Vafthrudnismal and Grimnismal Vafthrudnirs and Grimnirs Sayings

1
Vafthrudnismal and GrimnismalVafthrudnirs and
Grimnirs Sayings

• Both poems begin with a contest or argument
  between Odin and his wife, Frigg.
• In each poem, Odin sets off in disguise to
  test an adversary, the Giant Vafthrudnir or the
  King Geirrod.
• In each case, Odin reveals occult knowledge.
• Both poems thus serve to record and transmit such
  mythological lore to their audience.

2
Vafthrudnismal

• Vafthrudnismal is devoted to a wisdom contest,
  in which each participant must answer the others
  questions.
• The poem begins with Odins insatiable curiosity
  to learn more of his own fate or to gather wisdom
  from other sources.
• His wife Frigg is worried, because Vafthrudnir is
  one of the wisest and most powerful of the
  Giants, a serious opponent even for Odin.

3
Vafthrudnismal

• Odin leaves Asgard and travels to Jotunheim, home
  of the Giants, to the Hall of Vafthrudnir.
• Vafthrudnir greets him rather arrogantly
• What man is this to whom I am addressing
  myself in my hall?
• May you not come out of our halls alive
• Unless you turn out to be the wiser one. (7)
• Odin calls himself Gagnrad and accepts the
  challenge posed by the giant.

4
Vafthrudnismal

• Vafthrudnir then invites Gagnrad to sit in the
  hall and he poses his first question
• Tell me, Gagnrad, since on the hall-floor
• You want to try your luck,
• What kind of horse is called who draws every
• Day to mankind? (11)
• That is, which horse draws the sun across the
  sky? Odin answers correctly Shining-Mane (or
  Skinfaxi).

5
Vafthrudnismal

• Vafthrudnir then asks Gangnrad which horse draws
  night across the sky.
• Gangnrad (Odin) replies
• Frost-Mane (Hrimfaxi) he is called, who Draws
  every night to the beneficent gods
• Foam from his bit he lets fall every morning
• From there dew comes to the valleys. (14)
• Example of cosmogenic myth, explains dew.

6
Vafthrudnismal

• Vafthrudnir continues his questions, asking about
  the gods and giants
• the name of the river which divides the earth
  between the giants and the gods? (Ifing)
• The name of the plain where the giants and gods
  will do battle? (Vigrid).
• Gangnrad (Odin) is able to answer these questions
  easily. Now the contest changes.

7
Vafthrudnismal

• Vafthrudnir admits that his opponent is indeed
  wise, and challenges him to a greater contest
• Wise you are, guest, come to the giants
  bench,
• And we will speak together in the seat
• We shall wager our heads in the hall,
• Guest, on our wisdom. (19)
• Gangnrad (Odin) now proceeds to question
  Vafthrudnir about the giants, Ymir and his
  descendents.
• These questions provide a context for relating
  information about the cosmos, for transmitting
  lore.

8
Vafthrudnismal

• Odin says
• Tell me this one thing if your knowledge is
  sufficient And you, Vafthrudnir, know
• From where the earth came or the sky aove,
• First, o wise giant.? (20)
• Vafthrudnir said
• From Ymirs flesh the earth was shaped,
• And the mountains from his bones
• The sky from the skill of the frost-cold giant,
• And the sea from his blood. (21)

9
Vafthrudnismal

• Gangnrad (Odin) continues to pose questions,
  asking about the origin of the moon and the sun,
  day and night, the summer and the winter.
• Gangnrad (Odin) then questions Vafthrudnir about
  the origins of the giants, who are older than the
  gods themselves.
• Vafthrudnir relates the myth of Bergelmir, of
  Thrudgelmir his father and Aurgelmir (Ymir) his
  grandfather, first of all giants, who emerged
  from poison drops out of Elivagar (28-31)

10
Vafthrudnismal

• Odin said
• Tell me this seventh thing, since you are said
  to be Wise, and you Vafthrudnir, know,
• How he got children, that fierce giant,
• When he had no sport with giantesses. (32)
• Vafthrudnir said
• They said that under the frost-giants arms
• A girl and boy grew together
• One foot with the other, of the wise giant,
• Begot a six-headed son. (33)

11
Vafthrudnismal

• Odin questions Vafthrudnir further about the
  origins of the giants, of the winds which no man
  sees.
• Odin then poses a question about the god Njord of
  the Vanir, who came to the Æsir as a hostage
  after the first war between the gods. (38-39)
• Odin moves on to more personal knowledge,
  questioning Vafthrudnir about the Einheriar in
  Valhalla. (40-41)

12
Vafthrudnismal

• Odin finally seeks answers to the question of his
  own doom, questioning Vafthrudnir about Ragnarok
• Tell me this twelfth thing, why all the fate
  of the gods you, Vafthrudnir, know
• Of the secrets of the giants and of all the
  gods tell most truly, all-wise giant. (42)
• Vafthrudnir replies that he has been to the nine
  worlds, even to Mist-hell (Niflheimand thus he
  knows the fates of which Gangnrad speaks).

13
Vafthrudnismal

• Odin asks more pointedly who will survive when
  the Mighty Winter (fimbulvetr) comes among men?
• Vafthrudnir said
• Life (Lif) and Lifthrasir, and they will hide
  in Hoddmimirs wood,
• They will have the morning dew for food
• From them the generations will spring. (45)

14
Vafthrudnismal

• Gangnrad (Odin) then poses further questions
  about Ragnarok, about the fate of the sun after
  Fenrir has assailed her, about mysterious maidens
  (the Norns?), and about the possessions of the
  gods after the battle of Ragnarok
• Vidar and Vali will live in the temples of the
  gods,
• When Surts fire is slaked
• Modi and Magni shall have Mjollnir
• For battle-strength. (51)

15
Vafthrudnismal

• Odin now poses the question he really came to
  ask
• Much have I travelled, much have I tried out,
• Much have I tested the Powers
• What will Odins lifes end be,
• When the Powers are torn apart? (52)
• Vafthrudnir said
• The wolf will swallow the Father of Men,
• Vidar will avenge this
• The cold jaws of the beast he will sunder
• In battle. (53)

16
Vafthrudnismal

• Once Gangnrad (Odin) has this knowledge, he puts
  a quick end to the contest, posing a question
  which no one but he himself can answer
• Much have I travelled, much have I tried out,
• Much have I tested the Powers
• What did Odin say into the ear of his son
• Before he mounted the pyre? (54)

17
Vafthrudnismal

• Vafthrudnir realizes that his guest can only be
  Odin in disguise, and that he has lost the wager
  (and his life).
• The poem ends with the giants admission of
  defeat
• No man knows what you said in bygone days into
  your sons ear With doomed mouth Ive
  spoken my ancient lore about the fate of the
  gods Ive been contending with Odin in
  wisdom Youll always be the wisest of
  beings. (55)

18
Grimnismal / Grimnirs Sayings
Odin in the Hall of Geirrod
19
Grimnismal / Grimnirs Sayings

• Grimnismal begins with a prose introduction,
  recounting the legend of King Hraudung and his
  sons, favored by Odin and Frigg.
• King Hraudung had two sons, Agnar (10) and
  Geirrod (8), who are lost at sea while fishing.
• Their boat crashes upon an island and the boys
  are taken in by a farmer (Geirrod) and his wife
  (Agnar).
• After a winter on the island, the boys return to
  the boat and the farmer whispers secretly into
  Agnars ear.
• They sailed home, but on arriving, Geirrod leaps
  from the ship, yells Go where the trolls take
  you! and shoves the boat back out to sea.

20
Grimnismal

• Geirrod arrives home to discover that his father
  has died he is greeted joyfully as the heir to
  the throne and is made king.
• Meanwhile, Agnar washes ashore where giants life
  and takes a giantess to wife, living roughly in a
  cave.
• Odin and Frigg view these events from his high
  seat Hlidskialf, and Odin boasts to his wife that
  his own foster-child Geirrod is now a king, while
  her foster-child Agnar is raising giant children
  in a cave!
• Raisig a foster-child a common practice in Norse
  society, cemented bonds between families.

21
Grimnismal

• Frigg is indignant that her foster-child has a
  lesser fate than Odins favorite, so she tells a
  lie about Geirrod
• Geirrod is so stingy with food that he
  tortures his guests if it seems to him that too
  many have come.
• Hospitality an important Norse virtue a sacred
  obligation to care and provide for guests.
• Odin is outraged and calls that a lie (which it
  is).
• The two wager on the truth of the accusation
  Odin determines to test Geirrod.

22
Grimnismal

• Frigg sends her servant Fulla to Geirrod, warning
  him of a dangerous wizard who would come into his
  country to bewitch him.
• Fulla further told Geirrod that he could
  recognize the wizard because no dog was fierce
  enough to attack himdogs and wolves are
  favorites of Odin and they would obviously not
  attack the god.
• A man calling himself Grimnir appears since no
  dog will attack him and he refuses to answer
  questions, Geirrod assumes he is a wizard and has
  him tortured.
• Grimnir (Odin) lies between two fires for eight
  nights.

23
Grimnismal

• Geirrods son, Agnar (10 years old, named after
  his uncle sitting with the giantess in the cave)
  takes pity on his fathers (innocent) victim, and
  brings him a horn to drink from.
• Agnar thus fulfills the obligations of a host to
  care for his guests.
• Agnar thus wins Odins favor, for he has shown
  himself worthy of support from the gods.
• Odin now speaks to Agnar, describing the world of
  the gods and magic lore.

24
Grimnismal
Eight nights I have sat here between the
fires, And no one offered me food, Except Agnar
alone, and he alone shall rule, The son of
Geirrod, over the land of the Goths. Blessed
shall you be Agnar, Since Odin bids you be
blest For one drink you shall never get a better
reward. (2-3)
25
Grimnismal

• Odin then describes Asgard and the realms of the
  gods and giants to Agnar.
• He lists the lands and halls of Thor, Ull (the
  archer god), Freyr (Alfheim), and his own halls
  Valaskialf, Sokkvabekk, Gladsheim and Vallhall.
• The halls of Skadi (skiing giantess), Baldr,
  Heimdall, Freyia (Volkvang, which holds half of
  all fallen warriors), Forseti, Niord, and Vidar
  (Odins son).
• Mnemonic poetry, designed to help the poet
  remember the catalogue of gods and their
  dwellings.

26
Grimnismal

• Grimnismal has one of the best descriptions of
  Valhall
• Andhrimnir has Sæhrimnir boiled
• In Eldhrimnir,
• The best of pork, but few know
• By what the Einheriar are nourished. (18)
• Geri and Freki, tamed to war, he satiates,
• The glorious father of Hosts
• But on wine alone the weapon-magnificent
• Odin always lives. (19)

27
Grimnismal
Hugin and Munin fly every day Over the wide
world I fear for Hugin that he will not come
back, Yet I tremble more for Munin. (20) Five
hundred doors and forty I think there are in
Valhall Eight hundreds of warriors will go
together from one door When they go to fight the
wolf. (23)
28
Grimnismal

• Grimnir (Odin) also describes other halls and
  animals living there, especially Heidrun (the
  goat who furnishes mead for the Einheriar).
  (24-26)
• Grimnir then names a list of rivers, most of
  which are fictional. (27-29)
• Grimnir lists the horses of the Æsir (30)
• Grimnir describrs Yggdrasil, the world tree, and
  the animals living on or near it (31-)
• Ratatosk, the Squirrel. The Eagle and the Dragon
  Nidhogg.
• Four harts Dain, Dvalin, Duneyr and Durathror.
• A few of the many serpents biting on the trees
  branches.

29
Grimnismal

• The ash of Yggdrasil suffers agony
• More than men know
• A hart bites it from above, and it decays at the
  sides,
• And Nidhogg rends it beneath. (35)
• Grimnir then lists many of the Valkyries
  (warrior-maidens, literally choosers of the
  slain). They also bear ale to the Einheriar in
  Valhall. (36)
• Grimnir lists the horses that pull the sun and
  moon, and the wolves that chase the sun and moon.
  (37-39)
• Grimnir describes how the earth was formed from
  the flesh of Ymir. (40-41)

30
Grimnismal

• Grimnir now lists the best of things

• Grimnir now reveals himself as Odin and lists
  many of the names he has assumed Mask, Wanderer,
  Warrior, Helm-wearer, Known and Third, Thund, Ud,
  Hellblind and High, as well as many others.
  (45-50)

31
Grimnismal

• Odin then turns to confront Geirrod
• Drunk are you, Geirrod! Youve drunk too much
• You lose much when you lose
• My favor, and that of all the Einheriar. (51)
• Much I said to you but you remember little of
  it
• Your friend has deceived you.
• I see the sword of my friend lying
• All covered in blood. (52)

32
Grimnismal

• Slaughter that wearies sword-edges the Terrible
  One
• Now wants to have
• I know your life is over
• The disir are against you, now you may see Odin
• Draw near to me if you can! (53)
• When Geirrod realizes that his guest is Odin, he
  rises to free him from his bonds and move him
  from the fire.
• The sword lying on his lap falls with its hilt
  downward, Geirrod slips and is impaled on his own
  weapon.
• Odin disappears Agnar assumes the throne and
  rules for a long time.

33
Grimnismal

• Odin a capricious god, often betrays those such
  as Geirrod who try to follow his advice.
• Geirrod tricked into mistreating Odin his
  innocence does not matter, he is still punished
  for his actions.
• Lack of Hospitality a greater sin than tyranny
  and oppression, raping, looting and pillaging!
• Image of Odin being tortured also typical as a
  god he suffers mightily, often in order to
  procure wisdom.
• Ordeal by fire might represent a shamanistic
  rite, a ritual associated with Odin-worship that
  led to visions and occult knowledge granted by
  Odin to initiates in his cult (such as Agnar in
  the poem).