Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

mythology rescued in Germany, the so-called Second Merseburg Charm, which begins as
follows:
Phol ende Uodan
vuoron zi holza
dû vart demo Balderes
volon sin vous birenkit.
thû biguolon Sinhtgunt,
Sunna era svister,
thû biguolen Friia,
Volla era svister,
thû biguolen Uodan
sô hê wola conda.
Falr and Odin
went to the wood,
then was sprained the foot
of Baldur's foal.
Then sang over him Sinhtgunt,
Sunna her sister,
then sang over him Frigg,
Fulla her sister,
then sang over him Odin
as best he could.
Of the names occurring in this strophe Uodan-Odin, Baldur, Sunna (synonym of
Sol - Alvíssmál 16; Prose Edda - Nafnaþulur), Friia-Frigg, and Volla-Fulla are well
known in the Icelandic mythic records. Only Phol and Sinhtgunt are strangers to our
mythologists, though Phol-Falr surely ought not to be so.
In regard to the German form Phol, we find that it has by its side the form Fal in
German names of places connected with fountains. Jakob Grimm has pointed out a
"Pholes" fountain in Thuringia, a "Fals" fountain in the Frankish Steigerwald, and in this
connection a "Baldur" well in Reinphaltz. 1 In the Danish popular traditions Baldur's horse
had the ability to produce fountains by tramping on the ground, and Baldur's fountain in
Seeland is said to have originated in this manner (cp. P. E. Muller 2 on Saxo, Hist., 120).
In Saxo, too, Baldur gives rise to wells (Victor Balderus, ut afflictum siti militem
opportuni liquoris beneficio recrearet, novos humi latices terram altius rimatus operuit -
Book 3) 3
1 DM, Vol. I, Ch. 1l, Phol. Pholesbrunnen in Thuringia, Falsbrunn in the Frankish Steigerwald, and
Baldersbrunnen in Reinphaltz. See also the corresponding section in the Supplement, Vol. 4, which says in
part: "Plenty of Ful-burns, -becks, -meres, -hams, etc in England."
2 Peter Erasmus Müller, 1776-1834.
3 "The conquering Balder, in order to slake his soldiers, who were parched with thirst, with the blessing of a
timely draught, pierced the earth deep and disclosed a fresh spring." Elton tr.