TEUTONIC MYTHOLOGY VOL. I

376 HEROES.
be either ora, earo (auris), or else ON",
or, gen. brvar (sagitta).
Now, as there occurs in a tale in Saxo Gram., p. 48, a Horvendilus
films Gervendili, and in OHG. a name Kerwentil (Schm. 2, 334)
and Gerentil (Trad. fuld. 2, 106), and as geir (hasta) agrees better
with or than with eyra (auris), the second interpretation may com
mand our assent j
1
a sight of the complete legend would explain the
reason of the name. I think Orentil s father deserves attention
too :
Eigil is another old and obscure name, borne for instance by
an abbot of Fulda who died in 822 (Pertz 1, 95. 356. 2, 366.
Trad. fuld. 1, 77-8. 122). In the Ehine-Moselle country are the
2
singular Eigelsteine, Weisth. 2, 744 (see Suppl.). In AS. we find
the names Aegles burg (Aylesbury), Acgles ford (Aylesford), Aegles
J)orp but I shall come back to
; Eigil presently. Possibly Orentil
was the thundergod s companion in expeditions against giants.
Can the story of Orentil s wanderings possibly be so old amongst
us, that in Orentil and Eigil of Trier we are to look for that Ulysses
and Laertes whom Tacitus places on our PJiine (p. 365) ? The
names shew nothing in common. 3
Far-famed heroes were Wieland and Witticli* whose rich
legend is second to none in age or celebrity.
Vidigoia (Vidugauja)
of whom the Goths already sang, OHG. Witugouwo as well as
Witicko, MHG. Witcgouwe and Witege, AS. Wudga, in either form
silvicola, from the Goth, vidus, OHG. witu, AS. wudu (lignum,
the bounds of human
silva), leads us to suppose a being passing
nature, a forest-god. Frau Wachilt, a mermaid, is his ancestress,
with whom he takes refuge in her lake. At the head of the whole
race is placed king Vilkinus, named after Vulcanus as the Latin
termination shews, a god or demigod, who must have had another
and German name, and who begets
son Vadi, AS. Wada (Cod. Exon. 323, 1),
with the merwoman a gigantic
OHG. Wato, so named I
suppose because, like another Christopher, he ivaded with his child
on his shoulder through the Grcenasund where it is nine yards
1 And so Uhland (On Thor, p. 47 seq.) expounds
it : in Groa Tie sees the
Even the tale in
growth of the crop, in Orvandill the sprouting of the blade.
Saxo he brings in.
2
The false spelling Eichelstein (acorn-stone) has given rise to spurious
legends, Mones anz. 7, 368.
3 I have hardly the face to mention, that some make the right shifty Ulysses
father to Pan, our Wendel above.
4
The still unprinted M.Dutch poem, De kinderen van Limburg, likewise
mentions Wilant, Wedcge and Mimminc,