out of their hands, and the strength ran out quickly - after all, the oldest of the rowers barely passed ten winters, and the youngest even less eight. These were Agnar and Geirrod, the sons of Hraudung, one of the most famous leaders of the Northern Countries. The storm carried their boat away from their native shore. The brothers barely had time to scoop out the cold water gushing over the sides.

Hold on, Geirrod! - shouted the elder brother to the younger. - We are Vikings! Smoky pockets and warm beds are not for men!

Agnar had a kind and cheerful disposition: everyone expected him to become a good leader, just and generous. Father's warriors will willingly follow him when he grows up.

Geirrod replied:

Let others cry or beg for mercy.

The fate of the youngest son is to get everything in life on his own, and wealth, and fame, and a devoted squad. Well, Geirrod promised to be a wonderful warrior. The Blood Spear was what his name meant.

Two wet boys stubbornly fought with the waves, feeling the blood slowly freeze in their veins, how the icy wind sucks the last strength ... They were the sons of the leader. They wanted to become Vikings. They are not used to giving up.

Finally, already in the darkness of the night, the surf roared ahead, the white breakers snarled. The brothers desperately clung to the icy sides, anticipating death. But here's a miracle: from somewhere out of the darkness, two crows suddenly croaked loudly, and the rearing wave grabbed the boat, carried it over the bared teeth of the stones and threw it out onto unfamiliar land. It seemed to both of them that it was not a simple wave. The sons of Hraudung hurriedly jumped out onto the creaking sand, and - a new wonder - immediately met the old man.

He had a blue cloak flapping loudly in the freezing wind, and a wide-brimmed hat pulled low over one eye. He brought the unlucky fishermen to his house and ordered the old woman to fan a hotter fire in order to dry and warm the unexpected guests. And since autumn storms last for a long time, until the snow itself, there is nothing to do - they stayed in that house for the winter.

The old man and the old woman taught the brothers a lot. And it so happened that Agnar became more attached to the mistress, and Geirrod to the owner. When spring came, the old man gave the leader's children a good new boat, and, as if by magic, a fair wind immediately blew out. They began to say goodbye. The old man called Geirrod aside:

I like you. Know then that you were a guest of Odin, the Father of Gods and Men. Know also: I will help you become a famous leader, just like your father.

The wind quickly brought the boat to its native shore. Here the mountains appeared in front, the familiar cliffs loomed in the sea fog near the mouth of the fiord. Geirred was the first to jump out onto his father's dock, onto the tarred oak logs ... and suddenly pushed the boat and his brother away, shouting:

Swim now where you don't come back!

This is how he understood Odin's mercy and the promise to make him a leader. Agnar was carried back into the sea by the current, because there were no oars in the boat, and no one noticed him in the fog and did not come to help. And the treacherous brother, as if nothing had happened, walked to the court of Hraudung.

People recognized Geirrod and accepted him with joy. It turns out that his father died in the winter, and Geirröd was put in a place of honor in the house and was named the leader.

He is the son of a good father, said the old, scarred warriors, and, as was customary, struck their shields with swords. - The elder brother did not return, but the younger brother also has good blood!

Geyrröd matured and became a famous Viking: they say he was lucky in everything. But, to know, his conscience gnawed all the same - when he got married, he named his son Agnar, after his brother. So many winters have passed ...

And then one day the soldiers brought a stranger to Geirrod, who was captured at the fence of the courtyard.

The sorcerer has wandered into your lands, chief, they said. - Not a single dog barks at him, even the most ferocious!

The guest had a long gray beard, a blue cloak over his shoulders, and a wide-brimmed felt hat pulled low over his one eye. Geyrrod did not recognize his teacher, too much time had passed.

Tie his hands so that he cannot conjure, - he ordered the soldiers and turned to the gray-bearded: - Well, tell me, who are you? And who sent you?

Geirrod had many enemies, and in those days the warring leaders often sent evil sorcerers to one another - to spoil, take away good luck, ruin the harvest.

I have many names, - replied the stranger. - Sometimes they call me Grimnir - the Hidden Face ...

Put him on the floor between two hearths, - then Geirrod ordered. - And let him sit there until he fries or becomes more talkative!

So it was done with Grimnir: he sat between the fires for eight nights. His clothes were burnt to holes and his hair twisted in heat, and his insides shriveled with thirst. Others do not believe that the Father of the Gods could have been captured by mortals and could not escape from the fetters with the help of magic spells; These people must have never tried to cast spells with their hands tied, and even when there was not a drop of water near ...

And Geirrod looked at his torment, sipping delicious beer.

But on the ninth evening, the son of the leader, Agnar, who had walked with the soldiers in the sea, returned. He was then ten winters, almost the same as his father had once, when the time came for him to test. Agnar saw a tied, exhausted old man, heard what had happened in the house - and immediately ran to Grimnir with a horn full of drink:

It is a bad thing for a father to torture an innocent man!

And he trampled down the fire, which got so close to the guest that his cloak was already smoldering. That's when Grimnir just opened his mouth and began to speak, and no one could move while the voice of Odin, the Father of Gods and Men, sounded. He said:

You will be happy, Agnar, nephew of Agnar and son of Geirrod, because the God of Warriors wishes you well. Soon you will become the leader and master of a mighty squad. No one has ever received such an award for a sip of water ...

Higher gods in Germanic Norse mythology were called asses and lived in Asgard - the country located in the sky. Odin was considered the eldest god. In addition to Odin, there were twelve gods: Thor, Balder, Tyr, Heimdall, Bragi, Hod, Vidar, Vali, Ull, Njord, Freyr, Loki. The main female characters of Scandinavian mythology are Frigg (Odin's wife, who knows fate), Freya (goddess of love), Idunn (keeper of golden rejuvenating apples), golden-haired Siv (wife of the thunder god Thor, presumably associated with fertility) and other Asses were constantly at enmity with Yotunam (giants). At one time the Ases were at enmity with the Vani (gods of fertility).

One
Odin (or Wotan, Óðinn, Odin, Wodan) - the supreme god in the Germanic-Scandinavian

mythology, the father of the Aesir. God of war and victory, consort of Frigg. The ancient Romans identified him with Mercury / Hermes. A sage and shaman, an expert on runes and legends, but at the same time, the god of the military aristocracy, the master of Valhalla and the ruler of the Valkyries. One did not need food: he never eats, but lives only by drinking honey or mash.

According to legend, he appeared to people most often in the form of a one-eyed old man (Odin gave his right eye to Mimir to drink from a source of wisdom) in a blue cloak and a felt hat, accompanied by two ravens or two wolves, armed with a spear. It was believed that under the guise of a poor wanderer, he wanders all over the world, and it will be bad for the one who, having forgotten the laws of hospitality, will push him away from his doorstep. The inhabitants of Scandinavia believed that he often travels around the land on his horse or, invisible to people, takes part in their battles, helping the most worthy to win.

Odin's companions are the ravens Huginn and Muninn (Huginn, Muninn;

"Thinking" and "remembering") and the wolves Gehry and Freki ("greedy" and "voracious"), his mount is the eight-legged horse Sleipnir (Sliding). In Odin's right hand is the Gungnir spear, it never flies past the target and strikes to death anyone it hits. His ship, Skíðblaðnir, "made of thin planks", which could be folded into a purse if needed, was the fastest ship.

In the legends, Odin appears under many names and nicknames. This is due to the traditions of skaldic poetry, where poetic synonyms are accepted - heiti and indirect references to the subject - kennings. Here are some of the names of Odin - Alföðr (Alfödr - "all-father"), Ygg (Ygg - "terrible"), Hár (Har - "high"), Veratýr (Veratur - "ruler of people"), Bölverkr (Bölverk - "villain" ). The list of names is given in one of the chapters of the Elder Edda - "Speech of Grimnir"

Thor
Thor (Þórr, Thor, Thunar, Donar) - in German-Scandinavian mythology, one of the aces, the god of thunder and lightning, the "thrice-born" eldest son of Odin and the goddess of the earth Yord, the son of Odin and Fjörgun, as well as Odin and Frigg. Thor in Germanic-Scandinavian mythology is the god of thunder, storms and fertility. He was one of the sons of the supreme god Odin and the earth goddess Yord or Fjörgun.

The name of the god's warhammer, Mjöllnir, may once have meant the word "lightning". It is impossible not to notice that Thor, the worst enemy of the giants, had a lot in common with them. The red-bearded hero was very energetic and had an incredible appetite - he ate a bull in one sitting. Thor loved to measure strength with everyone.

His huge bronze chariot was dragged across the sky by two goats called Tangniostr ("grinding teeth") and Tangrisnir ("grinding teeth"). Thor's magical equipment included a hammer (battle ax-lightning), iron gloves, without which it was impossible to hold the handle of a red-hot weapon, and a belt that doubled the strength. The Mjöllnir hammer, forged for God by the dwarf brothers (zwergs), a symbol of creative and destructive forces, a source of fertility and good luck, had a massive striker, a short handle and always hit the target.

With a red-hot hammer and a belt of strength, Thor was invincible. True, he was unable to prevent Ragnarok, the day of universal doom, but he was able to rid the world of the serpent Jormungand. Thor was constantly accompanied by the most cunning of the Aes, Loki, who usually held on to the belt of a thunderbolt. Together they experienced many adventures, and Thor could not deny that in some cases, Loki's resourcefulness and dexterity made the giants be on their guard.

Thor's war hammer, Mjöllnir, served the gods as protection from giants and possessed many magical properties: it influenced fertility and death, could bring animals back to life, and blessed marriages. All myths involving Thor testify to the unlimited destructive capabilities of his hammer; like the Indian god of thunder and lightning Indra, or the Slavic Perun, Thor was the destroyer of evil, and in Scandinavian mythology, the world's evil was personified by the giant jotuns.

The fact is that there are not so many special books in Russian on this topic. Actually, among the Russian researchers who are engaged in these issues, the most famous Vladimir Petrukhin, who published the book "Myths of Ancient Scandinavia", in it you will not find an academic study of this issue, but get acquainted with the topic. In addition to this book, you can find his scientific publications that shed light on some issues. I often came across his lectures on YouTube. Another Russian book by Kiril Korolev, "Scandinavian Mythology", contains the main points in an encyclopedic way.
If we take the lowest mythology, then I advise the book: In the land of trolls. Who's Who in Norwegian Folklore, ed. Rachinskaya E.
There are also few translated books. There is a book by Varg Vikernes "Scandinavian mythology and worldview". But I warn you right away, the book should be read very skeptically, since the author is not a professional researcher and wrote this book like a pagan, interpreting Scandinavian plots in a rational way. Still, the book contains important information.
Another group of books is made up of studies on the Viking Age, in the context of which questions of mythology are considered. I recommend the following books:
A.A. Svanidze. Vikings - people of the saga: life and customs
Gurevich A. Vikings - Legend and Reality
G. S. Lebedev. Viking Age in Northern Europe
Bayok D. Iceland of the Viking Age
Stringolm A. Viking expeditions.
There is a lot of foreign literature, as this topic is very popular in Europe:
John Lindow. Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs
Abram, Christopher. Myths of the Pagan North: the Gods of the Norsemen.
Davidson, H. R. Ellis. Scandinavian Mythology,
Turville-Petre, E O Gabriel. Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia.
These are only a select few, there are a lot of them, and based on the links, the number can be multiplied.
There are not so many sources on mythology, and the main ones were named in the previous answer, sometimes there are interesting remarks in the comments and introductory articles to the texts. Regarding the sagas, I will say that they do not particularly reflect mythology, but rather culture, mentality, history, etc. On this occasion, I can advise a lot more literature, but this is another question, if someone is interested in the cultural environment of Scandinavia (sagas, runic inscriptions, skald verses), please contact.
Finally, I want to draw your attention to two sites that contain a lot of interesting texts about Scandinavia:
http://ulfdalir.ru/
http://norse.ulver.com/
If I remember something, I'll add it later.

The legends of the northern peoples are distinguished by a variety of unusual mystical creatures. The gods and creatures of Scandinavian mythology play an important role in the development and formation of the worldview of different peoples.

Worlds in Norse mythology

In Scandinavian mythology, in contrast, it is said about nine worlds, inhabited by various creatures, people, gods:

Each world exists independently, but has a connection with the other eight. All nine worlds are united by a huge mythical tree called Yggdrasil.

In the very center of the World Tree there is a world inhabited by people - Midgrad. It is a circular plane surrounded by water. The mythical serpent Jormungand turned around Midgrad. This country exists separately from others.

Asgard is located high above Midgrad. They are connected by Bivrest, a mythical rainbow bridge. Asgard is inhabited by the Ases - the highest gods, the goddesses-asinya and the Valkyries. Every god in Asgard has his own palace. There is Odin's palace - Valhalla, where the souls of warriors who fell in battle fall.

Vanaheim is inhabited by the Vans - a family of gods that for a long time was in a warlike relationship with the Aesir. The land of the Vanir is located on the Yggdrasil tree to the west of Asgard and is inferior to it in size.

The world of Utgrad differs from the rest of the worlds of Scandinavian mythology in that it is located outside the Yggdrasil tree. It is inhabited by mythical creatures, monsters and people with extraordinary abilities. The ruler of this world is called Utgarda-Loki.

Mythical giants, whom the Norwegians have called turs since ancient times, live in the country of Jotunheim. Aggressive and stupid inhabitants of this world are in eternal war with the gods of Asgard. But there are some exceptions in the form of kind and wise giants.

According to legends, there are many important mythical places in Jotunheim:

• The house of the giant Tiatia is Trimheim.
• Gastropnir is the house in which a turs named Menglad lives.
• The sacred river Iving flows through the lands of Jotunheim.

The world, which is inhabited by the beautiful race of light Alves, is called Liesalfheim or Alfheim. This world is located south of the country of the great aces. The origin of Alfheim is unknown. There is little information about the world of the Alves in Scandinavian legends. It is only known that this is a beautiful country in which peace reigns forever and the sun shines.

Translated from Old Scandinavian Muspelchem ​​means "Tierra del Fuego". This world is filled with hot flames and bright light. Fire giants live in Muspelheim. Their leader is called Surta, which means “black”.

Gloomy Svartalfheim is a world that is inhabited. According to some legends, this world was created together with Lesalfheim by the powerful inhabitants of Asgard.

The world of Niflheim in many legends is opposed to the fiery Muspelheim. Niflheim is completely covered in ice and submerged in permafrost. In the icy country there is a powerful water source Hwelgelmir. Nothing is known about the people that inhabit Niflheim.

Helheim is translated from Old Norse as "Abode of the goddess Hel." This is the underworld of the dead, where one of the daughters of the god of cunning Loki rules. Helheim is located in the ice world of Niflheim. It is a dark and cold place. The souls of those who have died from disease, old age or a violent death fall into the domain of Hel.

Scandinavian pantheon

In Scandinavian mythology, there is a clear classification of gods and divine beings. The main races of the Scandinavian pantheon are:

• vans;
• tours;
• alves;
• norns;
• Valkyries.

Ases live in the heavenly city of Asgard and are the main gods of Scandinavian mythology. These include 12 gods and 14 goddesses. Odin is considered the supreme god and leader of the Aesir.

One

The god of war and master of Valhalla is the grandson of the powerful primal man of the Storm. Odin is called the father of all people and gods. His wife is the beautiful goddess of love and family values, Frigga.

One is able to take on a variety of guises and appear to people as an ordinary person. He usually appears in the form of an elderly man, accompanied by animal helpers. The main companions of the supreme god are two crows Munin and Hugin, as well as two wolves - Freki and Gehry.

A characteristic feature of the god of war is the absence of one eye, which he sacrificed so that the giant would allow him to drink the waters from the source of wisdom.

One loves to take part in human wars and battles, helps the most worthy to win. He appears on the battlefield astride a horse with eight legs and hits the enemy with a spear. It is believed that this god took part

Odin's wife and the main goddess of Asgard, the patroness of love, beauty, marriage and childbirth.

The goddess Frigga is distinguished by her extraordinary beauty and knows the future of every person, but prefers to hide this knowledge.

The first son of Odin, born of the goddess of the sacred land Fjögürn. Thor is the god of thunder and lightning, rain and storm, who protects people and gods. He has three children, and his wife is the blonde goddess of fertility Seth.

Thor is portrayed as a tall, broad-shouldered man with a long red beard. A characteristic feature of the god of thunder is Mjolnir - the so-called God moves across the sky in a chariot drawn by two goats.

God of military valor, the second son of Odin and sister of the giant Gimir. He is portrayed as a one-armed giant. According to ancient legend, Tyr lost his second hand in a fight with a giant wolf named Fenrir.

The god of poetry and eloquence belongs to the 12 main aces of Scandinavian mythology. Bragi is one of the sons of the supreme god Odin and his beautiful wife Frigga. He is a slender man with a long beard, who is considered the personification of wisdom and great life experience. Married to the goddess of eternal youth Idunn.

According to legend, Odin's son Heimdall had 9 mothers:

• Gialp;
• Grape;
• Jarnsachs;
• Atla;
• Irgiafa;
• Angheya;
• Eistla;
• Ulfrun.

Heimdall is the guardian of the Aesir who stands at the gates of Asgard. Its features: keen hearing and sight, a golden horn, the sound of which can reach the most remote corners of the world, and a golden horse.

Blind god of darkness and gloom, one of the sons of Odin and his wife Frigg. He was betrayed by his brother Loki, as a result of which he died.

The silent god of revenge named Vidar was born from the union of the supreme god Odin and the giantess Grid. He is also considered the personification of the natural strength and silence of the forest. He is a handsome, broad-shouldered and tall man, dressed in iron armor.

According to legend, Vali is the son of Odin and the eastern goddess Rind. A day after his birth, he was already an adult and stately man. He is considered the god of nature and plants. The purpose of his birth is to take revenge on Hoda for killing his beloved son Frigga and Odin.

God of spring and light, one of the most powerful and beloved sons of Odin. Balder protects farmers and protects nature. He is considered the brightest and purest of the gods. Differs in extraordinary beauty and kind heart.

Balder is married to the beautiful goddess of sunshine and fertility, Nanna. They have a son named Foseti - the god of justice and justice.

God of hunting and shooting, sports and healthy way life is the step-son of the great god Thor. He is the best at archery and skiing, which he willingly taught people and other gods. Ull is distinguished by his gambling character, which is why he was nicknamed the god of luck.

Forseti, a just and wise god of justice, plays the role of a judge in all conflicts between people or gods. Was born in the light union of the god of spring Balder and his wife Nanna.

The god of cunning and deceit has many different names:

• Lodur;
• Khwedrung;
• Loft.

Loki is the son of the giants Farauti and Lauweya. Officially, he is not one of the Ases, but was accepted by them as one of the gods as a sign of respect for his extraordinary intelligence and cunning. In mythology, Loki is described as a short but handsome man.

The god of cunning has many children. Three of them were given birth to by the giantess Angrobda:

• Hel is the goddess of the kingdom of the dead;
• Fenrir is a huge wolf;
• Serpent of Jormungandha.

Two more children of Loki were born in union with his wife, the goddess Sigyn.

One of the main features of the insidious god is the ability to take on various forms, which helps him to deceive enemies and achieve his own selfish goals.

Asinya named Var appears in Scandinavian myths and legends as a goddess who brings truth. She makes sure that people and gods fulfill the vows and promises made to each other. She is often depicted as a goddess who seals alliances by marriage.

Goddess-asinya Eir is able to heal anyone who climbs the mountain where she dwells. The healer has an extraordinary beauty and a special gift to feel the experiences of people.

His name in translation means "courage". Hermod appears in Scandinavian myths and legends as the messenger of the supreme god Odin. He went to the underworld and asked the goddess Hel to return Balder to Asgard, gave the magic ring to Drapunir.

Rig

One of the oldest aces. This is an ancient, powerful and wise god, one of those who created the human world. He was responsible for the creation of people and the social structure. He divided the world into rulers, free people and slaves. The creator god is well versed in runes. The poem "The Song of Riga" was written in his honor.

An ace named Adhrimnir serves as a cook in Odin's palace, preparing the meat of a wild boar, which, according to legends, comes to life immediately after being eaten.

The minor asinya is the servant of the supreme goddess Frigga. In Norse mythology, Gna:

• Goddess of reincarnation and transformation.
• Messenger of news from the world of people.
• Mistress of the horse Hovvarpnir, distinguished by unprecedented speed.

The ace, born from the union of Thor and the giantess Yarnsaxa, is distinguished by extraordinary physical strength. He loves and honors his father, accompanies him on many travels, repeatedly saving Thor's life.

The beautiful goddess of fertility and the wife of the god Thor, the mother of his three children: Ulya, Trud and Modi. A feature of Sif is her luxurious golden hair. According to legend, at night Loki sneaked into the goddess's bedroom and cut her hair. Upon learning of this, Thor was so angry that he was ready to kill the god of cunning. But he begged for forgiveness and promised to make amends. He turned to the dark elves, who created golden curls for the wife of the god of thunder.

One of the secondary beautiful asin. Sjofn is responsible for human feelings of love and friendship. People turn to this goddess for help if they need to win the heart of a loved one or get close to someone.

Asinya named Glyn is one of the closest assistants of the supreme goddess Frigga. She protects people from troubles, evil, diseases.

The goddess of warmth and sun named Nanna is the wife of one of the most beautiful aces - Balder. She died of grief when Balder was fraudulently killed by his own brother.

Gefyon

Gevjon or Gefyon is a beautiful asinya with a pure heart. She is responsible for:

• virtue;
• abundance;
• fertility.

According to legends, girls who died as virgins became part of her retinue and lived with her in the divine palaces in Asgard.

Idunn

The wife of the god of poetry Braga, the goddess of eternal youth plays an important role in northern myths. She is the keeper of the rejuvenating apples in Asgard, which prolong the life of the powerful Aesir. According to legend, when Idunn was abducted by a monster from the world of Jotunheim, the gods of Asgard immediately grew old and almost died.

Modi

One of the most powerful children of Thor is the ace of warrior fury Modi. He takes part in human battles, helping those who have greater fortitude and zeal for victory to win. Makes opponents helpless by weakening them with fears.

Yord

Goddess Yord is one of the most extraordinary asin who live in Asgard. She is the embodiment of the sacred land and the mother of the god of thunder and lightning Thor. Jord is also believed to be the daughter of the powerful night goddess Knott.

Van

The genus of the Scandinavian gods, who are opposed to the Aesir, are called the Vans. They live in the mythical land of Vanaheim. From the very beginning, the Vans and Ases were in a warlike relationship and fought against each other for a long time, but in the end the gods decided to enter into a peaceful alliance. Since then, some Vanir have lived in Asgard, and the Aesir have lived in Vanaheim.

The Vani are the gods of fertility and harvest. There are 4 main known wans:

• Njord;
• Freyr;
• Gullveig.

Njord

The god of the sea element, after the conclusion of an agreement between the gods, began to live in Asgard as a prisoner. Over time, the Aesir accepted him into their ranks. In Asghar, Njord married the giantess-hunter Skadi, with whom they had two children: the god of summer Frey and the goddess of love Freya.

God Njord protects fishermen and sailors, is able to control the sea element.

Gullweig

The greedy goddess of gold and wealth Gullveig was sent by the Vanes to the Aesir. It marked the beginning of the world's first war, in which two great divine families participated. Asses could not kill the evil sorceress, because she was resurrected every time.

It is considered the most beautiful and pure among the existing goddesses. Originally from the Vanir, she was adopted by the Aesir and lives in Asgard. She, like Odin, receives soldiers who have fallen in battle. Is the embodiment of love and beauty.

One of the main attributes of the goddess of love is considered the Brisingamen necklace, for the beauty of which Freya agreed to spend the night with four dark alfs.

Freya has many names:

• Vanadis;
• Hern;
• Gefna;
• Mardell;
• Valfreya;

Freyr

The son of the sea god Njord and the twin brother of the beautiful Freya is the god of summer and fertility. He is portrayed as a kind and beautiful young man who is able to control sunlight and soil fertility. Differs in a peaceful character and caring in relation to everything that exists.

Kvasir

To seal the alliance between the Aesir and the Vani, the gods performed a ritual of mixing saliva. They mixed their saliva in a bowl, and from it emerged the god of wisdom, Kvasir. He is considered the wisest among the gods and is portrayed as a little old man who is able to give an answer to any question and willingly shares his knowledge.

In Scandinavian myths and legends, humanoid giants are called thurs. There are several genera of giants.

1. Rime giants are the first creatures to appear in the world. Their family comes from Ymir, who created the world. Asses destroyed Ymir, because of which all the frost giants perished. Only Bergelmir managed to survive, who eventually became the progenitor of a new race of giants - the yotuna.
2. The Yotuns were also among the first creatures to inhabit Earth. Since ancient times, they were in a warlike relationship with the Aesir and tried to take away their treasures. This race is distinguished by extraordinary growth, physical strength and aggressive character. They are able to influence the weather and cause storms and all kinds of natural disasters.
3. Fire giants are residents of Muspelheim who serve Lord Surt and fight with the Aesir.
4. Stone, sea, vortex and mountain giants are lesser known types of turses.

Apart from all races and genera, there are three goddesses of human destiny. They live at the base of the world tree Igrdrassil and water its roots with waters from the sacred spring of Urd to support the existence of worlds. These goddesses are capable of determining the fate of all people, gods and other races. The norns are the personification life cycles human:

• Urd, the oldest and wisest among the norn, is the embodiment of the past;
• Verdandi is a grown woman who represents the present;
• Skuld - the youngest of the goddesses, personifies the future.

Alves or elves are an immortal race of beautiful people who have a special connection with the forces of nature and possess magical abilities. Alves are dark and light. Distinctive features between the races of the Alves are their behavior, appearance, way of life.

Bright alves

This genus of alves is distinguished by its high growth and noble appearance. They dwell in a heavenly palace called Liesalfheim. The wonderful god-blacksmith Veland (Woland) is considered the leaders of the bright elves.

Dark alves

The dark line of alves are also dwarves or gnomes. They inhabit the underworld of Svartalfheim. They are short and broad-shouldered, live in caves and create beautiful decorations and the most powerful weapons for the gods. Among the most significant in mythology, the dark alves are:

• Dwarf Sidri is famous for forging Mjolnir - the magical hammer of Thor, the god of thunder. He also belongs to the creation of the Draupnir ring, to which the supreme ace Odin so carefully treated.
• Brock is Sidri's younger brother. In Scandinavian legends, he is seen as Sidri's assistant, inflating furs while working.
• Dvalina. His anvil belongs to the creation of the beautiful Brisingamen necklace, for which the beautiful Freya was ready for anything, as well as the golden hair of the fertility goddess Seth.
• Andvari was the guardian of the treasures of the ancient dwarf family of the Nibelungs. He knew how to turn into a fish. The image of this gnome appears in many Celtic motives.
• an alf-sorcerer named Hreidmar, to whom, over time, the treasures of the Nibelungs were transferred as ransom. Hreidmar had three children: Fafnir, Regin, and Otr.

Scandinavian mythical creatures

In the mythology of the Scandinavian people, there are many extraordinary creatures. They can resemble ordinary animals or look like real monsters. The mythical creatures of the Scandinavians can play both positive and negative roles in legends.

The huge cow Audumla was one of the first creatures on Earth. She appeared along with the first man named Ymir and fed him with her milk. Due to the fact that the world was empty at that time, Audumla was forced to lick the salt stones to satisfy her hunger. According to legend, she died when Ymir's blood flooded the world after he was killed by the gods of Asgard.

According to legends, the goddess of the underworld Hel had a dog with four eyes, which stood at the gate of Helheim and guarded the entrance. In some myths, you can find a mention that Garm is the result of the union of the god of cunning Loki and the giantess Angroboda.

In size, the four-eyed dog surpasses all existing dogs. Chains hold him in the dungeon.

Northern peoples believed that tiny brownies called gutgins lived in human homes. The spirit gladly helps to do homework, and can also find a lost thing, fix something that was broken. The appearance of the brownie is characterized by:

According to legends, there is a large well near the Yggdrasil world tree. The dragon Nidhogg dwells at the bottom of this well. The Scandinavians believe that he gnaws at one of the roots of the sacred tree, trying to destroy that on which the nine worlds are held. Like many other dragons, Nidhogg loves gold and all kinds of treasures. He destroys traitors, liars and murderers. He is in a hostile relationship with the wise raven who lives on the branches of Yggdrasil.

The sacred tree Yggdrasil is associated with the existence of the mythical squirrel Ratatosk, which plays the role of an intermediary between the dragon in the well and the raven Hresvelg.

Krakonosh

The mythical spirit that dwells in the mountains appears in ancient legends as the leader of the dwarves. Krakonosh (Ryubetsal) is distinguished by a good-natured character, he loves to help worthy, but evil and mean people can do harm.

In Scandinavian mythology, there are often references to magical horses named Skimfaxi and Hrimfaxi. Skimfaxi belongs to the god of the day, Doug. He drives Dag's chariot and illuminates the daytime sky with his golden mane.

Hrimfaxi is a dark horse harnessed to the chariot of the night goddess Nott, the mother of the day god. Translated, the name of the horse means "mane that is covered with hoarfrost."

Utburd

In ancient times, the inhabitants of Norway strove to create a strong and invincible nation. They resorted to rather brutal methods with which they built an ideal society. One of these methods was the killing of babies who were born physically handicapped, had any abnormalities, deformities, or were born out of wedlock. The spirits of the killed babies turned into utburds and took revenge on everyone who was involved in their death. Utburds are evil and ruthless creatures.

Einheria

Warriors who bravely died in battle with the enemy, who did not release their weapons to the last and did not retreat, after death become Einherias. Each battle is watched by the Valkyries, the goddess of battle and Odin's assistant. They take the souls of warriors to Asgard. Further, the life of Eincheria looks like this:

• They live in the huge palace of Odin Valhalle.
• There they feast endlessly, drink honey and eat boar meat.
• Warriors serve in Odin's retinue and fight side by side with the supreme god.

Heidrun and Sehrimnir

In Valhalla, the palace of the god Odin, there are two mythical creatures that feed the souls of valiant warriors. The huge goat Heidrun lives on the roof of the divine castle and gives endless honey. The Boar of Sehrimnir is served by a chef from Valhalla every day for the Einheris. In the evening, the boar comes to life.

Munin and Hugin

The supreme god Odin has two assistants in the guise of black ravens. Hugin and Munin go to the human world of Midgrad and collect important news for their master, so that he knows about everything that happens to people.

Translated from Old Icelandic, Hugin means “He who thinks”, and Munin means “he who remembers”.

Eikturnir

On the roof of Valhalla, along with the goat Heidrun, there is a huge magic deer Eikturnir. It is so large that it can reach the branches of the Yggdrasil tree, the leaves of which it feeds on. The giant horns of Eikturnir give rise to all the rivers of the world.

It can be safely argued that Scandinavian literature grew out of Old Icelandic literature. The discovery and settlement of Iceland was one of the results of the Viking campaigns. The famous Icelandic scientist Jonas Kristiansson writes: “On their fast and strong ships, the Vikings crossed the seas like lightning, hit the islands and coasts and tried to create new states in the west - in Scotland, Ireland and England, in the south - in France and in the east - in Russia.
But the tribes inhabiting these lands were so powerful that a few groups of foreigners gradually disappeared among the local population, having lost their national features and language. The Vikings could only hold out on those lands that had not been inhabited before their arrival. Iceland remained the only state created during this period by the Vikings.

Arn the Wise (1067-1148), the first Icelandic author to write a short history of Iceland ("The Book of Icelanders"), reports that the first settler settled there "a few years after 870. According to another ancient source, this happened in 874. ". The history of Icelandic literature, like the history of the country itself, is more than a thousand years old. The Scandinavian sagas about gods and heroes that have come down to us thanks to the songs of the "Elder Edda" are known all over the world.

The Elder Edda is a collection of mythological and heroic songs that has survived in the only list, the Royal Code, found in Iceland in 1643. Until recently, this parchment was kept in Copenhagen, but in April 1971, many Old Icelandic manuscripts, by decision of the Danish parliament, were transferred to Iceland, where the Institute of Icelandic Manuscripts was established in its capital, Reykjavik, with the aim of promoting the dissemination of knowledge about the Icelandic language. people, its literature and history. All Old Icelandic poetry falls into two types of poetic art - Eddic poetry and Skald poetry.

Eddic poetry differs in that its authorship is anonymous, its form is relatively simple, and it tells about gods and heroes, or contains the rules of worldly wisdom. The peculiarities of Eddic songs are their saturation with actions, each song is dedicated to one specific episode from the life of gods or heroes, and their utmost brevity. "Edda" is conventionally divided into 2 parts - songs about gods, which contain information on mythology, and songs about heroes. The most famous song of the "Elder Edda" is considered "The Divination of the Volva", which gives a picture of the world from its creation to the tragic end - "the death of the gods" - and a new rebirth of the world.

Early Icelandic poetry is associated with pagan beliefs. Many of the oldest poems are dedicated to pagan gods, and the very art of versification was considered a gift of the supreme god Odin. There are also songs of common German origin in the "Elder Edda" - for example, songs about Sigurd and Atli. The legend is of southern Germanic origin and is best known from the "Song of the Nibelungs". The rules of poetry and the retelling of Old Norse mythology are contained in the "Younger Edda" belonging to the skald Snorri Sturluson (1178-1241).

"The Elder Edda" was translated into Russian three times - the first time by a talented translator and researcher of Old Icelandic literature S. Sviridenko, in Soviet times - A. Korsun, and more recently - V. Tikhomirov, who prepared his translation together with the largest modern Scandinavian medievalist O Smirnitskaya. Before the 1917 revolution in Russia, there were a great many transcriptions and retellings of Old Norse myths. After 1917, only one transcription of these myths for children was published, by Yu. Svetlanov.
Recently, however, an excellent book by the modern Danish writer Lars Henrik Olsen "Eric the Son of Man" has appeared in Russian, which is a written journey through the world of gods and heroes in a fascinating form.