Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

farthest limits of the Arctic Ocean, get into a darkness which the eyes scarcely can penetrate, are
exposed to a maelstrom which threatens to drag them down ad Chaos, but finally come quite
unexpectedly out of darkness and cold to an island which, surrounded as by a wall of high rocks,
contains subterranean caverns, wherein giants lie concealed. At the entrances of the underground
dwellings lay a great number of tubs and vessels of gold and other metals which "to mortals
seem rare and valuable." As much as the adventurers could carry of these treasures, they took
with them and hastened to their ships. But the giants, represented by great dogs, rushed after
them. One of the Frisians was overtaken and torn into pieces before the eyes of the others. The
others succeeded, thanks to our Lord and to Saint Willehad, in getting safely on board their
ships.
49.
ANALYSIS OF THE SAGAS MENTIONED IN NOS. 44-48.
If we consider the position of the authors or recorders of these sagas in relation to the
views they present in regard to Odainsakur and the Glittering Plains, then we find that they
themselves, with or without reason, believe that these views are from a heathen time and of
heathen origin. The saga of Erik Vidforli states that its hero had heard reports about Odainsakur,
in his own native land, and in his heathen environment. The Mikligard king who instructs the
prince in the doctrines of Christianity knows, on the other hand, nothing of such a country. He
simply conjectures that the Odainsakur of the heathens must be the same as the Paradise of the
Christians, and the saga later makes this conjecture turn out to be incorrect.
The author of Hervör's saga mentions Odainsakur as a heathen belief, and tries to give
reasons why it was believed in heathen times that Odainsakur was situated within the limits of
Gudmund's kingdom, the Glittering Plains. The reason is: "Gudmund and his men became so old
that they lived through several generations (Gudmund lived five hundred years), and therefore
the heathens believed that Odainsakur was situated in his domain."
The man who compiled the legend about Helgi Thorisson connects it with the history of
King Olaf Tryggvason, and pits this first king of Norway, who labored for the introduction of
Christianity, as a representative of the new and true doctrine against King Gudmund of the
Glittering Plains as the representative of the heathen doctrine. The author would not have done
this if he had not believed that the ruler of the Glittering Plains had his ancestors in heathendom.
The saga of Thorsteinn Bæjarmagn puts Gudmund and the Glittering Plains in a tributary
relation to Jotunheim and to Geirrod, the giant, well known in the mythology.
Saxo makes Gudmund Geirrod's (Geruthus') brother, and he believes he is discussing
ancient traditions when he relates Gorm's journey of discovery and Hadding's journey to
Jotunheim. Saxo refers Gorm's reign to the period immediately following the reign of the
mythical King Snö (Snow) and the emigration of the Longobardians. According to Saxo,
Hadding's descent to the lower world occurred in an antiquity many centuries before King Snow.
In Saxo, Hadding is one of the first kings of Denmark, the grandson of Skjold, progenitor of the
Skjoldungs.
The saga of Erik Vidforli makes the way to Odainsakur pass through Syria, India, and an
unknown land which wants the light of the sun, and where the stars are visible all day long. On
the other side of Odainsakur, and bordering on it, lies the land of the happy spirits, Paradise.