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INFERIOR DEITIES AS OBJECTS OF WORSHIP. 185<br />

Baldur's temple, when Frithjof bronglit them the tribute<br />

from the Orkney Islands ; and as a part of the<br />

same temple is mentioned a distinct edifice under<br />

the name of Disarsalr—the Disa Hall.* King Adils<br />

of Upsala lost his life by his horse stumbling under<br />

him, when at a Disa-blot he was riding around in the<br />

Disir hall.f Alfhild, daughter of King Alf in Alf-<br />

heim, was carried off by StarkaS, as she was engaged<br />

in sprinkling blood upon the altar one night at<br />

a great Disa sacrifice which her father held one<br />

autumn.:|: The Norse King Eirik Blood-axe and his<br />

Queen Gunhilda held Disa-blot at a royal palace at<br />

Atley, in western Norway,! and of the Norwegian<br />

hersir Vigfus it is stated, that he held great festivals<br />

and Disa sacrifices on Winter-night, which solem-<br />

nities all his people were to remember. ||<br />

There are two beings which may doubtless be<br />

reckoned with this class of Divinities, which are<br />

often mentioned in our ancient Sagas as an object of<br />

worship, although we do not find them named among<br />

the actual Gods : 'they are the sisters Thorgerd Horgabrdd<br />

and Yrp. Of Thorgerd, who is the oftenest<br />

named, it is stated that she was a daughter of King<br />

Haulgi (the Holy), after whom Halogaland is said<br />

to have received its name. Both the father and<br />

daughter were worshiped by sacrifices, and Haul-<br />

gi's funeral mound was built up of alternate layers<br />

* Yndlp. S, 5 and 9.<br />

Snor. : Yngl. S. 33.<br />

f<br />

X HervararS. 1.<br />

g Egils S. 44.<br />

1 Viga-Gl. S. 6.

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