Freya

(Introductory comments—Our only lore concerning Freyja's Wanderings after Odh is from Snorri's Prose Edda:

Freyja is most gently born (together with Frigg): She is wedded to the man named Odhr. Their Daughter is Hnoss: She is so fair, that those things which are fair and precious are called hnossir. Odhr went away on long journeys, and Freyja weeps for him, and Her tears are red gold. Freyja has many names, and this is the cause thereof: that She gave Herself sundry names, when She went out among unknown peoples seeking Odhr: She is called Mardöll and Hörn, Gefn, Syr. Freyja had the necklace Brísingamen. She is also called Lady of the Vanir. (Gylfaginning 35. We know of another Daughter of Theirs as well, Gersimi, through Snorri's Ynglinga Saga 10.)

Note that many modern scholars and Norse-Germanic Heathens assume Odhr and Odhinn to be the same God. Suffice it to say that this seems contradicted pretty plainly here by the context (Gylfi is speaking with a threefold Odhinn of Snorri's literary invention: Hár, Jafnhár and Thridhi), not to mention by the much more reliable Voluspá 25 (in which the Volva refers to Freyja as "Odh's Wife" to Her Questioner, Odhinn) and the fact that Odhr is a nominative noun while Odhinn is an adjectival name ("Odh-like"). After the Æsir-Vanir war (in which Odhinn participated) the Æsir seemed to make another marriage a prerequisite for Freyja to be welcome among Them, as Her having Her Twin Freyr as Her Husband was against Æsic ways (Ynglinga Saga 4, 10). She took Odhr (or Odh, Od or Odur in alternate spellings) as Her new Husband, Who despite Snorri's attempts at euhemerization was almost certainly not a man but a God—in this poetic vision He is another of the Vanir (perhaps it was Freyja Who named Old One Eye "Odhinn" because He reminded Her of Odh, eh?).

Some folks even assume that, if Odhr and Odhinn are the same God, then Freyja must be the same as Frigg, Who is known to be Odhinn's Wife. This is even more flatly contradicted by the above sources and others besides.

Here follows a poem on this legend, written in a freely adapted English stave-rhyme form. Notes follow, numbered by verse—Alfgeir Starkhendr, aka Bill the Witch Doctor)

Awoke the Van-Goddess alone in Her bed—
Gone was Her God, went Odh to His wandering.
She cried out for fear, She cried out for fury
And searched in Her sorrow all Holy Sessrúmnir.

Each tear She shed burned as gold bright behind Her,
All glary Her gaze striking all still as stone;
Each step She took set Brísingamen shaking—
Ne'er had Van-Bride been so given to grief.

Sat She upon Her high seat of scrying,
Yet knew She not whither Odh might have gone:
Love's blindness blazed before Her far-seeing;
Love's Lady thus by Her Own love-might bound.

She found at Their harrow His blessing-wand broken; (note 4)
Half-full His mead-horn and ashes yet smoldering.
Sweet was the smoke from bright coals to the breezes;
Gone was Her God—went Odh to His wandering.

Half-wands in Her hands, She clutched for Him closely,
Brought near to Her heart, 'neath Brísingamen's brightness.
At length and in longing She let fall to embers
Sweet mead from the wand-tips, salt tears from Her cheeks.

Half-full His mead-horn She held high and spake:
"I, Vanadís, vow ne'er to slow in My seeking
Till I find Him again, hold Him aye in Mine arms.
Now, blessings be on Us both in Our ways!"

Sought She among all the earldoms of Earth,
In all the realms of Ríg's sons and daughters:
Amid wenders of ways and lords of all lands
Till the greatest of gardhs loomed beneath Her. (note 7)

In streets and in alleys She called for Her Odh,
But naught did She hear of Her Husband's paths.
At crofts and at crossroads She called out His name,
But naught did She hear of the Wanderer's ways.

Where'er She flew wise folk did ask:
"What Lady art Thou Who so longeth in love?
So fair Thy fire that flieth through mine heart,
Welcome Thou art aye in these ways."

(Freyja, to each asker:)

"Freyja am I, and always am with thee—
Look for Me in thy lust and love.
Thy luck will ride well if rememberest rightly
To call upon Me in thy night of need."

Sought She among all the fields and the flowers,
In all the green realms both wild and ruled:
All golden the grains, well-grown and wise,
With the song of Her sig-wives beneath Her. (note 11)

In glades and in gulleys She called out for Odh,
But naught did She hear of Her Husband's paths.
By fells and by folds She called out His name,
But naught did She hear of the Wanderer's ways.

Where'er She went the bees did beseech Her:
"O Queen of all hives, for Thy love dost Thou seek.
Of each seedling and shoot we shall ask of this Wight,
But how art Thou here hight, in Whose name shall we search?"

(Freyja:)

"Hörn am I hight, and Heidhi besides; (note 14)
Find Me in each field of flowers and flax.
I am thine Honey, Gullveig of thy gathering,
As sweetly thou sowest My seers."

Went She among all the woods of the Worlds,
To Myrkvídh the Mighty in Her cat-drawn wain. (note 15)
All black were the boughs there, all scorched were the scarps,
Till saw She the stead of Surt and Sinmara.

(Surt:)

"What have We here? The Mistress of Gib-cats (note 16)
At Múspelheim's gate asking aught of the South.
What seeketh Elda at Doom-fire's door?
What bringeth from bright home on high?"

(Freyja:)

"I ask only of Odh for He has fared far—
Has He come to this gate and gone through?
I have naught of Mine hoard for an answer to give
But My blessing and thanks for your help."

(Sinmara:)

"Well dost Thou know that none may here pass
Who are not of Múspelheim born.
Now get Thee gone ere Thy sweet Brother's Bane (note 18)
Burn Thy wain with His brand for Thy blessing!"

(Freyja, to Surt:)

"If My dear Twin shall fall to Thy fiery tine
By His frith-oaths as offering bound,
Know that in no such wise am I sworn—
Stay, lest gelded Thou greetest this eve!" (note 19)

O'er wide Vimur did Vanadís ford,
Into Járnvídh the Great did She go. (note 20)
Beneath fair boughs and fallen, through thick and through thorn,
Till beheld She a baleful abode.

(Angrbodha:)

"Why hither dost come, O Heidhrún of the heavens? (note 21)
Are Thy bucks no longer so brave
That Thou seekest a mate from the Maurnir's sons—
Vanadís to be Vixen to varg?"

(Freyja:)

"Truly it is for My lover I long,
But not of Thy brood was He born.
I would know if Mine Odh to this World hath wended,
O Witch of the Jotun-wood."

(Angrbodha:)

"I wot naught of what whisperest Thou;
No helpful word have I for Thee.
Now get Thee gone lest as Gray Thou must give (note 23)
Thyself to My wolf-sons as Wife."

(Freyja:)

"Thy wolf-sons have not the heart for this match—
No morn for them might follow.
For Thine answer I thank Thee, though wise Thou wouldst be
More to learn in the matter of manners!"

Sought She now within Svartalfheim; (note 25)
Through dark dales and deep to Dwarf-gate did go.
As a torch in the shadows, the mist She did light
Beneath all the Worlds' dark ways.

From their steading of stone did the four come forth
To greet Brísingamen's Bearer,
Around them the Brísings all bright with love (note 26)
To offer their help in Her need.

(Freyja:)

"By the Ring that you have forged for Me
And the love that I have for your kindred,
I ask if any know aught of Odh's ways,
Any word of whither He goeth?"

(Dvalin, Náin, Dólgthrasir and Aí:)

"We know not where now lingereth Thy love,
Though 'tis sure that in shafts and in mines
If His foot here doth fall, Thou Him shalt find
We will watch without fail in these ways."

Down She drove now to Niflheim (note 29)
With dread in Her heart lest Her love here now dwell.
Through mist-home and myrk hard by Hela's hall
Drew She nigh. Called down its Queen:

(Hela:)

"Why ridest Thou hither, O Life-fire's Lady
To the door of the Lady of Death?
Though I know that Thou wouldst not harry here,
I fear what must herald Thy coming."

(Freyja:)

"Sig-Queen am I o'er Mine Own slain, (note 31)
No need have I for Thine Own.
Only one seek I—is Odh here to be found?
I would give any weregild to free Him."

(Hela:)

"There is no need for Thee to break Thine oaths,
No need to weep at My walls.
Odh is not Mine, in Sleet-cold sleeping. (note 32)
Now, Sig-Queen, go quick with My blessing!"

From the darkest deeps of Nifl-Hel (note 33)
Shot She to the heavenly heights.
Wing-riding the winds to the welkin's roost,
There Vanadís vowed to Vedhfolnir:

(Freyja:)

"Whate'er thou wishest I will give it and more,
O thou Lord of Listi's line, (note 34)
If thou hast seen aught of Mine Odh and wilt say
Any word of where I might find Him."

The highest of hawks his eyes did keen
On each bough and each barrow below.
Betwixt clod and cloud no sign did he see
Of the Hawk Lady's Husband beneath.

(Vedhfolnir:)

"O Huntress, I see all between root and roost—
Neither Worlds nor winds hath He wended.
I may tell Thee no more of the wyrd of Thine hunt,
As sworn I am now to say naught." (note 36)

Through Weather and Wind-blown, and cleaving the Calm (note 37)
Flew Freyja as Falcon through Fair-roof,
Till to the Cloud-deeps of Elf-home She came
And asked of the Alfs there abiding:

(Freyja:)

Who here in the land of Freyja's First Love (note 38)
Will help in Mine hunt for Mine Husband?
The gold of My tears will I give to the wise one
Who may say where Mine Odh might tarry."

(Himinvís, an Alf-chieftain:)

"O Pourer of Dreams, Goddess Beautiful-In-Tears,
Of My Lord Thou art Sister and Sovereign.
In sooth do I say of Thine Odh I know not,
Though e'er Thine eyes we will be."

(Freyja:)

"Wide-Blue and Long-Lying though these realms reach, (note 40)
I swear first My sweetness o'er Færie will rain;
Be given as gold unto Elfin-harrows
Ere My showers I share with the worlds."

Wing-cloaked the Huntress through Wind-weaver high (note 41)
To Fair-wheel did wend in the West.
Ere Sunna did sink in a golden-red glory,
Sought She the shining one's rede:

(Freyja:)

"Beneath thy beams gleam I gold in all guises,
Though I fear that My light may be lost
If I may not find Mine Own fire of love—
Hast thou seen aught of Mine Odh?"

(Sunna:)

"Behold! A new sun doth sear the sky,
Thus as Syr Thou must be hight; (note 43)
Though no Sow know I Who so rideth Her boar
As Thou dost upon Hildisvíni.

"No fear shouldst Thou have for Thy fire of love,
Though of Thine Odh I see naught.
Now go with my blessings upon Thy ways,
And ride not my road in the Wind-home."

As Sunna did set to the Ease-of-Sleep (note 45)
And the Mask of the Night drew nigh,
Star after star did the Bright One beseech
Ere She asked of their Master, the Moon:

(Freyja:)

"Beneath thy beams am I Goddess of Love,
Though now I am weak with its woe.
Where in thy sight hath My Wanderer gone?
This I ask in My night of need."

(Mani:)

"A Rose Thou art under my rays,
Yet upon Thine Own thorn Thou art stung:
The blood burning sweet from Thy petals of love
The red honey sharp from its pangs.

"Beneath my broad beams I behold not Thy love,
Nor in any dark dales of the night—
But go with my blessings upon Thy ways
As dew-drops bejewelling Thy dawn."

At length She alighted in Glasir's Grove, (note 49)
Golden glory of Gladsheim the Great,
And asked of the Æsir the aid of Their ætt
In Her search for the love She had lost.

Hlórrithi did threaten any Odh who would harm, (note 50)
And Frigga spake not (though sure She knew).
Heimdall foreknower unfearing did swear
He would fare with Freyja to find Him.

Now Hár did sit Hlidhskjalf upon (notes 51-52)
And sought with sharp eye for Her Swain,
But through all worlds below and all worlds around
Saw He nothing of help to His Love.

Then read He a yew-rune from His deepest draught
And from spae-sight did speak Her this rede:
"I wot to the widest of woods must Thou wend;
E'er look to the Light of the North."

(Odhinn, off Hlidhskjalf, to Freyja:)

"Gefn, for the good Thou hast given Us, (notes 53-54)
Mayhap this small hope shall help:
May Ullr Thine answer to Thee unveil—
Now hie Thee to Yew-Dales with Heimdall!"

The rune risted Ygg a yew-arrow upon
As was shown Him from Holy Mím's Well.
With this token of troth from the head to the heart
Through wild Vídhi did Vanadís wend.

At wildwoods' far reaches found They Vídhar (note 55)
As the Lights o'er the forest did flow.
Sat She down alongside Her Host still and strong
And besought but a word from the Wordless.

Vídhar uttered naught, yet Vindlér took rede (note 56)
From the Lord of Hlyrnir on high:
Caught He the bolt and cast it below—

(Heimdall:)
"Seek the word Thou wouldst hear from the Sea!"

By the Son of Nine Mothers to Road of Ran sent, (note 57)
Wise-lit by the Shield-God shining,
Betook Herself tearful the Bright One to Brine—
Weeping amber rain into the waters.

Winging whither that rune rode the waves,
So great was the light of Her love
That the brightly clad maidens cried out in joy;
Asked the gold-dight daughters of Ægir:

(The Nine Waves:)

"Who is this shimmering so on the sea,
This Shining upon our Waters?
Naught would we spare for Thy sparkling coils,
For its fire we would give any gold."

(Freyja:)

"Mardöll am I hight, O Moon-ruled maidens, (note 60)
Though My necklace is not fit for nine.
But, for word of Mine Odh, oft will I lend
My fires to brighten your beauty."

(Kölga:) "No other wight hath Odh's wisdom matched"
(Drófn:) "That the Wanderer gathered from Worlds."
(Bylgja:) "When Odh again did wish to go forth,
To fare on some far road unknown,"

(Hronn:) "The Mighty Ones met with Odh in a dream," (notes 62-63)
(Udhr:) "His hand on the Harrow the Great Ones did grasp—"
(Hefring:) "Till beyond the wyrd of the Worlds
Thy God hath to Ginn-Regin gone."

(Blódughadda:) "Long Thou shalt bide ere Him holdest again"
(Dúfa:) "As the lovers Thou hast in Thine hall:"
(Himinglæva:) "But honour Thine Odh—Thine hope shall be whole
And made holy throughout all the Worlds."

Struck by their rede, stood She still on the strand;
Heavy Her heart sank to salt-daughters' breasts.
Lingered She long, Her light glassing with gold
The sea ere Sessrúmnir She sought.

Fared Vanadís back to Folkvang bright,
Well-warded the ways of Love's Hall.
Beyond Holy of Love Their Harrow of Life, (note 65)
Lay the Lady where last She held Odh.

Found She honey-hued Twins, Her two Daughters grown, (notes 66-67)
From blessing and blót were They born:
Of sweet and salt dew that to embers did slip—
The Ginn-Regin's gift to the Giver.

(Freyja:)

"Hnoss Thou art hight, and Gersimi art Thou:
Through My Daughters My Dear Love doth linger.
Not though ninefold were made all the wealth of Mine hoard
Would I yield up one hair from Your heads."

Thus on Life's Holy Harrow burneth Love's Hope
And together They tend to its fire.
Ne'er day hath let die ere She honoured Her Odh,
Nor doth Freyja forget to weep.

Notes:

Verse 4—Harrow is a Saxon-English word for altar.

Verse 7—Ríg is a name for the God Heimdall, Who in one legend fathered humankind. The "greatest of gardhs" in this poetic vision indicates that She searched even in the biggest city in Midhgardh--Byzantium? Rome? Some other?

Verse 11—"Sig-wives" ("Wives of Victory") are bees.

Verse 14—"Hörn" is flax and "Heidhi" could mean either "heath" or "shining/glory." Gullveig is often translated as "Gold-intoxication" and interpreted as greed for wealth—I believe this to be a misunderstanding, and translate Gullveig as "Golden Ecstacy" instead, for Her fires of love and life (not to mention mead!). Freyja in this vision implies that flowers are Her seers, Her eyes in every field and meadowland holy to Her, and honours Her Sig-wives' role in this "wildcrafting."

Verse 15—"Myrkvídh" ("dark-wood") borders Múspelheim, a southern realm of fire. Surt and His mate Sinmara ward its gate and rule Múspelheim, possibly in conjunction with others of that realm.

Verse 16—Gib-cats, or bears, are also possibly associated with Freyja, and there is some debate as to what creatures in fact draw Her wain—perhaps Her cats can shapeshift? "Elda" is a reference to Her association with the elder tree, whose name means "fire."

Verse 18—Surt is foretold to be the slayer of Freyr at Ragnarök, and wields a fiery sword.

Verse 19—"Frith" means "fruitful peace," which characterizes Freyr's aims to a great degree. Freyja is obviously not impressed with Múspel-threats, and bites Surt's head off (as it were).

Verse 20—The Vimur is a river in Jotunheim ("Giant-home"); Járnvídh ("Ironwood") is on its border, in which Angrbodha ("Ill-boder") lives with Her wolf-sons and troll-daughters, the Iron-Witches.

Verse 21—"Heidhrún" ("Shining mystery") is a name associated with Freyja (Hyndluljódh 30-31); it is also the name of a goat living atop Valhöll—whether the latter is Freyja in goat-form is not certain. The Maurnir are the Jotun equivalents to the Nornir, and Angrbodha implies that She is one of Them.

Verse 23—"Gray" ("bitch") is another name associated with Freyja as one Who is not known to be monogamous.

Verse 25—"Svartalfheim" ("Black-elf home") is where Dwarves live, under the Worlds.

Verse 26—"The four" are the Dwarves who forged Brísingamen for Freyja, who in this poetic vision are now the elders of the Brísings, a new Dwarven-kindred. See my poem, "Brísingamen."

Verse 29—"Niflheim" ("Mist-home") is where many of the dead go, to be ruled by Hela in Her hall.

Verse 31—"Sig-Queen" ("Queen of Victory") is a reference to Herself as a War Goddess—see note for verse 11 above in regard to the role of Her Sig-wives, and my poem "Folkvang's Gate."

Verse 32—"Eljudhnir" ("Sleet-cold") is Hela's hall. She is plainly anxious for Freyja to leave.

Verse 33—"Nifl-Hel" ("Misty-Hel") is a region said to be below even Hela's hall—perhaps Freyja even checked here before flying up to the "welkin's roost" (the top of the heavens) to ask Vedhfolnir of Odh. On top of the World-Tree is an (unnamed) Eagle, between whose eyes perches Vedhfolnir, a hawk. My impression is that the Eagle has the clearest normal vision over
all below, while Vedhfolnir even more importantly exercises the clearest seidh- or spae-sight over all below.

Verse 34—Hawks are said to be of the line of Listi, the first hawk (Skaldskaparmál 18).

Verse 36—Vedhfolnir is implying in this poetic vision that he knows more, but cannot say.

Verse 37—"Weather," "Wind-blown," "Calm" and "Fair-roof" are kennings for clouds and clear blue skies. The home of the Light Elves is here, and has been described as "Cloud-abyss" or "Cloud-deeps."

Verse 38—Freyja's First Love is Her Brother Freyr, Who as a tooth-gift was given Alfheim to rule.

Verse 40—"Wide-blue and Long-lying" ("Vidhbláinn" and "Andlangr") are the names of two of the heavens where Elves are known to dwell (Gylfaginning 17).

Verse 41—"Wind-weaver" is another kenning for the heavens; "Fair-wheel" for the sun.

Verse 43—"Syr" ("Sow") is punned here against both Freyja's brightness in the sky and against Her riding Her boar as opposed to vice-versa. Sunna, as with Hela, is anxious for Freyja to leave her vicinity.

Verse 45—"Ease of Sleep" is a kenning for night, and "Mask" for Mani, the Moon, who is male in Germanic gender-reckoning (as in "the Man in the Moon").

Verse 49—Glasir is a grove (or one tree, depending on one's reading) that is the fairest in Gladsheim, the world of the Æsir's ætt, or clan.

Verse 50—Hlórrithi is another of Thor's names. Frigga is said to know the wyrd of all wights, but to be silent concerning this. Heimdall is said to be "foreknowing" as the Vanir are (Thrymskvidha 15).

Verses 51-52—Hár ("High") is another of Odhinn's names, and His seat of vision over the Worlds is named Hlidhskjalf ("High-shelf"). In this poetic vision He does not see Odh with the eye He has remaining in His head, but does see a clue with the eye that He left in Mímir's Well of Rememberance in return for a draught therefrom—truly His "deepest draught!"

Verses 53-54—Having spoken two lines from Hlidhskjalf as His rede to Freyja, He got down, carved the yew-arrow as a token from head (Mímir) to heart (Freyja), and sent Her and Heimdall on Their way northward. Vídhi ("wide" or "wood") is where Odhinn's silent son Vidhar rules.

Verse 56—Vindlér is another of Heimdall's names, and in this poetic vision Ullr is the Lord of Hlyrnir, ("Adorned with heavenly objects"), a northern heaven. He is associated with the Northern Lights.

Verse 57—Heimdall is the "Son of Nine Mothers;" Ullr is also known as the "Shield God;" and "Brine" and the "Road of Ran" are kennings for the ocean. Note that over water Freyja's tears become not gold but amber.

Verse 60—"Mardöll" means "Shining on the Waters" or "Fire of the Sea."

Verses 62-63—The Ginn-Reginn are the Mighty Ones or Great Ones occasionally referred to in the Eddas (Hávamál 142, Alvíssmál 10, 20, 30, and others) to Whom the Gods Themselves seem to invoke in blessings, and perhaps maintain harrows.

Verse 65—The "Holy of Love" is Freyja's and Odh's bed-chamber, next to which in this poetic vision is Their Own harrow, upon which burns the Fire of Life.

Verse 66-67—When She arrived home She found that from the mead-drops and tear-drops that She let fall to Their harrow, two Twin Daughters were born (through the help of the Ginn-Reginn). Freyja holds Them so precious that She named Them after two words for treasure, "Hnoss" and "Gersimi." The Three keep the harrow-fire burning both as Fire of Life and as Freyja's hope for eventually being reunited with Odh.

Artwork by Lamorien.