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220 KELIGION or THE NOETHMEN.
ttey were tlien said to welcome winter— (at fagna
vetri). They sacrificed at that time for a good year
(til ars), which in Norway meant in reality a good
winter, that being then, as now, a matter of very
great importance for that country.*
The second great sacrificial festival was held on
Mid-wmter (miSr vetr), i. e., at the beginning of
the {)0rra-md,na8r (Thor's month) of the ancients, or,
according to our reckoning, in the middle of January.
The 12th of January is still called Mitvet by
the Northmen. This sacrifice was usually called
miSsvetrar bl6t, i. e., Midwinter's Sacrifice, or J61,
jolablot, i. e., Yule ; sometimes also Jorra-blot, from
the month in which it was solemnized. It began on
Midwinter-night (mi5svetrar-ndtt), which, by reason
of the great sacrificial slaughter then performed,
was named hoggu-hdtt, the Hewing or Butchering
Night, and it lasted three days, or, according to
the ancient mode of expression, three nights. It ap-
pears to have been the most solemn sacrificial fes-
tival of the Northmen, and they then sacrificed for
Peace and a productive Season (til drs ok friSar).
On Yule-eve it was the custom to lead out a boar
consecrated to Frey, which was called the Atonement-Boar
(sonar-goltr) ;
upon this the persons pres-
ent laid their hands and made solemn oaths (heit-
strengingar). This circumstance, as well as the fact
that the Yule-sacrifice was made for Peace and
Fruitfulness, makes it highly probable that the fes-
tival was chiefly in honor of Frey.f
* Snor. : Yngl. S. 8; lb. 01. Hel. S. 115.
f
Concerning Yule (J61) see Snorri: Ynglinga Saga, 8; Hit
Gi)5. Saga. 15 and 19; Olftf Hel. Saga, 114 and IIS, and 01-