download - Sage's Lore Library

128 EELIGION OF THE NORTHMEN.
ter he was the Father of the Slain, ^ven as the lat-
ter were his elected {valr), his Chosen Sons {psTeasy-
ni/r). It was natural for a nation whose greatest
and most glorious avocation was "War, to look upon
the Supreme God of the "World as preeminently
the God of "War, and it is certain that this was the
character especially attributed to Odin, at least by
the multitude. The "War God therefore is denoted
by a greater part of the various names which are
attributed to him (in the Grimnismal there are no
less than fifty-two) ;* although it is .true that the
dod;rine that Odin "never called himself by the
same name during his wanderings among the peo-
ple," more nearly expresses the "World-Spirit as a
Being who, by an infinite variety of modes, reveals
himself in Nature. The description of ValhaUa,f
as well as of the pastimes of the Einheijar—the
Chosen Seroes, is in accordance with the attributes
of the "War-God. Odin's two "Wolves—Geri, the
Greedy ; Freki, the Bapacious—distinguish him in
the same capacity. His Eavens, however—^Huginn,
the Thinking ; Muninn, the Hememieri/ng—which
he sends out over the world, remind us at the same
time, of the highest faculties of the human soul, as
gifts of the Great Soul of the "World. Vingolfi—
» The 0. Edda; Grimn., 46-64; the L. Edda; Gylf., 8.
f Valholl, from valr; Old Qenn. wal; A.-S. wsel: the Slain in
Battle, cognate with velja, to ehoose, elect; val, Dan. Valg;
G^CTOi. Wahl; choice, election ; and hoU (CoiA. hallua; Old Oerm.
halla; A.-S. heal, hiel; Stigl. hall); may mean either the Hall of
the Chosen, or the Hall of the Slain.
X Ving61f, the Abode of Prienda; vinr {2)a«. Yen), a friend;
oogu. -with unna, to love, to favor; A.-8. unnan, to give, bestow;
g&lf {Dan. Gulv), a floor, also a hall,