Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

Ægir's hall is far out in the depths of the sea. The ocean known by the Teutons
was the North Sea. The author has manifestly conceived Ægir's hall as situated in the
same direction from Asgard as Vanaheim, and not far from the native home of the Vanir.
This lies in the word héðan (from here). According to Vafþrúðnismál 39, Njörd was
"created in Vanaheim by wise regin." When he was sent as a hostage to the gods to
Asgard he had to journey eastward (austur). The western location of Vanaheim is thereby
demonstrated.
In the "western halls" of Vanaheim dwells Billing, Rind's father, the father of the
Asa-god, Vali's mother (Rindur ber Vála i vesturrsölum -- Vegtamskviða 11). 10 His name
has been preserved in both the German and the Anglo-Saxon mythic records. An Old
German document mentions together Billunc and Nidunc, 11 that is, Billing and Mimir
(see No. 87). In the mythology Mimir's domain is bounded on the west by Billing's realm,
and on the east by Delling's. Delling is Mimir's son-in-law. According to Völuspá 13
(Hauksbók), Billing is a being which in time's morning, on the resolve of the gods, was
created by Modsognir-Mimir and Durinn. Mimir's neighbors in the east and in the west
were therefore intimately connected with him. An Anglo-Saxon record (The Exeter Book,
Widsith, 25) makes Billing the race-hero of the kinsmen and neighbors of the Angles, the
Varnians (Billing veold Vernum). This too has a mythological foundation, as appears in
Grímnirsmál 39 and in Helgakviða Hjörvarðsson, which, as before stated, is composed of
mythic fragments. When Sol and Mani leave Delling's domain and begin their march
across the heavens, their journey is not without danger. From the Ironwood (cp. Völuspá
40) come the wolf-giants Skoll and Hati and pursue them. Skoll does not desist from the
pursuit before the car of the bright-faced goddess has descended toward the western halls
and reached Varna viður (Skoll heitir úlfur, er fylgir inu skírleita goði til Varna viðar --
Grímnismál 39). Varna viður is the forest of the mythic Varnians or Varinians. Varnians,
Varinians, means "protecters," and the protection here referred to can be none other than
that given to the journeying divinities of light when they have reached the western
horizon. According to Helgakviða Hjörvarðsson, Hati, who pursues the moon, is slain
near Varin's Bay (vík Varins, str. 22). Varinn, the "defender," "protector," is the singular
form of the same word as reappears in the genitive plural Varna. These expressions --
Billing veold Vernum, Varna viður, and Varins vík -- are to be considered as belonging
together. So also the local names borrowed from the mythology, Varinsfjörður and
Varinsey, in Helgakviða Hundingsbana I, 12 where several names reappear, e.g., Svarinn,
Móinn, Álfur, and Yngvi, which in connection with that of Billing occur in the list of the
beings created by Mimir and Durinn. It is manifest that Varna viður, where the wolf
Skoll is obliged to turn back from his pursuit of Sol, and that Varins vík, where the
moon's pursuer Hati is conquered, were conceived in the mythology as situated in the
western horizon, since the sun and the moon making their journey from east to west on
the heavens are pursued and are not safe before they reach the western halls. And now as
10 "Rind will bear Vali in western halls."
11 The likely source of this is Grimm's DM I, 15, 4 which reads: "In OHG. we find a man's name Billunc
(Ried nos. 14. 21-3, A.D. 808. 821-2). If we take into account, that a dwarf Billîngr occurs in the Edda,
Sæm. 2ª 23ª, a hero Pillunc in Rol. 175, 1, and Billunc and Nîdunc coupled together in the Renner 14126-
647, the name acquires a respectable degree of importance." (Stallybrass tr.) The nature of the Renner is
unclear.
12 Strs. 26 & 37 respectively.