HEIMDALL is the god of light, the son of nine mothers (daughters of Geirrendour the Giant). He was born at the end of the world and raised by the force of the earth, seawater and the blood of a boar. Because of his shining, golden teeth he is also called Gullintari (""gold tooth"). His hall is Himinbjorg, The Cliffs of Heaven, and his horse is Gulltop. Heimdall carries the horn Gjall.
He is the watchman of the gods and guards Bifrost, the only entrance to Asgard, the realm of the gods. It is Heimdall's duty to prevent the giants from forcing their way into Asgard. He requires less sleep than a bird, and sees by night as well as by day a hundred miles around him. His hearing is so accurate that no sound escapes him; he can even hear the grass grow or the wool on a sheep's back. At the final conflict of Ragnarok he will kill his age-old enemy, the evil god Loki, but will die himself from the wounds inflicted by him.
As the god Rig ("ruler"), Heimdall created the three races of mankind: the serfs, the peasants, and the warriors. It is interesting to note why Heimdall fathered them, and Odin as might be expected.
GJALL ("ringing horn"), is the horn carried by Heimdall. It lies hidden beneath the third root of the World Tree Yggdrasil. With a soft tone Heimdall announced the arrival of the gods, but sounded it more forcefully in times of danger. At Ragnarok it will sound one final time and will be heard all over the world, calling the gods and warriors to the battlefield.
BIFROST, in Norse mythology, is the bridge between Midgard, the realm of man, and Asgard, the realm of the gods. Since it is the only way for the giants to enter Asgard it is closely guarded by Heimdall. Bifrost was made of three colours with magic and great skill by the Aesir and is incredibly strong. It is also called Asbru, referring to its makers. At the end of the cosmos, this rainbow-bridge will collapse.
ASGARD is one of the nine worlds in Norse mythology, and the homeland of the Aesir, the race of warrior gods. Located on the highest level of the Norse universe, it is surrounded by a high wall of closely fitted stone blocks. Also found on this level are the worlds of Alfheim and Vanaheim as well as Valhalla, an immense hall where warriors slain in battle await the final conflict.
In the middle of Asgard lies the plain of Idavoli (or Ida) where the Aesir meet to decide important issues. There the gods assemble in the hall of Gladsheim and the goddesses in the hall Vingolf. The gods also meet daily at the well of Urd, beneath the Asgard root of the ash tree Yggdrasil.
MIDGARD, in Norse myth, the defensive fortress that the gods build about the middle portion of the earth allotted to men in order to protect mankind from the giants. Midgard ("middle world") is on the same level as Nidavellir (land of the dwarfs), Svartalfheim (land of the dark elves/dwarfs) and Jotunheim (the land of the giants).
JOTUNHEIM is one of the nine worlds, the homeland of the frost giants and rock giants. Situated in Midgard, on the middle level of the Norse universe, Jotunheim is separated from Asgard by the river Irving, which never freezes over. It lies in the snowy regions on the outermost shores of the ocean. Mimir's well of wisdom is in Jotunheim, beneath the Midgard root of the ash tree Yggdrasil.
Jotunheim is ruled by Thrym ("uproar"), the feared king of the frost giants. The stronghold of Utgard, the chief city of Jotunheim and the abode of the giants, is ruled by the giant Utgard-Loki. Other strongholds include Gastropnir, home of the giantess Menglad, and Thrymheim ("house of uproar"), mountain stronghold of the giant Thiazi.
The AESIR, in Norse mythology, are the warrior gods who live in Asgard. They were formerly opposed by the Vanir, an elder race of gods, but the Vanir were eventually are often considered to be Aesir. Among the the gods and goddesses prominent in the myths are Odin, Frigg, Thor, Balder, Loki, Freya, Forseti, Heimdall, Njord, Vidar and Ull.
GLADSHEIM ("place of joy") is the hall of the gods in Asgard, situated on the plain of Ida. Odin presides there, but also each of the twelve main gods has a high seat there. Gladsheim is where the gods meet to make important decisions. It is also the inner citadel or sanctuary of Asgard, just as the Acropolis was the sanctuary of ancient Athens.
VALHALLA, HAll of the Slain, is the hall presided over by Odin. This vast hall has 540 doors. The rafters are spears, the hall is roofed with shields and breast-plates litter the benches. A wolf guards the western door and an eagle hovers over it. It is here that the Valkyries, Odin's messengers and spirits or war, bring the heroes that died on the battle fields. These heroes, the Einherjar, are prepared in Valhalla for the oncoming battle of Ragnarok. When the batlle commences, 800 warriors will march shoulder to shoulder out of each door.
THOR is the Norse god of thunder. He is the son of Odin and Jord, and one of the most powerful gods.
He is married to Sif, a fertility goddess. His mistress is the giantess Jarnsaxa ("iron cutlass"), and their sons are Magni and Modi and his daughter is Thrud.
Thor is helped by Thialfi; his servant and messenger of the gods.
Thor was usually portrayed as a large, powerful man with a red beard and eyes of lightning. Despite his ferocious appearance, he was very popular as a protector of both gods and humans against forces of evil. He even surpassed his father Odin in popularity because, in contrary to Odin, he did not require human sacrifices. One of his temples was in Uppsala where he stood with Odin at his right side. This temple was replaced by a Christian church in 1080.
The Norse that believed that during a thunderstorm, Thor was riding through the heavens on his chariot pulled by the goats Tanngrisni ("gap-tooth") and Tanngnost ("tooth grinder"). Lightning flashed whenever he threw his hammer Mjollnir. Thor wears the belt Megingjard whichs doubles his already considerable strength. His hall is Bilskirnir, which is located in the region Thrudheim ("place of might"). His greatest enemy is Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent. At the day of Ragnarok, Thor will kill this serpent but will die from its poison. His sons will inherit his hammer after his death.
Donar is his Teutonic equivalent, while the Romans see in him their god Jupiter. Thursday is named after him.
FREYA is a goddess of love and fertility, and the most beautiful and propitious of the goddesses.
She is the patron goddess of crops and birth, the symbol of sensuality and was called upon at matters of love.
She loves music, spring and flowers, and is particularly fond of the elves (fairies).
Freya is one of the foremost goddesses of the Vanir.
She is the daughter of the god Njord, and the sister of Freyr. Later she married the mysterious god Od (prbably another form of Odin). He disappeared and when she mourned for her lost husband, her tears changed into gold.
Her attributes are the precious necklace of the Brisings, which she obtained by sleeping with four dwarfs, a cloak (or skin) of bird feathers, which allows its wearer to change into a falcon, and a chariot pulled by two cats. She owns Hildesvini ("battle boar") which is actually her human lover Ottar in disguise. Her chambermaid is Fulla. Freya lives in the beautiful palace Folkvang ("field of folk"), a place where love songs are always played, and her hall is Sessrumnir. She divides the slain warriors with Odin; one half goes to her palace, while the other half goes to Valhalla. Women also go to her hall.
LOKI is one of the major deities in the Norse pantheon. He is a son of the giant Farbuti ("cruel striker") and the giantess Laufey. He is regarded as one of Aesir, but is on occasion their enemy. He is connected with fire and magic, and can assume many different shapes (horse, falcon, etc). Loki is handsome and has a friendly appearance, but an evil nature. He is crafty and malicious, but is also heroic: in that aspect he can be compared with the trickster from North American myths. The ambivalent god grows progressively more evil, and is directly responsible for the death of Balder, the god of light.
Loki's mistress is the giantess Angrboda, and with her he is the father of three monsters. His wife is Sigyn, who stayed loyal to him, even when the gods punished him for the death of Balder. He was chained to three large boulders; one under his shoulders, one under his loins and one under his knees. A poisonous snake was placed above his head. The dripping venom that lands on him is caught by Sigyn in a bowl. But every now and then, when the bowl is filled to the brim, she has to leave him to empty it. Then the poison that falls on Loki's face makes him twist in pain, causing earthquakes.
On the day of Ragnarok, Loki's chains will break and he will lead the giants into battle against the gods. Loki is often called the Sly One, the Trickster, the Shape Changer, and the Sky Traveller.
RAGNAROK ("Doom of the Gods"), also called Gotterdammerung, means the end of the cosmos in Norse mythology. It will be preceded by Fimbulvetr, the winter of winters. Three such winters will follow each other with no summers in between. Conflicts and feuds will break out, even between families, and all moral will disappear. This is the beginning of the end.
The wolf Skoll will finally devour the sun, and his brother Hati will eat the moon, plunging the earth in darkness. The stars will vanish from the sky. The cock Fjalar will crow to the giants and the golden cock Gullinkambi will crow to the gods. A third cock will raise the dead.
Earthquakes will shudder the earth, and every bond and fetter will burst, freeing the terrible wolf Fenrir. The sea will rear up because Jormungand, the Midgard serpent, is twisting and writhing in fury, making his way toward the land. With every breath, Jormungand will stain the soil and the sky with his poison. The waves caused by the serpent's emerging will set free the ship Naglfar, and with the giant Hymir as their commander, the giants will sail towards the battlefield. From the realm of the dead a second ship will set sail, and this ship carries the inhabitants of the hell, with Loki as their helmsman. The fire giants, led by Surt, will leave Muspell, in the south to join against the gods. Surt, carrying a sword that blazes like the sun itself, will scorch the earth.
Meanwhile, Heimdall will sound his horn, calling Odin's sons and heroes to the battlefield. From all the corners of the world, gods, giants, dwarves, demons and elves will ride towards the huge plain of Vigrid ("battle shaker") where the last battle will be fought. Odin will engage Fenrir in battle, and Thor will attack Jormungand. Thor will be victorious, but the serpent's poison will gradually kill the god of thunder. Surt will seek out the swordless Freyr, who will quickly succumb to the giant. The one-handed Tyr will fight the monstrous hound Garm and they will kill each other. Loki and Heimdall, age-old enemies, will meet for a final time, and neither will survive their encounter. The fight between Odin and Fenrir will rage for a long time, but finally Fenrir will seize Odin, and swallow him. Odin's son Vidar will at once leap towards the wolf, and kill him with his bare hands, ripping the wolf's jaws apart.
Then Surt will fling fire in every direction. The nine worlds will burn, and friends and foes alike will perish. The earth will sink into the sea.
After the destruction, a new and idyllic world will arise from the sea and this new earth is filled with abundant supplies. Some of the gods will survive, others will be reborn. Wickedness and misery will no longer exist and gods and men will live happily together. The descendants of Lif and Liftrasir will inhabit this earth.