The Student's Mythology Part 25

_Ans._ He is a sort of High Priest of Buddhism residing in La.s.sa, the capital of Thibet; he is invested with an entirely supernatural character.

_Ques._ How is this?

_Ans._ The Buddhists believe that the confinement of the soul in a human body is a state of misery, and the punishment of sins committed in a former state of existence. They maintain, however, that pure spirits, from time to time, a.s.sume our human nature voluntarily, in order to promote the welfare of mankind. Such are the Lamas, and since the victories of Genghis Kan in the East, the Lama residing in Thibet has been considered the Chief Pontiff of his sect, and a perpetual incarnation of Buddha. He is also a temporal sovereign, although he is controlled by the Chinese government.

_Ques._ How is the line perpetuated?

_Ans._ When the Lama dies, his soul enters immediately into the body of some child, so that he is simply said to transmigrate.

_Ques._ How is the child discovered?

_Ans._ This is an affair of some difficulty, but the inferior Lamas always succeed in finding the hidden divinity. The child into whom they supposed the Lama's soul has entered, is required to remember the most private acts of the Lama's life, to recognize, as familiar objects, the articles which he was accustomed to use, etc. The children thus examined have sometimes answered in so extraordinary a manner that many have supposed Satan was permitted to aid in the imposture.

CHAPTER VII.

MYTHOLOGY OF SCANDINAVIA.

_Ques._ What does this mythology include?

_Ans._ The ancient superst.i.tions of that portion of Northern Europe now known as Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

_Ques._ What is the general character of Scandinavian mythology?

_Ans._ It has none of the grace and poetic beauty which characterize the fables of Greece and Rome; and it differs equally from the more mystical superst.i.tions of the Persians and Hindoos. In warm and fertile regions, the temper, even of the barbarian, is softened into harmony with the scenes around him, and his superst.i.tions, though still sensual, are more gentle and refined. On the other hand, the wild and rugged North made its own impress on the Scandinavian tribes, and their superst.i.tions were gloomy and extravagant, with sometimes an element of savage grandeur and sublimity.

_Ques._ Was this mythology transmitted by oral tradition only?

_Ans._ This must have been the case for a long time; as the oldest of the Eddas was compiled only in the eleventh century, and the stories which it contains of the Northern G.o.ds and heroes, had been long familiar to the people in the recitations of their bards. The Scandinavian Skalds or bards were, like the Celtic, historians as well as minstrels.

_Ques._ Who composed the Eddas?

_Ans._ It is impossible to say. The oldest, or poetic Edda, was compiled by Smund Sigfsson, an Icelandic priest, about the middle of the eleventh century. He was educated in France and Germany, and spent some time in Rome before his return to Iceland. He was induced to compile the Edda, princ.i.p.ally, it would seem, from a patriotic desire of preserving the ancient legends of his race. The word Edda means ancestress, and it is so called because it is considered the mother of Icelandic poetry. The Sagas were written in Denmark and the Scandinavian peninsula.

_Ques._ What account do the Eddas give of the creation?

_Ans._ They say that in the beginning, there was neither heaven nor earth, but a world of mist, in which flowed a mysterious fountain.

Twelve rivers issued from this fountain, and when they had flowed far from their source, froze into ice, which, gradually acc.u.mulating, the great deep was filled up. Southward from the world of mist, was the world of light. From this a warm wind flowed upon the ice, and melted it. The vapors rose in the air and formed clouds, from which sprung the Frost Giant and his progeny; also the cow Audhumbla, by whose milk the giant was nourished. The Frost Giants were the enemies of G.o.ds and men. From the ice of the lower deep a G.o.d arose, who married a daughter of the giants, and became the father of three sons, Odin, Vili and Ve. These slew the giant Ymir, and out of his body formed the earth on which we live. His bones were changed into mountains, his hair into trees; of his skull they made the heavens, and of his brain, clouds charged with hail and snow. Odin next regulated the days and seasons by placing the sun and moon in the heavens, and appointing them their respective courses. As soon as the sun shed its rays upon the earth, the plants and trees began to bud and sprout. The three G.o.ds walked by the side of the sea, admiring their new creation, but seeing that it was uninhabited, they resolved to create man. Aske and Embla, the first man and woman, were therefore formed, the man out of an ash, and the woman out of an alder. They were the parents of the whole human race.

_Ques._ What idea had the ancient Scandinavians of the form of the earth?

_Ans._ Their notions on the subject were childish in the extreme. They thought that the ash tree Ygdrasill, supported the entire universe.

This tree had three roots, one of which extended into Asgard, the dwelling-place of the G.o.ds; another into Jotunheim, the abode of the giants; and a third into Niffleheim, the region of darkness and cold.

Under the tree lies Ymir, and his efforts to throw off the weight cause earthquakes. The root that extends into Asgard is carefully tended by three Norns, who correspond to the Fates of Greek mythology.

Asgard could only be entered by crossing the bridge Bifrost, (the rainbow).

_Ques._ Describe Asgard.

_Ans._ It contained gold and silver palaces, the dwellings of the G.o.ds, but the most famous and beautiful of these was Valhalla, the residence of Odin. This G.o.d is represented as seated on a throne which overlooks all heaven and earth. On his shoulders sit the ravens, Hugin and Munin, who fly every day over the whole world, and on their return report to him all that they have seen. At Odin's feet lie two wolves, to whom he gives all the meat that is set before him, as he himself stands in no need of food. Mead is for him both food and drink.

_Ques._ How is Odin's name sometimes written?

_Ans._ Woden; and from this comes the name of the fourth day of the week, Woden's day, changed to Wednesday.

_Ques._ Has Odin any other name?

_Ans._ He was sometimes called Alfdur, (All father,) but this name is occasionally used in a way that seems to prove that the Scandinavians had an idea of a divinity superior to Odin, Uncreated and Eternal.

_Ques._ What were the delights of Valhalla, and who were permitted to enjoy them?

_Ans._ None were admitted to Valhalla but heroes who had fallen in battle. Women, children, and all who had died a peaceful death, were excluded as unworthy. The joys of Valhalla consisted in eating, drinking and fighting. They feasted on the flesh of the boar Schrimnir, which was cooked every day, and became whole again every night. The goat Heidrun supplied them with never-failing draughts of mead, which they drank from the skulls of their slaughtered enemies.

For pastime, they fought, and cut one another to pieces. When the hour of feasting came, they recovered from their wounds, and were whole as before.

THOR.

_Ques._ Who was Thor?

_Ans._ He was Odin's eldest son, and was G.o.d of thunder. His mighty strength depended upon three things--his hammer, his belt of strength, and his iron gloves. The giants at one time obtained his hammer, and he was obliged to use a very singular stratagem to recover it.

_Ques._ What was this?

_Ans._ Thor was most anxious to recover his hammer, but the giant Thrym had buried it eight fathoms deep under the rocks of Jotunheim.

Loki undertook to negotiate with Thrym; but the giant demanded the hand of the G.o.ddess Freya, and refused to restore the hammer on any other terms. Thor was much troubled, as he knew how vain it was to expect that the bright G.o.ddess of love and song would consent to dwell in the dismal regions of Jotunheim. The artful Loki proposed that Thor should array himself in the garments of Freya, and accompany him to the abode of the Frost Giants. Thor consented, and Thrym welcomed his veiled bride with great joy, attributing her silence to a modest reserve. He was much surprised, however, to see her eat for supper eight salmons, besides a full grown ox and other delicacies, was.h.i.+ng down the repast with proportionate draughts of mead. Loki bade him not to wonder at this, as her thoughts had been so much occupied by her approaching nuptials that she had not eaten for many days. When Thrym was startled by the fiery eyes he saw gleaming from beneath the bridal veil, Loki again made an excuse which satisfied him, so he brought the hammer, and laid it on the lap of the supposed bride. Thor seized the weapon, and finding his wonted strength restored, he threw off his disguise, and rushed upon Thrym, whom he slew with all his followers.

Loki had served Thor in this adventure; on another occasion he incurred his wrath by an injury offered to Sif or Sifa, his wife. The hair of this G.o.ddess flowed around her in sunny waves that shone like gold. She was proud of this adornment; and Loki, willing to punish her vanity, and always ready for mischief, found means to cut off her hair while she slept.

The G.o.ddess was inconsolable, and Thor sought the insolent offender, intending to crush him with his redoubtable hammer.

Loki was terrified, and sought the dwelling of the Gnomes. These skillful workmen gave him a head of hair which they had spun from the purest gold, and which was so wonderfully wrought that it would attach itself to the head of the wearer, and increase in length like ordinary hair. Sifa was enchanted with the golden locks, and the cunning Loki escaped the threatened punishment.

From Thor's name is derived the word Thursday.

FREY AND FREYA.

_Ques._ Who was Frey?

_Ans._ He was one of the greatest of the G.o.ds. He presided over rain, suns.h.i.+ne, and the fruits of the earth. From his name comes our word Friday.

_Ques._ Who was Freya?

_Ans._ She was the sister of Frey or Freyr. She loved music, Spring and flowers, and was a friend of the elves, or good fairies. Freya was invoked by lovers, and seems to have been a sort of Scandinavian Venus.