TEUTONIC MYTHOLOGY. - Centrostudirpinia.it

ITIS. VELEDA. GANNA. 403
name of the goddess Idunn may possibly be connected (see
SuppL).
2. VELEDA. GANNA. ALARUN.
If, as I suppose, the generic term idis was already current in
the time of Tacitus, he gives us other more specific appellations as
mere proper names, though still a certain general meaning seems
to belong to them too. His statements about Veleda, Ganna, and
Aurinia I have already quoted in ch. V, where the connexion
between prophetesses and the priestly office was pointed out.
Veleda appears to be almost an appellative, and akin to the Norse
Vala, Volva (p. 97-8), or even to the masc. Volundr (p. 378), per
haps also to the name valkyrja. 1 She lives on a tower, like Jetha
(p. 96) and Brynhildr (Vb ls. saga cap. 24). Treaties were ratified in
her presence ; she not only prophesied, but had to settle disputes
among the people, and carry out plans. In Ssem. 4 b 5 a the Vala,
after whom the famous lay Yoluspa is named, is also called Heiftr
and Gullveig ; and as our female names Adalheid, Alpheid, &c., are
formed with -held, Finn Magnusen p. 41 6 b would derive Veleda
from a supposed Valaheid, which however is nowhere found (see
SuppL). The description given of her is an attractive one : whereever
in the land this vala velspa (fatidica) came, she worked
witchery, she was believed to travel about aud make visitations to
houses. This til husa koma reminds us of the drepa d vett sem
volur, pulsare aedes sicut fatidicae, Ssem. 63 a ,
as in other cases also
prophesying, inspiring and boon-bestowing women were always
supposed to pass through the those whom they would bless.
country, knocking at the houses of
Ganna (p. 95-6) could be explained with more certainty, if the
I real meaning of its root ginnan were disclosed to us : a MHG.
Iginnen is secare, the ON. ginna allicere, seducere; and in Ssem. 21 a
are warned not to trust the wheedling words of valas, volo
| we
jvilmaali trui engi maSr ; we shall see presently, how the AS. poets
use similar expressions about Wyrd.
When Drusus had crossed the Weser and was nearing the Elbe,
1 I find Waladericiis in Trad. corb. p. 364, 213 ; a wild woman is called
Jin Wolfdieterich 514 die wilde waldin, and. 735 diu libel ivalledein ; but this
seems a corruption of valandinne, she-devil.