The Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas on Njord

Contents > Chapter I: The Beginning

• attestation: The Vanir gods of sea and wind dwelt in Vanaheim and exchanged hostages with the Aesir after an early conflict; Njord, Frey, and Freya went to Asgard while Hoenir went to Vanaheim.

  "It was thus that the Van, Niörd, came to dwell in Asgard with his two children, Frey and Freya, while the Asa, Hoenir, Odin's own brother, took up his abode in Vana-heim."

Contents > Chapter Viii: Niörd

• attestation: Njord was the ruler of winds and the sea near the shore; he was given the palace of Noatun near the seashore, where he stilled tempests stirred up by Aegir, god of the deep sea.

  "As ruler of the winds, and of the sea near the shore, Niórd was given the palace of Nóatón, near the seashore, where, we are told, he stilled the terrible tempests stirred up by Ægir, god of the deep sea."

• attestation: Njord came to Asgard as a hostage from Vanaheim when Hoenir, Odin's brother, went to live in Vanaheim; he brought his children Frey and Freya with him.

  "We have already seen how the Æsir and Vanas exchanged hostages after the terrible war they had waged against each other, and that while Hoenir, Odin's brother, went to live in Vana-heim, Niórd, with his two children, Frey and Freya, definitely took up his abode in Asgard."

• attestation: Njord's first wife was his sister Nerthus (Mother Earth), who was identified with Frigga in Germany but considered a separate divinity in Scandinavia; he was obliged to part with her when summoned to Asgard.

  "Niórd's first wife, according to some authorities, was his sister Nerthus, Mother Earth, who in Germany was identified with Frigga, as we have seen, but in Scandinavia was considered a separate divinity. Niórd was, however, obliged to part with her when summoned to Asgard"

• attestation: Njord occupied one of the twelve seats in Asgard's great council hall and extended his protection over commerce and fishing during the summer months.

  "Niórd was, however, obliged to part with her when summoned to Asgard, where he occupied one of the twelve seats in the great council hall, and was present at all the assemblies of the gods, withdrawing to Nóatón only when his services were not required by the Æsir."

• attestation: Njord and Skadi alternated dwelling places: she found the sea sounds unbearable at Noatun, while he found the mountain sounds at Thrymheim equally unbearable.

  "Niórd, anxious to please his new wife, consented to take her to Thrym-heim and to dwell there with her nine nights out of every twelve, providing she would spend the remaining three with him at Nóatón; but when he reached the mountain region, the soughing of the wind in the pines, the thunder of the avalanches, the cracking of the ice, the roar of the waterfalls, and the howling of the wolves appeared to him as unbearable as the sound of the sea had seemed to his wife"

• attestation: Njord and Skadi eventually parted for ever, each returning to their own realm after finding their tastes incompatible.

  "But, concluding at last that their tastes would never agree, they decided to part for ever, and returned to their respective homes, where each could follow the occupations which custom had endeared to them."

• attestation: Njord's temples were situated by the seashore where oaths in his name were sworn, and the marine sponge was known as 'Njord's glove'.

  "Niórd was supposed to bless the vessels passing in and out of port, and his temples were situated by the seashore; there oaths in his name were commonly sworn, and his health was drunk at every banquet, where he was invariably named with his son Frey. As all aquatic plants were supposed to belong to him, the marine sponge was known in the North as "Niórd's glove""