Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

events of the world, seem to have been referred to his care. The mythology of the
Teutons, like that of the Rigveda-Indo-Europeans, has had gods of both kinds -- gods who
particularly represent that order in the physical and moral world which became fixed in
creation, and which, under normal conditions, remain entirely uniform, and gods who
particularly represent the powerful temporary interference for the purpose of restoring
this order when it has been disturbed, and for the purpose of giving protection and
defense to their worshippers in times of trouble and danger. The latter are in their very
nature war-gods always ready for battle, such as Vita and Indra in Rigveda, Odin and
Thor-Indridi in the Eddas; and they have their proper abode in a group of fortified
celestial citadels like Asgard, whence they have their outlook upon the world they have to
protect -- the atmosphere and Midgard. The former, on the other hand, have their natural
abode in Jormungrund's outer zone and in the lower world, whence the world-tree grew,
and where the fountains are found whose liquids penetrate creation, and where that
wisdom had its source of which Odin only, by self-sacrifice, secured a part. Down there
dwell, accordingly, Urd and Mimir, Nott and Dag, Mundilfari with the dises of the sun
and the moon, Delling, the genius of the rosy dawn , and Billing, the genius of the
blushing sunset. There dwell the smiths of antiquity who made the chariots of the sun and
moon and smithied the treasures of vegetation. There dwell the nidjar who represent the
moon's waxing and waning; there the seven sons of Mimir who represent the changing
seasons (see No. 87). Mundilfari is the lord of the regular revolutions of the starry
firmament, and of the regular rising and sinking of the sea in its ebb and flood. He is the
father of the dises of the sun and moon, who make their celestial journeys according to
established laws; and, finally, he is the origin of the holy fire; he is father of Heimdall,
who introduced among men a systematic life in homes fixed and governed by laws. As
the father of Heimdall, the Vana-god, Mundilfari is himself a Vana-god, belonging to the
oldest branch of this race, and in all probability one of those "wise rulers" (vís regin)
who, according to Vafþrúðnismál 39, "created Njörd in Vanaheim and sent him as a
hostage to the gods (the Aesir)."
From where did the clans of the Vanir and the Elves come? It should not have
escaped the notice of the mythologists that the Germanic theogony, as far as it is known,
mentions only two progenitors of the mythological races -- Ymir and Buri. From Ymir
develop the two very different races of giants, the offspring of his arms and that of his
feet (see No. 86) - in other words, the noble race to which the norns, Mimir and Bestla
belong, and the ignoble, which begins with Thrudgelmir. Buri gives birth to Burr (Bor),
and the latter has three sons - Óðinn, Véi (Vé), and Vili (Vilir). Unless Buri had more
sons, the Vanir and Elf-clans have no other theogonic source than the same as the Aesir,
namely, Burr. That the hierologists of the Germanic mythology did not leave the origin of
these clans unexplained we are assured by the very existence of a Germanic theogony,
together with the circumstance that the more thoroughly our mythology is studied the
more clearly we see that this mythology has desired to answer every question which
could reasonably be asked of it, and in the course of ages it developed into a systematic
and epic whole with clear outlines sharply drawn in all details. To this must be added the
important observation that Vei and Vili, though brothers of Odin, are never counted
among the Aesir proper, and had no abode in Asgard. It is manifest that Odin himself
with his sons founds the Aesir-race, that, in other words, he is a clan-founder in which