[45] In Sweden there really is an order of the Seraphim, and in Denmark one of the Elephant,—for the Goose and Gridiron we will not vouch.
[46] That ancient and distinguished family are said to read Gen. vi. 4 thus: “And there were Grants in the earth in those days.” The word “giants” being, according to the best authorities in that family, a modern reading.
[47] Bjornstjerna, a not uncommon name in Sweden, signifies “bear’s star.”
[48] Bör, civilized man,—from beran, to bear; the same etymology as that of barn, a child. Ymir, Chaos,—literally, a confused noise; the meaning is, “before civilization had subdued Chaos.”
[49] It must be remembered that the letter o, in Swedish, is pronounced like our oo, and that the g before ä e i ö, as well as the final g, is pronounced like the English y; the word “Modige,” therefore, will be pronounced very like the English word “Moodie.”
[50] Rubus Chamœmorus; called in the country, Möltebär.
[51] Baldur’s Eye-brow—Anthemis Cotula.—Linn.
[52] The Puritan Abbott, Archbishop of Canterbury, got into great trouble from his sporting propensities. One day, as he was shooting with Lord de le Zouch, at Branshill Park, he shot a keeper. According to canon law, a clergyman killing a man becomes, from that time forward, incapable of performing any clerical function; and three Bishops elect refused consecration at his hand,—“Not,” as they said, “out of enmity or superstition, but to be wary that they might not be attainted with the contagion of his scandal and uncanonical condition.” He was re-instated by a committee of Bishops, appointed for the purpose, but never entirely recovered his position.
[53] According to Scandinavian mythology, the sacred ash of Yggdrasil, which typifies the Vital Principle of the world, has seated on its topmost boughs an eagle, bearing perched between his eyes a falcon,—emblematic of Energy and Activity.
[54] According to the Prose Edda, the gods had originally no poetry in their souls. The mead of Poetic Inspiration was in the keeping of the giant Suttung, who entrusted it to his daughter, Gunlauth. Odin made love to her,—obtained possession of the mead, and deserted her. He had, however, the grace to be ashamed of himself, for these are the words of the Hávamál, in which he evidently alludes to this not very creditable passage in his life: