ASA, pl. ASAR, name given to the gods of the Scandinavian mythology; the principal Asar are Odin, Thor, Frey, Balder, Vidar, Ægir, etc. The word seems to be derived from the word As or Az, which in the Zend or ancient Persian language, which forms the link between the Gothic dialect and the Sanscrit, means elevated, powerful, sublime.
ASYNIA, pl. ASYNIOR, name given to the goddesses; the principal Asynior are Frigga, Freya, Iduna, Sif, Gefion, Nanna, etc.
ASAGARD, or ASGARD, is the region, the peculiar territory of the gods. It was supposed to be in the heavens above the earth, and to contain many rich domains and splendid buildings, inhabited by the different gods and goddesses. The most remarkable are the palace of Odin, called Valaskialf; the celebrated banqueting hall or pavilion, called Valhalla: Vingolf the peculiar palace and rendezvous of the Asynior, or goddesses: Trudvang, the domain of Thor: Fensal, the palace of Frigga: Folkvang, that of Freya: Breidablik, that of Balder, besides many others which are given in alphabetical order. Geographically, Asagard or Asgard was the name of a territory and city on the northern border of the Black Sea, from whence the Asiatic Goths originally came. The word gaard in Danish, gard in Swedish, means a walled or hedged inclosure, and is the root of the words yard, court and garden.
ASH, see the word Yggdrassil.
ASKUR is the name of the first man: he and Embla, the first woman, were fabricated from two trees by Bor and Bure; according to others, by Odin, Vil and Ve. Askur and Embla were then placed by their makers in Midgard, to dwell therein, and perpetuate their race. Askur and Embla are in fact the Adam and Eve of the Gothic mythology. Etym.: askr (ash tree).
ASTRILD is the god of love: his name is not to be found in the Edda, but it appears in several of the old Sagas. Etym.: Ast, old Danish word signifying (love) and ild (fire).
AUKTHOR, a name given to Thor: it means Thor the charioteer, from âka (to drive), Swedish verb.
AUDUMBLA, name of the mythologic cow formed by the Fiat of Alfader (the quisquis deorum), at the creation of the universe. By licking the salt rocks in Ginnungagap, she occasioned the birth of Bure, the progenitor of the Asar race. The cow Audumbla represents the organic power of nature acting upon the Chaos. The word, I think, means “development,” from the Icelandic words aud, particle signifying facility, and embla (laborious).