Swain Wodening’s Blog

This post is inspired by a friend of mine on Myspace. His post on the topic of Loki can be seen at What is the appeal of Loke?

Loki is only mentioned in the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, and a few other sources. Both sources come from Iceland, and it is notable that Loki is never mentioned in Saxo’s Gesta Danorum, the other major source for information on Norse myth. Loka Táttur is another significant source of lore on Loki and actually portrays him in a favorable light. This ballad comes from the Faroe Islands, and dates from the 18th century. It is the only one of two sources of information on Loki outside of Iceland. He is also mentioned in the Norwegian Rune Poem. There are potential pictorial depictions of him, but these are cannot be identified with him for certain. There is a figure on the Kirkby Stephen stone in a church in Kirby Stephen, England that shows a horned figure chained and bound.

He is not mentioned in any of the other pantheons of the Germanic peoples. There are, as far as I am aware, no place names, and little folklore surrounding him. It is therefore doubtful that Loki was a major figure in the Norse pantheon. prior to the time of the conversion of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. The Poetic Edda was compiled in the 13th century while the Prose Edda was composed in the same century as was the Norwegian Rune Poem. These dates are all post Conversion. Evidence for all the major deities, and many of the other figures have pre-Conversion references.

It is therefore amazing that Asatruar and other Germanic Heathens bother with Loki at all. Even more amazing is that some are active in his worship. Never the less Loki worship as well as the worship of other ettins is a growing trend amongst some Germanic Heathens. The justification for this is that the Germanic peoples often worshiped land wights which included some ettins and other similar creatures. The point they are missing is these were Earth bound ettins, which are quite different from those that did not live on the plane of Middengeard (Midgard). They therefore cannot be seen as land wights at all. The other justification is that many ettins are related to the Gods either through marriage or blood relation. The point they are missing here is that these are benevolent ettins, which again are quite different from those that oppose Man and Gods. The difference can be seen in the Skírnismál, where Gerðr, an ettiness, is threatened with having to live with other ettins that are vile, and will harm her with evil deeds if she does not marry Freyr. While it is debatable which type of ettins Loki belongs to, the very fact that it is debatable would indicate he is a being not worthy of worship.

Our ancient ancestors respected their ancestors. This began as soon as they had passed from the realm of Middangeard to the great beyond with the funeral. Béowulf gives us an image of what a Heathen funeral may have been like. Béowulf was cremated. This started with the building of the pyre, and the burning of the body with all the grave goods. As the fire burned, the folk mourned. This mourning probably consisted of dirges, wailing, and what we think typical of mourning. After the body was burned, a mound was built to contain the ashes. More grave goods were added, and the mound enclosed. Once the mound was complete, 12 warriors rode around it chanting a dirge, and songs of praise for Béowulf. This was probably typical of the funerals of the age, and gives us some idea of the respect they gave the newly dead. The songs of praise no doubt would be sung again and again at symbels in years to come, and thus keep the memory of the deceased alive. The next event in regards to the newly dead was the erfi or minni as it was called in Old Norse (reconstructed as *ierfealu in Old English). This was a symbel specially dedicated to the recently deceased person done several months after the funeral. At it, the heirs received their inheritance, and the new ancestor was praised in the minni done by their direct heir after he or she took the High Seat.

It did not end there however. Archaeologists have found evidence of the burning of grain in Anglo-Saxon graveyards, such as that at Portway in Hampshire, England, and this is attested to by the 7th century Penitentials of Theodore which forbade, burning grain for the well being of the dead. In addition to this activity of gifting grain to the dead, they were remembered in symbel. Part of the the rite of symbel in ancient times which played an important role was called in Old Norse the minni. The minni consisted of toasts to the ancestors, and was done during husel as well. Also in symbel, as part of the gielp (boast of one’s past deeds) one gave their parentage or ancestry, and this can be seen as an act of respect for the ancestors. Children were named for ancestors, and it was thought they inherited their ancestor’s hamingja or luck. There is plenty of evidence of a deep respect for the ancestors in the lore, and more than enough for a basis of practice today.

So what does this mean for the modern Heathen? Largely, it means perhaps we should try to learn about our ancestry, and give respect to those ancestors we deem worthy. We can do so in the way many of our ancestors respected our ancestors. I have burnt grain at the graves of my parents, and often remember them in the minni or myne (as it would be called in Old English) of symbel. At times during my life I have had an ancestral altar to them in my home with their pictures upon it. A custom we kept in White Sage Kindred of Dallas, Texas was that every Winter Nights we would honor the ancestors of the members. We would set up a special altar to them, and the faining as well as a good part of the symbel was dedicated to them. No doubt as Heathens grow older and pass on I will take part in funerals and erfealas in years to come. Regardless, a part of Heathenry is a deep respect for the ancestors, for their deeds, and keeping their memories alive.

Frith can be translated as “peace,” but it is apparent from uses of the word in the elder languages, and its place in compounds that it meant much more than that. The word frith has its origins in Indo-European *priyas “one’s own.” According to Eric Wodening one’s own kindred or one’s community is implied in this. He further speculates that the original meaning of frith may have been, “the peace enjoyed while among one’s own (that is, one’s family or tribe).” Bosworth and Toller’s An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary defines Old English friþ as “Peace, freedom from molestation, security guaranteed by law to those under special protection.” John Clark Hall’s A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, defines it as “1. peace, tranqility; 2. security, refuge; 3. privilege of special protection and the penalty for the breach of it; 4. the restoration of rights to an outlaw.” Already, we can see that frith means much more than “peace.” It had implications of security as well, and to a degree a sense of preservation of one’s freedom. Several important words are related to the word frith, and derive from the same Indo-European root. Amongst them are Old English fréodom “freedom,” frigian “to love,” and the very name of the Goddess Fríge, and this point to it having a much more complex meaning as well. Frith is also seen in several compound words. Amongst these are Old English friþgeard “frith yard” or “an eclosed space where frith is observed” (used of pagan holy sites in the Christian literature of the time), friþdóm “freedom,” and friþgild or “frith guild.” friþgild is particularly interesting as it refers to the earliest kind of guild. These guilds, first mentioned in the laws of Ine, were a sort of artificial kindred for the recovery of wergild as well as the carrying out of feuds on their members’ behalf. In addition, they would act to clear the name of any member thought innocent of an accused crime. The purpose of such guilds was to maintain the peace, as well as the honor of their members. Thus at times to maintain the “peace” one may have to wage blood feud, frith being much more than simple “peace.”

The words related to it, and the fact it was used of an outlaw’s resitution of rights, implies that frith included not only the concept of “peace,” but that of “freedom” as well. This can be seen in Gronbech’s description of the word in his Culture of the Teutons, “In “frith”, peace, we have the old kinsmen’s own definition of the fundamental idea in their inter-relationship. By frith they mean something in themselves, a power that makes them “friends” one towards another, and “free men” towards the rest of the world. ” Gronbech cautions us though on thinking it means only “peace,” “The frith of earlier days was less passive than now, with less of submissiveness and more of will. It held also an element of passion which has now been submerged in quietism.” This can be seen in the many uses of the word. Frith was applied to the restoration of an outlaw’s rights with the implication that it somehow indicated “freedom” or “civil rights,” and the idea that vengance for a kinsman slain could bring about frith, implies a sense of “justice” as well. Finally, frith implied a sense of unity. Clans and guilds acted as one unit to maintain or restore frith. There is no record of an individual acting on their own in regards to frith (unless it is the breach of it). It was the clan or guild that paid or recieved wergild, and they were the ones that took part in blood feud if need be. Frith only existed amongst members of a tribe. There was no frith between tribes, or individuals of tribes. For the concept of peace amongst tribes we must look to the word grith “temporary peace, truce.”

Cattle die, and kinsmen die,
And so one dies one’s self;
But a noble name will never die,
If good renown one gets.

Cattle die, and kinsmen die,
And so one dies one’s self;
One thing I know that never dies,
The fame of a dead man’s deeds.
(Havamal 76-77)

Each of us
must await the end of this
life. He who wishes will
work for glory before death.
That is best for the warrior
after he is gone.
(Béowulf)

Our spiritual forbears did not hide themselves under rocks. They spoke their true names and given names in symbel, named their ancestries, and then boasted of past deeds, and vowed to do deeds to come. They were proud, almost vain in that they did not hide who they were. The most important thing in their lives was to live a glorious life. A life not spent trying to earn some form of glory was not woth living. No doubt this warrior mentality bled over into everyday life, so that even your average farmer longed to be remembered after death for something. today this is seriously lacking in Heathenry. Most Heathens seem to be content to go on being unknowns, not to try to achieve their fullest potential, but to go on unseen. The problem is, this leaves you forgotten after death, and perhaps could, in my opinion, for which I have no evidence, affect your afterlife. So what is your average, modern Heathen supposed to do? A glorious death in battle is out of the question unless you are in the service. Few of us will ever see the sort of contest of arms that took place in ancient times. Yet, the key here is not necessarily glory in battle, but merely glory. A life of renown just means being remembered, what you are remembered for is up to you. It can be nearly anything from making the finest drinking horns, to writing beautiful poetry or songs, or even just being a gracious host. The key is it is in every Heathen to try to excel at something for which they can be remembered. Each one of us has something, for which the potential of has not been fully explored. For one it may be being a master smith, for another an astute businessman, another may be simply a loving parent, but each of us has the potential to live on in the minds of our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and their folk. Those that do not seek to be remembered truly are not being Heathen, they are not living up to the standard set forth by our spiritual ancestors.

Ancient Heathenry was a gifting culture, gifts played an important role in their lives, and as such generosity is praised as almost the highest virtue. Kings were called beaggiefas in “ring givers” in Béowulf, as well as beaga bryttan, “breaker of rings.” Arm rings were a primary means of wealth as they were made of gold and silver and other precious metals.In Béowulf, Hróðgar gave Béowulf a banner, a helm, a coat of mail, and a sword (line 1020) in return for slaying Grendel. And the Havamal states:

No man is so generous he will jib at accepting
A gift in return for a gift,
No man so rich that it really gives him
Pain to be repaid.
(W. H .Auden & P. B. Taylor Translation)

Gifts were not only given to friends and to others in return for deeds done on one’s behalf, they were also given to those less fortunate.

The Havamal has this to say:

Two wooden stakes stood on the plain,
On them I hung my clothes:
Draped in linen, they looked well born,
But, naked, I was a nobody
(W. H .Auden & P. B. Taylor Translation)

And the Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem says:

Giefu (Gift) is to men - glee and praise,
Support and worship (worthiness) - and to every wretch
Honor and sustenance - that they would otherwise be left without.

Exchanging gifts was thought to create a bond between the two givers. If one were given a gift, they had to give something back in return, or do some deed in return .(Stephen Glosecki, Shamanism and Old English Poetry, 61-66). Not only this, but giving of a gift indicated that either a pledge was being made, or that friendship was desired (Gronbech, Culture of the Teutons, 77-78). There was great power in the giving and getting of gifts. Gronbech had this to say,

“One might safely trust to the gift and give it full power to speak on one’s behalf, for the soul in it would of itself reach in to the obligation, to honor, must bind luck and weave fate into fate, must produce will, or place a new element into it. Therefore, no power on earth can check the effect of a gift halfway, when it has once passed from hand to hand, and therefore, none can resist the spiritual effect of that which he has suffered to come too near.(Gronbech, Culture of the Teutons, 59)”

To be generous therefore was to create many bonds of friendship, as well as many obligations from others to one’s self. This is why kings and lords gave gifts. It ensured that in time of need they could count on folk coming to their aide. Those that were miserly, of course, did not enjoy this advantage.

George F Jones in Honor in German Literature, points out the tale of King R¨rik, a miserly king told in Saxo’s Gesta Danorum :

“In one of them a hero named Hjalte tells of an avaricious king named Rorik, who has accumulated wealth instead of friends and then tries, unsuccessfully, to bribe his enemies to spare him. Because he has been unwilling to give arm rings to his friends, his enemies finally take all his treasure and his life too” (Jones, Honor in German Literature, page 4)

So what does generosity mean to the modern Heathen? Well, largely, the concept unlike other thews does not have to be handled differently due to changes in our host culture. Amongst Theodsmen, lords still gift their thanes, and in the general Asatru community, friends still gift each other. And there are charities like the Frige’s Fund that allows help for the less fortunate. The concepts and rules are the same. What is important is that we gift, and gift often. The Havamal says:

A man should be loyal through life to friends,
And return gift for gift,
(W. H .Auden & P. B. Taylor Translation)

Bibliography

Glosecki, Stephen, Shamanism and Old English Poetry, New York: Garland, 1989

Wilhelm Gronbech, Culture of the Teutons, London: Oxford University Press, 1931.

Jones, George Fenwick, Honor in German Literature, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1959