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REMARKS ON THE SEVENTEENTH FABLE.

(A) "At the end of "the world." It cannot be doubted that the Wolf is the emblem of the Evil Principle, or of fome power at enmity with nature. The river of Vices, faid to flow from the foam of his mouth, is one of those strokes which manifeftly indicate an allegory. I fhall show in another place, that the paffage we have now read, as well as all of the fame kind occurring in the EDDA, are no other than figurative, and poetic ways of propounding that phi

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THE EIGHTEENTH FABLE.

GA

Of the Goddesses.

ANGLER afks, Who are the Goddeffes? The principal, replies Har, is FRIGGA (A), who hath a magnificent palace, named Fenfaler, or the Divine Abode. The fecond is called SAGA. EIRA performs the function of phyfician to the Gods (B). GEFIONE is a virgin, and takes into her fervice all chafte maids after their death. FYLLA, who is also a virgin, wears her beautiful locks flowing over her fhoulders. Her head is adorned with a golden ribband. She is entrusted with the toilette, and flippers of Frigga *; and admitted into the most important fecrets of that Goddefs. FREYA is the most illuftrious of the Goddeffes, next to Frigga.

* The Icelandic is, Ok ber efki Friggiar: Ok gietr Skoklatha hennar, &c. i. e. according to Goranfon's Latin verfion, "Eique Pyxis Frigga concredita eft, ut "et ejufdem Calcei."

T.

She

She married a perfon named Oder, and brought him a daughter named Noa, fo very handsome, that whatever is beautiful and precious is called by her name. But Oder left her, in order to travel into very remote countries. Since that time Freya continually weeps, and her tears are drops of pure gold. She has a great variety of names; for having gone over many countries in search of her husband, each people gave her a different name; fome calling her Vanadis, or the Goddess of Hope, &c. &c. She wears a very rich chain of gold. The feventh Goddefs is SIONA. She employs herself in turning mens hearts and thoughts to love, and in making young men and maidens well with each other. Hence lovers bear her name. LOVNA is fo good and gracious, and accords fo heartily to the tender vows of men, that by a peculiar power which Odin and Frigga have given her, she can reconcile lovers the moft at variance. VARA, the ninth Goddefs, prefides over the oaths that men make, and particularly over the promises of lovers. She is attentive to all concealed engagements of that kind, and punifhes those who keep not their plighted troth. VORA is prudent, and wife, and fo penetrating and curious, that nothing can remain hid from her. SYNIA is the portrefs VOL. II.

H

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of the palace, and fhuts the gates against all those who ought not to enter: she also prefides in trials, where any thing is. about to be denied upon oath; whence the proverb, Signia is not far from him. who goes about to deny." The twelfth is called LYNA. She has the care of thofe whom Frigga intends to deliver from peril. SNOTRA is a wife and intelligent Goddess; men and women who are prudent and virtuous bear her name. GNA is the meffenger whom Frigga dispatches into the various worlds, to perform her commands. She has a horfe which runs over the air (c), and across the waters *. They reckon

alfo SoL and BIL in the number of the

Afes, or' Divinities; but their nature hath been already explained to you . There are, befides, a great many virgins who officiate in Valhall, pouring out BEER and ALE for the Heroes, and taking care of the cups, and whatever belongs to the table. To this refers what is faid in the poem of Grimnis, "I wish Rita and Mifta would fupply me with the drinking horns; for they are the nymphs who fhould give cups to the Heroes." Thefe

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T.

* The curious reader will find an additional paffage here in Goranfon's Latin tranflation. + This, I fuppofe, refers to FABLE VI, &c. T.

God

Goddeffes are called Valkyries; Odin fends them into the fields of battle, to make choice of those who are to be flain, and to bestow the victory. GUDUr, Rosta, and the youngest of the Deftinies or Fairies who prefide over Time, viz. SKULDA (or the FUTURE) go forth every day on horseback to chufe the dead, and regulate what carnage fhall enfue. IORD, or the Earth, the mother of Thor; and RINDA, the mother of Vale, ought also to be ranked among the Goddeffes.

*Iflandic, Norn en yngfta, i. e. Nornarum natų Minima. Goranfon.

T..

REMARKS ON THE EIGHTEENTH FABLE.

(A)" The principal is Frigga."] I have already remarked that FRIGGA was the Earth, the spouse of ODIN, and mother of the inferiour Divinities; and that THOR was her first-born. She, with these two other Gods, made that facred Triad, who were ferved and attended with much respect in the famous Temple of Upfal. Frigga, or Frea, was there reprefented as re

fo

pofing upon cushions be-
tween Odin and Thor;
and by various emblems,
was denoted to be the
Goddefs of Plenty, Fruit-
fulness and Pleafure. The
fixth day of the week is
Frea's day in all the nor-
thern languages, (fc.
FRIDAY) She being
the mother of the whole
human race, the people
regarded one another as
brethren, and lived in
ftrict unity and concord,
during the fhort time that

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