As Odinists, we are polytheists, meaning we believe in many deities.   Our Gods and Goddesses are individuals and are as varied as our own families, hearths and community.   They have their own traits, characteristics and stories, likes and struggles. Below is a list of some of them.   Click on the name of the God or Goddess to read a brief essay about them.

Odin

Frigga

Frey

Freyja

Heimdall

Idun

Baldr

Thor

Loki

Editor’s Note:  When reading through the above articles please note that the words given in parenthesis are the English translation for the name given immediately prior.

*These essays are the collaborative work of Renae De Perio and Kellie Curtis.

**Artwork by Lorenz Frolich

Idunna’s Golden Apples

When Loki finally arrived back inAsgard he found Odin had prepared a mighty feast for him, believing him to still be hungry after trying to cook the meat. The Gods all sat down to eat, and many made fun of Loki and his failed attempt at cooking. When they had finished, they all got up and went to the orchard where Idunna grew her Golden Apples. These were special apples that only the Gods were allowed to eat because they allowed whoever ate them to live forever.
The Gods queued up , ready to each receive their apple for the day. When they all had their apples, Odin called the names of the Runes he had learnt, and of which we shall learn later. Then, the Gods all left the garden to go back to their own Halls.
All, except one. Loki.
After a moment of watching Idunna tending to her apple trees, she asked him, “Why are you still here, watching me? Don’t you have better things to do?”
Loki smiled and replied, “I am just wondering to myself, Idunna. I’m thinking about some apples I saw yesterday, and if they are the same as yours?”
“I can assure you, Loki, “ answered the Goddess, politely, “There are no apples in all the nine worlds that are exactly like mine.”
“No, you’re probably right,” said Loki, with a smile, “These apples I saw yesterday were shinier, and looked and smelled fresher.”
This comment upset Idunna, and because she had never known Loki not to tell her the truth, she began to cry. She couldn’t believe that there were other apples that were better than hers.
“No, Loki, I cannot believe you!” she sobbed, “My Golden Apples must be the fairest ever!”
“Well, you could always go see for yourself?” suggested Loki, with a wicked gleam in his eye, “After all, I was nearly home in Asgard when I saw the tree. You never leave this garden of yours, so you don’t really get to see what else grows in the world. Just on the other side of the Wall, it was.”
Idunna was scared to leave her garden, because she had never left it before, but she held her head high and said, “I will go to see these apples you speak of.”
Loki led the Goddess to the Wall of Asgard, where she climbed over to see the amazing tree. But when she was over the Wall, she heard a flapping sound,. Looking up, she saw a great eagle swoop down and grab her in its talons, carrying her far away from Asgard.
Far away she was carried, across Midgard, past Alfheim, home of the Light Elves and Svartalfheim, land of the Dark Elves, over Nidavellir, the Dwarf lands and Vanaheim, where the Vanir Gods had their Halls.
Eventually, the eagle came to rest in Jotunheim, land of the Giants. He flew through a gap in a mountain, leaving Idunna in a cave lit by tall pillars of fire. He ladned on a rock nearby, and as he did so, the eagle costume fell off him, and he stood before the Goddess as the Giant, Thiassi.
“Why have you brought me here, Giant?” asked Idunna, “ I have not done anything wrong to you.”
“I have brought you here, so that I can have your Golden Apples!” said the Giant.
“But you are not a God in Asgard,” replied the Goddess, “The apples are not for you, and I will not give them to you.”
The Giant got angry at this, and shouted at Idunna.
“Then I shall take them for myself!” he bellowed.
He took the basket she always carried, because Idunna never left her apples, and carried them everywhere with her. But when he took out an apple to eat, it shrivelled up in his hand. He put the basket down. He understood now, that he could only have an apple as long as Idunna gave it to him herself!
“I know you will not give me an apple now,” he said, “But you will stay here until such time that you do!”
Idunna was scared. She was scared of the Giant, Thiassi. She was scared of the cave with it’s pillars of fire. She was scared she would never see Asgard again.
Most of all, she was scared of how the Gods were feeling without the Golden Apples to keep them young forever.
The next day Thiassi came to her again, and again he went away without any apples. This happened the next day, and the next, and the next after that. Still Idunna would not give Thiassi an apple.
And at night, she dreamt. She dreamt of the Gods, withering away, growing old in Asgard. She saw their backs hunch up, their skin start to sag and wrinkle and their hair lose it’s colour and turn white. But try as they might, for as long as they could search, no God could find any trace of Idunna and her apples.
Odin sent out his two ravens Hugin and Munin, his thought and memory to search for the Goddess, and they travelled far and wide, coming at last to settle on his shoulders.
They told of Idunna’s prison in Jotunheim, and that it was the Giant, Thiassi, who kept her there.
And they told of Loki’s nasty trick that had led to her capture.
With this knowledge, Odin went to the other Gods, to talk about what they should do. Odin’s son, the Thunder God Thor, brought Loki before Odin.
Loki, who had never really got on with Thor, turned and asked him what was to be done with him.
“If I had my way,” said the Thunder God, “I would throw you into a hol in the ground and hurl thunderbolts at you! I cannot forgive you for giving Idunna to the Giant!”
“No, please, Thor,” cried Loki, “ No thunderbolts, please! Let me make it up to you! I will rescue Idunna and her apples from Thiassi’s prison!”
So that is what Odin and Thor agreed with Loki, that he would rescue the Goddess Idunna, or else he would be the target of Thor’s thunderbolts.
He borrowed the magickal falcon costume of Odin’s wife, Frigg, and transformed into the bird, flying swiftly to Jotunheim.
Once there, he found Skadi, daughter of Thiassi, and allowing himself to be caught, became her pet and was carried to the Giant’s Hall. One day Skadi took her pet for a walk to the cave where Idunna was kept. Now Loki knew where the Goddess was! He flew up into the dark ceiling of the cave where Skadi couldn’t see him. Crying, the Giant’s daughter ran back home.
When she was gone, Loki flew down to Idunna’s shoulder, and whispered to her of a spell he knew that would change her into a sparrow. But before the spell could work, she had to throw the apples far away from the Giant’s Hall, where Thiassi would never find them.
Then, with the spell working, the falcon and the sparrow flew out of the cave and right past Skadi and her father who were coming to search for her lost pet.
Thiassi immediately knew who the birds were, and turned into the great eagle. Knowing he could fly quicker than they could, he headed straight for Asgard, to catch them when they thought they were safe.
As they got closer to Asgard, the Gods saw them and made huge fires that Loki and Idunna could fly in between, but Thiassi could not.
The eagle could not find a way through, and fell to the ground, where Loki finished him.
With Idunna safe, she was able to fetch more apples, and the Gods felt their youth return to them.

And that was how the Gods nearly grew old and died because of Loki.

Loki’s Tricks Turn Nasty

Odin often liked to walk in Midgard, the land of men, and it was on such day that Loki decided to join him. They walked together until they reached the part of Midgard that was next to Jotunheim, the land of the Giants. Nothing really grew there, and there were no animals. As the two Gods walked through this part of the land, they became hungry but there was nothing to eat anywhere. So, whilst Odin sat down to rest, Loki went off in search of something to eat.
Eventually, he came across a herd of wild cows. The bull of the herd looked like he had lots of meat on him, so Loki killed him and brought him back to Odin, to cook. He made a small fire, and built a spit over the top. Then, he tore the meat into strips, and roasted them on the spit.
When it was cooked, Loki called Odin over to eat, but when he took a bite, he found the meat was still raw.
Loki was upset that he had made a mistake whilst cooking, so he cut some more strips and set about cooking them. When he was sure they were done, he took them off the fire and handed them to Odin. Odin took one bite of them and said “These strips are still raw! What trick is this?”
Loki was angry now as he was sure he had cooked the meat through, and Odin saw this. He knew Loki was not playing tricks. He threw the meat back on the fire, covering it with the embers to bake it, but when he took it out and handed it to Odin, the meat was still as raw as when it was first cut from the bull. Odin guessed that the meat must have been Giant magick and gave up trying to eat, preferring to continue his journey.
Loki, on the other hand, was feeling quite frustrated with the meat. He tried cooking it again in the morning, but as he was taking it off the fire, he heard the sound of flapping wings. Looking up, he saw a great eagle swooping down to rest beside him.
“Having trouble cooking your meal?” the eagle cried in the way eagles do.
“I can’t seem to be able to cook it properly.” said Loki.
“I can cook it for you, if you’d be willing to share it with me.” offered the eagle. A very hungry Loki agreed, and immediately, the eagle took off into the sky. He circled the fire, dropping lower and lower until he was just over it, and then he began to beat his wings furiously. The fire built up into a blaze. Loki threw the meat into the fire, because it was too hot to stand near and place the meat on the spit. Within a minute, the meat was cooked all the way through.
“Now I will take my share!” screeched the eagle, snatching the largest piece from Loki’s hands. The eagle ate the meat, then snatched another piece, and another, then another until it was all gone.
Loki was furious!
Then, the eagle flew up into the air, dived down upon Loki and snatched him up into the air, carrying him away. Loki knew the direction they were going in. They were flying into Jotunheim!
“Loki, Loki, Loki!” screamed the eagle, “At last I have you, you trickster! Now I can tell you that it was my brother you cheated when building the Wall of Asgard! Now I can tell you that you have been captured by Thiassi, cleverest of all Giants!”
They flew and flew, eventually coming to a place in Jotunheim that was all rock and ice. There the eagle left Loki, stranded on an iceberg forever. Even though he couldn’t die, because he was a God from Asgard, Loki was so cold he nearly froze.
The eagle was not seen for some time. When he did return, it was not as the eagle, but as the Giant Thiassi.
“You want to leave that iceberg, don’t you?” questioned Thiassi, “Do you want to return to Asgard, where the other Gods belong?”
Loki said nothing, too cold to speak.
“Funny thing is, Loki, you’re not even a proper God! Your father was a Wind Giant!”
Tears froze on Loki’s face, because he had always thought he was a God, and now he had found out he was only half a God.
“Please, let me leave this iceberg.” he sobbed to the Giant.
“I’ll let you go if you pay me a ransom.” said Thiassi. “I want the secret to the ever-lasting youth of the Gods.”
“The golden apples of Idunna’s Tree? There’s no way I could get them!” shivered Loki.
“Then stay where you are,” replied Thiassi, “At least, until you have thought of a clever trick to get them!”
“There may be one way!” said Loki, thinking as quick as he could. “Idunna always takes her apples with her whenever she goes to Odin’s Hall. If I could get her to leave with me, she’ll bring them too!”
The Giant thought about what Loki had said.
“All you have to do is get her to cross the Wall of Asgard. I will take the apples from her there.” he said, and made Loki swear an unbreakable oath that he would do this. Loki had no choice but to agree, and as soon as he did, Thiassi changed into the eagle again, and carried him back to Midgard. Loki then made his way alone, back to Asgard, and the home he once thought he belonged in.

And that was when Loki’s tricks turned nasty towards the Gods.

By Beth.AOR Age 14 yrs.

Tyr,
Strong and brave,
Fighting justly,
Like the Hero’s of old.
If only Folk can be like you.

By Jardel.AOR Age 13 yrs.

Mother Jorth,
Vast and beautiful,
Spinning slowly,
Like an orb of life.
If only we stopped corrupting you so.

By Alfie.AOR Age 13 yrs.

The Wall of Asgard

The Giants in Jotunheim did not like being kept there, and wanted to live in Midgard and Asgard, as both these places were much nicer. They began to fight against Odin and his children, who were now the Gods in Asgard. This fight became a war between the Gods and the Giants.
Scared that Asgard might be knocked down, Odin decided to build a wall around it. One day, as the Gods were building, a stranger came and spoke to them.
“I could build that wall for you,” said the stranger, “And I could build it in just a year!”
“What would you like us to pay you for this?” asked Odin, knowing nothing comes for free.
“I shall begin work, and within a year I will tell you what reward I ask for.” replied the stranger.
So, after making an unbreakable oath, which is a special promise that can never be broken, the stranger agreed to build the wall in a year. He came back the next day, ready to start work.
“But where are the people who would work with you?” asked the Gods, because all the stranger had with him was a horse. But the stranger started working straight away, and so did the horse. Not carrying the bricks to the stranger like you would think, but laying the mortar and setting the bricks himself! And at night, whilst the stranger slept, the horse carried on working.
The Gods were amazed!
“What reward does the stranger want?” they said, “We have made an oath to pay anything, and we will keep it! His work is so good!”
Odin visited the stranger and asked him what pay he would like.
“I have thought on this long and hard,” replied the stranger, “and I would like Sol (the Sun), Mani (the Moon), and I want the Goddess Freyja to be my wife!”
This made Odin very angry because it was too much to pay. He went back to the other Gods to find out what they thought they should do.
“Without Sol, Mani and Freyja, Asgard will be a dull place indeed!” they said. They were just about to tell the stranger to stop building as the price was too high when Loki the Trickster stepped forward to speak.
“I think I have a plan, Odin,” he said, “Tell the stranger to be finished by the first day of Summer. Tell him, if he does not finish, the deal is broken and we do not have to pay.”
So, Odin returned to the stranger and told him the Gods decision. The stranger, so sure he would be finished by Summer agreed to the deal and got back to work, working extra hard. And, of course, at night his horse continued to work.
The Gods looked on, happy that the wall was being built, but sad because it was getting nearer to Summer and the wall was nearly finished.
Then, on the eve of the first day of Summer, whilst the stranger slept and the horse worked, a mare, which is a she-horse, walked up to the wall and spoke to the horse.
“Oh, wonderful, strong horse, please come for a walk with me in the moonlight?” she asked.
“I have this wall to finish before the morning,” replied the horse, “My master, the Giant, is trying to trick the Gods into giving up Sol, Mani and Freyja.”
“But it is such a wonderful night,” said the mare, “Surely you can spare me a few minutes?”
“I suppose I could spare just a minute,” thought the horse, and followed the mare away from the wall and into a nearby wood.
They walked until they reached a pool where they laughed and played until the sun rose, and it was too late to finish the wall.
When the Giant stranger awoke, he saw the wall was not finished and his horse was missing. He was horrified.
“Why is the wall not finished, stranger?” asked Odin, as he and the Gods came to view the finished wall. “This breaks the oath we had together.”
“My horse has been stolen, you have stolen my wonderful horse!” the Giant shouted at them, but Odin and the Gods picked him up and threw him onto the other side of the wall. And try as he might, the wall was so strong that the Giant could not break it down.
That night, as the Gods relaxed in Asgard, Loki came to see Odin. He explained how he changed himself into a mare to lead the Giant’s horse away. Odin congratulated Loki on a wonderful plan to save Asgard, but secretly he was sad, because Asgard had been saved with tricks and that was not how Odin and the Gods liked to behave.

In the very beginning, there were two worlds. One was called Muspell, the fiery hot home of the Fire Giants, and their leader, Surt. The other was very, very cold and was called Niflheim. In between these two worlds was a big empty space called Ginnungagap, and it was in this space that hot and cold met. And when they met, they made a creature called Ymir. Ymir was the first of the Frost Giants.
From Ymir’s great armpit he sweated two children, and another from his leg, and they were to become the race of Frost Giants.
There was also a cow called Audhumla who fed Ymir on her milk, and licked at the ice of Niflheim to feed herself.
She licked and licked, and eventually the ice took on the shape of a man, named Buri.
Buri then married the daughter of Ymir, and had a son named Bor.
Bor did the same as his father, and had three sons. They were named Odin, Vili and Ve.
Now, Ymir was a Frost Giant with a heart of ice and a fiery temper, and Odin and his brothers got fed up with him. They made a plan to kill him, which they did. From his cuts, blood flowed like the sea and swept away all the Frost Giants except for two who escaped.
With his body they made a world in the middle of Ginnungagap, and used his blood to make the seas. His hair became trees and his bones became the mountains. The worms that crawled in Ymir’s body were shaped like small men, and these became Dwarves who live underground.
Ymir’s skull became the sky and four Dwarves were asked to hold it in place. They were Nordri, Sudri, Austri and Vestri.
Ymir’s brain was thrown into the air and became clouds, and last of all, his eyebrows were taken to make a large wall keeping the Frost Giants out. Sparks from Muspell flew into the air and became the Sun and Moon.
This walled land was called Midgard, and the Giants’ land outside the wall was called Jotunheim.
Above Midgard, Odin, Vili and Ve made a home for themselves and all the children they would have, calling it Asgard.
They also made other lands for the Light and Dark Elves.
When they finished their work they had made nine worlds, and connecting them all was Yggdrasil, the World Ash tree. They were happy with what they had made, and crossed over Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that connects Midgard with Asgard, and made their home.
But one thing was missing. Odin and his brothers looked around Midgard and found an Ash tree and an Elm tree together. They shaped these like a man and a woman, and named them Ask and Embla. They became the parents of mankind in Midgard.

And that is the story of the Creation.

By Jim S. AOR

The heritage of our folk is under attack in many ways, and literature has become one significant battlefield on which it is threatened. Many academics minimize the history of certain terms found in Beowulf. Many translators use their poetic licenses to dilute the Odinic meanings of these same terms. This is a travesty, particularly for our children. They should know a little something about this tale in its original language, which is today often called “Old English.” That doesn’t require a degree in Old English literature, only some basic knowledge of a few Old English words. These words, found in the original language of Beowulf, are god, wyrd, metod, wealdend, drihten, and lif-frea. By learning this small set of words, we can see in many ways the presence of pre-Christian deities in Beowulf. Beowulf in turn can be used to teach our children about their living heritage.

Dual Faith

We must remember that the version of Beowulf to which we have access was written during a period of “dual faith” in England. Recorded in West Saxon in what is now called the Cotton Vitellius A. xv manuscript, the Beowulf story we have dates to some time between 521 and 1026 CE (Slade 2009). During this period, the church still needed to assimilate with the indigenous cultures existing in this area because they found they could not dominate by brute force alone. Documentation in other manuscripts indicates that Odinic practices continued during this window of time in England. One notable example is the practice of King Raedwald, who “set up altars to Christ and to the devil side by side” after his conversion to Christianity and before his death circa 625 CE (Mitchell 1995). It is also important to note that charms referring to gods such as Woden and Erce were recorded by monks during this same period. Karen Louise Jolly offers excellent examples of such attempts at cultural assimilation in Popular Religion in Late Anglo-Saxon England- Elf Charms in Context (1996). A more general overview of the long and arduous process by which the church infiltrated Germanic cultures can be found in James C. Russell’s The Germanization of Early Medieval Christianity (1994).

“God”

“God” is itself a pre-Christian Germanic word. No terms for the Christian god found in Beowulf originate from Latin or Hebrew. They are actually all Germanic in origin. The term “god” is perhaps the greatest example of this, since it was most likely originally a term for any god or goddess rather than one in particular. We find this in the Old English “god” and the Old High German “got” (Robinson 1992). Such words have a common precursor, but exactly what that precursor might be is still open for debate. The common thread in this debate about how the word “god” originated, however, is it was Northern Indo-European. This means that the term “god” comes out of a polytheistic culture. As Roman Christians moved among Germanic peoples, they used the term “god” for a single deity.

“Wyrd”

Another term referring to the Christian god that is more noticeably Odinic is “wyrd.” This term was undergoing a change in meaning during the time that Beowulf was transcribed. In one kind of usage, “wyrd” came to mean simply “an event that has occurred” rather than a spiritual force, as in the term “gewyrth” and “weorthan” (Mitchell). It would be absurd, however, to say that all pre-Christian connotations had been removed, considering the era of “dual faith” in which the Anglo-Saxons still lived. We can see the original meaning of “wyrd” still implemented in Beowulf. In other words, the term appears to refer to the cosmic force that dooms or develops an individual: “Wyrd oft nereth Unfaegne eorl thonne his ellen theah!” (“Wyrd often skirts An undoomed earl when his courage stands”) “Wyrd” still refers to pre-Christian decrees.

“Metod”

Another term used in Beowulf refers to fate as Odinists might understand it: “metod.” Often this word is simply translated as “God” and remains severely unexamined. “Metod” appears to derive from the Old English “ge-met” and relates to the Old High German “mezan,” both meaning “to measure.” One can also see the word’s resemblance to “meter” and “metric.” Consider G. Ronald Murphy’s translation from the Saxon Heliand gospel of the ninth century: “’That ni scal an is liba gio lides anbitan wines an is weroldi: so habed im wurdgiscapu, metod gimarkod endi maht godes.’ “That never in his life will he drink cider or wine in this world: this is the way Fate made him, the Measurer marked him and the power of God [as well].” (Murphy 1989) We see in Murphy’s translation from this Germanized gospel that an entity (or entities) other than the Christian god still rations out, or measures, the length of one’s life and, in turn, one’s destiny. Traces of the Wyrd and the Anglo-Saxon concept of Fate therefore still existed in the writings of Anglo-Saxons at this time.

“Wealdend” and “Drihten”

The power of the lord also still exists during the time of Beowulf’s transcription as we know it. Words such as “wealdend” and, more frequently, “drihten” refer to the Christian god in Beowulf. Yet these same terms are just as often (if not more often) used to describe an Anglo-Saxon lord. The meanings of terms denoting “lord,” however, involve much more than mere legal authority and wealth. The lord in the Germanic world was a source of protection and security, but also of Luck. Tribal kings were often seen as having descended from gods because of their immense power and ability. In the Ynglingsaga, for instance, we find that King Fjolnir was recognized as the son of Frey. Furthermore, the aforementioned Saxon Heliand gospel drastically altered the image of Jesus as meek and defeated. The Heliand author depicts him as a lord to which the twelve disciples are bound as warriors. Thus Christ follows Germanic warrior ethic as explained by Tacitus: “When they go into battle, it is a disgrace for the chief to be surpassed in valour, a disgrace for his followers not to equal the valour of the chief. And it is an infamy and a reproach for life to have survived the chief, and returned from the field. To defend, to protect him, to ascribe one’s own brave deeds to his renown, is the height of loyalty. The chief fights for victory; his vassals fight for their chief.” (Halsall 2009) The church recognized the power of terms indicating lordship, for why else would they be so frequently used? The element of sacral kingship plays a part in many Anglo-Saxon works remaining in our possession. The Heliand gospel is but one example. One can look to the Dream of the Rood and the Anglo-Saxon Rune Charm for further traces of sacral kingship. The spiritual nature of the lord or king is Odinic at its root. These leaders were considered by our ancestors to be born of our indigenous gods, and so words meaning “lord” also point to the original gods of our people. “Drihten” is therefore a word with complex meaning that serves as a teaching moment. Many passages in Beowulf refer to the Judeo-Christian god and Jesus as warring leaders. William Chaney in The Cult of Kingship in Anglo-Saxon England recognizes how compelling such a term as “drihten” could be for the Anglo-Saxons. He examines the magical quality of the Anglo-Saxon king in detail, but also the prevalence of the term “drihten” in both legal documents and poetic works. For Chaney, this is further evidence of “the warping of Scripture” to create a “parallel between God and the king” (1970). “Wealdend” also becomes important because of its meaning of ”ruler.” Similarly, the Old Saxon “uualdan” appears to mean “rule,” and the Old Saxon “uualdand” appears to mean “mighty” (Robinson 1992). Recall the root “wal” in “Walhalla,” and connections become clearer. The “ruler” originally indicated by the term “wealdend,” as with “drihten,” has an ancient Northern Indo-European origin. It therefore connects a spiritual force to the tribal lord or king. An Anglo-Saxon term “al-Wealda” is often translated simply to “God” in modern translations, but with the history of the term in mind, we might glimpse the presence of the “All-Father.”

“Lif-frea”

One of the more recent and most impressive attempts at a complete translation of Beowulf has been Seamus Heaney’s, yet Heaney follows in the footsteps of his predecessors by using culturally deprived and overly Christian terms to translate Old English. Take lines 16 and 17 as an example: “…him thaes Lif-frea, Wuldres Wealdend, worold-are forgeaf.” Heaney translates this as follows: “…so the Lord of Life, The glorious Almighty, made this man renowned” (2000). Heaney uses the term “Lord” here, yet when the term “drihten” appears in his translation, the reader finds the word “God” for its modern translation. This “Lord of Life” is furthermore paired with “the glorious Almighty,” an even more tragic liberty taken that avoids the original meaning of “Wealdend” for the ancient Anglo-Saxon. An alternate translation of “Lif-frea” might be “life-giver,” yet that still does not allow us to fully consider the richness of this term. The Odinist reader, however, will ponder the word “frea,” as they will “Frean” in line 27 (another term Heaney translates to “Lord”). The gods in this way still remain in the language of our ancestors during the time of Beowulf.

The Lesson for our Folk

The Odinic spirit in Beowulf remains, despite invasions both physical and cultural. This story has been propagandized by a foreign power, but the monks who made use of it recognized the undying faith of our people. Otherwise, they would have had no need to distort the multitude of stories, poems, riddles and charms we know of in an attempt to win over the Anglo-Saxon. The very language of the tribes who settled in England had to be repackaged in such a way that they would even begin to consider the worth of the desert cult. Thus Beowulf stands as evidence not only of the period of “dual faith,” but also as a testament to the unconquerable Aryan folk soul.

I encourage you to use Beowulf as a tool for educating our children. Those with a vested interest in revising our history will do their job; we must do ours. The best way to teach the original meanings of the words mentioned above is by purchasing a “dual translation” of the tale. “Dual translation” means the original language and Modern English can be viewed side by side, so one can read with a contemporary translation with ease but refer to the original if interested. Read Beowulf in Modern English, but pause to consider with your children the meaning of words often translated simply as “God.” There is much more behind them than first meets the eye.

Print References

Anonymous. Beowulf. Seamus Heaney, translator. New York: WW Norton & Company, 2000. Chaney, William A. The Cult of Kingship in Anglo-Saxon England. Manchester University Press, 1970. Halsall, Paul. Internet Medieval Sourcebook. Tacitus: Germania. Jolly, Karen Louise. Religion in Late Anglo-Saxon England- Elf Charms in Context. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1996. Mitchell, Bruce. An Invitation to Anglo-Saxon England. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 1995. Murphy, G. Ronald. The Saxon Savior- The Germanic Transformation of the Gospel in the Ninth-Century Heliand. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. Robinson, Orrin W. Old English and Its Closest Relatives. Stanford University Press, 1992. Russell, James C. The Germanization of Early Medieval Christianity- A Sociohistorical Approach to Religious Transformation. Oxford University Press, 1994. Slade, Benjamin. An Introduction to the Structure and Making of the Old English Poem Known as Beowulf.

FREY

Frey, the twin brother of Freyja, is a fertility God. He has control over both sunshine and rain- two elements essential for a successful crop.

Frey lives in the realm of the light elves, which is called Alfaheim (The Realm of Light Elves). It is not known if he was the patron God of the elves or the ruler of them.

Like his sister, Frey is associated with the boar. His boar is named Gullinbursti (Golden Bristle). Gullinbursti lit up the world with its shining bristles as it traveled through the air. Frey also has horse, which is called Blodughhofi (Bloody Hoof).

Frey is the owner of the ship Skidbladnir(Thin Planked). This ship can travel on land, sea or air. It is large enough to carry all the gods and their equipment, but can also be folded up small enough to fit in Frey’s pocket. Another possession of Frey’s is his magic sword, which can fight on its own. He also has a stag’s antler which becomes very useful to him as a weapon during Ragnarok. He had to use the stag’s horn, because he had given his sword to his servant Skirnir, when he asked him to woo the giantess Gerda.

Artwork: “Freyr” by Jacques Reich

FREYJA

Freyja is a fertility Goddess of the Vanir, who is known for her looks. She is the Goddess of beauty and love. It is Freyja that one would turn to for matters of the heart. Freyja is also associated with magic- she is the one who taught seidhr to Odin.

Freyja along with her twin brother Frey and her father Njord, lived in Vanaheim until the end of the war between the Aesir and the Vanir. After the war was over they went to Asgard to live with the Aesir.

The Aesir gave Freyja Folkvang (Folk Field), which was her dwelling in Asgard. Freyja shared half of those who died in battle with Odin and they lived with her in Folkvang. Her hall was called Sessrymnir(Many Seats). Not only was it home to Freyja, but also the wives of the Einherjar.

Freyja was married to Od. He left Freyja behind and traveled the nine worlds. Freyja wandered looking for Od. She was so saddened by his absence that she would weep tears of amber (some stories say they were tears of gold). Hence the precious gem being associated with the goddess.

Freyja’s most prized possession is the necklace Brisingamen (Flaming Torque). The story about how she gained the necklace, is probably the most well known one associated with the Goddess.

Freyja owns a falcon cloak. When she puts it on she can change shape and fly around the world. Other animals associated with the goddess are cats and boars. She rides in a chariot that is pulled by two cats. When she is not riding in her chariot, she rides on a boar name Hildisvini (Battle Swine).

Artwork: “Freyja” by C. E. Doepler

HEIMDALL

Heimdall, the guardian, stands upon Bifrost (Wavering or Trembling way) aka the rainbow bridge. He stands guard ready to blow his horn Gjallarhorn (Resounding Horn)whenever there is danger in Asgard. Heimdall makes a good guardian, he has abnormally good senses. It is said that he can hear grass grow and can see to the end of the world. Heimdall was also known by the name Gullintani (Gold Tooth). He is also known as the “whitest God”. In many stories Heimdall is at odds with Loki, who as we know represents chaos and trickery. Heimdall represents enlightment, whereas Loki represents illusion.

Heimdall’s home is called Himinbjorg (Sky Mountain) and is located near Bifrost. His sword is called Hofund (Heimdall’s Head). He is associated with the ram, which may be because of his horn. The ram is a noble and strong creature. Heimdall owns a horse Gulltopr (Gold Top).

Disguised as Rig, Heimdall travelled to Midgard. There he fathered the three social classes.

Artwork: “Heimdallr” by Lorenz Frolich