Frigg |
Frigg was an Asynja, fertility-goddess, goddess of love, life, healing, marriage, motherhood, household management and domestic arts, goddess of the sky and protectress, she knew the fates of all men and gods (but didn’t prophesy) and was Odin’s adviser. She was the “Mother-Goddess”, queen of the Aesir and highest goddess of Norse Mythology, but was often confused with the goddess Freyja, who was sometimes set higher than Frigg. There are also passages and sagas where the two goddesses merg into one goddess. Other goddesses who were often confused with or consciously used as being Frigg were Hlin and Saga. She was the favourite wife of Odin and the only one excetp Odin, who was permitted to sit on Odin’s throne Hlidskjalf. Once Odin and Frigg made a wager if Odin’s fosterling Geirröth tortures his guests. Odin went in disguise to King Geirröth and found out that is was the truth. Geirröth died and his son, who was called Agnar, like his uncle, Frigg’s fosterling, became king. She was very wise and knew the destiny of everyone. In this way she saw that her son, Baldr, would die. Being anxious about his life, Frigg made all gods, living being, plants and stones, vow to do him no harm (but forgot the mistletoe or, according to other sources, she thought that the mistletoe was to harmless and not able to to harm her son). Her magic object was the spindle. She was said to have spun the clouds. Other symbols associated with the goddess were the keys, the distaff, the mistletoe and the hawk-plumage, which was another link to Freyja, who too had a hawk-dress. Both goddesses lend it one time to Loki. Her hall called Fensalir (“Water-halls”) and was placed in Asgard. In the Lokasenna, Loki says that Frigg had an affair with Odin’s brothers, Ve and Vili. This story is also told in the Ynglingssaga: once Odin was absent for long time and his people thought he died. It came that his brothers Ve and Vili divided the realm but both took Frigg. But Odin returned and took the realm and his wife back. Frigg was known in many european cultures with just a little bit different names and was often connected with other cultures’ goddesses. One suggested connection is that with german Frau Holle. She also accompenied Odin at the Wild Hunt (see Asgardreid). Germanic Fru Gaue, Fru Wode or Fru Gode, the female leader of the older germanic version of the Wild Hunt seemed to be a female form of Goden (= Godan the lombard form of Wodan = germanic form of Odin). Maybe in ancient times Frigg had a more important and more warriorlike role. There were also things that were named or associated with the goddess.
Prose Edda: Prologus, Gylfaginning IX, XX, XXXV, IL, LI, Skáldskaparmál I, IX, XII, XIX, XXVI, XXVII, XXXII, XLI, Nafnaþulur XXIII; Heimskringla: Ynglingsaga; The Folklore of the Wild Hunt and the Furious Host)
Old Norse: Frigg or Frigga
And next comes one of my favourites: The Vikingqueen. The talented artsits, that sung this song are the Fabulous Sound Sisters (Mirakali and Diana Antara). For informations about the artists and more music click Here.
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