Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

It follows that the gods assemble in the Asgard thingstead more for the purpose of
discussing their own interests than for that of judging in the affairs of others. They also
gather there to amuse themselves and to exercise themselves in arms (Gylfaginning 49).
Of the other thingstead of the Aesir, of the one in the lower world, it is on the
other hand expressly stated that they go there to sit in judgment, to act as judges; and
there is no reason for taking this word dæma, when as here it means activity at a
thingstead, in any other than its judicial and common sense.
What matters are settled there? We might take this to be the proper place for
exercising Odin's privilege of choosing heroes to be slain by the sword, since this right is
co-ordinate with that of the norns to determine life and dispense fate, from where it might
seem that the domain of the authority of the gods and that of the norns here approached
each other sufficiently to require deliberations and decisions in common. Still it is not on
the thingstead at Urd's fountain that Odin elects persons for death by the sword. It is
expressly stated that it is in his own home in Valhall that Odin exercises his right of
electing (Grímnismál 8), and this right be holds so independently and so absolutely that
he does not need to ask for the opinion of the norns. On the other hand, the gods have no
authority to determine the life and death of the other mortals. This belongs exclusively to
the norns. The norns elect for every other death but that by weapons, and their decision in
this domain is never called a decision by the gods, but norna dómr, norna kviðr, feigðar
orð, dauða orð. 22
If the Aesir and norns did have a common voice in deciding certain questions
which could be settled in Asgard, then it would not be in accordance with the high rank
given to the Aesir in mythology to have them go to the norns for the decision of such
questions. On the contrary, the norns would have to come to them. Urd and her sisters are
beings of high rank, but nevertheless they are of giant descent, like Mimir. The power
they have is immense; and on a closer investigation we find how the mythology in more
than one way has sought to maintain in the imagination of its believers the independence
(at least apparent and well defined, within certain limits) of the gods -- an independence
united with the high rank which they have. It may have been for this very reason that the
youngest of the dises of fate, Skuld, was selected as a valkyrie, and as a maid-servant
both of Odin and of her sister Urd.
The questions in which the Aesir are judges near Urd's fountain must be such as
cannot be settled in Asgard, as the lower world is their proper forum, where both the
parties concerned and the witnesses are to be found. The questions are of great
importance. This is evident already from the fact that the journey to the thingstead is a
troublesome one for the gods, at least for Thor, who, to get there, must wade across four
rivers. Moreover, the questions are of such a character that they occur every day
(Grímnismál, 29, 30).
At this point of the investigation the results previously gained from the various
premises unite themselves in the following manner:
22 norna dómr, judgement of the norns, Fáfnismál 11, Ynglingasaga ch. 47, Ynglingatal 24; norna kviðr,
verdict of the norns; feigðar orð, "fey-word," verdict for death, Ynglingasaga 11, Ynglingatal 1; dauða orð,
death verdict, actually dauða yrði, "death-words", Ynglingasaga , Ynglingatal 8.