The Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology

by Annie Keary; Eliza Keary

"She a Hall sees standing than the sun brighter,
With gold bedecked in Gimill.
There shall the righteous people dwell,
And for evermore happiness enjoy."

But again, immediately following these hopeful strains, we are shown the dark-spotted snake—the Eternal Gnawer, with a corpse upon his wings.

"The dark dragon flying from beneath, the glistening serpent,
On his wings bears Nidhögg, flying o'er the plain a corpse."

Our ears are puzzled by the strain, and we cannot catch the melody's last tone. Is it a joy note or a wail? from Gimill's gold roofs, from the shore of corpses? "Who can search into the beginning; who can search into the end?"

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INDEX OF NAMES,
WITH MEANINGS.

SELECTED FROM MALLET'S "NORTHERN ANTIQUITIES," AND FROM THORPE'S "NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY."

• Ægir—The King of the Sea. The name means, "to flow."
• Æsir—Gods or Lords. Singular, As or Asa.
• Alf, Elf—Alfheim, Elfhome.
• Ali or Vali—The name of one of Loki's children. It signifies, "strong."
• Amsvartnir—Name of a lake. It means, "grief, black, gloomy."
• Angurbodi—The mother of Jörmungand, Hela, and Fenrir. The name signifies, "anguish boding."
• Asgard—Literally, "God's-ward," or "the abode of the gods."
• Asyniur—Goddesses.
• Audhumla—The first cow. Signifies, "void, darkness."
• Baldur—Bright, white, bold.
• Barri—The Warm Wood.
• Beli—The stag killed by Frey. Beli signifies, "to bellow."
• Bifröst—Name given to the rainbow. It means, "the Tremulous or Aërial Bridge."
• Bilskirnir—Name of Thor's mansion. It signifies either "bright space" or "storm-serene."
• Bör or Bur—The first hero.
• Bragi—The god of eloquence. From braga, "to shine;" or bragga, "to adorn." Bragr, which in Norse signifies "poetry," has become in English "to brag," and a poet "a braggart." From Bragi's bumper, the Bragafull, comes our word "bragget," and probably, also, the verb "to brew;" Norse, brugga.
• Breidablik—Name of Baldur's abode. It means, "broad-blink, wide-glancing, expanded splendour."
• Brisingamen—Name of Freyja's necklace. From brising "flaming."
• Dain—Signifies, "swoon," or "complete repose." It is the name of one of the four harts which ran about among the branches of Yggdrasil; also the name of a dwarf.
• Draupnir—A ring of Odin, which, after being placed on Baldur's pile, acquired the power of dropping every ninth night eight rings of equal weight with itself.
• Dromi—Name of a chain by which Fenrir was bound, and from which he freed himself. It has since become a proverb in Sweden, "To get loose from Læding, and to dash out of Dromi," when anything is to be done with great exertion.
• Duneyr—Name of one of the harts which lived in Yggdrasil.
• Durathror—Light sleep. Another of the harts.
• Durin—Name of a dwarf. Signifies, "light sleep."
• Dvalin—Torpor. Name of one of the harts; also of a dwarf.
• Einherjar—Chosen heroes.
• Elivágar—Stormy waves. The name of the rivers which flowed forth from Hvergelmir, and hardened into ice in Ginnungagap, the abyss of abysses, situated between Niflheim and Muspellheim.
• Elli—Old Age. She wrestled with Thor in Jötunheim.
• Elvidnir—The entrance-hall of Hela's palace. It means, "wide storm."
• Ermt—Name of a river through which Thor had to wade.
• Fenrir or Fenris Ulfr—Monster wolf, or dweller in an abyss, or howling wolf of the deep.
• Fensalir—Frigga's abode. Fensaloon, or watery deep.
• Folkvang—Freyja's abode. Literally, "the folk's field or habitation."
• Frey and Freyja—Master and mistress, from whence the German word "frau." The names also signify, "mild, joyous, fructifying, beauteous."
• Frigga or Frigg—Free, beauteous, winsome.
• Garm—The dog with bloody breast and jaws who guarded the way to Helheim. From gerr, "voracious," a word probably cognate with English "gorge."
• Gerd, Gerda, or Gerdur—From gera, "to do—make," as in akrgerd, "agriculture."
• Gimli—Name of the heavenly city which existed after the destruction and renewal of the world. Signifies, "fire," or "gem."
• Ginnungagap—The space between Niflheim and Muspellheim. Literally, "the gap of gaps, the abyss of abysses, the yawning, gaping abyss."
• Gjallar-bru—The sounding river leading from the abodes of the living to those of the dead.
• Gjallar-horn—From gjalla, "to resound, to clang." Cognate with the English, "to yell."
• Gjöll—Name of river, meaning "the horizon." It signifies, "sonorous, fulgid," and has reference to the popular belief of the sun's sound when it goes down and when it rises, or when day breaks forth; the skriek of day, our "break of day."
• Gladsheim—Odin's abode. Literally, "glad's home," or "the abode of gladness;" from whence the English word "gladsome."
• Gleipnir—The chain made by dwarfs for the binding of Fenrir. It signifies, "the devouring."
• Gnipa—Cave leading to Helheim.
• Gullinbursti—Golden Bristles. Name of Frey's hog.
• Gulltoppr—Golden Mane. The name of Heimdall's steed.
• Heimdall—Guardian of the rainbow. His name signifies, "the pole or post of the world." The rainbow, when incomplete, is still called by the northern nations Veirstolpe, literally, "a weather-post."
• Hela—The Queen of the Dead. Some say that her name means "intense cold;" others, "a large hole or cavity."
• Helheim—The home of Hela.
• Hermod—The name of Odin's messenger. It signifies, "a host," or "army of courage."
• Himinbiörg—Heimdall's abode. The name signifies, "heavenly mountains."
• Hlidskjalf—The name of Odin's throne, from whence he looked over the earth. It means literally, "a trembling or wavering slope."
• Hödur or Höd—The blind god. His name means, "war, combat."
• Hœnir—The god of mind or perception. He is sometimes called the rapid As, or Long-foot.
• Hringhorn—Literally, "ringed horn." The name of Baldur's ship.
• Hrym or Ryme—Name of a giant, from whence "rime frost."
• Hugi or Hugin—Spirit, breath, thought. The name of one of Odin's ravens.
• Hvergelmir—The roaring cauldron, or spring of hot water, which bubbled up out of Niflheim.
• Hymir—Name of a giant. From hum, "the sea."
• Hyrrokin—Literally, "smoky fire." The name of a giantess.
• Idūna or Idūn—Guardian of the apples of immortality.
• Jarnvid—Iron Wood.
• Jörmungand—Universal serpent.
• Jötunheim—Giants' home. Grimm thinks that the old Norse for giant, iötun, is cognate with the old Saxon eten, and may be derived from eta, "to eat."
• Kerlaug—One of the rivers through which Thor had to wade on his way to the Doomstead.
• Körmt—Another of the rivers through which Thor waded.
• Kvasir—Name of a man killed by dwarfs; also of one of Odin's sons.
• Læding—Name of one of the chains used to bind Fenrir.
• Landvidi—Vidar's abode. Literally, "wide land."
• Logi—Flame.
• Loki—Either flame, or derived from luka, "to shut;" whence the English "lock."
• Lyngvi—The island of sweet broom.
• Magni—The powerful. One of Thor's sons.
• Manheim—The abode of men.
• Mani—The moon.
• Mardöll—Sea-nymph; from whence, perhaps, the English word, "doll."
• Megingjardir—Thor's girdle of might, the belt of prowess.
• Midgard—Name applied to the earth; "middle-ward," or "inclosure."
• Mimer—Guardian of Wisdom's Well. The name signifies, "to keep in memory," or "to be mindful." Mimer's Well was supposed to be situated at that end of the rainbow opposite to Himinbiörg. Mimer drank water from his well out of a horn, whence the popular superstition that a cup is to be found at the end of the rainbow.
• Miölnir—Name of Thor's hammer. It signifies, "to pound or grind;" whence the English word "mill."
• Mödgudur—Name of the woman who stood at the end of the bridge leading to Helheim. It signifies, "courageous," from whence the English word "mood."
• Modi—The name of one of Thor's sons. It signifies, "courage."
• Munin—Name of one of Odin's ravens. It signifies, "memory."
• Muspellheim—The Muspellhome. Muspell means "elemental fire."
• Naglfar—Name of the ship that appears at Ragnarök, made of nails. Nagl means "nail."
• Nanna—Baldur's wife. The name signifies, "daring."
• Nari—One of Loki's sons. The name signifies, "binding."
• Naströnd—Literally, "the shore of corpses."
• Nidhögg—Serpent at the root of Yggdrasil. The name may be rendered "dark gnawer."
• Niflheim—Literally, "nebulous home."
• Njörd—A Van, the universal nourishing power in air and water. There is in the North an aquatic plant still called "Njörd's glove."
• Nöatun—The name of Njörd's home. It means, "the place of ships."
• Nornir—singular Norn—Name given to the Fates.
• Odin—Called by the Saxons Wodan or Woden. Several places still retain the name of Odin in Germany and Sweden, as, also, Wednesbury, in Staffordshire.
• Odur—The name of Freyja's husband.
• [Ragnarök]—The twilight of the gods.
• Ran—Wife of Ægir. Her name signifies, "plunder, robbery."
• Ratatosk—The name of the squirrel which ran up and down Yggdrasil.
• Roska—The sister of Thialfi, Thor's attendant. The name signifies, "quick, lively, active;" from whence comes the English word "rash."
• Sæhrimnir—Name of the boar every evening eaten in Valhalla.
• Sessrymnir—The name of Freyja's hall. It signifies, "seat roomy;" from whence the English word "room."
• Sif—Name of Thor's wife.
• Siguna—Name of Loki's wife.
• Siofna—Daughter of Freyja and goddess of sleep.
• Skadi—The wife of Niörd. Skadi signifies, "the hurtful." Her habitation was Thrymheim, "noise-home."
• Skidbladnir—Name of Frey's ship. The English word "blade," or "leaf," comes from Bladnir.
• Skirnir—Frey's messenger. The name signifies, "serene, pure, clear." The English word "sheer" comes from it.
• Skrymir—Name of a giant. From skrum, "show, brag, feint."
• Skuld—One of the Nornir. Skuld signifies, "what is to come."
• Sleipnir—Name of Odin's horse. He had eight legs. Sleipnir signifies, "smooth, gliding;" from whence the English word "slippery."
• Sol—The sun.
• Surt or Surtur—The fire-god, who lived in Muspellheim. His name signifies, "swart, browned by fire."
• Suttung—A giant, whose name means, "to drink."
• Svartalfheim or Svartheim—Literally, "swart or dark home." It was the region of the dwarfs, or dark elves.
• Thaukt—Name of a witch.
• Thialfi—One of Thor's attendants. Supposed to mean, "the thunder-shower."
• Thiassi—Name of Skadi's father. It signifies, "violent, tempestuous."
• Thor—God of thunder. Also called Ving-Thor, or Winged-Thor; Auku, or Oku-Thor; Chariot-Thor.
• Thrudvang or Thrudheim—Thor's abode. The name signifies, "the region of fortitude," or "dense, closely packed together."
• Thrymheim—Noise-home.
• Tyr—The god after whom Tuesday was named.
• Urd—One of the Nornir. Her name signifies, "past."
• Urda—The name of the sacred fount, which was situated over Bifröst.
• Utgard—The name of the chief city of Jötunheim. Literally, "outer-ward."
• Valhalla—Name of a hall in Gladsheim. It means literally, "hall of the chosen."
• Valkyrior—singular, Valkyria—Odin's maidens. The name means literally, "choosers of the slain."
• Vanaheim—The home of the Vanir.
• Vanir—singular masculine, Van; singular feminine, Vana—The name of the gods of the air and water. Vanr signifies, "empty."
• Vegtam—A wanderer.
• Verdandi—One of the Nornir. Her name signifies, "present."
• Vidar—The silent god. Vidar signifies, "a wood or forest."
• Vidblain—The wide blue.
• Vigrid—Name of the battle-field on which the gods and the evil powers contended during Ragnarök. Vigrid signifies, "battle, ride."
• Vingolf—Abode of the goddesses. Means literally, "the floor of friends."
• Voluspá—The name of an old poem.
• Yggdrasil—The name of the earth tree.
• Ymir—The first giant. Ymir means, "a confused noise."

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