The Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas on Urd
Contents > Chapter Xvii: The Norns
attestation: The three Norns — Urd (past), Verdandi (present), and Skuld (future) — were descendants of the giant Norvi, who appeared under Yggdrasil when the Golden Age ended; they wove the web of fate, watered Yggdrasil from the Urdar fountain, and put fresh clay around its roots.
"These three sisters, whose names were Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld, were personifications of the past, present, and future. Their principal occupations were to weave the web of fate, to sprinkle daily the sacred tree with water from the Urdar fountain, and to put fresh clay around its roots, that it might remain fresh and ever green."
attestation: Urd appeared very old and decrepit, looking backward at the past; Verdandi was young and fearless, looking straight ahead; Skuld was closely veiled, head turned opposite to Urd, holding an unopened book or scroll.
"Urd (Wurd, weird) appearing very old and decrepit, continually looking backward, as if absorbed in contemplating past events and people; Verdandi, the second sister, young, active, and fearless, looked straight before her, while Skuld, the type of the future, was generally represented as closely veiled, with head turned in the direction opposite to where Urd was gazing, and holding a book or scroll which had not yet been opened or unrolled."
attestation: The Norns' web was woven with threads that varied in hue according to events; a black thread from north to south was an omen of death; they wove as if executing the wishes of Orlog, an older and superior power representing the eternal law of the universe.
"The threads of their woof resembled cords, and varied greatly in hue, according to the nature of the events about to occur, and a black thread, tending from north to south, was invariably considered an omen of death... They did not seem to weave according to their own wishes, but blindly, as if reluctantly executing the wishes of Orlog, the eternal law of the universe"
attestation: The Norns also fed two sacred swans in the Urdar fountain; all swans on earth are said to be descended from this pair.
"The Norns also fed and tenderly cared for two swans which swam over the mirror-like surface of the Urdar fountain, and from this pair of birds all the swans on earth are supposed to be descended."
attestation: On the occasion of Nornagesta's birth, the third Norn Skuld decreed he would live only as long as a burning taper; Urd extinguished it and gave the stub to the mother to guard until her son was weary of life.
"Skuld proudly rose and declared that her sister's gifts should be of no avail, since she would decree that the child should live only as long as the taper then burning near the bedside... The eldest Norn, however, had no intention of seeing her prediction thus set at naught; but as she could not force her sister to retract her words, she quickly seized the taper, put out the light, and giving the smoking stump to the child's mother, bade her carefully treasure it, and never light it again until her son was weary of life."
attestation: Nornagesta was named in honour of the Norns; he lived three hundred years as a boon companion of ancient heroes and witnessed the supplanting of heathen gods by Christianity.
"The boy was named Nornagesta, in honour of the Norns, and grew up to be as beautiful, brave, and talented as any mother could wish... he did not soon weary of life, and while other heroes grew wrinkled and old, he remained young at heart and vigorous in frame. He therefore witnessed the stirring deeds of the heroic ages, was the boon companion of the ancient warriors, and after living three hundred years, saw the belief in the old heathen gods gradually supplanted by the teachings of Christian missionaries."
attestation: King Olaf Tryggvesson forced Nornagesta to light his life-candle to convince the people superstition was past; Nornagesta fell dead when the flame went out, proving he still believed the Norn's prediction despite baptism.
"king forced the aged scald to produce and light the taper which he had so carefully guarded for more than three centuries. In spite of his recent conversion, Nornagesta anxiously watched the flame as it flickered, and when, finally, it went out, he sank lifeless to the ground, thus proving that in spite of the baptism just received, he still believed in the prediction of the Norns."
attestation: The Valkyrs also served as Norns and could be prophetesses called Vala or Dises (Idises, Hagedises), who officiated at forest shrines and accompanied invading armies.
"Besides the Norns or Dises, who were also regarded as protective deities, the Northmen ascribed to each human being a guardian spirit named Fylgie, which attended him through life, either in human or brute shape, and was invisible except at the moment of death by all except the initiated few."