#heimskringla

[illustratus]

Olaf at London Bridge — English School (20th century)

[therealvinelle]

Hi, I was rereading AFTHOTWTL and noticed this <<“I told her he didn’t have her best interests at heart,” Edward told him darkly, “and to stay away. I’ll translate Lille Eyolf for her, I know enough Danish.>>

Is this a typo, or does Edward’s seriously not notice the difference between Danish and Norwegian? LOL

(Anon is referring to mine and @theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin's cowritten fic A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to London)

Norwegian and Danish are mutually intelligible, to the point where I sometimes do a double take, "ohh it was Danish, that's why it felt weird". More, due to Norway not having our own written language until the 19th century, we were all writing Danish anyway. In the 19th century we were still writing Danish, but by then nationalists wanted to either Norwegianify it or else construct an entirely new written language based on certain dialects (this lead to the creation of New Norwegian).

The result was still mutually intelligible with Danish, and our languages remain mutually intelligible to this day. (More so in writing, as I for one just have to smile and nod when Danes talk to me.)

Edward was perfectly within his rights when he said he could read Lille Eyolf.

(For what it's worth, yes, Swedish is also mutually intelligible with Danish and Norwegian, Icelandic and Faroese, not so much, as they have continued speaking the language spoken by the original Norwegian settlers.

Here is a fun site for you if you want to compare languages, as it has compiled every available translation of various Norse texts.)

[heriugena]

"Hörð er, síz hermenn gerðu,

hlíf raufsk fyrir gram, lífi,

auðn at Engla stríði,

úmjúk, konung sjúkan.

Ör brá Ólafs fjörvi

öld, þars herr klauf skjöldu,

fólks odda gekk fylkir

fund, en Dagr hélt undan.

Ok enn kvað hann þetta:

Áðr vitu eigi meiðar

ógnar skers né hersa,

þjóð réð þengils dauða,

þann styrk búandmanna,

er slíkan gram sóknum

sárelds viðir feldi,

mörg lá dýr í dreyra

drótt, sem Ólafr þótti.

[...]

Sumir trúðu á guð gumnar,

grein varð liðs á miðli;

fólkorrostur fylkir

framráðr tjogu háði.

Frægr bað hann á hœgri

hönd kristit lið standa;

feðr Magnús bið ek fagna

flóttskjörrum guð dróttin."

[valkyrjacom]

• Mother tongue • As a child, I went to Icelandic classes to learn more about my mother tongue after the regular Norwegian school was over. No doubt these classes sparked my interest in Norse cultural history which I think and dream about to this day, and my enjoyment in historical reenactment and recreation. During these classes, we did everything from dissecting fish and learning the Icelandic terms for each part of it, to drawing the creation of the world in Norse Mythology. We read the saga literature in Old Icelandic, those precious treasures meticulously written with ink of vellum by medieval authors and poets with such eye for detail and beauty. One of those authors is believed to have been Snorri Sturluson, my 22nd great grandfather on my maternal grandfathers’ side, who supposedly wrote the Younger Edda and Heimskringla (which I am holding in this photo). I wonder: Can you find something you recognize amongst my cloud of thoughts and inspirations? 👉 Full blog post and photo at Valkyrja.com (link in bio) 🌿 #viking #vikings #medieval #heimskringla #history #icelandicsaga #norsesaga #icelandic #norwegian #norse #vikingage #vikingwoman #vikingsofinstagram #vikinglife #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja https://www.instagram.com/p/CjOPZ3pL3Mw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[studies-in-heathenry]

Could Jul have originally been the Norse equivalent of Dias de los Muertos?

Short answer, No. I don't really think they are comparable holidays. In the Saga of Hakon the Good (Snorri Sturlason, 1225 AD), it does describe people emptying a goblet in memory of the departed during a yule celebration but that doesn't mean it was a festival for the dead like El Día de los Muertos. El Día de los Muertos, to the best of my knowlege, is believed to be the day when the boundaries between the spirit world and the living world dissolved and the souls of the dead return for the day. Celebrations are had on this day as they remember, honor, and give offerings to those who are dead. The entire holiday centers around the dead. While we don't know everything about historical yule, we are told it was a midwinter celebration where the ancient Norse people feasted, drank, made oaths, and made sacrifices. Ancesters were venerated but the holiday did not solely center around the dead and while it was said dark spirits were more active in winter, thats not exactly the same as the boundary between life and death dissolving. If I had to compare yule to another holiday, in my opinion, it would be more like a new years celebration than something like El Día de los Muertos. Here is where you can read Hakon the Good's Saga: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/598/598-h/598-h.htm#link2H_4_0060 And here is where I got my info about El Día de los Muertos: https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/day-of-the-dead If anyone wants to add on or correct me on anything (especially those more familiar with El Día de los Muertos), please feel free.

[nimblermortal]

Does anyone have any opinions on translations of the Heimskringla? I would like a copy in English for reading enjoyment purposes.

(I mean, ideally I’d want a bilingual copy but I’m confident that does not exist. I have a tiny scrap of ON, if that makes a difference.)

[nubjorkr]

Ragnvald Rettilbeine's murder by gerhard munthe (1899)

“The danger surely is not great / From wizards born of mean estate, / When Harald’s son in Hadeland, / King Ragnvald, to the art lays hand.” (heimskringla, snorri sturlason)

[aleatorylibrary]

Sharp was the clang of shield and sword, And shrill the song of spears on board, And whistling arrows thickly flew Against the Serpent's gallant crew. And still fresh foemen, it is said, Earl Eirik to her long side led; Whole armies of his Danes and Swedes, Wielding on high their blue sword-blades.

Haldor the Unchristian in Snorri Sturluson’s Heimskringla

[dejahisashmom]

The Bodiless God of Wisdom: Mimir in Norse Mythology | Ancient Origins

https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/mimir-0014107

[gardenofkore]

[priestess-of-the-north-west]

"Óðinn changes fire, sea and wind with words alone"

From Heimskringla, Ynglinga saga 7:

Óðinn skipti hömum; lá þá búkrinn sem sofinn eða dauðr, en hann var þá fugl eða dýr, fiskr eða ormr, ok fór á einni svipstund á fjarlæg lönd, at sínum erendum eða annarra manna. Þat kunni hann enn at gera með orðum einum, at slökkva eld ok kyrra sjá, ok snúa vindum hverja leið er hann vildi. 

Translation by Samuel Laing, 1844:

Odin could transform his shape; his body would lie as if dead, or asleep, but then he would be in shape of a fish, or worm, or bird, or beast, and be off in a twinkling to distant lands, upon his own or other people's business. With words alone he could quench fire, still the ocean in tempest, and turn the wind to any quarter he pleased.

By Monsen and Smith, 1932:

Odin often changed himself; at those times his body lay as though he were asleep or dead, and he then became a bird or a beast, a fish or a dragon, and went in an instant to far-off lands on his own or other men's errands.   He could do this also: with sacrificial words he slaked fire, stilled the sea or turned winds in what way he would.

By (Alison Finlay and) Anthony Faulkes in 2011:

Óðinn changed shapes. Then his body lay as if it was asleep or dead, while he was a bird or an animal, a fish or a snake, and travelled in an instant to distant lands on his own or other people’s business. He also knew how to put out fire or calm the sea or turn the winds in any direction he wished with words alone.

Translation explained in detail by Dr Jackson Crawford:

And as an addition, here is a little more about the Ynglinga saga in general:

More about seiðr:

[herbwitchery]

⚔️Good book and appropriate music🔥 (Et petit sneak peek en passant du prochain numéro d’Une année en Magie 👀) #norsehistory #norway #norwayhistory #norsemythology #snorristurluson #heimskringla #historyofthekingsofnorway #history #book #bookworm #bookstagram #booklover #booklove #read #reading #readingtime #drinkinghorn #medieval #thorhammer #thorshammer #feuerschwanz #mementomori #music #metal #metalmusic #norserunes #futhark #folkmetal #vinyle #music #musiclife 📚Histoire des rois de Norvège, Snorri Sturluson 📀Memento Mori, Feuerschwanz @feuerschwanzband ☕️Bock & drinking horn from a medieval fair (yeaaaars ago) 🔨 Thor’s hammer from Germany (was a gift, so I have no clue where it came from exactly) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm05LJ4K-ku/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[centaurd]

photo from Cody @upsidedownworks and guess who’s the lucky winner 😆 . Top specs, #1556 1.06" #Fenja & #Heimskringla #Damasteel & #Titanium 💥 https://www.instagram.com/p/CiayEPCPSR1/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[broomswept]

Need to go see that monument for myself, some day 💫

[nimblermortal]

Really not looking forward to the background stress/exhaustion levels for the next less than five months.

[broomsick]

List of interesting ressources pertaining to norse paganism, scandinavian folklore and history, and nordic religions in general

These are sources I have personally used in the context of my research, and which I've enjoyed and found useful. Please don’t mind if I missed this or that ressource, as for this post, I focused solely on my own preferences when it comes to research. I may add on to this list via reblog if other interesting sources come to my mind after this has been posted. Good luck on your research! And as always, my question box is open if you have any questions pertaining to my experiences and thoughts on paganism.

Mythology

The Viking Spirit: An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion

Dictionnary of Northern Mythology

The Prose and Poetic Eddas (online)

Grottasöngr: The Song of Grotti (online)

The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes

The Wanderer's Hávamál

The Song of Beowulf

Rauðúlfs Þáttr

The Penguin Book of Norse Myths: Gods of the Vikings (Kevin Crossley-Holland's are my favorite retellings)

Myths of the Norsemen From the Eddas and the Sagas (online) A source that's as old as the world, but still very complete and an interesting read.

The Elder Eddas of Saemung Sigfusson

Pocket Hávamál

Myths of the Pagan North: Gods of the Norsemen

Lore of the Vanir: A Brief Overview of the Vanir Gods

Anglo-Saxon and Norse Poems

Gods of the Ancient Northmen

Gods of the Ancient Northmen (online)

Two Icelandic Stories: Hreiðars Þáttr and Orms Þáttr

Two Icelandic Stories: Hreiðars Þáttr and Orms Þáttr (online)

Sagas

Two Sagas of Mythical Heroes: Hervor and Heidrek & Hrólf Kraki and His Champions (compiling the Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks and the Hrólfs saga kraka)

Icelandic Saga Database (website)

The Saga of the Jómsvíkings

The Heimskringla or the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway (online)

Stories and Ballads of the Far Past: Icelandic and Faroese

Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway

The Saga of the Volsungs: With the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok

The Saga of the Volsungs (online) Interesting analysis, but this is another pretty old source.

The Story of the Volsungs (online) Morris and Magnusson translation

The Vinland Sagas

Hákon the Good's Saga (online)

History of religious practices

The Viking Way: Magic and Mind in Late Iron Age Scandinavia

Nordic Religions in the Viking Age

Agricola and Germania Tacitus' account of religion in nordic countries

Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe: Early Scandinavian and Celtic Religions

Tacitus on Germany (online)

Scandinavia and the Viking Age

Viking Age Iceland

Landnámabók: Book of the Settlement of Iceland (online)

The Age of the Vikings

Gesta Danorum: The Danish History (Books I-IX)

The Sea Wolves: a History of the Vikings

The Viking World

Guta Lag: The Law of the Gotlanders (online)

The Pre-Christian Religions of the North This is a four-volume series I haven't read yet, but that I wish to acquire soon! It's the next research read I have planned.

Old Norse Folklore: Tradition, Innovation, and Performance in Medieval Scandinavia

Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings

The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings by John Haywood

Landnámabók: Viking Settlers and Their Customs in Iceland

Nordic Tales: Folktales from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Denmark For a little literary break from all the serious research! The stories are told in a way that can sometimes get repetitive, but it makes it easier to notice recurring patterns and themes within Scandinavian oral tradition.

Old Norse-Icelandic Literature: A Short Introduction

Saga Form, Oral Prehistory, and the Icelandic Social Context

An Early Meal: A Viking Age Cookbook and Culinary Oddyssey

Runes & Old Norse language

Uppland region runestones and their translations

Viking Language 1: Learn Old Norse, Runes, and Icelandic Sagas and Viking Language 2: The Old Norse Reader

Catalogue of the Manks Crosses with Runic Inscriptions

Old Norse - Old Icelandic: Concise Introduction to the Language of the Sagas

A Companion to Old Norse-Icelandic Literature and Culture

Nordic Runes: Understanding, Casting, and Interpreting the Ancient Viking Oracle 

YouTube channels

Ocean Keltoi

Arith Härger

Old Halfdan

Jackson Crawford

Wolf the Red

Sigurboði Grétarsson

Grimfrost

(Reminder! The channel "The Wisdom of Odin", aka Jacob Toddson, is a known supporter of pseudo scientific theories and of the AFA, a folkist and white-supremacist organization, and he's been known to hold cult-like, dangerous rituals, as well as to use his UPG as truth and to ask for his followers to provide money for his building some kind of "real life viking hall", as supposedly asked to him by Óðinn himself. A source to avoid. But more on that here.)

Websites

The Troth

Norse Mythology for Smart People

Voluspa.org

Icelandic Saga Database

Skaldic Project

Life in Norway This is more of a tourist's ressources, but I find they publish loads of fascinating articles pertaining to Norway's history and its traditions.