Introduction xi
Balder Son of Odin and Frigg. He was the most beautiful and beloved of the gods. There is only one myth about him, but it is one of the best known.
Njord A Vanir god of the seas and seafarers. Njord has two major roles in the myths: as a peace token sent to Asgard, the home of the Aesir gods, along with the twin deities Frey and Freya, his children; and as the husband of the giantess Skade.
Frey A Vanir god, sent to Asgard as a peace token along with his twin sister, Freya, and his father, Njord. Frey was a god of fertility, peace, and plenty and was much worshipped.
Tyr One of the most ancient gods and the most mysterious, he was also the bravest and most just of the gods when he undertook to put his hand into the jaws of the terrible wolf, fenrir.
Heimdall The watchman of the gods who guarded Bilrost, the bridge that connected Asgard( the domain of the gods) with Midgard( the Middle Earth). Heimdall had a trumpet, Gjallarhorn, with which he would summon the gods to battle at Ragnarok.
The goddesses play a lesser role in the surviving Norse myths, according to extant manuscripts, but scholars believe they were important to the people who practiced Norse religion. They include:
Frigg The wife of Odin. Her greatest role is in the myth of Balder, her beloved son, whom she tries to protect from death.
Freya The goddess of fertility, the twin sister of Frey, and the daughter of Njord. She is beautiful and has a fatal love of gold. She is loved by dwarfs and giants alike. She may have been acquainted with magic and prophecy, but few facts are known about her.
Idunn The keeper of the apples of youth, she is known only through the myth“ Idunn and the Golden Apples”( see Idunn).
Other females in Norse mythology are the Norns and the Valkyries. The Norns are the three Fates who represent the past, the present, and the future and who determine the destiny of all living creatures. The Norns are more powerful even than the gods.
The Valkyries are Odin’ s warrior maidens who select the fallen heroes and carry them to Odin’ s hall, Valhalla.
The forces of evil are represented chiefly by the offspring of Loki: Hel, queen of death and the underworld; Fenrir, the monster wolf; and Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent, who is so huge that he encircles the Earth and holds his tail in his mouth. Other wolves chase after the Sun and the Moon, and numerous Jotuns try to outwit and outfight the gods.