Northern mythology

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NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY. 29
mead in his bright hall-, Himinbiorg, by Bifrost, at the
bridge head (bruarspor'Sr)^ where the rainbow reaches
heaven. There he sits, as the watchman of the gods, at
the end of heaven, to guard the bridge from the mountain
giants, where he is
often wetted through with rain, or, as
Loki expresses it, gets a wet back. He needs less sleep
than a bird, hears the grass grow on the ground and the
wool on the sheep, and sees, as well by night as by day,
for a hundred miles around him. His horn Gioll (Giallarhorn)
is hidden under the sacred tree Yggdrasil ; but
when he blows it, its sound is heard through all worlds.
HeimdalFs horse is named Gulltopp (Gold-mane). He is
himself also called Hallinskeidi (Descending), and Gullintanni
(Golden-tooth), because his teeth are of gold. The
head is called HeimdalPs sword, because he was pierced
through with a man^s head^ He contended with Loki
for the Brisinga-men, Freyia^s ornament^.
Hod (Hoour) is another of the JEsir, and is said to be
a son of Odin. He is blind, but exceedingly strong. The
gods may well wish never to hear his name pronounced,
for his deed^ will be long remembered both by gods and
men.
ViDAR is called the silent god. He is the son of Odin
and the giantess Grid (Gri^r). He has a very thick shoe,
that has been forming, from the beginning of time, of the
thin shreds that are cut from shoes in shaping the toes or
heels : therefore should every one cast away such shreds,
who cares about rendering aid to the ^sir'*. In other
places mention is made of his iron shoes, and in the Skalda
he is called eiganda iarnskoss (owner of the iron shoe) :
^ Skaldskap. 8. The myth to which this refers is lost.
2 Gylf. 17, 27. Voluspa, Str. 31. Grimnism. Str. 13. Hamarsh. Str. 17.
Lokaglepsa, Str. 48. Hyndlulj. Str. 34-36. Hrafnag. 0«. Str. 26. Skaldskap.
8, 16, 69.
3 His slaying of Baldur. Gylf. 28. Skaldskap. 13.
"^
The reason will appear hereafter.