04.04.2013 Views

TEUTONIC MAGIC - Awaken Video

TEUTONIC MAGIC - Awaken Video

TEUTONIC MAGIC - Awaken Video

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Surtr, are their foes. The thurses, on the other hand, are always foe to the innangardhs.~~ Loki is of the<br />

race of etins, and he may be taken as in many ways characteristic of that kind, although his light and<br />

humorous side is not generally seen as a part of etinish nature.With individual exceptions such as Mimir,<br />

there is no reason to make blessings to any of the jotunish kindred; their types and names may, however,<br />

be used as specifics in banishing (etins ilL Thrym's kin, and so on), and it was also the custom in cursing<br />

to threaten one's foes with mating a particularly loathsome thurse such as Hrim grimmnir12 or Lothi, "the<br />

Hairy." 3 Also, it should be remembered that humans as well as Aesir partake of the jotunish heritage<br />

through our godly ancestry. It is thus our part to seek (as Odhinn does) after the wisdom and might held<br />

by the etins and risir, as well as that of the gods.<br />

OTHER OUTOWELLERS<br />

GRENDEL, GRENDEL'S DAM<br />

The first two monsters with whom Beowulf fights are beautifully typical of the outdweller. They are<br />

numbered among the "children of Cain," a Christianization of the outdweller concept which nevertheless<br />

carries the sense of the original thought of outcast/outlaw well, encompassing "giants, elves, ettins, orcs,<br />

rocs" 4 as well as the monstrous Grendel himself. Grendel is called variously eoton and thyrs; like a<br />

berserker, he and his mother are both invulnerable to ordinary weapons. They are dwellers in a stagnant<br />

mere, the abode of the worst Teutonic water-wights (see laguz).<br />

These two are particularly terrible because they are not kept out by the walls of the innangardhs,<br />

but must rather be slain by its guardian, Beowuif, who has certain characteristics in common with Grettir,<br />

although he is a far more socialized and reasonable figure. Like Grettir, he was said to have been a lazy<br />

child; he had superhuman strength which made him a fit bodily match for monsters. Beowuifs prowess is<br />

greatest in the water, in which he is initiated in shamanic fashion; 15 this is his heritage from the<br />

utangardhs, and because of it he can vanquish the water-monsters, only being slain at last by a wyrm of<br />

flame and earth.<br />

TROLLS<br />

The Troll is a Scandinavian breed of wight which is in many ways similar to the jotun kindred, though<br />

usually smaller and less fearsome. "Troll" is also a term used to describe most things uncanny-a witch or<br />

someone else's dis will be called a troll-wife, while bad weather is still "trowie weather" in the<br />

Shetlands.16 Again, the name of troll is sometimes used interchangeably with that of etin, ris, or thurs.<br />

The trolls are able to possess people, as well as drag them off and kill them. Like the<br />

berserkergang, this possession was supposed to be extinguished by baptism; and it may be that the two<br />

were related, as it was possible for a person to have a troll as fylgja. "Trolls take you!" is a common curse,<br />

but there is no way to tell whether it means mental possession or simply murder.<br />

Trolls range from small and rather comical creatures to large and ferocious wights which have<br />

much in common with their cousins the thurses. They are often ugly and misshapen, though not always;<br />

like all the races of Ymir's children, the troll kindred has a few among it who are both beautiful and wise.<br />

They dwell inside of mountains, hills, and hillocks. The sun turns them to stone.<br />

Trolls can do favors for mortals and sometimes breed with them: troll-women seduce human men,<br />

and troll men often capture human women. There are several people called Half-Troll in the sagas. Grettir<br />

himself was sheltered for a while in the valley of the halftroll Thorir.<br />

HULDRU-FOLK<br />

The Huldru-folk (hidden people) or Elle (alder)-folk are halfway in nature between trolls and landvaettir,<br />

They are peoples of the mound and forest, not slain by sunlight, but who often try to capture mortals by<br />

tricks and magic. These peoples are beautiful but usually deformed by animal parts or hollow backs. The<br />

Wood-folk of the German forests are similar to their Scandinavian cousins in both character and nature.<br />

All of these beings can be both helpful and harmful to humans, depending on their whims and how they<br />

are treated. Food is sometimes left for them. They are keepers of magical wisdom, generally that related<br />

to the lore of plants and healmg, though they also cause sickness at times.<br />

151

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!