The Prologue is the first section of four books of the Prose Edda , and consists of a euhemerized account of the origins of Norse mythology . According to the Prologue, the Norse gods originate from the Trojans described in Homer 's poetry, and are King Priam 's descendants. Priam's grandson Thor traveled throughout the world after leaving Thrace , fighting monsters and a dragon; he eventually came far north where he married a local named Sif . From them descended both the Norse gods as well as royal lines of various kingdoms.
64-727: In Norse mythology , Sif is a golden-haired goddess associated with earth. Sif is attested in the Poetic Edda , compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda , written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson , and in the poetry of skalds . In both the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda , she is known for her golden hair and is married to the thunder god Thor . The Prose Edda recounts that Sif once had her hair shorn by Loki , and that Thor forced Loki to have
128-450: A common signification. Grimm connects Eddic references to Sif's golden hair (gold is referred to as Sifjar haddr ; Sif's hair) with the herb name haddr Sifjar ( Polytrichum aureum ). Grimm says that "expositors see in this the golden fruits of the Earth burnt up by fire and growing again, they liken Sif to Ceres ", and Grimm says that "with it agrees the fact that O. Slav . Siva
192-442: A complement to Thor through his fertility associations, and that the name Sif (Simek provides the etymology "relation by marriage") may have originally simply meant "the wife (of Thor)". Simek rejects notions of a "vegetation cult" venerating Sif, says that Sif does not appear to have a function, dismisses theories proposing connections between Sif's hair and grain as "over-zealous interpretation[s]", and theorizes that Snorri invented
256-439: A crystal cup and said: Welcome now, Loki, and take the crystal cup full of ancient mead, you should admit, that of the children of the Æsir , that I alone am blameless. He took the horn and drank it down: That indeed you would be, if you were so, if you were shy and fierce towards men; I alone know, as I think I do now, your lover beside Thor, and that was the wicked Loki. Sif does not respond, and
320-466: A divinity Sibja , Sippia , Sib , corresponding to ON . Sif gen. Sifjar , the wife of Thôrr , for the ON. too has a pl. sifjar meaning cognatio, sifi amicus (OHG. sippio , sippo ), sift genus, cognatio. By this sense of the word, Sif would appear to be, like Frigg and Freyja , a goddess of loveliness and love; as attributes of Oðinn and Thôrr agree, their wives Frigg and Sif have also
384-455: A female being of the same name , may be ferried away by valkyries to Odin's martial hall Valhalla , or may be chosen by the goddess Freyja to dwell in her field Fólkvangr . The goddess Rán may claim those that die at sea, and the goddess Gefjon is said to be attended by virgins upon their death. Texts also make reference to reincarnation . Time itself is presented between cyclic and linear, and some scholars have argued that cyclic time
448-456: A golden headpiece made for Sif, resulting in not only Sif's golden tresses but also five other objects for other gods. Sif is also named in the Prose Edda as the mother of Þrúðr by Thor and of Ullr . Scholars have proposed that Sif's hair may represent fields of golden wheat , that she may be associated with fertility, family, wedlock and/or that she is connected to rowan , and that there may be an allusion to her role or possibly her name in
512-606: A guest at Ægir 's feast, the subject of a jötunn's desire, as having her hair shorn by Loki, and in various kennings. Sif is introduced in chapter three of the Prologue section of the Prose Edda ; Snorri's euhemerized account of the origins of Norse mythology . Snorri states that Thor married Sif, and that she is known as "a prophetess called Sibyl , though we know her as Sif". Sif is further described as "the loveliest of women" and with hair of gold. Although he lists her own ancestors as unknown, Snorri writes that Thor and Sif produced
576-671: A linguistic remark, observing that the Æsir when they came to the north, spread out until their language was the native language over all these lands. The section's genealogy is obviously informed by Anglo-Saxon tradition , as preserved by Æthelweard , the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Anglian collection . His genealogical descent from Seskef to Odin directly parallels that from Sceaf to Woden in Anglo-Saxon tradition, and explicitly gives Odin's original name as Vóden , explaining that
640-452: A lover at home. In response, Thor says that Hárbarðr is speaking carelessly "of what seems worst to me" and also lying. In stanzas 53 and 54 of the poem Lokasenna , after pouring Loki a crystal cup of mead during his series of insults towards the gods, Sif states that there is nothing Loki can say only in regard to her. In response, Loki claims that Sif has had an affair with him: Then Sif went forward and poured out mead for Loki into
704-548: A potentially understated mythological importance of Sif's role in the story of her sheared hair exists; her headpiece is created along with the most important and powerful items in Norse mythology. Lindow further states that it may be easy to lose sight of the central role Sif plays in the creation of these objects. Sif has been linked with Ravdna , the consort of the Sami thunder god Horagalles . Red berries of rowan were holy to Ravdna and
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#1732863336480768-463: A region in the center of the cosmos. Outside of the gods, humanity, and the jötnar, these Nine Worlds are inhabited by beings, such as elves and dwarfs . Travel between the worlds is frequently recounted in the myths, where the gods and other beings may interact directly with humanity. Numerous creatures live on Yggdrasil, such as the insulting messenger squirrel Ratatoskr and the perching hawk Veðrfölnir . The tree itself has three major roots, and at
832-586: A religious context among adherents of Germanic Neopaganism . The historical religion of the Norse people is commonly referred to as Norse mythology . Other terms are Scandinavian mythology , North Germanic mythology or Nordic mythology . Norse mythology is primarily attested in dialects of Old Norse , a North Germanic language spoken by the Scandinavian people during the European Middle Ages and
896-415: A son by the name of Lóriði , who "took after his father". In chapter 31 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning , Ullr is referred to as a son of Sif and a stepson of Thor (though his father is not mentioned): Ull is the name of one. The son of Sif, he is the stepson of Thor. He is so skillful a bowman and skier that no one can compete with him. He is beautiful to look at, and is an accomplished warrior. He
960-496: Is Njörðr's unnamed sister (her name is unprovided in the source material). However, there is more information about his pairing with the skiing and hunting goddess Skaði . Their relationship is ill-fated, as Skaði cannot stand to be away from her beloved mountains, nor Njörðr from the seashore. Together, Freyja, Freyr, and Njörðr form a portion of gods known as the Vanir . While the Aesir and
1024-415: Is a gloss on Ceres dea frumenti " but cites etymological problems between the potential cognate. Grimm says that Thor's mother was the earth, and not his wife, yet "we do find the simple Sif standing for earth." Grimm adds that he is inconclusive regarding Sif and that, "we ought to have fuller details about Sif, and these are wholly wanting in our mythology. Nowhere amongst us is the mystic relation of
1088-413: Is also a good person to pray to when in single combat. As reported in the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál , Thor once engages in a duel with Hrungnir , there described as the strongest of the jötnar . Prior to this, Hrungnir had been drunkenly boasting of his desire to, amongst other things, kill all of the gods except Freyja and Sif, whom he wanted to take home with him. However, at the duel, Hrungnir
1152-815: Is based on the Sif of Norse myth and is portrayed by Jaimie Alexander in the Marvel Studios film Thor , its sequel , the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. television series, and the Loki streaming series episode The Nexus Event , where the hair shearing incident has loosely been adapted. Lady Sif appears in Santa Monica Studio 's 2022 video game God of War Ragnarök , where she is voiced by Emily Rose . [REDACTED] Media related to Sif at Wikimedia Commons Norse mythology Norse , Nordic , or Scandinavian mythology ,
1216-693: Is cognate with Old Norse Sif and sif . In the Old English poem Beowulf (lines 2016 to 2018), Hroðgar 's wife, Wealhþeow , moves through the hall serving mead to the warriors and defusing conflict. Various scholars beginning with Magnus Olsen have pointed to the similarity with what Sif does at the feast described in Lokasenna . Richard North further notes that unusually, sib is personified here and in lines 2599 to 2661, and suggests they may be references to Sif in Danish religion: "Both instances may indicate that
1280-523: Is engineered by Loki , and Baldr thereafter resides in Hel , a realm ruled over by an entity of the same name . Odin must share half of his share of the dead with a powerful goddess, Freyja . She is beautiful, sensual, wears a feathered cloak, and practices seiðr . She rides to battle to choose among the slain and brings her chosen to her afterlife field Fólkvangr . Freyja weeps for her missing husband Óðr and seeks after him in faraway lands. Freyja's brother,
1344-580: Is not elsewhere attested as unfaithful, though notes that Odin makes a similar accusation in Hárbarðsljóð , and theorizes a potential connection between the story of Loki cutting off Sif's hair with these references. Larrington says "how he got close enough to carry this out might be explained by this verse." Several identities have been suggested for Sif's first husband, the father of Ullr, but since neither Edda names this husband, most scholars continue to consider him unidentified. N. A. Nielsen suggests that she
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#17328633364801408-580: Is quickly killed by the enraged Thor. Further in Skáldskaparmál , Snorri relates a story where Loki cuts off Sif's hair as a prank. When Thor discovers this, he grabs hold of Loki, resulting in Loki swearing to have a headpiece made of gold to replace Sif's locks. Loki fulfills this promise by having a headpiece made by dwarfs , the Sons of Ivaldi . Along with the headpiece, the dwarfs produced Odin's spear, Gungnir . As
1472-596: Is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples , stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia as the Nordic folklore of the modern period. The northernmost extension of Germanic mythology and stemming from Proto-Germanic folklore , Norse mythology consists of tales of various deities, beings, and heroes derived from numerous sources from both before and after
1536-476: The Poetic Edda , a collection of poems from earlier traditional material anonymously compiled in the 13th century. The Prose Edda was composed as a prose manual for producing skaldic poetry—traditional Old Norse poetry composed by skalds . Originally composed and transmitted orally, skaldic poetry utilizes alliterative verse , kennings , and several metrical forms. The Prose Edda presents numerous examples of works by various skalds from before and after
1600-542: The Great Flood to cleanse this world, and that both evil and wisdom have increased since. There are then some poetic musings on the cyclical nature of nature, man, and animals. The next section includes a genealogy that begins with Priam . Priam's daughter Tróán married king Múnón or Memnon or Menon . Their son was Trór, or Thor , who was fostered in Thrace . At the age of 12, Thor slew his foster father. He then traveled
1664-708: The Old English poem Beowulf . The name Sif is the singular form of the plural Old Norse word sifjar . Sifjar only appears in singular form when referring to the goddess as a proper noun. Sifjar is cognate to the Old English sibb and modern English sib (meaning "affinity, connection, by marriage") and in other Germanic languages: Gothic 𐍃𐌹𐌱𐌾𐌰 ( sibja ), Old High German sippa , and modern German Sippe . Sifjar appears not only in ancient poetry and records of law, but also in compounds ( byggja sifjar means "to marry"). Using this etymology, scholar John Lindow gives
1728-612: The 13th century by Snorri and Gesta Danorum , composed in Latin by Saxo Grammaticus in Denmark in the 12th century, are the results of heavy amounts of euhemerization. Numerous additional texts, such as the sagas , provide further information. The saga corpus consists of thousands of tales recorded in Old Norse ranging from Icelandic family histories ( Sagas of Icelanders ) to Migration period tales mentioning historic figures such as Attila
1792-580: The Black Sea to the Baltic Sea and modern Sweden, along the river Tanais, Dniepr . King Gylfi welcomed Odin and his train as "men of Asia, who were called Æsir ". In Sweden, Odin founded a city called Sigtúna as a Trojan colony. Later, Odin's son Yngvi became king of Sweden, founding the Yngling dynasty. Finally, Odin went on to Norway, where he established his son Sæmingr as king. The Prologue concludes in
1856-687: The Christianization process and also frequently refers back to the poems found in the Poetic Edda . The Poetic Edda consists almost entirely of poems, with some prose narrative added, and this poetry— Eddic poetry—utilizes fewer kennings . In comparison to skaldic poetry, Eddic poetry is relatively unadorned. The Prose Edda features layers of euhemerization , a process in which deities and supernatural beings are presented as having been either actual, magic-wielding human beings who have been deified in time or beings demonized by way of Christian mythology . Texts such as Heimskringla , composed in
1920-601: The Hun ( legendary sagas ). Objects and monuments such as the Rök runestone and the Kvinneby amulet feature runic inscriptions —texts written in the runic alphabet , the indigenous alphabet of the Germanic peoples —that mention figures and events from Norse mythology. Objects from the archaeological record may also be interpreted as depictions of subjects from Norse mythology, such as amulets of
1984-647: The Norwegian woman Ragnhild Tregagås —convicted of witchcraft in Norway in the 14th century—and spells found in the 17th century Icelandic Galdrabók grimoire also sometimes make references to Norse mythology. Other traces, such as place names bearing the names of gods may provide further information about deities, such as a potential association between deities based on the placement of locations bearing their names, their local popularity, and associations with geological features. Central to accounts of Norse mythology are
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2048-542: The Vanir retain distinct identification, they came together as the result of the Aesir–Vanir War . While they receive less mention, numerous other gods and goddesses appear in the source material. (For a list of these deities, see List of Germanic deities .) Some of the gods heard less of include the apple-bearing goddess Iðunn and her husband, the skaldic god Bragi ; the gold-toothed god Heimdallr , born of nine mothers ;
2112-532: The ancestor of modern Scandinavian languages . The majority of these Old Norse texts were created in Iceland , where the oral tradition stemming from the pre-Christian inhabitants of the island was collected and recorded in manuscripts. This occurred primarily in the 13th century. These texts include the Prose Edda , composed in the 13th century by the Icelandic scholar, lawspeaker , and historian Snorri Sturluson , and
2176-712: The ancient god Týr , who lost his right hand while binding the great wolf Fenrir ; and the goddess Gefjon , who formed modern-day Zealand , Denmark . Various beings outside of the gods are mentioned. Elves and dwarfs are commonly mentioned and appear to be connected, but their attributes are vague and the relation between the two is ambiguous. Elves are described as radiant and beautiful, whereas dwarfs often act as earthen smiths. A group of beings variously described as jötnar , thursar , and trolls (in English these are all often glossed as " giants ") frequently appear. These beings may either aid, deter, or take their place among
2240-567: The base of one of these roots live the Norns , female entities associated with fate. Elements of the cosmos are personified, such as the Sun ( Sól , a goddess), the Moon ( Máni , a god), and Earth ( Jörð , a goddess), as well as units of time, such as day ( Dagr , a god) and night ( Nótt , a jötunn). The afterlife is a complex matter in Norse mythology. The dead may go to the murky realm of Hel —a realm ruled over by
2304-549: The basis for his expanded account in the Prologue as well as specific passages within Heimskringla . These notes omitted the descent from Adam given Scef in the Anglian collection, freeing the prologue author to derive his Sescef from Thor and hence Priam. The names interposed are all associated with Thor: Lóriði, Einridi, Vingethor and Vingener derive from alternative names for Thor, while Móda and Magi are his sons Móði and Magni .
2368-448: The chief reason for the use of the frame device itself, was to avoid the criticism that his stories were dangerous to [Christian] orthodoxy". Rather than pagan gods, the figures of Norse legend are refashioned as human figures, if noble and powerful ones. The Prologue begins with a brief summary of the Book of Genesis : that Adam and Eve were the first humans, that as evil increased God sent
2432-486: The cosmological tree Yggdrasil to gain knowledge of the runic alphabet, which he passed on to humanity, and is associated closely with death, wisdom, and poetry. Odin is portrayed as the ruler of Asgard , and leader of the Aesir . Odin's wife is the powerful goddess Frigg who can see the future but tells no one, and together they have a beloved son, Baldr . After a series of dreams had by Baldr of his impending death, his death
2496-399: The events of Ragnarök when an immense battle occurs between the gods and their enemies, and the world is enveloped in flames, only to be reborn anew. There the surviving gods will meet, and the land will be fertile and green, and two humans will repopulate the world. Norse mythology has been the subject of scholarly discourse since the 17th century when key texts attracted the attention of
2560-454: The exchange turns to Beyla . Sif is additionally mentioned in two kennings found in poems collected in the Poetic Edda ; Hymiskviða (where Thor is referred to as the "Husband of Sif" thrice), and Þrymskviða (where Thor is once referred to as "Husband of Sif"). In the Prose Edda , Sif is mentioned once in the Prologue , in chapter 31 of Gylfaginning , and in Skáldskaparmál as
2624-433: The family and community. This included the fruitfulness of the fields, and Thor, although pictured primarily as a storm god in the myths, was also concerned with the fertility and preservation of the seasonal round. In our own times, little stone axes from the distant past have been used as fertility symbols and placed by the farmer in the holes made by the drill to receive the first seed of spring. Thor's marriage with Sif of
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2688-401: The form of three gifts. After the cataclysm of Ragnarok, this process is mirrored in the survival of two humans from a wood; Líf and Lífþrasir . From these two humankind is foretold to repopulate the new and green earth. Prologue (Prose Edda) Regarding the euhemerization in the Prologue , Anthony Faulkes wrote that "undoubtedly one of the motives for including the prologue, and maybe
2752-486: The god Freyr , is also frequently mentioned in surviving texts, and in his association with the weather, royalty, human sexuality, and agriculture brings peace and pleasure to humanity. Deeply lovesick after catching sight of the beautiful jötunn Gerðr , Freyr seeks and wins her love, yet at the price of his future doom. Their father is the powerful god Njörðr . Njörðr is strongly associated with ships and seafaring, and so also wealth and prosperity. Freyja and Freyr's mother
2816-488: The god Thor's hammer Mjölnir found among pagan burials and small silver female figures interpreted as valkyries or dísir , beings associated with war, fate or ancestor cults. By way of historical linguistics and comparative mythology , comparisons to other attested branches of Germanic mythology (such as the Old High German Merseburg Incantations ) may also lend insight. Wider comparisons to
2880-453: The gods. The Norns , dísir , and aforementioned valkyries also receive frequent mention. While their functions and roles may overlap and differ, all are collective female beings associated with fate. In Norse cosmology , all beings live in Nine Worlds that center around the cosmological tree Yggdrasil . The gods inhabit the heavenly realm of Asgard whereas humanity inhabits Midgard ,
2944-411: The gods. The cosmos in Norse mythology consists of Nine Worlds that flank a central sacred tree , Yggdrasil . Units of time and elements of the cosmology are personified as deities or beings. Various forms of a creation myth are recounted, where the world is created from the flesh of the primordial being Ymir , and the first two humans are Ask and Embla . These worlds are foretold to be reborn after
3008-472: The golden hair, about which we hear little in the myths, seems to be a memory of the ancient symbol of divine marriage between sky god and earth goddess , when he comes to earth in the thunderstorm and the storm brings the rain which makes the fields fertile. In this way Thor, as well as Odin, may be seen to continue the cult of the sky god which was known in the Bronze Age . Scholar John Lindow proposes that
3072-504: The intellectual circles of Europe. By way of comparative mythology and historical linguistics , scholars have identified elements of Germanic mythology reaching as far back as Proto-Indo-European mythology . During the modern period, the Romanticist Viking revival re-awoke an interest in the subject matter, and references to Norse mythology may now be found throughout modern popular culture . The myths have further been revived in
3136-500: The lands accomplishing mighty deeds, defeating beasts, giants, and a mighty dragon. In the North, he married a beautiful, golden-haired prophetess named Sibil, identified with Sif . The line of descendants of Thor and Sif is given as follows: Finally, the son of Fríallaf was "Vóden, whom we call Odin ", who came to Germany ( Saxland ) and established the royal lines there. In Saxland, Odin's sons Vegdeg , Beldeg ( Baldr ) and Sigi founded
3200-421: The meanings "in-law-relationship", scholar Andy Orchard provides "relation", and scholar Rudolf Simek gives "relation by marriage". In stanza 48 of the Poetic Edda poem Hárbarðsljóð , Hárbarðr ( Odin , father of Thor, in disguise) meets Thor at an inlet of a gulf. The two engage in flyting , and Hárbarðr refuses to ferry Thor across the bay. Among numerous other insults, Hárbarðr claims that Sif has
3264-457: The mythology of other Indo-European peoples by scholars has resulted in the potential reconstruction of far earlier myths. Only a tiny amount of poems and tales survive of the many mythical tales and poems that are presumed to have existed during the Middle Ages, Viking Age, Migration Period, and before. Later sources reaching into the modern period, such as a medieval charm recorded as used by
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#17328633364803328-436: The mythology, Thor lays waste to numerous jötnar who are foes to the gods or humanity, and is wed to the beautiful, golden-haired goddess Sif . The god Odin is also frequently mentioned in surviving texts. One-eyed, wolf - and raven -flanked, with a spear in hand, Odin pursues knowledge throughout the nine realms. In an act of self-sacrifice, Odin is described as having hanged himself upside-down for nine days and nights on
3392-530: The name Ravdna resembles the North Germanic words for the tree (for example, Old Norse reynir ). According to Skáldskaparmál , the rowan is called "the salvation of Thor" because Thor once saved himself by clinging to it. It has been theorized that Sif was once conceived in the form of a rowan to which Thor clung." Regarding the accusations that Loki makes to Sif in Lokasenna , Carolyne Larrington says that Sif
3456-501: The original names of the Æsir were better preserved in England. The specific form that the names take as well as retained errors in the ancestry of Odin indicate a source closely related to Anglian collection manuscript T. The prologue's Sescef matches this manuscript's Se Scef - 'this Scef', and he appears to have had used a set of genealogical notes made from the Anglian collection manuscript and brought to Iceland, where they would serve as
3520-471: The pagan period, including medieval manuscripts, archaeological representations, and folk tradition. The source texts mention numerous gods such as the thunder-god Thor , the raven -flanked god Odin , the goddess Freyja , and numerous other deities . Most of the surviving mythology centers on the plights of the gods and their interaction with several other beings, such as humanity and the jötnar , beings who may be friends, lovers, foes, or family members of
3584-592: The plights of the gods and their interaction with various other beings, such as with the jötnar , who may be friends, lovers, foes, or family members of the gods. Numerous gods are mentioned in the source texts. As evidenced by records of personal names and place names, the most popular god among the Scandinavians during the Viking Age was Thor the thunder god , who is portrayed as unrelentingly pursuing his foes, his mountain-crushing, thunderous hammer Mjölnir in hand. In
3648-489: The poet of Beowulf was in a position to imagine a sixth-century Scandinavia on the basis of his knowledge of contemporary Danish legends." 19th-century scholar Jacob Grimm proposes a reconstruction of a Germanic deity cognate to Sif in other Germanic cultures and proposes a similar nature to that of the goddesses Frigg and Freyja : The Goth. sibja , OHG . sippia , sippa , AS . sib gen . sibbe , denote peace, friendship, kindred; from these I infer
3712-518: The prologue author emulated the Anglo-Saxon pedigrees that converging on Woden, making the Scandinavian pedigrees converge on Odin by turning their eponymous founders, Yngvi of the Ynglings and Skjöldr of the Skjöldungs, into Odin's sons . In so doing, he creates a duplicate of Skjaldun, intermediate between Seskef and Odin in the portion of the pedigree derived from the Anglo-Saxon source, and representing
3776-615: The ruling houses of the Franks , from whom descended the Völsungs . Odin himself moved on to Joðland , which the section says was known as Reiðgo in earlier times, where he established his son Skjöldr , from whom derive the Skjöldungs , the kings of the Danes . After this, Odin went on to Sweden , where there was a king named Gylfi . Old Sweden, Sviþjoð , is otherwise attested by Snorre to stretch from
3840-444: The seed-corn of Demeter , whose poignant grief for her daughter threatens to bring famine on mankind (Hymn to Cer. 305–306), nor anything like it, recorded." Citing the etymology of her name, 19th century scholar Guðbrandur Vigfússon theorizes that Sif "betokens mother earth with her golden sheaves of grain; she was the goddess of the sanctity of the family and wedlock". Scholar Rudolf Simek theorizes that Sif likely originated as
3904-400: The story of Sif's shorn locks in attempt to explain the attributes of various gods. Scholar H. R. Ellis Davidson states that Sif may have been an ancient fertility goddess, agreeing with a link between her lustrous hair and fields of golden wheat . Regarding Sif, Thor, and fertility, Davidson says: The cult of Thor was linked up with men's habitation and possessions, and with well-being of
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#17328633364803968-681: The story progresses, the incident leads to the creation of the ship Skíðblaðnir and the boar Gullinbursti for Freyr , the multiplying ring Draupnir for Odin, and the mighty hammer Mjöllnir for Thor. Sif also appears in Skáldskaparmál listed as a heiti for "earth", appears in a kenning for a gold-keeping woman, and once for Hildr . Poetic means of referring to Sif calling her "wife of Thor", "mother of Ullr", "the fair-haired deity", "rival of Járnsaxa ", and as "mother of Þrúðr". 19th-century scholar Jacob Grimm records that in his time residents of Värmland , Sweden "call[ed] Thor's wife godmor , good mother." In Old English , sib ("family")
4032-400: Was married to Njord before the Æsir–Vanir War , an interpretation which depends on considering Ullr identical with Freyr , which Rudolf Simek characterizes as "very precarious." Sif has inspired the name of a volcano on the planet Venus ( Sif Mons ). Sif's characterization in modern media tends to be much more martial than in the original sources. The Marvel Comics character, Sif ,
4096-425: Was the original format for the mythology. Various forms of a cosmological creation story are provided in Icelandic sources, and references to a future destruction and rebirth of the world— Ragnarok —are frequently mentioned in some texts. According to the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda poem, Völuspá , the first human couple consisted of Ask and Embla ; driftwood found by a trio of gods and imbued with life in
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