THE FIFTH FABLE.

Of the formation of Afke and Emla.

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HESE were indeed important labours, faid Gangler; but whence came the men, who at present inhabit the world? Har answered, The fons of Bore, as they were walking one day upon the shore, found two pieces of wood floating on the waves. They took them, and made a man of the one, and a woman of the other (A). The first gave them life and foul; the second reason and motion; the third, hearing, fight, speech, garments, and a name. They called the man Afke, and the woman Emla. From these two, are descended the human race; to whom the Gods have affigned a habitation near MIDGARD. Then the fons of Bore built, in the middle of the world, the fortress of ASGARD; where dwell the Gods, and their families (B). There it is, that fo many

wonderful works are wrought on the earth, and

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and in the air. Har added, And there it is that the palace of Odin is situated, called Lidskialf, or the Terror of the Nations. When ODIN is there seated on his lofty throne, he thence discovers every country, he fees all the actions of men, and comprehends whatever he beholds. This wife is FRIGGA, the daughter of Fiorgun. The issue of that marriage is what we call the family of the ASES, that is, of the Gods; a race intirely divine, and which hath built the ancient ASGARD. Wherefore Odin is justly called the UNIVERSAL FATHER; for he is the parent of Gods, and men; and all things have been produced by his power. The Earth is his daughter and wife (c). On her hath he begotten AfaThor (or the God THOR) his first-born. Strength and Valour are the attendants on this God, and therefore he triumphs over every thing that hath life.

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REMARKS ON THE FIFTH FABLE.

(A) "They made a man, &c."] We are come at last to the creation of our species. The circumstances of this fable, shew that it was invented among a people ad dicted to navigation, and fettled in a country furrounded with feas and

lakes. Bartholin conjectures, that the philosophers of the north, in making men spring from the fea, intended to fortify the Scandinavians against the fear, that annihilation was the consequence of being drowned; and to make them regard the sea, as their proper

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Gods, and Men, and all other creatures. This is what the poets express figuratively, when they say that Odin espoused Frigga, or Frea, that is, the LADY, by way of eminence. One cannot doubt, after having read this passage of the EDDA, but it was this fame Goddess, to whom the Germans, according to Tacitus, confecrated one of the Danish ifslands, worshipping her under the name of Herthus, or the Earth : (the English word Earth, as well as the German Erde, being evidently the fame with that, to which Tacitus has only given a Latin termination.) As to the worship that was paid her, fee it described by Pelloutier, in his Hift. des Celtes, Vol. II. c. 8. Though it was by the concurrence of the Supreme God and Matter, that this Universe was produced; yet the ancient philosophers of the north *' allowed a great difference between these two principles: the Supreme God was eternal, whereas Matter was his

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work, and of course had a beginning: all this, in the language of the an cients, was expreffed by this phrase; "Earth is "the daughter and wife " of the Univerfal Fa"ther."

Laftly, from this mystical marriage, was born the God THOR. AfaThor means THE LORD THOR. He was the firstborn of the Supreme God, and the greatest and moft powerful of all the inferior divinities, or intelligences that were born from the union of the two principles. One cannot doubt but it was he, who had the charge of lanching the thunder. In the languages of the north, the name given to this God is still that of the Thunder. When they adopted the Roman Calendar, that day which was confecrated to Jupiter, or the Master of the Thunder, was affigned to Thor; and is called at this day Thorsdag, THURSDAY, or the day of THOR. (See Vol. 1. pag. 96.) To conclude, Adam of Bremen, an au

Fr. Les Celtes