The Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas on Heimdal
Contents > Chapter I: The Beginning
- attestation: Heimdall guarded Bifrost night and day, armed with a sword and carrying the Giallar-horn, on which a terrible blast would signal the arrival of Ragnarok.
"The god Heimdall kept watch and ward there night and day. He was armed with a trenchant sword, and carried a trumpet called Giallar-horn, upon which he generally blew a soft note to announce the coming or going of the gods, but upon which a terrible blast would be sounded when Ragnarok should come, and the frost-giants and Surtr combined to destroy the world."
Contents > Chapter Iv: Thor
- attestation: By Heimdall's advice, Thor disguised himself as Freya, wearing her clothes and necklace with a thick veil, and Loki disguised as handmaiden; they went to Jotunheim in Thor's goat-chariot.
"By Heimdall's advice, which, however, was only accepted with extreme reluctance, Thor borrowed and put on Freya's clothes together with her necklace, and enveloped himself in a thick veil. Loki, having attired himself as handmaiden, then mounted with him in the goat-drawn chariot, and the strangely attired pair set out for Jötun-heim"
Contents > Chapter Xiii: Heimdall
attestation: Heimdall was born of nine giantess wave maidens (Gialp, Greip, Egia, Augeia, Ulfrun, Aurgiafa, Sindur, Atla, and Iarnsaxa) who were all simultaneously mothers of Odin, and all nine were simultaneously his mothers.
"In the course of a walk along the sea-shore Odin once beheld nine beautiful giantesses, the wave maidens, Gialp, Greip, Egia, Augeia, Ulfrun, Aurgiafa, Sindur, Atla, and Iarnsaxa, sound asleep on the white sand. The god of the sky was so charmed with these beautiful creatures that, as the Eddas relate, he wedded all nine of them, and they combined, at the same moment, to bring forth a son, who received the name of Heimdall."
attestation: Heimdall was appointed guardian of the rainbow bridge Bifrost with senses so keen he could hear the grass grow, see one hundred miles off as plainly by night as by day, and needed less sleep than a bird.
"Heimdall gladly undertook the responsibility and henceforth, night and day, he kept vigilant watch over the rainbow highway into Asgard. To enable their watchman to detect the approach of any enemy from afar, the assembled gods bestowed upon him senses so keen that he is said to have been able to hear the grass grow on the hillside, and the wool on the sheep's back; to see one hundred miles off as plainly by night as by day; and with all this he required less sleep than a bird."
attestation: Heimdall was provided with a flashing sword and the trumpet Gjallarhorn; its last dread blast would announce the day of the final battle at Ragnarok.
"Heimdall was provided further with a flashing sword and a marvellous trumpet, called Giallar-horn, which the gods bade him blow whenever he saw their enemies approach, declaring that its sound would rouse all creatures in heaven, earth, and Nifl-heim. Its last dread blast would announce the arrival of that day when the final battle would be fought."
attestation: Heimdall kept the Gjallarhorn either hung on a branch of Yggdrasil or sunk in Mimir's well beside Odin's eye; the horn was a symbol of the crescent moon.
"To keep this instrument, which was a symbol of the crescent moon, ever at hand, Heimdall either hung it on a branch of Yggdrasil above his head or sank it in the waters of Mimir's well. In the latter it lay side by side with Odin's eye, which was an emblem of the moon at its full."
attestation: Heimdall's palace Himinbiorg was situated on the highest point of the rainbow bridge, where the gods often visited him to drink mead.
"Heimdall's palace, called Himinbiorg, was situated on the highest point of the bridge, and here the gods often visited him to quaff the delicious mead which he set before them."
attestation: Heimdall had golden teeth (earning the surname Gullintani), a swift golden-maned steed called Gulltop, and was also known as Heimdellinger when acting as herald of the day at dawn.
"Heimdall was further distinguished by his golden teeth, which flashed when he smiled, and won for him the surname of Gullintani (golden-toothed). He was also the proud possessor of a swift, golden-maned steed called Gull-top, which bore him to and fro over the quivering rainbow bridge."
attestation: Loki attempted to steal Freya's necklace Brisingamen; Heimdall detected his approach and pursued him, and the two gods transformed through multiple forms — including flame, cloud, bear, and seal — before Loki was forced to surrender the necklace.
"Heimdall perceived that the sound was produced by Loki, who, having stealthily entered the palace as a fly, had approached Freya's bedside, and was trying to steal her shining golden necklace, Brisinga-men... Heimdall immediately started out in pursuit of the midnight thief, and quickly overtaking him, he drew his sword from its scabbard... Loki being forced to give up the necklace, which was duly restored to Freya."
attestation: Heimdall, under the name Riger, fathered the three classes of mankind: he spent three days each with three couples — Ai and Edda (serfs), Afi and Amma (husbandmen), Fadir and Modir (nobles) — each of whom bore a son.
"Heimdall left his place in Asgard one day to wander upon the earth... He had not gone far ere he came to a poor hut on the seashore, where he found Ai (great grandfather) and Edda (great grandmother), a poor but worthy couple, who hospitably invited him to share their meagre meal of porridge. Heimdall, who gave his name as Riger, gladly accepted this invitation, and remained with the couple three whole days... Some time after his visit, Edda bore a dark-skinned thick-set boy, whom she called Thrall."
attestation: From Thrall (dark-skinned, born of Edda) and his wife Thyr came the serf class of Northland.
"Thrall soon showed uncommon physical strength and a great aptitude for all heavy work; and when he had grown up he took to wife Thyr, a heavily built girl with sunburnt hands and flat feet... Many children were born to this couple and from them all the serfs or thralls of the Northland were descended."
attestation: Karl (blue-eyed, born of Amma), son of Riger/Heimdall, married Snor and fathered the race of husbandmen; he showed great skill in agriculture and animal husbandry.
"Amma gave birth to a blue-eyed sturdy boy, whom she called Karl. As he grew up he exhibited great skill in agricultural pursuits, and in due course he married a buxom and thrifty wife named Snor, who bore him many children, from whom the race of husbandmen is descended."
attestation: Jarl (son of Riger/Heimdall and the noblewoman Modir) showed martial talent, mastered runes, and married Erna; their youngest son Konur became the first king of Denmark.
"ere long the lady of the castle bore a handsome, slenderly built little son, whom she called Jarl. This child early showed a great taste for the hunt and all manner of martial exercises, learned to understand runes, and lived to do great deeds of valour... Having attained manhood, Jarl married Erna, an aristocratic, slender-waisted maiden, who ruled his household wisely and bore him many children, all destined to rule, the youngest of whom, Konur, became the first king of Denmark."
Contents > Chapter Xxviii: The Twilight Of The Gods
- attestation: Heimdall blew the Gjallar-horn at Ragnarok, heard throughout all the worlds; the Aesir and Einheriar sprang to arms.
"Heimdall, noting these ominous portents and hearing the cock's shrill cry, immediately put the Giallar-horn to his lips and blew the long-expected blast, which was heard throughout the world. At the first sound of this rally Æsir and Einheriar sprang from their"