Freyr is the Norse god of light and fertility . In Sweden and throughout Scandinavia, he is one of the most revered gods. And although few myths and legends about him are reported in historical writings, Freyr remains one of the main gods of Norse mythology, alongside Thor and Odin . But who was he really?
Who is the god Freyr?
The Norse god Freyr is also known as Yngvi. His name means "lord" in Old Norse.
Freyr is depicted as handsome and seductive . He is the Norse god of light and fertility. He is also god of the sky and the sun , thus controlling the rain and the good weather. Freyr is also a master of fairies and elves. The Norse deity decides the wealth and success of men . He gives life to their vegetation and watches over their animals. Snorri Sturluson - Icelandic diplomat and historian - writes about Freyr in the Edda: "he rules over the rain and the rays of the sun, and thus over the products of the earth, and it is good to invoke him for prosperity and for peace . He also governs the fortune of men. »
Men worship Freyr to ensure their good harvests . They sacrifice pigs and horses in his name to guarantee peace, well-being and a good life.
The Norse god dwells in Álfheimr, the world of the Alfes , who, too, are fertility deities. Legend has it that this world was given to him as a gift when, as a child, he lost his first tooth.
Freyr belongs to the Vanes tribe and is an honorary member of the Aesir. And for good reason, after a long war between the two tribes, the two families each delivered hostages. The Vanes then offer the Ases Njord , Freyr and Kvasir. In exchange, the Aesir offers them Hoenir and Mimir.
Freyr's attributes
The god Freyr has as an attribute a magic sword, the mimming . She is able to fight alone, without being held in hand.
Freyr also owns a boat named Skibladnir . Its name means “assembled from fine pieces of wood”. The boat was built by dwarves and has magical powers. Thus, all the Aesir and their weapons must be able to fit inside . Skibladner is always accompanied by a good wind that always propels him forward. With this boat, Freyr can cross the seas as well as the lands. Better still, when he has no use for it, the Nordic god can fold it up and store it in his purse.
When not in his ship, Freyr travels in a boar-drawn chariot . In Scandinavian culture, the boar is a symbol of strength and fertility. It then corresponds perfectly to the god Freyr. The latter also has a boar with golden hair. Her name ? Gullinbursti .
The Norse god would also share with his sister Freya a horse named Blodughuva .
Beyond these attributes, the god Freyr surrounds himself with three servants: Byggvir, Beyla and Skirnir .
The genealogy of the Norse god
Freyr's father is Njörd , the Norse god of sea and wind. Norse mythology tells that his mother would be Nerthus , sister of Njörd. But it was with his stepmother, Skadi, that Freyr grew up.
The god of fertility has a twin sister, Freya , herself the goddess of love. They would also have had an affair, incest being frequent among the Vanes. Just as Freyr would have had many stories with many other goddesses. But it is Gerda, a giantess, with whom the Nordic god falls in love.
Freyr and Gerda (Gerd): the legend of their love
It is Snorri Sturluson who recounts the meeting of the god Freyr and the giantess Gerda in his book. Freyr secretly sits on Odin's throne one day. From there, he has a view of the nine worlds and sees Gerda, the most beautiful of the giantess, in the distance. In the Edda, Snorri Sturluson writes: “There came a day when Freyr had gone to Hlidskjalf and looked upon all the worlds. But when he looked towards the northern region, he saw a woman; when she raised her hands, the brightness sparkled from her hands, illuminating both the sky and the sea.”
Love at first sight is immediate. Freyr desires her, until he no longer sleeps and no longer eats. Njörd, his father, is worried. He then calls Skinir, one of Freyr's servants. He orders her to speak to her son and understand his misfortune. What he did.
Freyr then asks Skinir to leave to court Gerda on his behalf. He leaves with in his possession the magic sword of the god, to protect himself. There, Gerda refuses Skinir's proposal to marry Freyr. The servant then offers her eleven golden apples, in exchange for her love for Freyr , which she does not accept. He tries to offer her a magic gold ring, which she also refuses . Skinir ends up threatening the giantess to cut off his head, first. Then cast a spell on her, making her ugly as hell. Gerda ended up accepting Freyr's hand on one condition: she would have to wait nine nights .
The nine nights gone by, symbol of the nine months of Nordic winter, Freyr and Gerda marry. However, the couple will have no children .
Freyr's death at Ragnarok
The Norse god Freyr dies during Ragnarok , the prophetic end of the world in Norse mythology. Deprived of his magic sword which he had left to his servant Skirnir in exchange for Gerda, Freyr fights unarmed. During Ragnarok, the god confronts Surtr, a giant. He succumbs to battle. Snorri Sturluson assures him in his writings: "the cause of his death will be that he will lack the good sword which he gave to Skirnir" .
