The Prose Edda on Frey

The Younger Edda: > Snorre'S Edda, Or The Prose Edda. > Preface.

• attestation: Frey fights Surt at Ragnarok and falls in battle

  "Frey encounters Surt, and terrible blows are given ere Frey falls"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Viii. > The Asas.

• attestation: Frey is the noblest of the Aesir, rules rain, sunshine, and the earth's fruitfulness; invoked for prosperity

  "Frey is the most famous of the asas. He rules over rain and sunshine, and over the fruits of the earth"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Xi. > The Giantess Gerd And Skirner'S Journey.[50]

• attestation: Frey sat in Hlidskjalf and saw Gerd in the north; he fell into lovesick grief and would not eat, sleep, or speak

  "One day when Frey had gone into Hlidskjalf, and was looking out upon all the worlds, he saw toward the north a hamlet"

• attestation: Frey gave Skirner his self-wielding sword to go woo Gerd on his behalf

  "Frey must give him his sword, that was so excellent that it wielded itself in fight. Frey made no objection to this and gave him the"

• attestation: Frey's giving away his sword will cause him hardship when he fights Surt at Ragnarok

  "the time will come when he will find himself in a worse plight for not having his sword, and that will be when the sons of Muspel sally forth to the fight"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Xvi. > Ragnarok.

• attestation: Frey encounters Surt and falls because he gave away his good sword to Skirner

  "Frey encounters Surt, and heavy blows are exchanged ere Frey falls. The cause of his death is that he has not that good sword which he gave to Skirner"

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iv. > Loke'S Wager With The Dwarfs.

• attestation: The gold-bristled boar could run through air and over seas faster than any horse, providing light in any darkness

  "it would run through the air and over seas, by night or by day, faster than any horse; and never could it become so dark in the night, or in the worlds of darkness, but that it would be light where this boar was present, so bright shone his bristles."

The Younger Edda: > Chapter Iv. > The Historical Odin.

• attestation: Frey succeeded Njord as drot, built a great temple at Upsala as his chief seat, and established the Upsala domains

  "Frey took the kingdom after Njord, and was called drot by the Swedes, and they paid taxes to him. He was like his father, fortunate in friends and in good seasons. Frey built a great temple at Upsala, made it his chief seat, and gave it all his taxes, his land and goods. Then began the Upsala domains, which have remained ever since."

• attestation: In Frey's day began the Frode-peace with good seasons, and he was more worshiped than other gods because the people grew richer

  "Then began in his day the Frode-peace; and then there were good seasons in all the land, which the Swedes ascribed to Frey, so that he was more worshiped than the other gods, as the people became much richer in his days by reason of the peace and good seasons."

• relationship: Frey's wife was Gerd daughter of Gymer, and their son was Fjolner

  "His wife was called Gerd, daughter of Gymer, and their son was called Fjolner."

• attestation: Frey was also called Yngve, and his descendants were called Ynglings; this name was considered a title of honor in his lineage

  "Frey was called by another name, Yngve; and this name Yngve was considered long after in his race as a name of honor, so that his descendants have since been called Ynglings"

• attestation: When Frey fell ill and died, his men secretly placed him in a great mound with three holes for gold, silver, and copper taxes, keeping his death hidden for three years

  "Now when Frey died they bore him secretly into the mound, but told the Swedes he was alive, and they kept watch over him for three years. They brought all the taxes into the mound, and through the one hole they put in the gold, through the other the silver, and through the third the copper money that was paid."

• attestation: The Swedes refused to burn Frey's remains because peace continued, calling him the god of this world and offering blood-sacrifices for peace and good seasons

  "they believed that it must be so as long as Frey remained in Sweden, and therefore they would not burn his remains, but called him the god of this world, and afterward offered continually blood-sacrifices to him, principally for peace and good seasons."