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In Norse Mythology , Frigg ('' Edda s'') or '''Frigga''' ('' Gesta Danorum '') was said to be "foremost among the goddesses," Sturluson, Snorri . Prose Edda, Gylfaginning . the wife of Odin , queen of the Æsir , and goddess of the sky. One of the Ásynjur , she is a goddess of fertility, love, household management, marriage, motherhood, and domestic arts. Her primary functions in the Norse mythological stories are as wife and mother, but these are not her only functions. She has the power of prophecy although she does not tell what she knows Sturluson, Snorri. Prose Edda, Skáldskaparmál . "She will tell no fortunes, yet well she knows the fates of men.", and is the only one other than Odin who is permitted to sit on his high seat Hlidskjalf and look out over the universe. Frigg also participates in the Wild Hunt ( Asgardreid ) along with her husband. Frigg's children are Baldr , Höðr and, in an English source, Wecta ; her stepchildren are Hermóðr , Heimdall , Tyr , Vidar , Váli , and Skjoldr . Thor is either her brother or a stepson. Frigg's companion is Eir , the gods' doctor and goddess of healing. Frigg's attendants are Hlín (a goddess of protection), Gná (a messenger goddess), and Fulla (a fertility goddess). According to the Poetic Edda poem '' Lokasenna '', Frigg is the daughter of Fjorgyn (masculine version of "Earth," cf. feminine version of "Earth," Thor's mother), her mother is not identified in the stories that have survived. ETYMOLOGY Old Norse ''Frigg'' and Old High German ''Frīa'' is related to German ''freien'' (archaic) Danish ''fri'' "to propose", earlier "to love" (thus in Old English ''freo(g)an'', Old Norse ''frjá'').
ATTRIBUTES 's illustration to the '' Die Walküre '' opera by Richard Wagner ]] The Asterism Orion's Belt was known as "Frigg's Distaff " or "Frigg's Spinning Wheel " (''Friggerock'')Schön, Ebbe. (2004). ''Asa-Tors hammare, Gudar och jättar i tro och tradition''. Fält & Hässler, Värnamo. p. 228.. Some have pointed out that the constellation is on the celestial equator and have suggested that the stars rotating in the night sky may have been associated with Frigg's spinning wheelKrupp, E. C. (Jan. 1996). The thread of time. ''Sky and Telescope''. 91(1), 60.. She is said to have woven or spun the clouds.
Frigg's hall in Asgard is , who was described as drinking with Odin from golden cups in her hall "Sunken Benches," may be Frigg by a different name. Thorsson, Edred (1998). ''Northern Magic: Rune Mysteries and Shamanism'', page 38. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications. (Stating that Saga is "likely an active aspect of Frigg.") .]] Frigg was very much the goddess of married women. She helped women give birth to children, and Scandinavians used the plant Lady's Bedstraw (''Galium verum'') as a sedative, they called it ''Frigg's grass'')Schön, Ebbe. (2004). ''Asa-Tors hammare, Gudar och jättar i tro och tradition''. Fält & Hässler, Värnamo. p. 228.. STORIES ABOUT FRIGG The Death of Baldr The most famous story about Frigg has her in the role of mother. Frigg especially loved her son Baldr, and with a mother's concern she set about trying to protect him after he had a prophetic dream of his own death. She had everything in the world promise not to harm him, but did not extract a promise from Mistletoe . The gods soon made a game of throwing things at Baldr and watching them bounce off without hurting him. In Snorri Sturluson 's version of the story, Baldr's brother Höðr is blind and can't join in on the fun. Loki made a dart out of mistletoe and put it into Höðr's hand, offering to guide his aim so he can participate in the game of throwing things at Baldr. Rather than bouncing off, the dart kills Baldr. Even though Frigg must have known that Baldr was doomed, both through one of Baldr's prophetic dreams and her own foreknowlege, she tries to alter his fate. Even after he dies she doesn't give up and tries to arrange to have him ransomed from the underworld. According to some versions of the story, "All About Christmas: Mistletoe and Holly" mistletoe became sacred to Frigg as a result of its failure to give Frigg its oath. The Winnilers and the Vandals In this story, Frigg is shown in the role of wife, but one who knows how to get her own way even though her husband thinks he is in charge. The Winnilers and the Vandals were two warring tribes. Odin favored the Vandals, while Frigg favored the Winnilers. After a heated discussion, Odin swore that he would grant victory to the first tribe he saw the next morning upon awakening-- knowing full well that the bed was arranged so that the Vandals were on his side. While he slept, Frigg told the Winniler women to comb their hair over their faces to look like long beards so they would look like men and turned the bed so the Winniler women would be on Odin's side. When he woke up, Odin was surprised to see the disguised women first and asked who these long bearded men were, which was where the tribe got its new name, the Langobards. Odin kept his oath and granted victory to the Winnilers (now known as the Lombards ), and eventually saw the wisdom of Frigg's choice. Vili and Ve In this story, Frigg has the role of sacred queen much like the role of queens during certain periods in ancient Egypt, where the king was king by virtue of being the queen's husband. As the story goes, Odin went wandering for a very long time without coming back. Finally, everyone assumed he was dead or otherwise never going to return. After quite some time had passed, Frigg "married" Odin's two brothers, Vili and Ve , who ruled in Odin's place. Eventually, Odin came back to rule and Frigg returned to his side as his wife. CONNECTION BETWEEN FRIGG AND FREYJA Frigg is the highest goddess of the , Freyja and Frigg, pages 56-67; Nasstrom, Brit-Mari. Freyja, a goddess with many names, pages 68-77. Billington, Sandra & Green, Miranda (Eds.) (1996). ''The Concept of the Goddess.'' London: Routlege. Some arguments are based on linguistic analysis, others on the fact that Freyja wasn't known in southern Germany, only in the north, and in some places the two goddesses were considered to be the same, while in others they were considered to be different. Welsh, Lynda. (2001). ''Goddess of the North,'' page 75. York Beach: Weiser Books. There are clearly many similarities between the two: both had flying cloaks of falcon feathers and engaged in shape-shifting, Frigg was married to Odin while Freyja was married to Óðr , both had special necklaces, both had a personification of the Earth as a parent, both were called upon for assistance in childbirth, etc. On the other hand, they sometimes appear at the same time in the same text. There is also an argument that Frigg and Freyja are part of a Triad Of Goddesses (together with a third goddess such as Hnoss or Iðunn ) associated with the different ages of womankind.Welsh, Lynda. (2001). ''Goddess of the North'', pages 107-126. York Beach: Weiser Books. (Chapter, "Putting together the fragments," which speculates on possible components of a triple goddess.) The areas of influence of Frigg and Freyja don't quite match up with the areas of influence often seen in other goddess triads. This may mean that the argument isn't a good one, or it may show something interesting about northern European culture as compared to Celtic and southern European culture. Finally, there is an argument is that Frigg and Freyja are similar goddesses from different pantheons who were first conflated into each other and then later seen as separate goddesses again (see also Frige ). This is consistent with the theological treatment of some Greek, Roman, and Egyptian deities in the late classical period. FRIGG IN PLACE NAMES The name of a lost farm in the parish of Hegra was written "af Fryggiosætre" around 1435. This seem to be Norse ''Friggjarsetr'', where the first element is the genitive case of ''Frigg'' (and the last element is ''setr'' 'homestead, farm'). If that is the case, then this is the only name in Norway containing ''Frigg''. MAIDSERVANTS Frigg had 11 maidservants: Fulla, Hlín, Gná, Lofn, Sjöfn, Syn, Gefjon, Snotra, Eir, Vár, and Vör, who helped the goddess in her role as goddess of marriage and justice. They are sometimes considered to be various aspects of Frigg herself rather than distinct beings. Other times 12 maidservants are listed. REFERENCES AND FOOTNOTES |
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