A Book of Myths, by Jean Lang - Umnet

[7] Archilochus of Paros.
[8] Fiona Macleod (The Winged Destiny).
FREYA, QUEEN OF THE NORTHERN GODS
"Friday's bairn is loving and giving," says the old rhyme that sets forth
the special qualities of the children born on each day of the week, and
to the superstitious who regard Friday as a day of evil omen, it seems
strange that Friday's bairn should be so blessed. But they forget that
before Christianity swept paganism before it, and taught those who
worshipped the northern gods the story of that first black "Good
Friday," the tragedy in which all humanity was involved, Friday was
the day of Freya, "The Beloved," gentle protectress, and most generous
giver of all joys, delights, and pleasures. From her, in mediæval times,
the high-born women who acted as dispensers to their lords first took
the title Frouwa (=Frau), and when, in its transition stage, the old
heathenism had evolved into a religion of strong nature worship,
overshadowed by fatalism, only thinly veneered by Christianity, the
minds of the Christian converts of Scandinavia, like those of puzzled
children, transferred to the Virgin Mary the attributes that had formerly
been those of their "Lady"--Freya, the goddess of Love.
Long before the Madonna was worshipped, Freya gave her name to
plants, to flowers, and even to insects, and the child who says to the
beautiful little insect, that he finds on a leaf, "Ladybird, ladybird, fly
away home," is commemorating the name of the Lady, Freya, to whom
his ancestors offered their prayers.
In her home in the Hall of Mists, Freya (or Frigga), wife of Odin the
All Father, sat with her golden distaff spinning the clouds. Orion's Belt
was known as "Frigga's spindle" by the Norsemen, and the men on the
earth, as they watched the great cumulous masses of snowy-white,
golden or silver edged, the fleecy cloudlets of grey, soft as the feathers
on the breast of a dove, or the angry banks of black and purple,
portending a storm, had constant proof of the diligence of their goddess.