Interesting facts about the Norse god Njord. As a compromise, they agreed to spend nine nights at a time in each of their respective halls. Jnsson (1913:110) and Magnsson (1989:671). There is, however, very little that survives of other groups of the Norse pantheon, like the Vanir gods for example. Norse legend told of how the god of light, Balder, was slain by an arrow of mistletoe . His aid was invoked in seafaring and in hunting, and he was considered the god of "wealth-bestowal," or prosperity. Njord did not take his place in Asgard alone. One of the pieces flies into Thor's head, becoming stuck. Njord was therefore an important god in the daily lives of many Scandinavians. "Njord's Desire of the Sea" by W.G. Indeed, Thor himself was, among other things, a god of storms and weather. The Vanir gods as a whole seem to be uniquely Norse. Varr follows his orders. Angered, Hrungnir chases Odin back to Asgard on his horse Gullfaxi whereupon the gods invite him to drink with them. He had virtually no influence from gods outside of the Norse world, leading some historians to conclude that the Vanir represented native gods of the North who developed independently of Germanic tradition. Dumzil thus conceives of Varr as a spatial god. There are also many areas of overlap between those deities and the Hindu storm god Parjanya. Thus, Fjorgynn and Thor are effectively identical, as are Fjorgyn, Jord, and Sif. Few deities from other European religions seem to share his characterization or a linguistic link to his name. Hes also an honorary member of the Aesir gods, having been sent to them during the Aesir-Vanir War along with his son, Freyr, and his daughter, Freya. In this chapter, Njrr is described by the enthroned figure of High as living in the heavens at Natn, but also as ruling over the movement of the winds, having the ability to calm both sea and fire, and that he is to be invoked in seafaring and fishing. [22] In chapter 75, Njrr is included in a list of the sir. A true fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by ice segregation and abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. In her excitement, she forgot the galdr and the shard remained lodged in Thor's head. [15] Chapter 24 begins, which describes Njrr as the father of two beautiful and powerful children: Freyr and Freyja. Work can certainly be irksome, meaning "annoying; irritating; tiresome.". References to either of these giants and/or deities in Old Norse literature are few and far between. Odin is the Norse God of Wisdom, Poetry, and War, and is considered the all-father of the gods. She chose Njord by mistake, thinking him to be Baldur. Etymologists have been able to identify only a few gods from nearby cultures that may be linked to Njord. In addition to controlling the waves and wind, he was believed to be the god of wealth and prosperity. Njord was particularly associated with wealth, fertility, the sea, and seafaring in the Vikings religion. [1][2], The original meaning of the name is contested, but it may be related to the Irish word nert which means "force" and "power". The legendary King Hadingus had many adventures that are not directly influenced by Njords mythology and may have, at least in part, been inspired by historical records of wars and travels of an ancient king. who has borne children.[11]. He was said to not only control the sea and wind, but also to provide wealth and have a role in the fertility of crops. captionposition=center]. These fjords are the fjords of the ancient Norse Gods. "[31], In chapter 80 of the 13th century Icelandic saga Egils saga, Egill Skallagrmsson composes a poem in praise of Arinbjrn (Arinbjarnarkvia). Varr is referenced in the Prose Edda books Gylfaginning and Skldskaparml. To be the ruler of the underworld, you have to be a pretty powerful and terrifying individual. Hadingus married Regnhild, who was allowed to choose her husband from among the men at a feast based on the appearance of his feet alone. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. was sent as a hostage to the gods, 2023 Fjord Tours AS, Nordre Nstekaien 1, N-5011 Bergen, Fjord Tours is a member of Norway's Travel Guarantee Fund. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. [17], Njrr is introduced in Skldskaparml within a list of 12 sir attending a banquet held for gir. While he was not especially strong, he was directly or indirectly responsible for the death of numerous Norse gods and goddesses, including providing the deadly mistletoe that killed Balder, making him a very powerful force. One night old Gunnhild Reinsnos (born in 1746) and Johannes Reinsnos were fishing in the Sjosavatn. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [19] Dumzil stated that he was aligned with both vertical space, due to his placement of his foot on the wolf's lower jaw and his hand on the wolf's upper jaw, and horizontal space, due to his wide step and strong shoe, and that, by killing the wolf, Varr keeps the wolf from destroying the cosmos, and the cosmos can thereafter be restored after the destruction resulting from Ragnark.[19]. Varr's "thick shoe" is described as consisting of all the extra leather pieces that people have cut from their own shoes at the toe and heel, collected by the god throughout all time. Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. This famous trickster deity might not be viewed as traditionally powerful but was nonetheless powerful in many other ways. These mighty Viking warriors followed figures that were even more powerful than they were. While this site provides the ultimate online introduction to the topic, my book The Viking Spirit provides the ultimate introduction to Norse mythology and religion period. The stunning Sognefjord, Norway's longest fjord, stretches all the way from the home of the Jotuns in the east to the coast along Western Norway. After the destruction of Ragnark he would lead the survivors in rebuilding a new world. In Norse mythology, Njrr (Old Norse: Njrr) is a god among the Vanir. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [30] In the Saga of Harald Graycloak, a stanza is given of a poem entitled Vellekla ("Lack of Gold") by the 10th century Icelandic skald Einarr sklaglamm that mentions Njrr in a kenning for "warrior. After just nine days, Njord was miserable. He lost the other one while trying to fight a giant wolf named Fenrir, who also happened to be the son of Loki. "[28], In chapter 14 of Saga of Hkon the Good a description of the pagan Germanic custom of Yule is given. Unfortunately, thats about all that the surviving sources tell us about Njord. Probably the best known of the Norse Gods, thanks in no small part to Marvel basing a superhero on him, Thor, the God of Thunder, is the son of Odin and Jr and the husband of the Goddess Sif. [25], Chapter 5 relates that Odin gave all of his temple priests dwelling places and good estates, in Njrr's case being Natn. The marriage failed because Njrd preferred to live in Natn, his home by the sea, while Skadi was happier in her fathers mountain dwelling place. 13th century inscriptions found in Norway, for example, still use runes to invoke the Valkyries and make no reference to Christian beliefs. After a long war, they had settled on a truce and exchanged high-ranking hostages to ensure the peace. Photo: Nasjonale turistveger [1][2] A saying among the Norse peoples held especially wealthy people to be as rich as Njord.[3]. From this, it has been suggested that it may be an intrinsic quality of jtnar as the "other" that they cannot be restricted to a single location, however, it is to be noted that not all these lands inhabited by jtnar are explicitly described as being jtunheimar. Njord was thus a Vanir god in origin but counted among the Aesir. Being the god of war requires you to be very powerful. A number of theories surround the figure, including theories around potential ritual silence and a Proto-Indo-European basis. He was sent to Asgard to live among the Aesir along with his son Freyr in exchange for the Aesir god Hoenir. [15] The cross features various figures depicted in Borre style, including a man with a spear facing a monstrous head, one of whose feet is thrust into the beast's forked tongue and on its lower jaw, while a hand is placed against its upper jaw, a scene interpreted as Varr fighting Fenrir. In: Pluskowski, Aleks. The image of the Valkyrie is one of the most enduring of the Norse Era. Norse mythology is full of interesting stories, characters and lessons. The two have overlapping realms, but as a god, Njrr is chiefly involved in the sea as cultivated by humans, especially seafaring merchants and merchant ports. Some have interpreted this character as an alternate form of Njord, but etymology makes this unlikely. By using this website, you agree to our use of Cookies and our Privacy Policy. [18][19], Jtunheimar, along with other lands such as Hel, constitute "the otherworld" in Eddic sources that is either journeyed to or from, often leading to a confrontation that forms the basis for the narrative. [14], Sleep I could not Njord was the god of the sea in Norse mythology. Njrr is also mentioned in the Prose Edda books Gylfaginning and Skldskaparml. In Norse mythology, the three burial mounds represent Thor, Odin, and Freyr. gods who was destined to survive Ragnark, gods as a whole seem to be uniquely Norse. All rights reserved. In this legend, Vishnu (in the form of Vamana) tricks the malevolent king Bali, who has secured dominion over the whole Earth, by making Bali promise to grant Vamana all the land he can cover in three paces. After Loki has an exchange with the goddess Freyja, in stanza 33 Njrr states: That's harmless, if, besides a husband, a woman has [16], Theories have been proposed that Varr's silence may derive from a ritual silence or other abstentions which often accompany acts of vengeance, as for example in Vlusp and Baldrs draumar when Vli, conceived for the sole purpose of avenging Baldr's death, abstains from washing his hands and combing his hair "until he brought Baldr's adversary to the funeral pyre". . were always rather lucky when they went fishing. This is followed by an excerpt from a work by the 10th-century skald Egill Skallagrmsson that references Njrr (here anglicized as "Niord"): For Freyr and Niord have endowed Griotbiorn with a power of wealth. The Aesir, meanwhile, were brought into the region by Germanic peoples from the south. If Fjrgynn corresponds to the Lithuanian Perkunas/Slavic Perun/Indian Parjanya, and if Fjrgyn means earth, then Fjorgynn and Fjorgyn would be a pair that corresponds exactly to Thor and his wife Sif and to the wider Indo-European hieros gamos or divine marriage between a sky god and an earth goddess. King Hadingus, who was said to have ruled during the Viking Age, is one such ruler. [16][17], Later in Skldskaparml, Odin rides to Jtunheimar on Sleipnir where he meets the jtunn made of stone Hrungnir and wagers that no horse there was as good as his. Of course, few if any of the Norse gods and goddesses have been noted for their chastity or fidelity, so this passage tells us essentially nothing about Fjorgynn. [41], One of the Vanir, a group of gods within Norse mythology, "Njord" redirects here. Njrr's body is burnt by the Swedes, and they weep heavily at his tomb. Hrbarslj, stanza 56. [aesop_image imgwidth=100% img=http://www.bivrost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Ullr_Balder.jpg align=center lightbox=off caption=The Gods Balder and Ullr according to an Icelandic manuscript from the 17th century captionposition=center]. His translations from Old Norse include The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin), The Saga of the Volsungs: The Norse epic of Sigurd (Penguin), The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki (Penguin), and Grettirs Saga (Oxford). Njrr is often confused with the jtunn god of the sea, gir. Thor, for example, is a typical thunder god while Odin has much in common with other king-like deities. Ullsford Kommune on the Norwegian Online encyclopedia, Balsfjord on the Norwegian Online encyclopedia. Their marriage was short and unpleasant. To save Iunn they sent up a wall of fire in front of him, killing the jtun instantly. [19], "Vidar" redirects here. [14], High states that afterward Skai went back up to the mountains to rymheimr and recites a stanza where Skai skis around, hunts animals with a bow, and lives in her fathers old house. While her origins were likely different, she too was seen as a deity of femininity, sexuality, and romantic love. [38] Some of these similarities include that, in parallel to Skai and Njrr in Skldskaparml, Hadingus is chosen by his wife Ragnhild after selecting him from other men at a banquet by his lower legs, and, in parallel to Skai and Njrr in Gylfaginning, Hadingus complains in verse of his displeasure at his life away from the sea and how he is disturbed by the howls of wolves, while his wife Regnhild complains of life at the shore and states her annoyance at the screeching sea birds. In chapter 4 of Ynglinga saga, Njrr is introduced in connection with the sir-Vanir War. Njord was also a god of wealth and crop fertility. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Instead, she chose Njord. Njords promise of luck did not extend to his own marriage, however. The stanza describes Njrr as a "prince of men," that he is "lacking in malice," and that he "rules over the "high-timbered temple. [5] This phrase can be literally translated as Fjorgynns maiden, which could mean either Fjorgynns daughter or Fjorgynns mistress. The medieval Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson claimed that Frigg was Fjorgynns daughter,[6] but Snorri cant be taken at face value. Njrr has been the subject of an amount of artistic depictions. One thing we dont know is why, at the Northern edge of Scandinavia, in a region which wasnt even all that populated during the Viking age, are two fjords named after the ancestral Gods Ullr and Balder. READ MORE: Epic Fjords of Norway Road Trip. This page was last edited on 5 January 2023, at 17:08. 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