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224 RELIGION ON THE NOETHMEN.
ranks of the Einherjar. The other kind of self-im-
molation consisted in the custom by which any one,
who had become old or weary of life, leaped headlong
from a steep cliff and thus went hence to Odin.
It is mentioned only in King Gautrek's Saga. It is
there related that a family living in a retired place
in "West-Gothland had a steep and lofty cliff (called
^tternisstapi, *'. e., Family Rock) near their house,
from the summit of which all the aged members of
the family or those who had no prospect of support-
ing themselves, without becoming a burthen to the
others, precipitated themselves. " Thus they died,"
it is stated, "without any kind of sickness, and went
to Odin."* It is true that Gautrek's Saga is in the
main a romance, yet there are a few very ancient
and undoubtedly genuine traditions here and there
interwoven in it, and among them is the above
account, which should not be regarded as a mere
fiction.
I
There were human Offerings which were iiot at-
tended with the death of the victim, at least, not
immediately. This was when a person either gave
himself, or was given by his parents—sometimes,
even, before his birth—to one of the Gods, *. e., was
consecrated to the service of that God, perhaps as
his hofgoSi or priest. Thus it is related of the
chieftain GuSbrand, from whom Gudbrandsdal received
its name, that he was given to the Gods by
his father Eaum, and his original name Brand was,
in consequence thereof, changed to GuSbrand.f
* GautrekB S. 1-2 in Fornald. S. III.
Fundinn Noreg. 1, in Fornald. S. 11. p. 6.
•f