"An ash I know, | Yggdrasil its name,
With water white | is the great tree wet;
Thence come the dews | that fall in the dales,
Green by Urth's well | does it ever grow."
– Voluspa, Verse 19, Bellows Translation
Read More"An ash I know, | Yggdrasil its name,
With water white | is the great tree wet;
Thence come the dews | that fall in the dales,
Green by Urth's well | does it ever grow."
– Voluspa, Verse 19, Bellows Translation
Read More"Many a fearless swordsman
Received the Tears of Freyja
The more the morn when foemen
We murdered; we were present."
– SKÁLDSKAPARMAL, Translated by Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur
Read MoreSo what is the Voluspa?…
The Voluspa or more accurately Völuspá is the first set of Viking Age poetry in the Poetic Edda. The Völuspá translates to mean the “Prophecy of the Volva” or “Prophecy of the Seer.” A Volva was a wise-woman in old Norse culture. Within the Voluspa poem, Odin journeys to raise the wise-woman from the dead, some say he journeyed to Hel to raise a dead giantess, others suggest the Volva may have been the mother of monsters, Angrboda. Regardless the true identity of the wise-woman is unknown. Once resurrected she first proves her knowledge by explaining the creation myths of the Norse. Then she reveals to Odin secrets that only he is supposed to know, further proving her mastery of lore. Odin then showers her with gifts and asks her to foretell his future. In so doing the wise-woman tells the prophecies of Ragnarok - the twilight of the gods, and the death of Odin himself.
Read More"Thor is the foremost of them, he that is called Thor of the Æsir, or Öku-Thor; he is strongest of all the gods and men... Thor has two he-goats, that are called Tooth-Gnasher and Tooth-Gritter, and a chariot wherein he drives, and the he-goats draw the chariot; therefore is he called Öku-Thor."
– Gylfaginning, Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur Translation
Read MoreI just finished reading “The Meadhall” by Stephen Pollington, and it is a wonderfully academic book. While not a Norse Mythology book in the traditional sense, the book is Norse Mythology adjacent. Specifically focusing on Anglo Saxon England from the pagan period to the conversion and slightly beyond. His examination of the mead hall and the central roll it played in the lives of our ancestors is a fascinating read!
Read MoreI didn’t include “Days in Midgard” in my original post on Norse Mythology Books because the book does something most other Norse Mythology books doesn’t do… It tells modern stories that features the gods influencing the world right here, right now. It is a genuine attempt to advance the storytelling timeline of Norse Mythology. Just as the title suggests… “A Thousand Years On.”
Read MoreI recently had an animated gif made of my Viking Art painting, “The Masked One,” and thought this would be a good reason to talk about the painting again!
Read MoreI’m sure it will surprise no one to learn that one of the influences on my Hoedkin series of “House Spirits” is the book “Gnomes” written by Wil Huygen and illustrated by Rien Poortvliet. Although to be completely accurate it was actually the Nickelodeon TV show “The World of David the Gnome” from when I was a kid that is the strong influence.
Read MoreAt Ragnarok, the wolf Sköll will finally catch the sun goddess, Sól, and devour her…
Read MoreOnce you have a foundation from reading the Eddas and Sagas, a number of wonderful books are waiting for you to delve deeper into Norse Mythology. More research continues to be done and more books a papers published every year. Truly it is a wonderful time to be alive!
I myself am an avid reader and find regular inspiration for Fateful Signs in the books and lore of past and modern scholars alike. Here is a list of 10 books I recommend for any who seek the wisdom of the Vikings.
Read MoreSometimes things just click with a painting, and "Bragi's Tongue" was one of those. As I worked on my new Viking Art painting for my Norse Mythology series Fateful Signs, things felt effortless. I seemed to know exactly where to put each color and everything just flowed. I finished this Viking art painting in about half the time it usually takes me. Everything just felt right. It was a real joy to work on.
Read MoreMy latest Viking Art painting for my Norse Mythology series Fateful Signs, "The King's New Crown" took a lot of twists and turns. It started as one thing and became something else as I worked on it. It's usually best to follow the trail inspiration leads you down, but it can be a windy path.
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