Tyr

In Norse legend, Tyr (Týr, Seaxnet, Ziu, Tue, Tiwaz) is the God of one-on-one combat.  He is a warrior and a God of heroic victory and triumph.  Interestingly, he is portrayed as having only one hand.  Tyr pre-dates Odin in archeology finds and was thought to be the original All-Father of Gods and men, dating back to 600 BC.  He was the Sky-Father and the original chief God, who was later overtaken in authority and power by Odin when he discovered the runes.  But he also appears in the Prose Edda as the son of Odin or as Hymir's child in the Poetic Edda?

Tyr cared for the pup Fenrir when no one else could train him.  He was the only one willing to feed Fenrir and trust him.  But Fenrir had been causing all kinds of destruction and damage.  The Gods decided to shackle the growing wolf pup Fenrir, but the beast broke every chain they put upon him.  Eventually, they had the dwarfs make them a magical ribbon Gleipnir.  But Fenrir sensed the Gods' deceit and refused to be bound with it unless one of them put his hand in the wolf's mouth. 

Only Tyr had the courage for such unflinching self-sacrifice.  Fenrir could not break the ribbon and enrage bit Tyr's right hand off.  When the Gods saw that Fenrir was bound, they all rejoiced, except Tyr.  Fenrir remains bound until the day of Ragnarok. 

It puts a new meaning to, 'don't bite the hand that feeds you'.  The wrist became known as the 'wolf-joint', and Tyr picks up the nickname of 'Wolf Leavings'.  A symbol of one's honor (the handshake) needs to be sacrificed for true honor.  Tyr is the reason we shake hands - it is to show that we have no fear and that we hold no weapons, a true warrior does not need one.  And this is just a snippet of what can be found in, 'Who Are Your Divine Friends?'

 

Correspondences:

Altar: upon cloth lay swords, lined up in a row, a horn of mead, and a single glove

Color: orange, yellow, red

Day: Tuesday

Incense: juniper, pine

Offering: agree to a promise that limits your convenience

Plant: blackthorn, juniper, oak, thistle, vervain

Pronunciation: 'Teer' (Tyr)

Rulership: athletics, bravery, honor, justice, law, order, sky, oaths, victory, war

Runes: Tiwaz, Ehwaz, Ingwaz, Jera, Kaunaz, Thurisaz

Stone: bronze, gray agate, smoky topaz, steel

Symbol: helmet, sword, wolf, fire, air

 

Tyr Song

The sly God's son, slavering freely,
With lolling tongue and teeth aglisten,
Welcomes the hostage with widening maw,
Sprays spittle to spite his feeder.

Hot on the hero howls the wolf-wind,
Battle-God burning; baleful fangs
Scrape skin from the shoulder's leg.
Bare and white are the bones of the wolf-joint.

Tyr keeps troth with the trust of the wolf,
With the oath of the Aesir. Angry the heath-dweller,
Bound by the bear, by the breath of the herring,
Maidens' mouth-hair and mountain's root,

Caught by crow-spit and the cat-paw's din,
Grinds in a grimace, Gleipnir straining.
Loud is the laughter, light is the arm
Of the weakened warrior, fen-wolf's leavings.

~ Math Jones, Arnstede Hearth

 

Tyr, God of the Morning

Tyr, God of the Morning, the horn call ends the night.
Sunna wheels high over Midgard, but higher still is your might.
The troops are raising banners to march in first dawn´s light:
Tyr, also a warrior, give us strength for the fight.

Tyr, God of the Noontide, the heat makes hazy the land.
Our helmets scorch our foreheads, our boots are burned by the sand.
Though every step is painful, we will pursue our way;
Tyr, also a warrior, help us never to sway.

Tyr, God of the Sunset, the darker hours draw near.
Our people are safe from dangers as long as we keep them clear.
Before your sword and shield all shadows and foes disappear;
Tyr, also a warrior, teach us to master our fear.

Tyr, God of the Midnight, this battle will be our end.
We always followed the North Star, for justice made our stand.
If ever we were worthy for you to fight and fall,
Tyr, also a warrior, lead us on to your hall!

~ Michaela Macha

 

Hand of Justice

Hand of Justice
Hand of Might
Hand the wolf devoured by right

Lord of Order will you bind the wolf?
Will you chain chaos?
Will you stand firm with courage and bear the loss?

He places his hand in the maw.
Of this terrible trusting beast; who is about to feast.
Who is about to gnaw; with snaggle tooth and dripping jaw
As chaos rips the hand from cosmic law.

~ Matilda Marks

 

Tyr's Day

Tyr do I call
and Tyr do I hail

Prince of the Temples
Dispenser of Justice
Wise sage,
Stout-Heart

Do I greet you.

That though my path
is encumbered
my hand tied
still yet are there
weapons to hand
and a path to tread.

May your blessings be
bestowed upon me.

So do I ask,
so do I pray,
so do I hail.

~ K. C. Hulsman

 

Hail Tyr

Hail Tyr, Fenrir’s friend
Binder of Chaos
Knower of necessity
Of all the Gods
It was you who could see
That Chaos and Destruction
Is a necessity
Hail Tyr one-handed God
Wise one and strong one
Valiant one and just one
Hail Tyr
For your selfless deeds
Giving gift of yourself
In defense of our folk.
Hail Tyr!!!
Your are mighty indeed!!!

~ Jeff Wolf

Tyr is appealed to for law, war, honor, courage, martial arts, justice, police, judge, and military.  His friendship can be honored by protecting or defending someone who is unable to defend themselves.  During Ragnarok, Tyr is destined to kill and be killed by Garm, the guard dog of Helheim.

Today, Tyr appears in the free-to-play MOBA, Smite, as a Warrior class, with the title 'The Lawbringer'.  Tyr is also the name of a heavy metal band from the Faroe Islands.  And in the Dungeons & Dragons campaign, Tyr is the God of justice in the main Faerunian pantheon, in keeping with his primary role in Norse mythology.

 

Courage

Divine Friends

Fenrir

Honor

Justice

Teiwaz Rune

Tyr

Tyr, God of the Morning

Tyr's Day

Warrior

Warrior God

Who Are Your Divine Friends?