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186 EELIGION OP THE NORTHMEN.
of gold and silvei", and of mold and stone.* This
account can imply little else than that Thorgerd was
a Divinity peculiar to the Haleygir, or rather, to the
renowned race of HlaSa-Jarls, from Halogaland
descended, and therefore was their Dis or Protect-
ing Goddess. She was specially worshiped by the
most famous man of this family, Hakon Sigurdsson
Jarl. It is stated that during the battle with the
J6msviMngar, he sacrificed to her his little son who
was but seven years old, in order to gain her help.
She accordingly made her appearance in a raging
hail-storm from the North, and the enemy believed
they saw her and her sister Yrp upon the Jarl's ship
amid the storm ; while from every one of their out-
stretched fingers an arrow was flying, and each arrow
became the death of a man.f In Gudbrandsdal
she and Trp, together with Thor, were worshiped
in a temple, which Hdkon Jarl and the Chieftain
Gudbrand owned in fellowship.:!: In western Il^orway
she had likewise a temple fitted up in the most
magnificent style, in which this same Hakon Jarl
worshiped her with the highest veneration.§ Even
in Iceland Thorgerd was worshiped with several of
the Gods in a temple at Olvus-vatn, and was regarded
as a guardian spirit of the Chieftain Grimkel
and his fanaily, who came originally from Orkadal.|
» TheL. Edda: SMlda, 44.
f Jomsvikinga S. (Copenh. 1824) Ch. 14 ; Fornm. S. XL p. 134 ;
01. Tr. S. in Fornm. S. 90.
X Ni&ls S. 89.
§ Fareyinga.S. 23.
II Saga af EorSi, 1, 18.