Free The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson Page B

him, the wolf bit off the hand at what is now called the wolf joint. Because of this, Tyr is one-handed, and men do not think of him as a peace maker.
26. BRAGI
    â€˜One of the gods is called Bragi. Though renowned for his wisdom, he is mostly known for his eloquence and his way with words. He is the most knowledgeable about poetry, and because of him poetry is named
brag
. From his name comes the usage whereby a person, more skilled with words than others, is called
bragr
or the foremost of men or women.
    â€˜His wife is Idunn. In her private wooden box 1 she keeps the apples which the gods bite into when they begin to grow old. They all become young again, and so it will be right up to Ragnarok.’
    Then Gangleri said, ‘It seems to me that the gods are greatly dependent upon Idunn’s care and good faith.’
    High said, as he laughed, ‘Misfortune once came close. I could tell you about those events, but first you shall hear the names of still more Æsir.
27. HEIMDALL
    â€˜Heimdall is one. He is called the white god and is powerful and sacred. Nine maidens, all sisters, gave birth to him as their son. He is also known as Hallinskidi and Gullintanni [GoldToothed], as his teeth are gold. His horse is called Gulltopp [Golden Forelock]. He lives near Bifrost at a place called Himinbjorg. He is the watchman of the gods and sits at heaven’s end, where he keeps watch over the bridge against the mountain giants. He needs less sleep than a bird, and he can see equally well by night or by day a distance of a hundred leagues. He hears the grass growing on the earth and the wool on sheep, as well as everything else that makes more noise. He has the horn known as Gjallarhorn, and its blast can be heard in all worlds. Heimdall’s sword is called a head. It is said:
    Himinbjorg it is called
and there Heimdall
rules over sacred places.
There the watchman of the gods
drinks in his comfortable lodgings,
happily, the good mead.
    (
The Lay of Grimnir. 13
)
    â€˜Further, he himself says in
Heimdall’s Chant
: 1
    â€œOf nine mothers I am the child,
of nine sisters I am the son.”
28. HOD
    â€˜Hod is the name of one of the gods. He is blind and immensely strong. The gods would have wished to avoid mentioning the name of this member of the Æsir, because the work of his hands will long be remembered 1 by gods and men.
29. VIDAR
    â€˜One is called Vidar; he is the silent god. He has a thick shoe 1 and is nearly as strong as Thor. The gods rely on him in all difficulties.
30. ALI OR VALI
    â€˜Ali or Vali is the name of one god, a son of Odin and Rind. He is bold in battle and a fine shot.
31. ULL
    â€˜Ull is the name of one. The son of Sif, he is the stepson of Thor. He is so skilful a bowman and skier that no one can compete with him. He is beautiful to look at, and is an accomplished warrior. He is also a good person to pray to 1 when in single combat.
32. FORSETI
    â€˜Forseti is the son of Baldr and Nanna Nep’s daughter. His is the hall in heaven called Glitnir. All who come to him with legal difficulties leave reconciled. That hall is the best place of judgment known to gods and men. As it says here:
    A hall named Glitnir,
supported by gold pillars
and roofed with silver.
There Forseti
spends most days
and settles all lawsuits.
    (
The Lay of Grimnir. 15
)
33. LOKI
    â€˜Also counted among the Æsir is one whom some call Slanderer of the Gods, the Source of Deceit, and the Disgrace of All Gods and Men. Named Loki or Lopt, he is the son of the giant Farbauti. His mother is named Laufey or Nal, and his brothersare Byleist and Helblindi. Loki is pleasing, even beautiful to look at, but his nature is evil and he is undependable. More than others, he has the kind of wisdom known as cunning, and is treacherous in all matters. He constantly places the gods in difficulties and often solves their problems with guile. His wife is Sigyn and their son is Nari or Narfi.
34. LOKI’S