made themfelves amends for this forced ftate of quist, and the God of war was only ferved with the more activity during the reft of the year. I have nothing to remark concerning the other Goddeffes, who are only known to us by the EDDA, and who, for the most part, feem to have fprung from the brains of the northern SCALDS. (B)" EYRA performs the function of Physician to the Gods."] Tacitus informs us that the Germans had no other Physicians but their women. They followed the armies to flanch and fuck the wounds of their hufbands. In like manner, all the hiftories and romances of the north always reprefent the females, and often princeffes, charged with this care. The fame thing may be obferved of almoft all nations in their infancy. but no people had ever a stronger confidence in the women's skill in medicine, than cur Celtic and Gothic' ancestors. "Perfuaded, fays Tachus, that there was fomething divine in that fex, " they fubmitted, when fick, to their opinion and decifion with that implicit confidence, which is due to fupernatural knowledge. Indeed all the fcience of medicine that was employed in thofe times, was little elfe but magic applied to the cure 66 of difeafes. The evils and the remedies were most commonly nothing elfe but lots, poffeffions, conjurations and enchantments. And the mountaineers in many parts of Furope, know of no other at this day. The fuperftition of fhepherds and fuch like people, in this refpect, is well known. The prejudices of thefe poor people, are only reliques of what all heads were once full of. After this, regret who will, the lofs of ancient times! (c)" She hath a horse, which "runs over the air."] The travels of Goddeffes and Fairies through the air, are very common in all the poems and fables of the ancient inhabitants of the north, and most of the nations in Europe have thought in this refpect along with them. When in procefs of time Chriftianity became preva lent, what had been formerly looked upon as a precious gift and fignal mark of divine favour, was now regarded as the effect only of diabolical arts. The affemblies of ecclefiaftics made very fevere prohibitions, and denounced their anathemas against all those who should travel through the air in the night-time. In the ancient law of Norway, called " Gulathings Lagen," c. I. we find this regu"Let the king and the 66 bishop, lation. bishop, with all poffible care, "make inquiry_after those who "exercise Pagan fuperftitions; "who make use of magic arts; "who adore the Genii of particu"lar places, or of tombs, or " rivers; and who by a diabolical ❝ manner of travelling, are tranf"ported from place to place, "through the air," &c. A council held at Rouen, and cited in Burchard, contains a prohibition of the fame nature. (Conc. Rotom. L. I. c. 94. fect. 44) In fome places the people are still of opinion, even in our own days, that witches are carried to their internal Sabbaths through the midst of the air, on horseback, or at leaft riding aftride certain animals. '(Vid. Keyfler. Antiq. Sept. p. 88, 89.) There are few of our popular superstitions, but what may be traced up to fome opinion, which was confecrated by the ancient religion of the Goths and' Celts. Nor need we always except thofe, which feem in some respect to hold a conformity to doctrines or practices, which the Chriftian religion alone could have taught us. One name fubftituted for another, and an outside varnish of devotion cannot fo difguife their original, but that it is easily discovered by a skilful eye. VOL II. K THE THE NINETEENTH FABLE. Of Frey and Gerde. HERE was a man named Gimer, one of the race TH of the Giants of the mountains; who had had by his wife Orbeda, a daughter named Gerde, the most beautiful of her fex. One day FREY having ascended the throne of the Universal Father, in order to take a view of the whole world from thence; perceived towards the north a magnificent palace in the middle of a city, and a woman come out it, whofe hair was fo bright, that it gave luftre to the air and the waters. At that fight Frey, in just punishment of his audacity in mounting that facred throne, was ftruck with fud'den sadness, infomuch that, upon his return home, he could neither speak, nor fleep, nor drink; nor did any body dare fo much as to inquire into the cause. However, NIORD ordered Skirner, the confident of Frey, to come to him, and charged him to demand of his master what fworn enemy he had, that thus he renounced all converfe with mankind. Skirner promifed to do this, and going to Frey, afked him boldly why he was fo fad and filent. Frey answered, That he had feen a young woman fo beautiful and finely haped, that if he could not poffefs her, he should not long furvive it; and that this was what rendered him fo thoughtful. "Go therefore (adds he), obtain her for me in marriage, if you bring her to me, you fhall have in recompence whatever you defire." Skirner Skirner undertook to do this, if Frey would make him a prefent of his Sword, which was fo good, that it would of itself ftrow a field with its carnage, whenever the owner ordered it. Frey, impatient of delay, immediately made him a present of the sword; and Skirner setting out, obtained the young woman of her relations, who promised that fhe fhould follow him within nine nights after his departure, and that the nuptials should be folemnized in a place called Barey. Skirner having reported to Frey the fuccefs of his embaffy; that god, full of impatience, pronounced thefe verfes: "One night is very long; two nights are ftill longer; How then fhall I pass the third? "Many a time hath a whole month appeared to me "shorter than the half of fuch a night." Frey having thus given away his fword, found himfelf without arms when he fought againft Bela; and hence it was, that he flew him with the horn of a ftag. Then, faid Gangler, it seems to me very aftonishing, that so brave a hero as Frey fhould give his fword away to another, without keeping one equally good for himself. He must have been in very bad plight, when he encountered with Bela; and I'll be fworn, he repented him heartily. That conflict was trifling, replied Har: Frey could have flain Bela with a blow of his fift, had he had a mind to it. But when the fons of Mufpell, thofe wicked Genii, shall come to fight with the Gods, then he will have reason to be sorry indeed that he parted with his fword. THE TWENTIETH FABLE. Of the Food of the Gods. UT, fays Gangler, if every man who has been flain in battle fince the beginning of the world, repairs to the paláce of ODIN, what food does that God affign to fo vaft a multitude? Har anfwered him, You have reason to say it is a vaft multitude ; yet will it ftill increase ad infinitum; nay, the Gods themselves fhall defire, that it were fill much more confiderable, when the wolf FENRIS arrives at the laft day (A). The number, however, never-can be fo great, but the flesh of the wild boar Serimner will fuffice to fuftain them; which, though dreffed every morning, becomes entire again every night, 1 be lieve there are but few who are able to explain this matter to you, as it is described in those verses; the fenfe of which is to this effect: "The cook, Andrim"ner, dreffes the wild boar inceffantly in his pot "the heroes are fed with lard or fat of this animal, "which exceeds every thing in the world (B).” But, fays Gangler, does Odin eat at the fame table with the heroes? Har anfwered, The meat that is fet before him, ODIN diftributes to two wolves, known by the names of Geri and Freki: for as to himself, he stands in no need of food: wine is to him instead of every other aliment; according to what is faid in thefe verfes; "The illuftrious father of Iarmies, with his own hands fattens his two wolves;. 66 the |