H
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H arbard (Gray
H austlong
Beard) One of the god Odin’s
A poem by Thiodor of Hvini, a
ninth- or 10th-century Norwegian poet. It describes
pictures painted on a shield and thus is called a
Skaldic poem, or shield poem.
The surviving 20 verses of Haustlong are preserved
in Snorri Sturluson’s P rose E dda . Thirteen of the
verses tell the myth of Idunn and Thjazzi; seven
describe Thor’s duel with Hrungnir. Both stories
portray gods carrying out bold exploits against the
giants of Jotunheim.
many names.
In the H arbardsljoth , or Lay of Harbard, Har-
bard is a ferryman with one eye, a big hat, and a cape.
He arrogantly refuses to take Thor, who does not
recognize him as Odin, across the water on his ferry.
The two fling insults and taunts at each other, and in
the end Thor has to find another way across. The Lay
of Harbard appears in the C odex R egius and a part of
it is in the A rnamagnean C odex . Both of these works
contain parts of the P oetic E dda .
H avamal (Words
of the High One) A poem,
part of the P oetic E dda found only in the C odex
R egius . Havamal contains many proverbs and advice
on good living from the High One, who is the god
Odin. Some of it is addressed to the mortal Lodd-
fafnir. Havamal also contains the lament of Odin
for Billing’s daughter and the story of how Odin
obtained the mead of poetry.
H arbardsljoth (H arbarthsljod ; The Lay of
Harbarth) A poem in the P oetic E dda . Harbard-
sljoth is the tale of a comical contest between Thor
and Odin, who has disguised himself and goes by the
name Harbard, a ferryman. The contest is a farce,
featuring humorous jousting between the two gods.
Harbardsljoth was first written down late in the
11th century, though translators suggest it had a
much older history as an oral poem. Copies sur-
vive in the C odex R egius and the A rnamagnaean
C odex .
hawk The hawk, a bird of prey, was often kept
by royalty for hunting. In Norse mythology, hawks
are employed as servants of the gods, acting as sharp-
eyed informants and symbols of death. In the heroic
legends they often precede their masters’ arrival at
home and signal the family of the nobleman’s return
from war.
Odin and Freya are both known to take the form
of a hawk in order to fly out into the world and gain
information on the happenings in their realms. In
the H ervarar saga , Odin shape-shifts into a hawk
in order to escape King Heidrek after he defeats the
king at a riddle contest. In anger Heidrek hacks at
Odin with the great sword Tyrfing and cuts off part
of Odin’s tail. That is why the hawk has a stubby tail,
according to Norse mythology.
Another hawk mentioned in the myths is Vedrfol-
nir, which means “storm-pale.” According to Snorri
Sturluson in G ylfaginning , he sits between the
H ati H roduittnisson
One of the names
given to the terrible wolf that pursued the chariot
of the Moon across the heavens and devoured it
at Ragnarok, the end of the world (see “Sun and
Moon,” under creation). This wolf is also known
as Managarm. The 13th-century Icelandic historian
Snorri Sturluson wrote that Hati is the son of
Hrodvitnisson. Both names mean “famous wolf,”
which has led some experts to suggest that Hati, or
Managarm, is the offspring of Fenrir, the monster
wolf, himself son of the god Loki. The existing
manuscripts of the Norse myths are unclear on the
exact name of the wolf that chases the Moon.
See also Skoll.
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