The Book that follows contains many names of beings, places, and things. This Scroll of Names, in the old tradition, provides brief explanations based in most cases on language and the mythology.
Aegir
A most ancient mythological name that means Sea Giant, the water man, a name for the ocean itself. Its etymology is unknown; it may be as in ahwa: water, agna: running water, or the mother language ewa: course.
Aesir
The aesir are stirrers, inciters, and the name for the race of Ases. Ae means ever, and perhaps the aesir are the ever-living, for it is also ansuz from asu: vitality.
Alfadur
All-father, a name of Woden.
Alfheim
One of the Nine Worlds. Home of the race of Light Elves ~ beings with formidable magical powers, exercised variously for the benefit or injury of humankind. The mythology recognizes both dark and light elves.
Arctic Ocean
Arctic means literally: of-the-bear-star, and symbolizes the cold, far north. The Arctic Circle bounds all those stars that never set.
Aryan
Ancient root culture the name of which conceals many meanings.
Asa-Woden
Woden-of-the-Ase-race.
Asgard
Ases' Yard, one of the Nine Worlds.
Ask
The name of the first man, made of ash-wood.
Asvidar
Vidar-of-the-Ase-race.
Audhumbla
Aud: riches, and humbla: hornless, make the name for the primal cow whose four rich streams of milk nourished the giant Ymir. But aud's oldest meaning is also fortune, as in the prosperous lot that may befall one, and is related to the word for heritage.
Avesta
Set of twenty-one lost sacred books.
Balder
The light and beautiful aesir, son of Woden and Frig of whom only good things are told. With Balder's death begins Ragnarok, but he returns to live in the new world after it. Balder's appearance is so beautiful and so bright that light shines from him, and where he lives (in Breidablik: Broad-view) there is no impurity. While the root-word's oldest meaning is white, it developed from lord and hero into bold: stout-hearted.
Balt
One of the dispersed Aryan nations.
Beast 666
Crowley.
Belja
Bellow, the giant killed by Freyr with a hart's horn.
Beli
Bellowing ~ see Belja.
Beltane
Keltic needfire festival of the quarter year.
Berserker
Furious bearskin and wolfhide warriors in shamanic trance that renders them insensitive to fire or pain and in which trance do not bleed; when the fever abates they are weak and tame.
Bestla
Giantess whose name means bast- or bark-less, mother of Woden.
Bhagavad-gita
Song-of-the-divine-one exalting faith and action.
Bifrost
Tremble-roost, the rainbow, foremost of bridges, between Asgard and Midgard. Every day ride aesir thither up over Bifrost, which is also called Asbru (Aesir's Bridge).
Bolthorn
Bale-thorn, giant father of Bestla.
Bor
Bairn or Child, father of Woden.
Brimir
Surfer, the name of the giants' beerhall.
Brisingamen
The golden Shining Necklace, emblem of the stars or the fruitfulness of the Earth; its fire reflected in the shimmering northern lights. Forged by four dwarfs, Freija spent a night with each of them to obtain it, and it is her most precious possession.
Buddha
There is more than one buddha and each may have an earthly life, but there is never more than one in the world at any time.
Buri
Birther, the first human form licked free from the primor~ial ice by the cow Audhumbla; father ofBor and progenitor of the aesir.
Byleist
Brother of Loki. His name means Roar-of-the-Galewind-Lightning.
Christus
The avatar of Israel known as White Kristr, who spawned long-lived Kristni cults.
Christmas
A Kristni cult ritual of Winter Sunstead.
Dagr
Day, son of Nott and Dellingr.
Dain
Singer, a dwarf.
Danmark
Mark is march and border, thus: Borderland-of-Danes, a Teutonic people.
Dark Alfheim
One of the Nine Worlds. Home of the race of Dark Elves, blacker than pitch, and very different from Light Elves.
Dellingr
Dayspring, father of the Sun.
Disir
Virgin Sisters, served in the hall where their looms weave the lots of men.
Drifta
Drift (of snow), a frost giantess.
Druid
Keltic class of priests, teachers, diviners, and magicians; physicians, historians, mathematicians, astronomers. Persecuted and extinct.
Dvalin
Wanderer, a dwarf.
Earth
Giant aesir lord, Thor's mother.
Eggther
Edge-you, a giant.
Egyptian
Dweller in a preholocaust land.
Elf Beam
The Sun.
Elivagar
Ice Waves, the Way-of-the-Storming-Snows, the Milky Way.
Embla
The name of the first woman, made of elm-wood.
English
Teutonic inhabitants of the ancient Land-of-Ing.
ErilaR
Runemaster of the Herulr tribe bound to Woden.
Europe
Legendary land of antiquity, Yore Opening.
Fanshawe
David, audio record note to 'Spirit of African Sanctus'.
Fargard
A division of the Vendidad, a chapter.
Fenris
Fen-dweller (one of Loki ' s offspring), the monster wolfbound by the aesir with the fetter Gleipnir. Thus Woden's bane lies until Ragnarok.
Fensolum
Frig's abode, Fen Chambers.
Fimbultyr
Awesome-divine, a name for Woden.
Fjalar
One of the roosters who crow before Ragnarok. Also a learned giant.
Fjorgynjar
Fair-guni ~ a mountain, a name for Mother Earth, Thor's mother.
Flateyjarbok
Encyclopedic codex history of Norse kings incorporating stories from different sources.
Frank
A Teutonic tribal member.
Freija
Beautiful vanir Mistress of lovers and fertility. Sister to Freyr, she possesses a falcon garment that enables her to fly and the fabled necklace Brisingamen. She taught aesir the magic of seidr. When she rides into the fight, she chooses half the fallen to come to her abode Folkvangr: Folk-Field, and her hall Sessrumnir: Roominess-in-seats.
Freyr
Vanir Master, Lord of fertility. Also known as Ingwaz Freyr, he is brother to Freija, and resides in Alfheim. The boar Golden Bristles pulls his chariot.
Frig
Aesir Woman, Love or Beloved, the silent wise woman who spins her wheel in secret, wife of Woden. Keys hang from her girdle, symbolizing the married mistress of the household. From Fensolum, she attends to the wellbeing of mortals ~ smoothing the paths of lovers, ruling married love, spreading knowledge, and dealing justice.
Frisian
Member of a Teutonic tribe.
Frosti
The giant Frost.
Frost Mane
Name of the horse that brings the night, Hrimfaxi: Rime-mane.
Fylgja
Follower, a person's spirit double, a female or animal guardian fetch or wraith who counsels in dreams. A Fylgja can act or appear instead of the person, but to see one's own means imminent death.
Galdr
Chant, an intoned magic spell.
Gangleri
Goer, vagabond or wanderer, a name of Woden.
Garmr
The Ragged One, the hound whose baying before Gnipahel is one of the signals to Ragnarok when Garmr and Tyr fight each other to the death.
Gaul
A Teutonic tribal member.
Geirskogul
Spear Thruster, a valkyrie.
Gerdr
The giant daughter Girder, the encircling protectress ofthe Earth, and wife to Freyr.
Ginungagap
The boundless deep of all beginnings that was before Earth and Heaven, the magical mouth of creation and sacred illusion.
Gjallarhorn
Yelling Horn, the ringing trumpet Heimdal blows when the Bifrost bridge is violated to begin Ragnarok.
Gleipnir
The supple fetter with which F enris is bound. Dwarfs crafted it of a cat-walk's din, sinews of bears, the shaggy beards of women, roots of mountains, the breath of fish, and the spittle of birds.
Gnipahel
Peak Cave, in front of which Garmr barks.
Godthjodar
Good Nations.
Gondul
Enchanted one, a valkyrie.
Goth
A Teutonic tribal member.
Greenland
A hmd in prehistory.
Grendel
A dragon monster giant.
Gullinkambi
Golden-comb, one of the roosters whose crowmg announces Ragnarok.
Gullveigu
Gold-draught, the personified greed for gold; the thrice purified gold is the conscious soul.
Gungnir
Woden's spear Quailer, that is, to bring into subjection by fear; Runes are carved on its point.
Gunnar
Battler, a valkyrie.
Gunladar
Battle-inviter, the giantess who guarded the mead of the Skalds.
Gymir
A giant, father of Gerdr.
Hamingja
The personification of a person's good fortune and a soul-like protective spirit ~ the shape-grown, or skin-lady.
Har
High, a name of Woden.
Hava
High-one, a name of Woden.
Heimdal
Home-dale, deadly enemy of Loki; they kill each other at Ragnarok. He is called the white aesir and is mighty and holy. He was born of maidens nine and all sisters. His teeth are made of gold; his horse's name is Gulltopper (Goldtuft). Where he abides is named Himinbjorg (Heavenly Mountain) near Bifrost. He is the warden who sits at the gate by heaven's end to guard the bridge against mountain giants. He needs less sleep than a bird. He sees even in night as in day a hundred leagues in front of him. He can hear grass grow in the earth or wool on a sheep's back and hears all that's louder. He has a trumpet that's named Gjallarhorn, and its blast is heard in all the homes.
Hela
The ogress Death, one of Loki's children by the giantess Angrboda (Grief-bringer). Hela was cast by Woden into the abode Niflhel in Helheim ~ not a hell but a residence they can never leave for those who died on land. She was given power over nine homes, to hers must shift all abodes of them sent to her; but those are the sick-dead and the old-age-dead. She has a mighty bulwark, and her gard is exceedingly high and the gates great. Eljudnir (Mind-energy-sprinkle) her chamber is named, Hunger her plate, Famine her knife, Go-slow her thrall, Go-slower her bondmaid, Falling-peril her threshold to go in, Sick-pallet her bed, Bleak Bale the chamber hangings. She is half blue and half with skin tone. Thus is she marked out and rather stooping and fierce.
Helja
Lady Hela.
Helheim
One of the Nine Worlds, Death-home, the dark Other World of illusion.
Hellene
One of the displaced Aryan nations.
Herfadur
Herjafadur.
Herjafadur
Father-of-the-Harriers, a name of Woden.
Herjan's nuns
Herjan is Lord-of-the-Wild-Host, a name of Woden; his nuns are valkyries.
Hildur
Din of battle, a valkyrie.
Hler
A name of Aegir.
Hlinar
A name for Frig; it means Protectress.
Hlodynjar
Hearth-place, a mythical name of the Earth.
Hodmimi's Wood
The Wood of Mimir's Treasure (the Hoard of Mimir - Woden's eye?), the forest of refuge from Ragnarok for Lif and Lifthrasir.
Hodur
The blind aesir Slaughterer is the immensely strong son of Woden who slays Balder with a branch of mistletoe; he is killed at Ragnarok by Vali but returns with Balder after the Earth's green renewal.
Hoenir
The name of one of the aesir who with Lodur and Woden gave the gifts of life to Ask and Embla. He reappears in the new world after Ragnarok; Skalds call him bench-mate or fellow, or Woden's meal- finder and the shooting aesir and long-foot and gold-king.
Holy Roman Church
The Kristni cult institution that held sway for two-thousand years but was neither holy or Roman, nor, ethnographically speaking, a church.
Hroftr
Caller, a name of Woden.
Hrymr
Senile, a giant.
Hudson's Bay
Bay-of-the-Hide-of-Atonement, from a legendary geography.
Hvedrung
Roarer, a giant (perhaps a name of Loki).
Hveralund
Geyser Grove, where Loki lies fettered.
Hymir
Dusk-maker, a giant.
Iarnsaxa
Iron Saber, a giantess who bore Thor two sons, Magni and Modi.
Iceland
The icy land of the Skalds.
Idafelli
Field-of-Action.
India
In Shining, ancient land where many sacred texts were preserved.
Indo-European
Aryan of legend.
Inquisition
A pre-holocaust institution against Kristni heresy that over many centuries burned hundreds and thousands.
Iord
Earth.
Irish
A Keltic people.
Islendingabok
The only surviving work of Ari Thorgilsson. Written at the instigation of Icelandic bishops, it chronicles the spread of Kristni doctrine but its outline history contains an account of the settlement and other events of historical importance.
Israel
The Carry God nation of White Kristr.
Ital
One of the dispersed Aryan nations.
Jarnvidi
The Iron Woods.
Jews
The ancient Yah-Weh's people - followers of the Light of the Elohim. Theirs a religion of exile from the primordial tree in the garden.
Jokul
Icicle, a giant.
Jormungandr
A name for the serpent that encircles Midgard. A compound of two very ancient mythological words; gandr is an enchanted object or the primal supernatural force itself;jormun (it's a name for Woden) implies superhuman vastness: jormun-ground is a term for the Earth, and jormun-thiot for humankind.
Jotunheim
One of the Nine Worlds, Giant Home. Thejotun race is not the only giant race of the mythology; an old saying: 'high like a risi, strong like a jotun, homely like a thurs,' or, tall as a risi (a handsome, long-lived race), strong as ajotun (the true giant), and stupid as a thurs (a demon), notes three giant races. The mythology does not clearly separate them. Some of the giants were human.:like except for their size, some were huge demoniacal beings like the eight-headed Starkadr, while others were monsters as the Midgard Serpent. Intercourse between the aesir (as between vanir) and jotun was frequent and, though many battles were fought between them, they are kin many times over. Buri, the progenitor of the aesir, had a giant to wife. Thor's wife, the giantess Iarnsaxa bore him two sons, Magni and Modi who survive Ragnarok. The giant Hymir is Tyr's father. Gymir's daughter Gerdr was woed by Freyr. Ymir was the first being in existence from whom came the giants of air, fire, water, and earth. Little is known of the last, the bergbui, bergjarl, bergrisis - the mountain giants. Ymir's sons included the water-jotun Aegir from whom with his wife Ran descended Mimir, Gymir, Grendel (all wellknown mythological giants), as well as nine wave maidens - Heimdal's mothers. Also reckoned a son of Y mir is Loki - often characterized as the Flame; the world of fire, however, is ruled by the giant Surtr. The giants of the air were hrim-thursar, rime-giants, also descended from Ymir through his son Kare. Kare had three sons: Beli, Thiazi who had a daughter Skadi, and Thrym who is called lord of the thursar. Thrym's children include Jokul, Frosti, Snoer, and Drifta.
Julius Caesar
Yulean (Big Wheel), Emperor of the Romans.
Kare
Curly, a Skaldic name for the sea, a giant.
Kelt
One of the dispersed Aryan nations.
Kenning
Doctrine, preaching, lesson, teaching, sign, token, knowledge: to name after. Figurative diction of the Skalds, a poetic paraphrase: wave-steed is ship, bone-biter sword; some impossible to solve without knowledge of the corresponding myth: Son-of-Earth is Thor, Ymir's-skull the sky. The language of kennings sometimes approaches that of riddles; the artistry is in the word-picture created.
Kobenhavn
The mythical court at Merchants' Harbor.
Krsna
The incarnated Sun, the avatar of the Bhagavad-gita.
Lif
Life, with Lifthrasir the couple whose great kin-produce people all the homes of the new age after Ragnarok.
Lifthrasir
Life Struggler, see Lif.
Lithuanian
Member of a Baltic tribe.
Lodfafnir
Embracer-of-the-community.
Lodur
Inviter, Bidder. Nothing else is known but the name of this aesir who with Hoenir and Woden gave the gifts of life to Ask and Embla.
Loki
Also counted with the aesir is Woden's blood-brother, who some call aesir's slander-bearer and first-summoner of falsehoods and un-friend to all gods and peoples. He is called Loki (Enlightener, or Lucifer, Light-bringer) or Loptur (Lofty-one), son of the giant Farbauta (Fare-beater). His mother's name is Laufey (Leafy) or Nal (Needle). Loki is peaceful and fair countenanced, ill in temperament, much changeable in habits. His counsel is beyond that of other people, and is slyly pledged and with fraudulence to all lots. He equally comes to help the aesir in difficulties, and often redeemed himself then with wily trickery. His woman's name is Sigyn, with whom he has two sons. His family has still more offspring. Angrboda (Grief-bringer) is the name of an ogress in Jotunheim. With her got Loki three offspring. One was Fenris-wolf, another Jormungandr, that is the Midgard-worm, and a third is Hela. Loki is both hero and deceiver. He steers a ship of monsters and freaks against the aesir at Ragnarok when he fights Heimdal to the death of both.
Magni
Might, son of Thor, who with his brother Modi becomes heir to their father's mighty hammer Mjolnir after Ragnarok.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
An otherwise unknown yoga master.
Mark
Borderland.
Midgard
One of the Nine Worlds, Middle Yard, humanity's home.
Mimir
Rememberer, the thrice-wise jotun lives by the well of peace and consciousness. He is full of wisdom because he drank from the well out of Gjallarhorn. There came Alfadur to bid a drink from the well. But he fetched none, until he laid an eye to abide there as a pledge.
Mjolnir
Miller, the crusher, the name of Thor's hammer that produces thunder and lightning when thrown. After Thor's death at Ragnarok, his sons Modi and Magni inherit it. Mjolnir is feared by the giants as a combat weapon, but its greatest importance is as a culture symbol in the holy sign of the hammer of the ancients.
Modi
The Moody son of Thor. See also Magni.
Moslems
Salaam-people ~ those who resigned themselves to Al-lahu the god.
Muspel
The name of a giant, but not the ruler of Muspelheim. This is a very old and difficult word.
Muspelheim
The first of the Nine Worlds; its name means perhaps Moisture-spoilhome. It is light and hot, and such flaming and burning is too much for those who are outlanders and own no heritage there. One who's called Surtr sits there at land's end as that land's warder. He has a flaming sword, and at the end of the world he will fare and harry and vanquish all gods and bum all the homes with fire.
Myth
Mida, show, see, recognize, mark.
Naglfar
Nail-fare, the ship ofthe dead, built from the uncut nails of corpses. Launched at Ragnarok, it is the largest ship in existence.
Nastrand
Corpse Beach, where the straw-dead (those who died in bed) remain.
Nederlander
Teutonic inhabitant of the Low Lands.
Needfire
Natural fire not kindled but produced by elemental action of sky (lightning) and earth (volcanic), or as reproduced by, for instance, friction.
Needlot
A universal lot that cannot be averted, a necessary happening.
Nidafjollum
Waning Fells, from beneath which Nidhogr flies.
Nidafolr
Wane-pale, a name for Nidhogr.
Nidavollum
Waning Fields, where stood the gold-showered chamber of Sindri's family.
Nidhogr
Reviling-Striker, the dragon. Ever it gnaws the root of Ygdrasil.
Niflheim
One of the Nine (Nebula Home), the world of mist that was before earth and sky. One root of Y gdrasil reaches here where lies the well from which Elivagar springs.
Norfi
A giant.
Norn
A fair chamber stands by the well under Y gdrasil, and from that chamber came three maidens who are named Urd,yerdandi, Skuld. These maidens shape the eras of people. These we call noms. They come to every child who's born, to shape its life. And these are god-intimate, but others are of the elf family, and a third of the dwarf family. Good noms, of good family, shape good ages. But for those people who encounter misfortune, thus chose ill noms.
Norse
A Teutonic people.
Norway
North-Way, land of the Norse.
Nott
The giantess Night.
Od
Inspiration, a husband of Freija.
Odin
Woden, in the northern speech.
Odreri
Ecstacy Rearer, the cauldron of inspiration that contains the poetic mead.
Okolni
Uncold, where the giants' beer-chamber stands.
Orient
Legendary land of the far East.
Ostera
Easter, Lady of Spring.
Persia
A fabulous land.
Ragnarok
Cursed Judgement, it is characterized by the fimbulwinter, the world-fire, the sinking of the Earth, and the darkening of the Sun.
Ran
Seize, wife to Aegir. The drowned belong to her.
Rhyn
River in Europe and the mythology.
Rig
Rigor, who ~ in an Eddic lay ~ begot thrall on great-grandmother, churl on grandmother, and earl on mother.
Risi
The risi are a handsome and long lived race of giants. An old saw has: 'high like a risi, strong like a jotun, homely like a thurs.' The Age-old Saga relates that risis settled then widely, but some were half risis as there was then much together blending of nations, thusly risis caught women in Ymislandi (the lands made of Ymir, the Earth). In very old language rishi is a master, avatar, buddha, mahatma.
Roman Empire
The great Italic realm of concentrated power.
Saga
Sayings, a story, tale, legend, history, first oral, then written.
Sanskrit
A root language.
Saxon
A Teutonic tribal member.
Saxland
Land of the Saxons.
Scandinavia
A late pre-holocaust name for the northern lands, the Beautiful.
Shinin~Mane
Skinfaxi, the horse that pulls daylight.
Sigfadr
Father-of-victory, a name of Woden.
Sigyn
Victory-friend, wife of Loki.
Sindra
Cinder, the dwarf who forged Gullinborsti (Golden Bristles), the boar that pulls Freyr's chariot; Draupnir (Dripper), Woden's arm-ring from which eight equally heavy rings drop every nine nights; Skidbladnir (Stick-blade, made-of-planks), Freyr's ship that has room on board for all the aesir in battle dress, always has a fair wind, and folds to be carried in a bag.
Skadi
Scathe, daughter of the giant Thiazi and mother of Freyr.
Skald
Scold, curse, libel; but first a particular poet who because of the close interaction between alliteration, internal rhyme, syllable-counting meters, and the use ofkennings, were allowed little freedom; but the emphasis on skillful composition within this formal system is all the greater. The mead of poetry is a mythological intoxicating potion that makes a Skald of whoever drinks it. The myth of the theft of the mead by Woden is exceedingly ancient.
Skirni
Sheering (the brightly sparkling one), Freyr's messenger who was gifted his master's sword for wooing the giantess Gerdr.
Skogul
Thruster, a valkyrie.
Skuld
Debt, or Guilt, one of three maidens, the sisters of weird, who laid yore-law for ages-old children Ask and Embla.
Slav
One of the dispersed Aryan nations.
Sleipnir
Slippering, the grey, eight-legged shaman's horse of Woden has Runes on his teeth. Loki, in the form of a mare, conceived him by the giant stallion Svadilfari (Swath Faring, treacherous going).
Slidur
Fearful, a river bubbling with sabers and swords.
Snoer
Snower, a giant.
Sufi
Those who wear cloaks ofsuf(coarse wool), keepers of the past and future Record, summoned with: Come you lost Atoms to your Center draw, and be the Eternal Mirror that you saw: Rays that have wandered into Darkness wide, return, and back into your Sun subside.
Surtr
The Black giant who rules Muspelheim. Surtr's flame makes the world conflagration of Ragnarok when he and Freyr do battle to the death of both.
Sweden
Land of the Swedes, a Teutonic people.
Teiwaz
The transcendent light and inward love, also known as Ju(pitor), Zeus, Ziu, Tuisto, Tiw, Tig, Tyr.
Thiazi
A giant.
Thjodrerir
People Rearer, a dwarf.
Thor
Thunderer is foremost, and is called Asathor (Thor-of-the-aesir) or Akathor (Thor-of-the-yoke). He is the strongest of gods and people. He has a realm that Thrudvangar (Fortitude Fields) is named. But his hall is named Bilskirnir (Measure Sheeringer). Thor has heifers (bucks, he-goats) two: Tanngnjostur (Tooth-gnasher) and Tanngrisnir (Tooth-grinder), and a wagon in which he yokes, but the heifer-goats drag the wagon. Thus is he called Thor of the yoke. He also has three precious possessions, same is the hammer Mjolnir, which rime-thurses and mountain-risis know how it can come at them aloft, and this is not surprising. It has crushed many a skull of their fathers and relatives. Another possession among his best, same is the might-girth. And when he spans this around himself, then waxes his aesir-might by half. The third lot to him is in his mighty grippers. These are iron-gloves. He requires these to blunt the heat of the hammer's handle. The ancients held the sign of the hammer holy.
Thrym
Alarm, the giant who stole Thor's hammer.
Thundur
A name of Woden.
Thurs
A demon giant.
Tir
Tyr.
Turkland
Land of Turks whence Woden came.
Ty
Tyr.
Tyr
There is one aesir who is named Shining. He is the most daring and best minded, and he counsels much victory in wars. It is good for valorous people to call on him. It is proverbial that he is Tyr-valiant who is ahead of others and does not sit before them. He is also wise, such that it is said of who wisest is that he is Tyr-seeing. This is one mark of his daring, that when the aesir locked Fenris-wolf and wanted to lay the fetter Gleipnir on him, he did not trust them to loosen him until they laid Tyr's hand in his mouth as a pledge. But then when the aesir would not loose him, he bit the hand off where is now called the wolf-member (the wrist). And so he is one-handed, and not called peaceful man-maker.
Ulfilar
Wolver.
Upsala
Old Upsala, Swedish secular and religious center.
Urd
Weird, one of three maidens, the sisters of weird, who laid yore-law for ages-old children Ask and Embla.
Urdarbrun
Under the third root of the ash Y gdrasil is a spring that is mighty and holy and is named Weird Spring. There own the gods their judgement-stead. It is said that the noms, who live by Urdarbrun, every day take water from the spring to put on the loam that lies about the spring, and sprinkle it up over the ash for its limbs must never become woody or rotten. But that water is so holy to all lots, that they who come there in that well become so white as the skin that lies within an eggshell.
Valfadur
Father-of-the-fallen, Woden, who is named thus by his adopted sons ~ all those who were slain and fell. For them he equipped Valhalla, and named them only-harriers.
Valhalla
Hall-of-the-fallen, where reside all people who have fallen in war since the upheaving of the homes and have come to Woden. As Gylfi observed: 'I think it must be almighty full of people!' Which is true, and many more will there be, yet they will seem too few when the wolf comes. The hall has 540 doors, and 800 of the only-harriers will march out each door to fight beside the aesir at Ragnarok.
Vali
Balder's avenger, son of Woden by the rape of Rinda. He reappears with Vidar after Ragnarok to live in the new world.
Valkyri
Choosers-of-the-fallen, they pick the worthy battle-slain to carry to Woden whose maidens and shield-girls they are.
Vanaheim
Vanir Home, one ofthe Nine Worlds.
Vanir
The Vanir are those who want or lack. As a race they occupy a position opposite that of the aesir, and their name may allude to their difference: perhaps the aesir have vitality while the vanir lack it and thus are unable to act in the manifested universe except by their seidr-magic relations with the aesir.
Ve
Woden's brother~ one of the triad Woden, ViIi, and Ve, sons of Bor and Bestla in the myth of descent. His name is wiha: celebrate, ordain, devote, dedicate, consecrate, sanctuary, shrine.
Veda
The four Books of Knowledge that originated among the Aryans.
Vendidad
One of the scriptures of the Avesta.
Verdandi
Becoming, one of three maidens, the sisters of weird, who laid yorelaw for ages-old children Ask and Embla.
Vidar
The aesir Wider, at Ragnarok the avenger of his father Woden. Vidar will live in the new world after.
Vigridr
Fight Rider, the plain of the final battle between the forces of Surtr and the aesir-Ied sons of the prime generation.
Viking (properly Vikinger)
In heathen days it was usual for young men of distinction, before settling down, to make a warlike expedition to foreign parts, this voyage was called 'viking,' and was part of a man's education.
Vili
Will, Woden's brother, one of the triad Woden, Vili, and Ve, sons of Bor and Bestla in the myth of descent.
Vingnis
A name of Woden.
Volva
Wand-bearer.
Wales
Land of Wales, a Keltic tribe.
Woden
The aesir of many names ~ one of the triad Woden, ViIi, and Ve, sons of Bor and Bestla in the myth of descent. His name is from odr and wuta and wods; it means: ecstacy, inspiration, fury, possessed, prophet. There is a mighty stead that's named Valaskjalf (Chosen-shelf). That stead is Woden's. It was made by gods and thatched with pure silver, and Hlidskjalf (Openscaffold) is there in this chamber, that high-seat that is so named. And when Alfadur sits in that seat, then he sees about all the homes. The viands that lie on his plate, he gives to two wolves who are named Geri (Greedy) and Freki (Harsh). But no viands needs he. Wine is both his food and drink. Ravens two sit on his shoulders and say in his ears all the tidings of which they see or hear. They are named such: Hugin (Thought, thinking) and Munin (Mind, remembering). Them he sends at dawn to fly about all the homes, and after they come to the breakfast-meal. Therefrom becomes he aware of many tidings. Thus call people him Raven-god. He is also known as Fjolsvidr (Full-wise). His knowledge he got by a draught from Mimir's welL but he had to sacrifice an eye to get it. So he is also referred to as the one-eyed aesir. When he is seen he wears a broad-brimmed hat and a cloak that conceals him. He owns the spear Gungnir, the horse Sieipnir, and the ring Draupnir (Dripper), the arm-ring from which eight equally heavy rings drop every nine nights.
Ygr
A name of Woden that means terrible, fierce, vicious, awful.
Ygdrasil
The World Tree. Because Woden hung on the windy trunk all of nine nights, the tree's puzzling name has been taken to mean Woden's Horse from Woden's name Ygr and Drasil, which (in the fragment of Aldinnsmal) is the name of a horse ridden by Dagr; while a dwarf in Fjolsvinnsmal is named Vegdrasil (translated as Way-horse). The word drasil may be related to the word dross (cast off matter, sloughed off skin, fallen tree-leaves, etc.), and Ygdrasil may mean something like Horrible Dandruff. The ash is of all the trees the best. Its limbs spread over all the homes and stand over heaven. The three roots of this tree hold it up and stand far abroad. One is with the aesir, another with the rime-thurses, the same where Ginungagap spewed forth. The third stands over Niflheim, and under this root is Hvergelmir (Where-yell-moisture, the spring from which Elivagar flowed), but Nidhog gnaws beneath this root. But under the root that to the rime-thurses turns, there is Mimir's spring, in which peace and consciousness is hidden. And Mimir is the one who is at that well. The third root of the ash stands in heaven, and under this root is a spring that is mighty and holy and is named Urdarbrunn. There own gods their judgement-stead. Much is there to say of Ygdrasil. An eagle sits in the limbs of the ash, and he is very knowledgable. But between his eyes sits a hawk with the name Vedurfolnir (Weather- paled). A squirrel, named Ratatoskr (Travel Tusker), runs up and down along the tree and bears words of slander between the eagle and Nidhog. But forty harts run in the limbs and bite the buds.
Ymir
The Teutonic proto-giant. His name is from iemo and means twin, or hermaphrodite; his other name Aurgelmir is loam-yell-moisture; in the Secret Doctrine, primordial matter differentiated from chaos; literally: seething clay. It is written that as the cold stead of Niflheim holds all grim lots, such were ages that know the nearness to Muspel brings heat and light. But Ginungagap lacked the same and its air was windless. When the rime was met with the heat of the breezes, there was such melting and dripping, that from this fell drops of vitality, quickened by what had crafted it and which sent the heat, and it grew into a human likeness who was named Ymir. But rime-thurses call him Aurgelmir, and from thence came the family of rimethurses. But never shall we confess him to be a god. He was ill and all his family. And such is said that when he slept he fetched his sweat. Then waxed under his left hand a man and a woman, and his one foot begat a son with the other. But from there came the families that are rime-thurses. This old rime-thurs we call him Ymir.
Zarathustr
Zoroaster the prophet who left three germs in the world to impregnate a maiden to bear an avatar in each millennium.
Zend
The old Indo-European language of the Avesta.
Zeus
Teiwaz.
