FOOTNOTES:
[7]. Surtur, as interpreted to me by an intelligent Icelander, corresponds pretty nearly to the evil one, the arch-fiend, and great enemy of mankind. The gods, or Æsir, protect and defend man; Surtur is the enemy of them all. The bituminous mineral or mineralized wood found in Iceland, is very inflammable, and known as Surturbrand, or the devil’s fire. The cave of Surtshellir, mentioned on page 109, is an illustration of the character of Surtur; and from this cave, many of the Icelanders to this day believe that Surtur will one day emerge, to destroy the world.
[8]. The names of these rivers are, Svaul, Gunnþrá, Fiörm, Fimbul, Þulr, Slið, Hrið, Sylgr, Ylgr, Við, Leiptur, and Giöll.
[9]. These, after the earth was made, became the stars that filled the heavens.
[10]. The ingenuity of the heathen could not imagine a world created without the power of a deity.
[11]. Oðinn.
[12]. This seems like a heathen version of the history of Noah and the great flood.
[13]. Austri, Vestri, Norðri, and Suðri.
[14]. Miðgarð.
[15]. Yo-tun-hime, or giant’s home.
[16]. Alfaðir.
[17]. The Grimnis-mál.
[18]. A very rare quality for a female, to keep secrets!
[19]. Þor, supposed to be a contraction of Þonar; hence his title, the Thunderer.
[20]. It will be observed that Odin and Thor, in their various attributes, are represented much like Saturn and Jupiter. Thor’s youthful attendants are like the Hebe and Ganymede of Jove.
[21]. He is known as Baldur the Good; and corresponds very nearly to the Apollo of the ancient Greeks.
[22]. Balldursbrá; and so known in Sweden to this day.
[23]. In this he certainly excels the lawyers and judges of the present day.
[24]. There is no account of any of the Scandinavian deities using the razor; not even the weakest and simplest of them; that folly being specially reserved for men. Bragi in preserving the manly appendage, the beard, showed himself in this, as in other things, one of the foremost of his race, and a fit associate for superior intelligences.
[25]. A character much like Ceres.
[26]. In this myth we see a quiet satire on those, who to gratify some darling passion or desire, sacrifice their most valuable possessions.
[27]. A sort of female Æsculapius.
[28]. Their names are Geirölul, Göll, Herfjötur, Hlökk, Hrist, Mist, Radgrid, Randgrid, Reginlief, Skeggold, Skögul, and Þrudur.