Myths of the Norsemen Part 18

Norse Mythology (R. B. Anderson).

The Yule Feast

One month of every year, the Yule month, or Thor's month, was considered sacred to Frey as well as to Thor, and began on the longest night of the year, which bore the name of Mother Night. This month was a time of feasting and rejoicing, for it heralded the return of the sun. The festival was called Yule (wheel) because the sun was supposed to resemble a wheel rapidly revolving across the sky. This resemblance gave rise to a singular custom in England, Germany, and along the banks of the Moselle. Until within late years, the people were wont to a.s.semble yearly upon a mountain, to set fire to a huge wooden wheel, twined with straw, which, all ablaze, was then sent rolling down the hill, to plunge with a hiss into the water.

"Some others get a rotten Wheele, all worn and cast aside, Which, covered round about with strawe and tow, they closely hide; And caryed to some mountaines top, being all with fire light, They hurle it down with violence, when darke appears the night; Resembling much the sunne, that from the Heavens down should fal, A strange and monstrous sight it seemes, and fearful to them all; But they suppose their mischiefs are all likewise throwne to h.e.l.l, And that, from harmes and dangers now, in safetie here they dwell."

Naogeorgus.

All the Northern races considered the Yule feast the greatest of the year, and were wont to celebrate it with dancing, feasting, and drinking, each G.o.d being pledged by name. The first Christian missionaries, perceiving the extreme popularity of this feast, thought it best to encourage drinking to the health of the Lord and his twelve apostles when they first began to convert the Northern heathens. In honour of Frey, boar's flesh was eaten on this occasion. Crowned with laurel and rosemary, the animal's head was brought into the banqueting-hall with much ceremony--a custom long after observed, as the following lines will show:

"Caput Apri defero Reddens laudes Domino.

The boar's head in hand bring I, With garlands gay and rosemary; I pray you all sing merrily, Qui estis in convivio."

Queen's College Carol, Oxford.

The father of the family laid his hand on the sacred dish, which was called "the boar of atonement," swearing he would be faithful to his family, and would fulfil all his obligations--an example which was followed by all present, from the highest to the lowest. This dish could be carved only by a man of unblemished reputation and tried courage, for the boar's head was a sacred emblem which was supposed to inspire every one with fear. For that reason a boar's head was frequently used as ornament for the helmets of Northern kings and heroes whose bravery was unquestioned.

As Frey's name of Fro is phonetically the same as the word used in German for gladness, he was considered the patron of every joy, and was invariably invoked by married couples who wished to live in harmony. Those who succeeded in doing so for a certain length of time were publicly rewarded by the gift of a piece of boar's flesh, for which in later times, the English and Viennese subst.i.tuted a flitch of bacon or a ham.

"You shall swear, by custom of confession, If ever you made nuptial transgression, Be you either married man or wife: If you have brawls or contentious strife; Or otherwise, at bed or at board, Offended each other in deed or word; Or, since the parish clerk said Amen, You wish'd yourselves unmarried again; Or, in a twelvemonth and a day Repented not in thought any way, But continued true in thought and desire, As when you join'd hands in the quire.

If to these conditions, with all feare, Of your own accord you will freely sweare, A whole gammon of bacon you shall receive, And bear it hence with love and good leave: For this our custom at Dunmow well known-- Though the pleasure be ours, the bacon's your own."

Brand's Popular Antiquities.

At the village of Dunmow in Ess.e.x, the ancient custom is still observed. In Vienna the ham or flitch of bacon was hung over the city gate, whence the successful candidate was expected to bring it down, after he had satisfied the judges that he lived in peace with his wife, but was not under petticoat rule. It is said that in Vienna this ham remained for a long time unclaimed until at last a worthy burgher presented himself before the judges, bearing his wife's written affidavit that they had been married twelve years and had never disagreed--a statement which was confirmed by all their neighbours. The judges, satisfied with the proofs laid before them, told the candidate that the prize was his, and that he only need climb the ladder placed beneath it and bring it down. Rejoicing at having secured such a fine ham, the man speedily mounted the ladder; but as he was about to reach for the prize he noticed that the ham, exposed to the noonday sun, was beginning to melt, and that a drop of fat threatened to fall upon his Sunday coat. Hastily beating a retreat, he pulled off his coat, jocosely remarking that his wife would scold him roundly were he to stain it, a confession which made the bystanders roar with laughter, and which cost him his ham.

Another Yuletide custom was the burning of a huge log, which had to last through the night, otherwise it was considered a very bad omen indeed. The charred remains of this log were carefully collected, and treasured up for the purpose of setting fire to the log of the following year.

"With the last yeeres brand Light the new block, and For good successe in his spending, On your psaltries play, That sweet luck may Come while the log is a-tending."

Hesperides (Herrick).

This festival was so popular in Scandinavia, where it was celebrated in January, that King Olaf, seeing how dear it was to the Northern heart, transferred most of its observances to Christmas day, thereby doing much to reconcile the ignorant people to their change of religion.

As G.o.d of peace and prosperity, Frey is supposed to have reappeared upon earth many times, and to have ruled the Swedes under the name of Ingvi-Frey, whence his descendants were called Inglings. He also governed the Danes under the name of Fridleef. In Denmark he is said to have married the beautiful maiden Freygerda, whom he had rescued from a dragon. By her he had a son named Frodi, who, in due time, succeeded him as king.

Frodi ruled Denmark in the days when there was "peace throughout the world," that is to say, just at the time when Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea; and because all his subjects lived in amity, he was generally known as Peace Frodi.

How the Sea became salt

It is related that Frodi once received from Hengi-kiaptr a pair of magic millstones, called Grotti, which were so ponderous that none of his servants nor even his strongest warriors could turn them. The king was aware that the mill was enchanted and would grind anything he wished, so he was very anxious indeed to set it to work, and, during a visit to Sweden, he saw and purchased as slaves the two giantesses Menia and Fenia, whose powerful muscles and frames had attracted his attention.

On his return home, Peace Frodi led his new servants to the mill, and bade them turn the grindstones and grind out gold, peace, and prosperity, and they immediately fulfilled his wishes. Cheerfully the women worked on, hour after hour, until the king's coffers were overflowing with gold, and prosperity and peace were rife throughout his land.

"Let us grind riches to Frothi!

Let us grind him, happy In plenty of substance, On our gladdening Quern."

Grotta-Savngr (Longfellow's tr.).

But when Menia and Fenia would fain have rested awhile, the king, whose greed had been excited, bade them work on. In spite of their entreaties he forced them to labour hour after hour, allowing them only as much time to rest as was required for the singing of a verse in a song, until exasperated by his cruelty, the giantesses resolved at length to have revenge. One night while Frodi slept they changed their song, and, instead of prosperity and peace, they grimly began to grind an armed host, whereby they induced the Viking Mysinger to land with a large body of troops. While the spell was working the Danes continued in slumber, and thus they were completely surprised by the Viking host, who slew them all.

"An army must come Hither forthwith, And burn the town For the prince."

Grotta Savngr (Longfellow's tr.).

Mysinger took the magic millstones Grotti and the two slaves and put them on board his vessel, bidding the women grind salt, which was a very valuable staple of commerce at that time. The women obeyed, and their millstones went round, grinding salt in abundance; but the Viking, as cruel as Frodi, would give the poor women no rest, wherefore a heavy punishment overtook him and his followers. Such an immense quant.i.ty of salt was ground by the magic millstones that in the end its weight sunk the s.h.i.+p and all on board.

The ponderous stones sank into the sea in the Pentland Firth, or off the north-western coast of Norway, making a deep round hole, and the waters, rus.h.i.+ng into the vortex and gurgling in the holes in the centre of the stones, produced the great whirlpool which is known as the Maelstrom. As for the salt it soon melted; but such was the immense quant.i.ty ground by the giantesses that it permeated all the waters of the sea, which have ever since been very salt.

CHAPTER X: FREYA

The G.o.ddess of Love

Freya, the fair Northern G.o.ddess of beauty and love, was the sister of Frey and the daughter of Niord and Nerthus, or Skadi. She was the most beautiful and best beloved of all the G.o.ddesses, and while in Germany she was identified with Frigga, in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland she was considered a separate divinity. Freya, having been born in Vana-heim, was also known as Vanadis, the G.o.ddess of the Vanas, or as Vanabride.

When she reached Asgard, the G.o.ds were so charmed by her beauty and grace that they bestowed upon her the realm of Folkvang and the great hall Sessrymnir (the roomy-seated), where they a.s.sured her she could easily accommodate all her guests.

"Folkvang 'tis called, Where Freyja has right To dispose of the hall-seats.

Every day of the slain She chooses the half, And leaves half to Odin."

Norse Mythology (R. B. Anderson).

Queen of the Valkyrs