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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 13th
and 14th 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.
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| 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.
