PART III.
Heidruna—the immortal goat, whose milk was the hydromel served up nightly at the festivals of Valhalla.
Serimnor—the wild boar, whose flesh served them for food.
Hugo and Mumin—the raven messengers of Odin.
Thor—the warrior god—the eldest son of Odin, who, in his journey over the world, defeated Midgard, and loosened his folds from the earth; he is typical of divine justice and vengeance. In the beautiful fables of the Scalds, he is represented as a stern warrior, armed with an enormous mallet, and wearing a crown of twelve stars. He lived in a palace of Valasciolf, of five hundred and forty halls, and was the ruler and wielder of the thunderbolt.
Forsete—divinity of controversy. I believe this deity is peculiar to the Scandinavians. He lived in a palace called Glitner.
Blind horror—Hoder—whose name was never pronounced by the Scythians without fear and immediate expiation—son of Odin, and born blind—the deity of strength. He was abhorred in heaven, because, from envy, he attacked Balder, threw him from his throne, and put out the sun. Odin interfered, and punished Hoder by the arrows of Vile (lightning), and afterwards restored the sun. It was thus, in their beautiful and fanciful mythology, like the Greeks, and I think no less elegantly, that the Scalds described natural, but not understood events. This story describes an eclipse of the sun, the strong and blind Hoder signifying darkness.
Lofna—goddess of reconciliation. I believe this deity is also peculiar to the Scythians; they have deified her with great propriety. Her post could not have been a sinecure in a paradise where happiness consisted in drinking and fighting.
Hiarn—his story is strictly historical. It was Eric the Third who was so maddened by music as to commit murder for no other cause.
Geysers—boiling spouting springs in Iceland: they are near to Skalholt and Hecla; they spout water to a tremendous and incredible height.
Dofrefeld—a mighty range of Norwegian mountains, intersected by rivers and cataracts.
Dolsteen—a wonderful cavern beneath the Dofrefeld mountains.
Niord—the Scandinavian Neptune.
PART IV.
Uffon—this story is also historical. Shakspeare, who read Danish history, borrowed the circumstance of Vermund’s death for that of Gloster in King Lear.
Lidscialf—the throne of Odin.
Heimdaller—guardian of the bridge Bifrost, or the rainbow, by which the happy dead ascended into Asgard. He received the souls who were selected by the Valkyries, and conducted them to Odin.
Vile—god of archery; son of Odin and Rinda.