Cultural Lit

CULTURAL LITERACY – English II – Week 12

Norse Mythology

1. Alfrodull - Alfrodull is the sun in Norse mythology. "Glory of elves" is the meaning of the name, although other names were also used. A chariot driven by a girl was thought to be the sun. Two horses pulled the chariot; their names were Arvak and Alsvid.


2. Andvaranaut - A magical ring of Norse mythology, andvaranautseeks out gold and was the possession of Andvari until Loki stole it. Andvari hexed the ring so that it gave bad luck and pain to all who beheld it. Loki gave the ring, which he regretted stealing by now, to King Hreidmar of the dwarves, as compensation for the accidental murder of Otter, Hreidmar's son. When Fafnir killed Hreidmar, he took the ring. Some have said that andvaranaut is the basis forthe modern urban legend about the Hope diamond, which is also beautiful and worth a fortune, but is said to bring pain and misfortune to all who hold it.

3. Balmung - A magical sword, Balmung was made by Wayland the Smith. Odin stabbed the Branstock tree, an oak tree in the Volsung palace, with Balmung. Odin then said that he who could pull the sword from the tree is destined to win inbattle. Nine of the Volsung princes tried to take the sword, but only the youngest ever got it out. His name was Sigmund.

4. Wayland – Wayland is the god of blacksmithing. He and his two brothers married swan-princesses and they lived in peace for a time. Then his wife left him and the king, Nidud, captured the smith and took him to his island kingdom. To prevent Wayland from escaping, Nidudordered his man to cut the sinews of Wayland's leg. Wayland took vengeance on the king by killing Nidud's sons when they came to visit the smithy. From their skulls he fashioned exquisite goblets, which he gave to the king, and from their eyes he made beautiful jewels, which were presented to the queen.

5. Ask and Embla - After Odin and his two brothers Ve and Vili had created the universe andthe nine worlds, they walked on the beach where they came upon two logs of wood which were washed ashore. They picked the logs up and give them a humanoid shape. Odin breathed into them the spirit of live, Vili gave them sharp wits and feeling hearts, and Ve bestowed upon them the senses, expressive features, and speech. Furthermore, the brothers provided them with names and clothes. The male theynamed Ask ("ash") and the female the named Embla ("elm"). Ask and Embla became the progenitors of the human race and Midgard was given to them as their residence.

6. Ymir - Ymir is an ancient giant and the progenitor (ancestor in the direct line) of the race of frost giants. Odin and his brothers had no liking for Ymir, nor for the growing number of giants, and killed him. In the huge amountof blood that flowed from Ymir's wounds all the giants, except two, drowned. From the slain body the brothers created heaven and earth. They used the flesh to fill the Ginnungagap; his blood to create the lakes and the seas; from his unbroken bones they made the mountains; the giant's teeth and the fragments of his shattered bones became rocks and boulders and stones; trees were made from hishair, and the clouds from his brains. Odin and his brothers raised Ymir's skull and made the sky from it and beneath its four corners they placed a dwarf. Finally, from Ymir's eyebrow they shaped Midgard, the realm of man. The maggots which swarmed in Ymir's flesh they gave wits and the shape of men, but they live under the hills and mountains. They are called dwarfs.

7. Ginnungagap -Ginnungagap ("seeming emptiness") is the primordial void separating Niflheim and Muspell. In the beginning, before the world of men and gods existed, water from rivers ran across Niflheim and poured into the northern part of Ginnungagap. The water froze, forming vast sheets of ice in the void. Hot air from Muspell melted some of the ice, creating a zone of meltwater amid the ice and snow. Here life began,...