Asatru glossary

S

Sága – Goddess of history. Her abode is Sökkvabekkr or Sunken (river) bank. This name is a poetic explanation of history as something dynamic but basically hidden from man’s gaze, something that only Saga has insight into. The noun saga was derived from the name of this Goddess (sögur), and it signifies tales from Iceland’s past.

Sagas – prose works created on Iceland during the 13^th and 14^th centuries. One of the first sagas was written by an abbot of the name Kari Johnsson; his saga tells the story of king Sverrir. Although these works are by its nature realistic, it’s not such a rarity to come across a fantastical being or event in them. Skaldic poetry was often quoted, mainly to emphasize an occurrence. The most famed author of sagas is certainly Snorri Sturluson, author of the saga Heimskringla and many others. There’s also the Saga of Njal, work of an unknown writer, considered the pinnacle of Nordic medieval literature, just like the Sagas of Greenlanders &c.

Seidr – Nordic magical practice associated exclusively to women. Several women would gather in a place prearranged for the ritual, and one of them (the volva) would sit on an improvised throne (seidhjallar). Women gathered around the volva would sing song in order to fall intro a trance, during which she would go on astral journeys or commune with the dead. According to legend, the Goddess Freya was the one to reveal the art of seidr to the Gods, and the only male individual who dared practice this art was Odin.

Sif – Thor’s wife; one night Loki cut off her hair. The dwarves made her a new head of hair from gold, that magically grew again on her head. She was the mother of Ulir, the God of archery.

Sigin – wife of Loki, mother of Nari and Vali. When Loki was punished for his offences, she remained by his side, collecting the poison falling on his face.

Siktuna – a place by the lake of Loh in modern Sweden. Coming to Scandinavia, Odin founded a shrine here in which rituals were performed in “As tradition”.

Sigurd – Old Germanic hero, one of the Volsung. He slayed the dragon Fafnir and thus gained riches and wisdom. By tasting Fafnir’s blood, Sigurd gained the ability to understand bird-speak, which later helped him fin Fafnir’s treasure.

Skadi – «destruction», daughter of the giant Tjazi and wife of Njord. When the Gods killed her father for stealing Idun’s apples, she went to Asgard to ask for reparation. Refusing gold, she demanded a husband, and believing that she’s chosen Baldur, she mistakenly chooses Njord. However, her marriage to Njord was not a very happy one. Seeing how they could never reach a consensus on joint dwelling, they separated, and Skadi went back into the snowy mountains that were her home, while Njord remained at sea.

Skalds – Icelandic poets who were greatly respected by the people in their times. The basic trait of the skaldic art was using the kenning, a literary figure which would use a poetic description instead of a noun (e.g. fire – the wolf that devours trees). The most celebrated skald was Egil Skallagrimsson.

Egil Skallagrimsson slays Ljot tha Pale

Skirnir – a devoted servant of Frey’s; his name means «gleaming». By Frey’s command he went to the hall of the forest giants to propose the she-giant Gerd for Frey.

Skol – the wolf that hounded Sol i.e. the Sun. Whenever there was a solar eclipse, the Nordic people would say that the wolf ate the Sun. his name means “scorn”.

Skuld – one of the Nornas, a Fate. She was associated with the future, and her role was to cut the life line of every person and thus put an end to his or her existence.

Sleipnir – Odin’s swift horse, who had eight legs. Odin travelled on this horse between the worlds, and the very way he obtained it is interesting. The giant who built Asgard had a horse named Svadilfar that did all the work for him. Loki approached Svadilfar in the form of a mare and conceived with him a foal – Sleipnir.

Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241) – the most famous of Iceland’s saga writers; he’s considered the author of four works of prose: The Prose Eddas, Saga of Egil Skallagrissom, one of the sagas about St Olaf and the book of Heimskringla (circle of the world). The Prose Eddas contain Gylfginning (the fooling of Gylfi), a work that is, aside for Voluspa, an essential source on Nordic mythology. The Eddas also includes legends from the time of the great migrations, whose protagonists are Attila the Hun and Sigurd, while the Heimskringla is a chronicle on the kings of the Ynglig dynasty, a dynasty founded by Frey.

Sol – the Sun. As in the Hittite language, the Sun is female in the Nordic tradition. A myth associated with this deity is this one: a man had a son so handsome that he called him Mani (Moon), and a daughter so beautiful he named Sol (Sun). This enraged the Gods, and so they took his children and placed them in the sky as heavenly bodies to shine upon the Earth and measure time.

Stag – one of the sacred animals of the Asatru movement, associated with Frey. In addition to the fact that the stag’s horns symbolize the Sun and fertility, it’s also known that, lacking a sword, Frey used a stag’s horn to slay the giant Beli.

Sudri – “south”. Name of the dwarf that guarded the south side of the world.

Surt – «black». Fire giant with a flaming sword who sets the world ablaze during Ragnarok. He resides in Muspelheim with the other fire giants; during Ragnarok he will lead the forces of darkness in their battle against the Gods.

Sutung – the giant guarding the mead of inspiration. Odin snatched it from him after seducing his daughter Gunold who guarded the magic potion. Upon uncovering the deception, Sutung rushed after him in the form of an eagle, but it was too late.

Svartalfheim – an underground world, the abode of dwarves and dark elves. This world is the smithy of the universe, a place where many powerful objects were crafted: Freya’s necklace – Brisingamen; Odin’s helmet of invisibility; the magical shackles that imprison Fenriz.