Appeal:
love, fertility, wealth, farmers, grocery stores, protection, bakers, light, happiness, rain, marriages
Freyr (Frey,
Ing or Lord) is one of the most important Gods of Norse paganism. Freyr was
associated with sacral kingship, virility and prosperity, with sunshine and
fair weather, animals and was pictured as a phallic fertility God.
In the
Icelandic books the Poetic Edda, Freyr is presented as one of the Vanir, the son of the sea God Njord, brother of
the Goddess Freya. The Gods gave him Alfheim, the realm of the Elves, as a teething
present. He rides the shining dwarf-made boar Gullinbursti and possesses the
ship Skidbladnir which always has a favorable breeze and can be
folded together and carried in a pouch when it is not being used.
The most
extensive surviving Freyr myth relates
Freyr's falling in love with the female jotunn (giantess) Gerd. Freyr immediately falls in love with her and
becomes depressed and taciturn. After a
period of brooding, he consents to talk to Skirnir, his
foot-page. He tells Skirnir that he has
fallen in love with a beautiful woman and thinks he will die if he cannot have
her. Eventually, she becomes his wife
but first Freyr has to give away his sword which fights
on its own, "wise be he who wields it". Although deprived of this
weapon, Freyr defeats the jotun Beli with an antler. Many scholars interpret the story as a legend
about the wooing of the frozen Earth (Gerd) by the warm Sun (Freyr). However, lacking his sword, Freyr will be
killed by the fire jotun Surt
during the events of Ragnarok.
Written around
1080, Adam claimed to have access to first-hand accounts on pagan practices in
Sweden. He refers to Freyr with the Latinized name Fricco and mentions that an image of him at Skara was destroyed by a Christian missionary. His
description of the Temple at Uppsala gives some details on the God.
"In this temple, entirely decked out in gold, the people worship
the statues of three Gods in such wise that the mightiest of them, Thor, occupies a throne in the middle of the chamber; Woden and Fricco have places on either side. The
significance of these Gods is as follows: Thor, they say, presides over the
air, which governs the thunder and lightning, the winds and rains, fair weather
and crops. The other, Woden—that is, the Furious—carries on war and imparts to
man strength against his enemies. The third is Fricco, who bestows peace and
pleasure on mortals. His likeness, too, they fashion with an immense phallus."
Gesta Hammaburgensis 26,
Tschan's translation
In the Gylfaginning section
of his Prose Edda, Snorri introduces Freyr as one of the major Gods.
Njord in Noatun begot afterward two children: the son was called
Freyr and the daughter Freya; they were fair of face and mighty. Freyr is the
most renowned of the Æsir;
he rules over the rain and the shining of the sun, and therewithal the fruit of
the earth; and it is good to call on him for fruitful seasons and peace. He
governs also the prosperity of men.
Gylfaginning XXIV, Brodeur's translation
In winter, a
sacrificial boar was offered up to the God Freyr. The pagan custom is still
remembered in many countries at Yule or Christmas where roast pig, pork or ham
may be the festive dish. In Sweden,
Yuletide cakes are baked in the shape of a boar.
Praise
Be To Freyr!
Praise Be To Freyr!
To Life, to Spirit, to Freedom!
Praise be Green Hills and Verdant Valleys Forever!
Fertility to the Fields and Flowers!
The Birds and Bees!
The Deer and the Does!
Praise to Dancing and Drinking!
To Frolicksome Freols!
Lifter of Hefts and Hafts!
Unbinder! Lord of the Elf Fields!
May my life be a tribute to the Freedom you o'ersee!
May my life be filled with your festivity and frith!
Praise Be to Freyr!
The Mighty Elf Lord of Freedom!
Praise Be To Freyr!
To Life, to Spirit, to Freedom!
Praise be Green Hills and Verdant Valleys Forever!
Fertility to the Fields and Flowers!
The Birds and Bees!
The Deer and the Does!
Praise to Dancing and Drinking!
To Frolicksome Freols!
Lifter of Hefts and Hafts!
Unbinder! Lord of the Elf Fields!
May my life be a tribute to the Freedom you o'ersee!
May my life be filled with your festivity and frith!
Praise Be to Freyr!
The Mighty Elf Lord of Freedom!
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