Myths of the Norsemen - From the Eddas and Sagas. H. A. Guerber

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СКАЧАТЬ C. Dollman

      By Arrangement with the Artist

      The meat upon which the Einheriar feasted was the flesh of the divine boar Sæhrimnir, a marvellous beast, daily slain by the cook Andhrimnir, and boiled in the great cauldron Eldhrimnir; but although Odin’s guests had true Northern appetites and gorged themselves to the full, there was always plenty of meat for all.

      “Andhrimnir cooks

      In Eldhrimnir

      Sæhrimnir;

      ’Tis the best of flesh;

      But few know

      What the einherjes eat.”

      Lay of Grimnir (Anderson’s version).

      Moreover, the supply was exhaustless, for the boar always came to life again before the time of the next meal. This miraculous renewal of supplies in the larder was not the only wonderful occurrence in Valhalla, for it is related that the warriors, after having eaten and drunk to satiety, always called for their weapons, armed themselves, and rode out into the great courtyard, where they fought against one another, repeating the feats of arms for which they were famed on earth, and recklessly dealing terrible wounds, which, however, were miraculously and completely healed as soon as the dinner horn sounded.

      “All the chosen guests of Odin

      Daily ply the trade of war;

      From the fields of festal fight

      Swift they ride in gleaming arms,

      And gaily, at the board of gods,

      Quaff the cup of sparkling ale

      And eat Sæhrimni’s vaunted flesh.”

      Vafthrudni’s-mal (W. Taylor’s tr.).

      Whole and happy at the sound of the horn, and bearing one another no grudge for cruel thrusts given and received, the Einheriar would ride gaily back to Valhalla to renew their feasts in Odin’s beloved presence, while the white-armed Valkyrs, with flying hair, glided gracefully about, constantly filling their horns or their favourite drinking vessels, the skulls of their enemies, while the scalds sang of war and of stirring Viking forays.

      “And all day long they there are hack’d and hewn

      ’Mid dust, and groans, and limbs lopped off, and blood;

      But all at night return to Odin’s hall

      Woundless and fresh: such lot is theirs in heaven.”

      Balder Dead (Matthew Arnold).

      Fighting and feasting thus, the heroes were said to spend their days in perfect bliss, while Odin delighted in their strength and number, which, however, he foresaw would not avail to prevent his downfall when the day of the last battle should dawn.

      As such pleasures were the highest a Northern warrior’s fancy could paint, it was very natural that all fighting men should love Odin, and early in life should dedicate themselves to his service. They vowed to die arms in hand, if possible, and even wounded themselves with their own spears when death drew near, if they had been unfortunate enough to escape death on the battlefield and were threatened with “straw death,” as they called decease from old age or sickness.

      “To Odin then true-fast

      Carves he fair runics,—

      Death-runes cut deep on his arm and his breast.”

      Viking Tales of the North (R. B. Anderson).

      In reward for this devotion Odin watched with special care over his favourites, giving them gifts, a magic sword, a spear, or a horse, and making them invincible until their last hour had come, when he himself appeared to claim or destroy the gift he had bestowed, and the Valkyrs bore the heroes to Valhalla.

      “He gave to Hermod

      A helm and corselet,

      And from him Sigmund

      A sword received.”

      Lay of Hyndla (Thorpe’s tr.).

      Sleipnir

      When Odin took an active part in war, he generally rode his eight-footed grey steed, Sleipnir, and bore a white shield. His glittering spear flung over the heads of the combatants was the signal for the fray to commence, and he would dash into the midst of the ranks shouting his warcry: “Odin has you all!”

      “And Odin donned

      His dazzling corslet and his helm of gold,

      And led the way on Sleipnir.”

      Balder Dead (Matthew Arnold).

      At times he used his magic bow, from which he would shoot ten arrows at once, every one invariably bringing down a foe. Odin was also supposed to inspire his favourite warriors with the renowned “Berserker rage” (bare sark or shirt), which enabled them, although naked, weaponless, and sore beset, to perform unheard-of feats of valour and strength, and move about as with charmed lives.

      As Odin’s characteristics, like the all-pervading elements, were multitudinous, so also were his names, of which he had no less than two hundred, almost all descriptive of some phase of his activities. He was considered the ancient god of seamen and of the wind.

      “Mighty Odin,

      Norsemen hearts we bend to thee!

      Steer our barks, all-potent Woden,

      O’er the surging Baltic Sea.”

      Vail.

      The Wild Hunt

      Odin, as wind-god, was pictured as rushing through mid-air on his eight-footed steed, from which originated the oldest Northern riddle, which runs as follows: “Who are the two who ride to the Thing? Three eyes have they together, ten feet, and one tail: and thus they travel through the lands.” And as the souls of the dead were supposed to be wafted away on the wings of the storm, Odin was worshipped as the leader of all disembodied spirits. In this character he was most generally known as the Wild Huntsman, and when people heard the rush and roar of the wind they cried aloud in superstitious fear, fancying they heard and saw him ride past with his train, all mounted on snorting steeds, and accompanied by baying hounds. And the passing of the Wild Hunt, known as Woden’s Hunt, the Raging Host, Gabriel’s Hounds, or Asgardreia, was also considered a presage of such misfortune as pestilence or war.

      “The Rhine flows bright; but its waves ere long

      Must hear a voice of war,

      And a clash of spears our hills among,

      And a trumpet from afar;

      And the brave on a bloody turf must lie,

      For the Huntsman hath gone by!”

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