Goddeffes are called Valkyries; Odin fends them into the fields of battle, to make choice of those who are to be flain, and to bestow the victory. GUDUR, ROSTA, and the youngest of the • Destinies or' Fairies * who prefide over Time, viz. SKULDA (or the FUTURE) go forth every day on horfeback to chuse the dead, and regulate what carnage shall ensue. IORD, or the Earth, the mother of Thor; and RINDA, the mother of Vale, ought also to be ranked among the Goddesses. * Islandic, Norn en yngsta, i. e. Nornarum natu Minima. Goranson, T. REMARKS ON THE EIGHTEENTH FABLE. (A) "The principal " is Frigga."] I have already remarked that FRIGGA was the Earth, the spoufe of ODIN, and mother of the inferiour Divinities; and that THOR was her first-born. She, with these two other Gods, made that facred Triad, who were served and attended with so much refpect in the famous Temple of Upfal. Frigga, or Frea, there represented as re was + See Vol. pofing upon cushions be- I. pag. 95. 1 her festivals lasted. Non bella ineunt, faid Tacitus, respecting those seasons, non arma fumunt, claufum omne ferrum; pax & quies tum tantum amata. But as foon as these were over, they made themselves amends for this forced state of quiet, and the God of war was only served with the more activity during the reft of the year. I have nothing to remark concerning the other Goddesses, who are only known to us by the EDDA, and who, for the most part, seem to have sprung from the brains of the northern SCALDS. (B) "EYRA performs "the function of Phyfi"cian to the Gods."] Tacitus informs us that the Germans had no other physicians but their women. They followed the armies to stanch and fuck the wounds of their hufbands. In like manner, all the hiftories and romances of the north always represent the females, and often princefses, charged with this care. The fame thing may be observed of almoft all nations in their infan cy. But no people had ever a stronger confidence in the women's skill in medicine, than our Celtic and Gothic' ancestors. "Persuaded, says Taci 66 tus, that there was fomething divine in " that fex," they fubmitted, when fick, to their opinion and decifion with that implicit confidence, which is due to supernatural knowledge. Indeed all the science of medicine that was employed in those times, was little else but magic applied to the cure of difeases. The evils and the remedies were most commonly nothing else but lots, poffeffions, conjurations and enchantments. And the mountaineers in many parts of Europe, know of no other at this day. The superstition of shepherds and such like people, in this respect, is well known. The prejudices of these poor people, are only reliques of what all heads were once full of. After this, regret who will, the loss of ancient times! (c) "She hath a horse, "which runs over the "air."] "air."] The travels of Goddesses and Fairies through the air, are very common in all the poems and fables of the ancient inhabitants of the north, and most of the nations in Europe have thought in this respect along with them. When in process of time Chriftianity became prevalent, what had been formerly looked upon as a precious gift and signal mark of divine favour, was now regarded as the effect only of diabolic arts. The affemblies of ecclesiastics made very fevere prohibitions, and denounced their anathemas against all those who should travel through the air in the night-time. In the ancient law of Norway, called " Gu 66 66 lathings Lagen," c. I. we find this regulation. "Let the king and the bishop, with all possi"ble care, make inquiry "after those who exercise "Pagan fuperftitions ; "who make use of ma gic arts; who adore "the Genii of particu"lar places, or of tombs, or rivers; and who by "a diabolic manner of 66 "travelling, are tranf "ported from place to " place through the air, " &c." A council held at Rouen, and cited in Burchard, contains a prohibition of the fame nature. (Conc. Rotom. L. I. c. 94. fect. 44.) In fome places the people are still of opinion, even in our own days, that witches are carried to their infernal Sabbaths through the midst of the air, on horseback, ' or at least riding ' aftride certain animals.' (Vid. Keyfler. Antiq. Sept. p. 88,89.) There are few of our popular fuperstitions, but what may be traced up to some opinion, which was confecrated by the ancient religion of the • Goths and' Celts. Nor need we always except those, which feem in fome respects to hold a conformity to doctrines or practices, which the Chriftian religion alone could have taught us. One name substituted for another, and an outside varnish of. devotion cannot so difguise their original, but that it is easily discovered by a skilful eye. 1 THE NINETEENTH FABLE. T Of Frey and Gerde. HERE was a man named Gimer, one of the race of the Giants of the mountains; who had had by his wife Orboda, a daughter named Gerde, the most beautiful of her sex. One day FREY having afcended the throne of the Univerfal Father, in order to take a view of the whole world from thence; perceived towards the north a magnificent palace in the middle of a city, and a woman come out of it, whose hair was so bright, that it gave luftre to the air and the waters. At that fight Frey, in just punishment of his audacity in mounting that facred throne, was struck with fudden sadness, infomuch that upon his return home, he could neither speak, nor fleep, nor drink; nor did any body dare so much as to inquire into the caufe. However, NIORD ordered Skirner, the confident of Frey, to come to him, and charged him to demand of his mafter i 1 master what sworn enemy he had, that me, you shall have in recompence whatever you defire." Skirner undertook to do this if Frey would make him a prefent of his Sword, which was so good, that it would of itself strow a field with carnage, whenever the owner ordered it. Frey, impatient of delay, immediately made him a present of the sword; and Skirner setting out, obtained the young woman of her relations, who promised that she should follow him within nine nights after his departure, and that the nuptials should be folemnized in a place called Barey. Skirner having reported to Frey the success of his embassy; that God, full of impatience, pronounced these verses. "One night is very long; two nights are " still longer; How then shall I pass the " third ? Many a time hath a whole " month appeared to me shorter than the Η 4 " half 1 |