Northern mythology

;
NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY. 161
whom he ordered to be called, but he was nowhere to be
found.
It now was made known that while preparations
were making for the feast, there came an elderly man,
whom no one knew, to the cook, and said they were cooking
some bad meat, and that it was not fitting to set such
on the king^s table on so great a festival; and thereupon
gave him two thick, fat sides of an ox, which he
cooked with the other meat. The king commanded them to
burn the whole together, to cast the ashes into the sea, and
prepare some other food ; for it was now manifest to him
that the guest was the false Odin, in whom the heathens
had so long believed, and whose tricks he now saw^''^
Illustration.—The name Odin (OSinn, Ohg. Wuotan)
has been satisfactorily interpreted. It is derived
from va^a, to go, Lat. vadere, pret. 6^, or strictly, v6^
whence the double participle o^inn and o^r, the impetuous
disposition or mind. Hence it denotes the all-pervading^
spiritual godhead. In accordance with this interpretation
'^
are the words of Adam of Bremen : Wodan, id est,
fortior" (furor?). In the Grisons, Wut signifies idol.
The Wiithendes Heer (Wild Hunt) of the Germans is
ascribed to Odin. To the god of war the name is also
appropriate, as at vaSa uppa signifies to attack in battle.
He pervades not only the living, but the dead. Nine
songs of power (fimbul-lio^) he learned from Bolthorn,
Bestla^s father^ ; obtained possession of Mimir^s head^, and
embraced Gunnlod'*; he is likewise the lord of spectres
(drauga drottinn)^. It is also said, that by the aid of certain
incantations, sung by the dwarf Thiodreyrir, the ^^sir
acquired power or strength (afl), the elves fame, advancement,
prosperity (frami),
Hroptatyr or Odin thought, reflection
(hyggia)^. Odin^s oldest habitation was Valaskialf,
1 Saga Olafs Tryggv. quoted by Petersen, N. M., p. 161.
2 RuntalsJ?. Str. 3, and page 4. 3 Page 15.
4 Page 42. ^ Page 15, note=. « Runatals>. Str. 23.