Northern mythology

;
128 NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY.
brought in connection, and the explanation will then, at
the same time, be mathematical.
Both these methods of
illustration are, however, in the Northern mythology of
but limited application, and entirely fail in the case of
myths that have another origin and object. It has already
been remarked by others, that among om' forefathers we
find very little, next, indeed, to nothing, about the sun,
moon, and stars. Sol ^, that is the damsel who drives the
horses of the sun, is, it is true, named as a goddess, but
only incidentally, and without mythic action. The sun
itself was no god, but only a disk of fire issuing from
Muspellheim, the region of eternal light, drawn by two
horses and guided by the damsel Sol ; in its most exalted
character appearing only as Odin^s eye ; but of any adoration
paid to it, not a trace appears in the whole mythology.
Bil ' is also mentioned as a goddess, but she is one
of the moon^s spots, not the moon itself :
of her worship
not a trace is to be found. The stars came forth as sparks
from Muspellheim and '', were fixed on and under heaven
an idea so childish, that it could not possibly have occurred
to any one who thought of worshiping such spangles
as gods. Two are mentioned as formed of earthly matter,
viz. Thiassi^s eyes^, and OrvandiPs toe'^ (probably the two
principal stars in the head of the bull, and the polar star,
or one of the stars in the great bear) ; but their origin from
giants must at once have prevented all adoration of them.
With these exceptions, stars are neither spoken of nor even
named in any myth. Where so little attention was paid
to the heavenly bodies and their motions, it cannot be
supposed that any idea existed of a complete solar year
with its twelve months ; nor do the two passages in the
Eddas, where mention clearly occurs of the division of
time '^, give any cause for supposing it, as they name only
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^ Gylf. 8. Voluspa, Str. 6.