Curious facts

[Chintai]

I love this collection of strange stories from Norse mythology. It's a little difficult to find a context for them in the modern world but nevertheless they are charmingly gruesome and bizarre.

 

[Old World American]

Yep, Thor did cross dress in order to kill a giant. Interestingly enough, Hercules had to dress as a woman in the service of Queen Omphale in Lydia (western Asia Minor). This part of his penance lasted a year. Brutal.

 

[Artemis]

Those are funny and illogical and way out of this world. It is the most unreal or unbelivable story of Gods and mythology I encountered.

 

[Shattergraves]

I was thinking that Loki turning himself into a mare to seduce another horse away from its duties for the sake of a bet was by far more bizarre. Then the resulting offspring was presented to Odin as a gift. Say what you want about Loki but the dude really took one for the team on that one.

 

[Old World American]

I was thinking that Loki turning himself into a mare to seduce another horse away from its duties for the sake of a bet was by far more bizarre. Then the resulting offspring was presented to Odin as a gift. Say what you want about Loki but the dude really took one for the team on that one.

HAHAHAHA The EXACT phrase "took one for the team" went through my head when I read that too!

"Thanks for the eight-legged horse, Loki. I think I'll call him Sleipnir."
"Yeah, no problem," Loki says as he rubs his sore back and gingerly walks away.
I can picture Loki in the fetal position in the shower after that one.

 

[Rhonda Tharp]

The book by Lewis Hyde "Trickster Makes this World" shed some new light on Loki and Hermes for me... The trickster archetype is between two worlds - the god's world and the human's world. The trickster lives to separate and join the worlds simultaneously. We see this with Hermes being the Messenger God, God of Thieves, God of the Crosswords (the meeting of the worlds), etc. He couldn't earn his way to Zeus' "table" so he had to steal what was rightfully his, a place among the Gods. Typically, many tricksters will be beautiful or "hermaphroditic" because of the two - world roles they play. The dichotomies aren't always worlds though, it could also mean genders. Ted Elliot and Terri Rossio based Captain Jack Sparrow on Loki and Hermes and if you notice how Depp plays the character with feminine mannerisms, that's why...

 

[Old World American]

Your paradox of stealing what is rightfully yours is extremely thought provoking. It reminded me of "become what you are." Cool explanation too, Hermes and Loki blending the usually polarized concepts to their own will, incidentally being a traveler between hemispheres of thought. Loki I know traveled all over the nine worlds and is often impulsive, convincing Odin with sophism, just enough logic to proceed.

 

[Dianna]

I like the one where Odin embalms his uncles head so it could still talk. In away that reminds me of the heads on Futerama. Sometimes I wish that I could be just a head.

 

[lilith_morningstar]

i need to learn more about the norse mythology....anyone wanna help, i only know so little.....

 

[Rhonda Tharp]

There are some decent books on Norse myth - Kevin Crossley-Holland's Norse Myths, and Osborne/Howell's Favorite Norse myths to name a few. Their creation myth is a bit bizarre: From the cold realm of Muspell and the fire realm of Nifleheim emerged Ymir the giant and a cow. Ymir drank the cow's milk to stay alive. From his armpit sprang Ask and Embla, the first "people" and they had Bor and Buri - and from one of these, can't remember... came Odin.

Ymir's sweat became the ocean, his bones became the hills and mountains, his teeth became the cliffs, and his hair - the vegetation and trees. (Reminds me of Panku from Chinese myth - where his eyes become the sun and moon, blood the ocean, etc.) Two groups of Gods emerged - the Aesir - the pillars of the world, made Middle Earth (Midgard). They stationed four dwarves in each corner to support the heavenly vault (Asgard) The four dwarves were called: Nordri, Sudri, Westri, Austri (North, South, West, East - getting information from the four corners of the world - N.E.W.S.) The other group of Gods were called the Vanir - the peaceful Gods - fertility based.

Balder's Death is probably the best Norse myth for me, because it contains so much symbolism, current environmental issues, and basic every day concepts that stand the test of time (parent's love, death of child, mourning, etc)

I'll bet if you google the Aesir or the Vanir you'll get some good stories. Also, Yggdrasill - their world tree (made up of Nine worlds) is similar to some Celtic/Druidic worship of trees.

 

[Jonny Capps]

Re: The gods once chose a god to take Odin's place.

I love that the gods had an election! I wonder if that's where we got democracy from?

 

[Quentin Woolery]

I've always liked Loki. He has a fellow trickster in Kokopelli. He is always the one that plays tricks in Native American mythology. I wonder if there are any more parallels in Norse and Native American mythology? Makes you wonder if the theory that Vikings were the first in North America look a little more compelling doesn't it?

 

[Rhonda Tharp]

I've always liked Loki. He has a fellow trickster in Kokopelli. He is always the one that plays tricks in Native American mythology. I wonder if there are any more parallels in Norse and Native American mythology? Makes you wonder if the theory that Vikings were the first in North America look a little more compelling doesn't it?

Check out the history channel's special on Templars in America. I know it's not exactly Norse, but there are some compelling arguments that Europeans made it here in 1362...

 

[Quentin Woolery]

Thanks Rhonda. I will! I think I saw that on Netflix if I'm not mistaken. I'll see if I can find it. I love to read strange facts in history like that. Unanswered questions always intrigue me.

 

[Rhonda Tharp]

I did a search for it after I posted... It's called "Holy Grail in America." oops They discuss the connections the Norse and the Templars had tho too

 

[Quentin Woolery]

Very interesting! I love reading and seeing things like this. I also love to study about things that happened in my own backyard. When I was in 7th grade we had to study about the history of our state and I loved it!

 

[Skeptic sister]

L'anse aux Meadows, in Newfoundland, proves that Vikings were in North America more than 300 yrs before Columbus. There's norse runes carved into rocks in the area, too.

Hugh Sinclair (St Clair) was in MA region before Columbus too.... he of the famous ROSSLYN CASTLE, knights Templar, and Masons.... one of his knights was buried in MA, and a town there pays homage to that 'glyph.

 

[Amy_lewis_143]

Lilith, if you wanna learn about Norse mythology, id read a translation of the Prose Edda, i hope to buy one soon...other than that, there are countless books out about them, but the Prose Edda is the book Snorri Sturluson wrote, containing he books of Norse mythology...so that would be your best bet, i guess it would be useful to read other books though, for additional information =)

As well, I really want to watch that TV programme you were on about, the Templar's interest me also =D

 

[mythlvr]

New to norse but am finding the posts so interesting. I love reading new things and would love to see how this compares to greek mythology

 

[Alexia]

If you are interested in Norse mythology, then help VuduPins Productions make a film based off of the Norse myths of Baldur's death. The film is called "Baldur's Dreams" and is centered around Odin, Frigg, Baldur, and Loki. Before we can begin filming, we need to raise funds. Please help us and go to this site and donate money. Spread the word and help this film get made. Every penny counts. Thanks!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/vudupins/baldurs-dreams-a-norse-myth-short-film