Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

kingdom of death in general, and all that Svipdag seems to mean is that Vidofnir, in case
such a weapon could be found, might be transferred to his kinsman, the sooty-red cock
which crows below the earth. Saxo also speaks of a cock which is found in Hades, and is
with the goddess who has the cowbane stalks when she shows Hadding the flowermeadows
of the lower world, the Elysian fields of those fallen by the sword, and the
citadel within which death does not seem able to enter (see No. 47). Thus there is at least
one cock in the lower world's realm of bliss. That there should be one also in Niflhel and
in the abode of Loki's daughter is nowhere mentioned, and is hardly credible, since the
cock, according to an ancient and wide-spread Indo-European belief, is a sacred bird,
which is the special foe of demons and the powers of darkness. According to Swedish
popular belief, even of the present time, the crowing of the cock puts ghosts and spirits to
flight; and a similar idea is found in Avesta (Vendidad, 18), where, in str. 15,
Ahuramazda himself translates the morning song of the cock with the following words:
"Rise, ye men, and praise the justice which is the most perfect! Behold the demons are
put to flight!" 6 Avesta is naively out of patience with thoughtless persons who call this
sacred bird (Parodarsch) by the so little respect-inspiring name "Cockadoodledoo"
(Kahrkatas). The idea of the sacredness of the cock and its hostility to demons was also
found among the Indo-Europeans of South Europe and survived the introduction of
Christianity. Aurelius Prudentius 7 wrote a Hymnus ad galli cantum, and the cock has as a
token of Christian vigilance received the same place on the church spires as formerly on
the world-tree. Nor have the May-poles forgotten him. But in the North the poets and the
popular language have made the red cock a symbol of fire. 8 Fire has two characters - it is
sacred, purifying, and beneficent, when it is handled carefully and for lawful purposes. In
the opposite case, it is destructive. With the exception of this special instance, nothing but
good is reported of the cocks of mythology and poetry.
Grímnismál 31 is remarkable from two points of view. It contains information -
brief and scant, it is true, but nevertheless valuable - in regard to Yggdrasil's three roots,
and it speaks of Hel in an unmistakable, distinctly personal sense.
In regard to the roots of the world-tree and their position, our investigation so far,
regardless of Grímnismál 31, has produced the following result:
Yggdrasil has a northern root. This stands over the vast reservoir Hvergelmir and
spreads over Niflhel, situated north of Hvergelmir and inhabited by frost-giants. There
nine regions of punishment are situated, among them Nastrond.
Yggdrasil's second root is watered by Mimir's fountain and spreads over the land
where Mimir's fountain and grove are located. In Mimir's grove dwell those living (not
6 Vendidad, Fargard 18; 23. "And then the holy Sraosha wakes up the bird named Parodarsh, which illspeaking
people call Kahrkatas, and the bird lifts up his voice against the mighty dawn:
24. '"Arise, O men! recite the Ashem yad vahistem that smites down the Daevas."
7 Aurelius Prudentius Clemens born in 348 AD in Northern Spain. Died circa 413. He was thirteen when
Julian, the last pagan emperor, came to the Roman throne and attempted to supress Christianity. Two years
later, Julian was succeeded by the Christian co-emperors, Valentinian and Valens, both Christians.
Prudentius began writing poetry at age 57, and is critically regarded as the greatest of the Christian Latin
poets.
8 See Grimm Deutsche Mythologie, Vol. II, Ch. 20, section 2: Our people compare the element (fire) to a
red cock flying from house to house: "I'll set a red cock on your roof" is a threat of the incendiary.
Translated by James Steven Stallybrass, 1966.