Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

in the dialects of several Germanic branches indicates, or is thought by the linguists to
indicate, that it belongs to the most ancient Germanic times, when it probably had the
form Vorthi. 12
There can be no doubt that Urd also has had the meaning of goddess of fate
among other Germanic branches than the Scandinavian. Expressions handed down from
the heathen time and preserved in Old English documents characterize Vyrd as tying the
threads or weaving the web of fate (The Riming Poem, lines 70-74, Exeter Book., 355;
Beowulf, 1205), and as the one who writes that which is to happen (Beowulf, 2526). 13
Here the plural form is also employed, Vyrde, the urds, the norns, which demonstrates
that she in England, as in the North, was conceived as having sisters or assistants. 14 In the
Old Low German poem "Heliand," Wurth's 15 personality is equally plain.
But at the same time as Vyrd, Wurth (Uurd), was the goddess of fate, she was also
that of death. In Beowulf 2420 and 2725, we find the parallel expressions:
him vas Vyrd ungemete neah: Urd was exceedingly near to him;
vas deád ungemete neah: death was exceedingly near.
And in Heliand, Fitt 55, line 4619 (and Fitt 57, line 4778); Fitt 36, line 2989:
Thiu uurd is at handun: Urd is at hand;
Nu is iro dôd at hendi: death is at hand.
And there are also other expressions, as Thiu uurd nâhida thuo: Urd (death) then
approached; uurd ina benam: Urd (death) took him away (cp. J. Grimm, Deutsche Myth.,
Vol. I. ch. 12, 3). 16
Thus among the Germanic branches in Germany and England, Urd, the goddess
of fate, was identical with death, conceived as a queen. So too in the North. The norns
made laws and chose life and örlög (fate) for the children of time (Völuspá). The word
12 The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots gives the reconstructed Germanic form as
*Wurth. See wer-3, page 76.
13 The examples regarding Urd from here to the end of this chapter seem to be derived from Grimm's
Deutsche Mythology, Vol. I, chapter 16, section 3; and the supplement to that chapter in Vol. IV. As
Grimm indicates, wyrd gewæf refers to Urd weaving (Latin texere), and wyrd ne gescraf, to Urd writing
(Latin ordinare). Beowulf 697 speaks of wigspeda gewiofu, "weaving war-luck" (Howell D. Chickering, Jr.
translation). The full text of these lines is provided below.
The Riming Poem, lines 70-74 Me þæt wyrd gewæf, ond gewyrht forgeaf, þæt ic grofe græf, ond þæt
grimme græf flean flæsce ne mæg, þonne flanhred dæg nydgrapum nimeþ, þonne seo neaht becymeð
seo me eðles ofonn ond mec her eardes onconn.
Beowulf 697 Ac him dryhten forgeaf wigspeda gewiofu, Wedera leodum, frofor ond fultum, þæt hie feond
heora ðurh anes cræft ealle ofercomon, selfes mihtum. (In regard to wigspeda, cp. vígspá, Völuspá 24)
Beowulf 2570-2574: Scyld wel gebearg life ond lice læssan hwile mærum þeodne þonne his myne sohte,
ðær he þy fyrste, forman dogore wealdan moste swa him wyrd ne gescraf hreð æt hilde.
14 wyrde occurs at line 1337.
15 The manuscript of Heliand renders this uurd, which I have followed in the quotes. Jakob Grimm uses the
spelling Wurth (presumably uurð).
16 Thiu uurd nâhida thuo appears in Heliand, Fitt 64, line 5394; The phrase uurd ina benam occurs in Fitt
26, line 2189.