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Tala Bar asked:


LEGENDS OF WILD SWANS

The Wild Swans at Coole

W.B.Yeats

The trees are in their autumn beauty,

The woodland paths are dry,

Under the October twilight the water

Mirrors a clear sky;

Upon the brimming water among the stones

Are nine-and-fifty swans.

…

But now they drift on the still water,

Mysterious, beautiful;

Among what rushes will they build,

By what lake’s edge or pool

Delight men’s eyes when I awake some day

To find they have flown away? (s. link).

One of the best known swan stories is Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of The Wild Swans (s. link below). In it, a widower king had eleven sons and one daughter, Eliza. He marries a wicked sorceress who resents the children, and turns the boys into swans who fly away. The Princess goes out to look for them, and on the way she cries so much she creates a lake of tears. On the bank of this lake she finds her Swan brothers, and a fairy appearing in her dream tells Eliza the secret of their release: if she gathers enough nettles to make eleven shirts, when they wear the shirts they will be released from the magic. The girl collects the nettles, and sits in a cave in a forest to do her sewing. (It is clear that the cave in the forest, as well as the young men turned into swans, transport the girl and her brother to a place outside the realistic, civilized world into the realm of Nature and myth). Eliza is found by a young king who had been hunting; he falls in love with her beauty and takes her to his palace as his wife – nettles and all. During her stay in the palace, many jealous people tell the king wicked stories about her, calling her a witch, and in the end he is forced to burn her on the stake. While Eliza continues, even in prison, to sew her brothers’ shirts, they come to visit her in the shape of swans. At last, when she is taken out to be burned, they fly over her; she throws the finished shirts at them, and they return to their forms of eleven princess, except the youngest whose shirt is not finished and he retains one wing instead of an arm – thus retaining some remnant of the world of Nature within civilization.

Similar stories appear in Grimm with some variations, although in one story the girl has only six brothers instead of eleven. In all these cases, the swans are male; the situation is reverse, however, in Chaikovski’s beautiful music to the ballet Swan Lake (s. link below). That story tells of a wicked sorcerer, who turned Princess Odette into a white swan; all day she flies in the company of her girl swans, and only at night she lands on the bank of a lake and returns to her form as a woman. (The lake, by the way, was formed from the mother’s tears shed over her daughter’s fate; we have here a double figure of mother/daughter of a Water goddess). The story says that only if a young virgin man swears eternal faith to her love and marries her, she will be released from the magic; but if the prince betrays his oath, she will dies. Prince Siegfried of the story indeed falls in love with the Swan princess, but the sorcerer entices him to betray her by making him show his love to the dark, artificial figure of Odile he himself had created. Odile, actually, beside her opposite color, is the splitting image of Odette (here is a double image of white/black, light/darkness, or good/evil). After the betrayal is discovered, Odette prepares to die; but then the Prince comes and tries to save her. His love releases her from the magic, but they drown together in the lake.

Details shared by the two stories are turning humans into swans by sorcery; the hunting king/prince; and the lake of tears created by a female. The main differences between the two are the genders of the bewitcher and the humans turning into swans. It may be noted that both Eliza and Siegfried are names taken from Germanic mythology; the lake created by a female’s tears makes her a Water goddess. It may be assumed, then, that both fairy tales are based on much earlier European mythology connected with swans. In order to understand their basic meaning, then, it may be interesting to turn to such ancient myths.

It seems that many similar stories are common all over the continent, wherever swans appear. Such tales are known from Sweden, Germany, Romania and others, (similar to such where the swans are replaced by seal, bears or other animals), that in some cases shed their outer skin and take human shape; it is significant that in some of these stories, like in Andersen’s and Chaikobski’s, these people are bewitched, but in others they do it of their own free will. In an Online site called Swan Maiden (s. link below), a hunter encounters a swan or a group of swans, fly onto the bank of a lake; they shed their feather cloaks, turn into human maidens and go swimming. The hunter snatches one of the cloaks and hides it, thus trapping her owner to come and be his wife. They live together until she finds her cloak again and flies away. The stories end in various ways, from tragedy to happy ever after.

It is highly significant that all these stories involve females as swans, not males. But an old Irish stories tells it in a different way (s. link below). Angus son of the Dagda falls in love with a swan-girl who appeared in his dream. Afterward, he meets a group of 150 swans, flying in pairs, which are tied together with a chain of silver; but his girl wears a crown and a chain of gold. When Angus calls out to that particular swan, she leaves the group, turns him into a swan and they fly away together, tied with a golden chair. It is clear here that the swan maiden has her own power to change at will, and is bound by any male sorcerer; what is more – she has the power to change her lover as well into a swan, which makes her a veritable Swan goddess. This is a hint at the initial function of the swan in European mythology.

***

It seems that, in the Hindu-European tradition, there a number of Swan goddesses. Some of these goddesses were connected with death, and others with some qualities of the Underworld (where dead people go), like wisdom and prophecy. Robert Graves has defined the swan as a bird of Death, and the three Greek figures of Graeae, or Gray Ones, clearly demonstrate this idea: they were described as “fair-faced and swan-like”. They had gray hair from birth and shared one eye and one tooth which, according to Graves, they used for prophecy. Their genealogy goes back to the early descendants of the Earth and Sea, and their separate names were Enyo (“horror”), Deino (“Dread”), and Pemphredo (“Alarm”).

A Celtic Swan goddess was Brigit, to whom this bird was sacred; she was in charge of the Underworld qualities of Wisdom and Crafts. In Hindu mythology, the swan was sacred to Saraswati, goddess Wisdom and Learning, who sat on a throne made of two swans.

Other deities are connected with the swan through its shining white beauty. Such figures are Greek Aphrodite and Roman Venus, to whom the swan was sacred. But another symbol of beauty, much more complicated to these Love goddesses, takes this connection much further. That was Helen, who was the daughter of Leda and the Swan – or, in another interpretation, Leda as a Swan; after all, she was the one who laid the Swan egg, which the two pairs of twins sprung out: Helen and Clytemnestra; Castor and Polydeuces (known as Pollux) – the Dioscuri (“twins”) who “embodied the two halves of the year”.

The multiplicity of the swan’s image – Death, Wisdom, Motherhood, Beauty and Love –

is well represented in the figure of Helen, and is connected with another trait of that bird. The swan is a migratory bird, as is well expressed in both Yates’ poem and in Lemke’s painting. It is actually seen not only in autumn and the dying of the year – hence its connection with Death, but also in springtime, connecting him with idea of revival. It is, then, a symbol of the Great Nature Goddess who was in charge of the yearly dying and resurrection.

According to a site called Goddesses and Priestesses Connected with Hera (s. link below), Helen’s name means “bright one, light, Sun, fair;” it refers to her as a Harvest goddess, when the Sun is at its peak (in the Mediterranean area). Another title of Helen’s is Dendritus – “she of the trees”, referring to her as a Fertility goddess in charge of fruit trees; her tree festival was celebrated annually in the isle of Platanistas, where she was worshipped until late 19th cent.. By another title, Rhigidenes, meaning “rigidity”, Helen was in charge of death in various forms, including the orgasmic death of the penis. This combination of characteristics suggests she may have begun as a Pillar Goddess like Asherah or Aphrodite, worshipped with ecstatic dance and sexual rites.

This idea is the basis of the theory of the swan being a symbol of the dying year in autumn, that comes after Midsummer, the peak of the sun and harvest time, to be resurrected again in spring. The Dioscuri, swan born, were kings of the two halves of the year, annually dying and resurrected. Their mother, then, either Leda or in her embodiment as Helen, was actually the Great Mother Goddess, in charge of Life and Death, symbolized by the swan, appearing regularly in Spring and Autumn. Graves connects this myth in his book The Greek Myths with the idea that “at midsummer, they (the swans) flew north to unknown breeding grounds, supposedly taking the dead king’s soul with them.”

The swan appears also as Laima, a Lithuanian Mother Goddess (who is also represented as a Goddess of Fate, determining the life and death course of human beings), who was in charge of “blessing, unity, destiny, love, luck and magic”, according to the site by her name. Her symbol is said to be a wreath, and her totem is the swan. As a Mother, it may be noted that the Hindu god Brahma hatched from a swan’s egg. The swan was also sacred to the Christian Mary, Mother of Jesus. Male individuals could become swans only by her grace, either when she grants them her love as a maiden, or when she takes their souls away in death. Such Death goddesses were the Valkyries, who flew in the shape of swans when looking in the battlefield for warriors who died bravely, to take their souls as a reward to the Paradise of Valhalla.

However, Death goddesses of ancient myths turned into wicked witches in fairy tales. Thus, it was the same goddess in Andersen’s tale who, as the Sorceress Queen turned the boys into swans, and as the Maiden turned them back into humans; the young fairy in the story is another appearance of the Princess herself. Such an equation of Old Witch = Young Maiden appears in Chaucer’s poem The Knight’s Tale.

The swan, then, is one of the manifestations of the Goddess as a Maiden, Mother, and Death Crone, who causes her male charge to be born, to grow to a young handsome hunter, to make love, to die and descend to the Underworld, and finally to come back to life and begin the cycle all over again, as a symbol for the ever changing and circulating year. But the power of that goddess was taken from her with changes of social structure by “a wicked sorcerer”, who put himself in charge of her and of everything on earth, to destroy at will, as we can see in Chaikovski’s magnificent ballet.

http://www.northendgallery.ca/autumnswans.html - Autumn swans

http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/064.html - Lohengrin

http://hca.gilead.org.il/wild_swa.html - Hans Christian Andersen’s The Wild Swans

http://www.abt.org/education/archive/ballets/swan_lake.html - Chaikovski’s Swan Lake

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mute.swan.cygnets.750pix.jpg - About swans

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan - Swans in human culture, wikipedia

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/swan.html - Swan Maidens tales

http://www.swansongs.org/swanmyths.htm - Irish myths and legends

http://www.swansongs.org/swanmyths.htm - Swans in shamanism

http://www.hindudevotion.com/saraswati.html - Hindu Saraswati

http://www.artofeurope.com/yeats/yea4.htm - WB Yeats’s poetry

http://www.moonspeaker.ca/hera/helen.html - Helen

http://findagoddess.com/display.php?HERNAME=Laima - Laima

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/g/graeae.html - The three Gray Ones



Jackson Trader

Hans Mayfield asked:


From the European Heritage Library

WWW.EUROHERITAGE.NET

This is an essay both giving a brief description and overview of the major gods of the Pantheon worshiped by the pre-Christian Germanic peoples (Scandinavians, Germans, Anglo-Saxon Britons, etc.), and also an investigation into the possible historical roots of each of these persons as legitimate figures in history. The unclear timeframe makes it impossible to reject or prove such historical theories, so this essay simply probes all possibilities. The word “euhemerism” in this article refers to the study or belief in the historical, legitimate roots of “mythological” (pre-Christian) religious beliefs. It is a major school of theological thought that brings to light the historical deification of kings, and thus the potential for factual links of mythological religion.

ODIN

The “High One” and leader of the pan-Germanic Pantheon. He is the grandson of Ymir, the first humanoid created of ice, and son of Borr and the frost giantess Bestla. With his two brothers Vi and Vili, Odin killed his grandfather (Ymir), and created the Nine Worlds from his felled body, including Midgard, the world of men. For doing so, he is called the Allfather. He is also known for having seeded Yggdrasil, the World Tree which supports the worlds. In his quest for knowledge, he sacrificed his eye, throwing it into the Well of Mimir to acquire complete and universal knowledge, as well as magical power. He also hung himself for nine days and nights from a tree, probably the World Tree itself, to advance his magical power and understanding of the world of the dead. He is also known for having created the first Germanic alphabet, Runic, in his experience whilst hanging from the tree as a writing system for his adherents. He is the father of the foremost famous of the German and Scandinavian Pantheon, including Thor, Baldur, and Tyr. He rides a typically 6-legged horse, Schleipnir, and hurls a spear Gungnir, impervious to failure and unable to stray from its target. Two ravens, Hunin and Munir, observe the world and return to his throne in Valhalla to report on the moral and cosmic condition of men and the worlds he had created from his grandfather’s dismembered body. He is revered as the god of poetry, war, the dead/afterlife, and will. “Wednesday” is named after Odin by the synonym Weden/Wedne during the importation of Christianity into the Germanic British Isles. As foreseen in the Voluspa chapter of the Edda, Odin is to be killed at Ragnaroek by the Fenris Wolf, Fenrir.

(Odin in his quest for knowledge, and the prediction of his death)

”Far have I fared, much afield have I been, have oft striven in strength with gods: what wight will end Allfather’s life, what draws near the dreaded doom?”

(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, “Lokasenna”, pg.92)

“…Othin, is the god of war, and he provides man with courage in the face of his enemies…Othin they represent armed just as [the Christian world] usually portray Mars…To all their gods they have assigned priests to offer up the sacrifices of the people. If pestilence and famine threaten, a libation is made to the image of Thor, if war is immanent, one is made to Othin; if a marriage is performed, to Freyr.”

Adam of Bremen’s Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificus

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Odin is historically more so worshiped in Scandinavia than Germany and England as far as evidence is available today. The belief in Odin gradually worked to replace the more dominant worship of Tyr throughout the Germanic world shortly before the Christianization of the early German kingdoms (Gothic, Saxon, and Frankish), which occurred from the 5th century under Chlodwig to the 9th under Karl the Great (Charlemagne). This indicates that Odin was a more recent addition to German religion. This claim is reinforced by the fact that Odin is credited with having formulated the Runic alphabet, which appeared in inscriptions from the 2nd century onward. As the majority of Runic inscriptions and Runestones, as well as the greatest extent of worship of Odin appeared in Scandinavia and especially Sweden, this indicates that Odin was probably a prehistoric chieftain or warlord in Scandinavia around the time of the birth of Jesus, and quickly became accepted throughout Germany as Wotan and in England as Woden/Weden (Wednesday). Many dynasties in Norway and Sweden claim descent from Odin, especially under the mythological Yngling dynasty of Sweden, dating before the time of Christianization from the 7-9th centuries. The more advanced nature of Odin as a god of poetry, war, knowledge, and leadership in comparison with the previous belief in the very simple god of war and will (Tyr) implies that worship of Odin occurred only shortly before Christianization. There are many ancient wooden sculptures and statues of a one-eyed god in Germany, England, and Scandinavia predating the Roman Republic, but this mythological belief in a one-eyed, yet all-seeing god may or may not have been imported into the worship of the new historical chieftain Odin as an embodiment of this god of the sky.

TYR

The god of war in Germanic religion, he is considered among the wisest, foremost faithful, and loyal of the Pantheon under Odin, often called “Tyr the Wise”. Alternate spellings, including Tue, Tir, Tor, Tien, and Dien are also used. The English “Tuesday” and German “Dienstag” are named after Tyr upon being imported into the British Isles and the new German-created proto-English language. Very little is known of his origin and family. He is often considered the son of Odin, though it is never expressly stated in the Edda of Snorri Sturlusson in the Icelandic Skald literary circles. He is most famous for having only one arm, having sacrificed his right arm to chain the evil wolf Fenrir, bastard son or creation of Loki, in order to protect the Pantheon and the righteous of men. He is to be killed at Ragnaroek by the hell hound Garm. During the Third Reich, Tyr was once again placed in high esteem in the Schutzstaffel (SS). “Mystic” circles within the Third Reich promoted the use of the left hand for social use and writing instead of the dominant right in order to both honor Tyr and promote distinction of German ethnic civilization from other cultures.

(in reference to Tyr’s courageous sacrifice of his arm to subdue the [Fenris Wolf] for the gods’ defense)

“I lost my hand, Hrothvitnir (“Famous Wolf”) thou, a baleful loss to us both: in bondage now must bide his time the Wolf, till the world is doomed.” (The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, “The Flyting of Loki” pg.98)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: as Tyr was traditionally the foremost worshiped of the ethnic Germans throughout England, Scandinavia, and Germany until the appearance of Odin (see the above entry of Odin), this indicates that Tyr existed much earlier either as a being or an upheld cult sky god. Taking into account the simplicity of war ritual in contrast to the more complex fields such as poetry and literacy for which Bragi and Odin are famous, as well as the fact that worship of Odin appeared much later en masse than worship of Tyr, it appears that Tyr was a very early prehistoric chieftain. As he was worshiped foremost in Germany, the probable birthplace of Tyr was in Germany or Denmark, where accounts of Roman origin depict German kingdoms, especially the Goths, as having torn arms from those assailants killed in battle, hanging them on trees as sacrifices to Tyr for having sacrificed his arm. Therefore, the period of Tyr’s life would in probability be before the birth of Jesus, the time in which the later faith in Odin became increasingly popular. One-armed statues of wood and stone appear in the Germanic world in the prehistorical period.

THOR

Son of Odin and Joerd, Thor is the most famous of the figures in German and Norse pre-Christian religion. He is the god of war, strength, thunder/lightning, and physical battle, most iconified for his use of Mjollnir (”Mee-ol-neer”), the mighty hammer capable of destroying any target with ease, supporting such magnificent strength that none but Thor himself may yield it, even then requiring magic-imbued gloves to prevent his own immolation. He is famous for his quests in fishing, hunting, and poaching the vaunted Jormungänger serpent, peril of the world of men (Midgard). At Ragnaroek, he is to die in combat with the serpent, mutually having released a fatal blow, with Thor poisoned. Also called Donar and Thur, he is the root of the German “Donarstag” and the English “Thursday” following the creation of the English language by the Germanic Anglo-Saxon of England.

(in reference to Thor’s Hammer, Mjollnir, in defense of the gods against Loki the Trickster)

“Hush thee, ill wight, or my hammer of might, Mjollnir, shall shut thy mouth: my right hand will hew thee with [Mjollnir], and break every bone in thy body.”

(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, “The Flyting of Loki”, pg.103)

“In this temple, built entirely of gold, the people worship the statues of three gods. These images are arranged so that Thor, the most powerful, has his throne in the middle of the group of three…“Thor,” they say, “rules the heavens; he is the god of thunder, wind and rain, fair weather and the produce of the fields…To all their gods they have assigned priests to offer up the sacrifices of the people. If pestilence and famine threaten, a libation is made to the image of Thor…”

Adam of Bremen’s Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Thor is worshiped almost universally amongst the pre-Christian Germanic populations in Scandinavia, Germany, England, and the Baltic. A form of Thor as Ukko also appears in pre-Christian Finnish and Estonian religion, indicating a common ethnic origin argument as a possibility. Thor is a useful phenomenon as a way of investigating the Germanic ethnic heritage of Northern Europe, and to what to extent the Scandinavians and Baltic peoples are related to Germans versus Slavs or independent entities. Due to the ritual simplicity of the war phenomenon, as with Tyr, it is logical to suggest that both Tyr and Thor lived long before Odin (if they lived at all), as Odin was only adopted in worship long after these two figures shortly before the conversion of the Germans and Scandinavians to Christendom by Chlodwig I. Due to the nationalism and romanticism of the Skaldic poets under Snorri Sturlusson in Iceland in the 11th century, Thor probably falsely became affiliated as the son of Odin in promotion of Odin’s supremacy of the Pantheon. Thor may have been created later as a unified god of war for the various Germanic ethnic peoples in Scandinavia, Germany, and the Baltic, where there previously existed a faceless sky god for warfare that is today identified as Tyr. (see above). The thunder god is worshiped with cognate identities in the Baltic peoples (Latvians and Estonians) as Ukko or Taaraa. The blatant relation between power and thunder indicates that Thor was possibly a constructed god of war and power.

FREYJA

Sister of Freyjr and daughter of Njordr (god of wind and storms), Freyja is one of the most famous of the Pantheon of German religion. She is the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, sex, attraction, and relationships for women. “Fertility” is mutually applied to that of the field and harvest, as well as to that of virility for childrearing. Her name is also spelled as Freya, Frei, and Frea. There is much dispute over her connection with the goddess Frigg. The two are often considered distinct, and often the same as the wife of Odin. As such, it is uncertain whether the English “Friday” and German “Freitag” originate in Freyja or Frigg. Though her role in historical social and religious understanding of the natural sexual phenomenon is important, she is often rendered as the female opposite of Baldur as the symbol for moral purity of women.

(in defense of the Aesir [gods] in the face of insults by Loki the Trickster)

“Thy slanderous tongue, twill’ thy sorrow be, and still will work thee woe; wroth are the gods and goddesses, thoul’t fare sadly home from hence.”

(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, “Lokasenna”, pg.97)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Freyja was worshiped throughout the Germanic world, with the greatest concentration in Scandinavia. It is probable that Freyja was actually a socio-religious creation to understand the natural phenomena of love and procreation as an act of nature. If Freyja did exist as a true historical figure, we may assume that she was simply the wife of the historical Odin, with the oral understanding of her life passed down as a separate goddess. Otherwise, she may be completely a social construction as a source of understanding for the phenomenon of creation of children.

FREYJR

Brother of Freyja, Freyjr (also called “Frey” or “Freyj”) is the male equivalent of Freyja for love, sexuality, fertility, relationships, and the harvest. He is the brother of Freyja and son of Njordr, god of the storms. As with Freyja, Freyjr is typically associated with historical cultural understanding of the natural phenomenon of fertility and birth, but also played a role in understanding male morality and justice. He maintains the thriving of agriculture and the overall development and cultivation of individuals. Fertility is defined in historical religion as the function of procreation and intercourse rather than pleasure and sex as we assume today. Freyjr is to die at Ragnaroek by the hand of Surt, the fire giant who is to rally the forces of the giants and of evil against the Pantheon (Aesir) in the final battle between the gods. It is unclear in which of the two siblings (Freyjr and Freyja) the English “Friday” and German “Freitag” root.

“The battle-bold Freyr rideth first on the golden-bristled barrow-boar to the bale-fire of Baldur, and leads the people.”

Húsdrápa, Lee M. Hollander translation

“In this temple, built entirely of gold, the people worship the statues of three gods. These images are arranged so that Thor, the most powerful, has his throne in the middle of the group of three. On either side of him sit Othin and Freyr…The third god is Freyr, who bestows peace and pleasure upon mortals.” Indeed they depict him as having a large phallus…To all their gods they have assigned priests to offer up the sacrifices of the people…if a marriage is performed, to Freyr.”

Adam of Bremen’s Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Like Freyja, Freyjr was worshiped almost universally across the Germanic populations, and was held as one of the highest gods. The ritual of the “Christmas ham” (or Jul Ham) was originally intended to reflect the sacrifice of a boar or pig to the god Freyjr, as described by Adam von Bremen, a key source of late pre-Christian Germanic religion. Considering how this Jul tradition is historically celebrated in every Germanic culture and region, this reinforces that the worship of Freyjr as a being or as a personality was deeply rooted in the history of German religion. As with Freyja, it appears most probable to assume that Freyjr was possibly only a socio-religious creation to understand natural phenomena such as procreation and marriage bonds. If he did exist, it is possible that he was simply the father-in-law of the historical Odin, and was later deified under nationalist and romanticist literary movements like those of Snorri Sturlusson and the Icelandic Skald-poets from the 10th to the 13th century. He may have simply been a king affiliated with Odin as a being highly revered for morality and strength as a paradigm for his adherents.

HEIMDALL

Often considered a son of Odin himself, Heimdall (also spelled “Heimdal” and “Heimdallr”) is the god representing vigilance, senses, perception, foresight/prediction, and readiness. He is the guardian and watchman of Valhalla and the Bifröst Bridge, the rainbow on which the members of the Pantheon are able to traverse between the worlds. He is to be the last to die of importance at Ragnaroek, the end of this world time, and is the one credited with having the task of finally slaying Loki himself, the trickster god of evil and lust. He alerts the adherents of the Pantheon, the Einherjar (dead soldiers in Valhalla), and the Nine Worlds using the Gjallarhorn, apparently a bull’s or buffalo’s horn which, when blown, is heard universally by the Germanic peoples of the world.

“…the downfall bodes when blares the gleaming old Gjallarhorn; loud blows Heimdall with horn aloft…”

(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, “Voluspa”, pg.9)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: As with most of the Pantheon gods, it is equally as possible that Heimdall was a legitimate historical figure as it is that he was simply an ethnocultural invention, and is impossible to both prove or disprove. The appearance of Heimdall in worship appears almost exclusively in Scandinavia, and much less so if at all in Germany proper or its Low Countries. As the Scandinavian cultures were Christianized much later than the majority of Germany to the south (Germany from 300-800 by majority, Scandinavia from 700-1200), this implies that, in tandem with the romanticism of the Skaldic poets of Iceland, Heimdall could have been a later invention or later historical figure. Due to the fact that Heimdall is mostly associated with readiness and preparation in the face of a coming threat, it is possible to claim that he was a legitimate king or servant who resisted a coming threat shortly before the end of the Pantheon as a religious function (thus pre-Christian) in its original form. It could equally be possible to claim that Heimdall was invented as an idea to inspire the adherents of the old religion to remain ready in the face of foreign incursion (Christian missionaries).

BRAGI

Among the wisest and most knowledgeable of the gods of the Pantheon, Bragi is the god of poetry, writing and literacy, knowledge, and the transmission of the word of Odin and the Pantheon. He is often considered one of the sons of Odin, as with Thor, and is the husband of Idunn, the goddess of immortality and perfect moral purity, whose apples allow the gods to bear eternal life. Bragi is shown by Snorri Sturlusson’s sources (the Edda) to be the finest expression of a higher tongue, refined speech, and writing. He is thus associated with diplomacy, debate, and justice, and is often paralleled to Forseti, son of Baldur, the god of justice.

(in defense of the Aesir [gods] in the face of insults by Loki the Trickster)

”My sword and saddle horse, I beseech thee, Loki, take and eke mine arm ring lest to holy hosts thy hatred thou showest: beware of the gods’ anger!”

(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, “Lokasenna”, pg.92)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Due to the complicated purposes and roles of Bragi as shown in the Edda, it is logical to claim that Bragi was either a very late addition to the Pantheon of worship as a historical figure or a conceptual representation. He is associated with the golden age of Germanic literature and poetry, specifically that of the Icelandic Skald-poets around the 13th century and the German writers like Wolfram von Eschenbach and Walter von der Vogelweide earlier. As widespread literacy, along with the use of the ancient Runic system of writing peaked near and shortly before the Viking era, this implies that Bragi was either a brilliant poet and writer just before Christianization, or simply an invention by the Skalds to represent the phenomena they were addressing in completely codifying the old religion of the German and Nordic world. He may have also been invented earlier by the priests and scholars of prehistoric Germanic culture as an embodiment of their quest for knowledge.

FORSETI

The Germanic god of peace, diplomacy, truth, knowledge, and justice, Forseti is one of the less famous of the German and Nordic Pantheonic gods. He is the grandson of Odin, and son of Baldur — god of moral purity and innocence — and his wife Nanna. Like his father, he is portrayed as a wise, moral, and just member of the Pantheon bearing an incomparable, radiant light of purity and flawlessness. By his hand oaths were traditionally sworn between kings as the highest sign of truth, obedience, and justice. He is seen as the god assigned to the maintenance of the laws of Odin upon men, the symbol of truth, legitimacy, and goodness. Besides his wise and praised name and importance as a son of one of the highest gods (Baldur, son of Odin), he is seldom noted throughout the Edda, and did not appear at Ragnaroek. Thus, it can be assumed that he was one of the few survivors of the Armageddon affair, or was killed beforehand.

Shining the tenth, which with gold is propped, and is shingled with shining silver; there Forseti unflaggingly sits, the god that stills all strife.”

(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, “The Lay of Grimnir”, pg.57)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Though relatively uncommon and unmentioned throughout the Edda, evidence of intense worship of Forseti has appeared throughout the Germanic world, primarily in Germany proper and its Low Countries of the modern-day Netherlands, Belgium, etc. The greatest concentration of worship appears within the German Frisian (Friesen) culture of the modern-day northern Netherlands. It is said that his historical place of foremost worship is the island of Heligoland, a small island of under 3,000 inhabitants off the northern coast of Germany and the Netherlands. This island, whose root words translate to “Holy Land” (heiliges Land), is said to imply that it is the holy site of Forseti’s kingdom or place of residence. Considering the great deal of concentrated worship in a specific area, it would appear that he was once a legitimate historical king or wise man who mediated warring powers during the pre-Christian period. It is also possible to claim that the infamous role of Forseti in forging alliances, ensuring bonds of trust, and reinforcing stability may have legitimately rooted in the formation of the unified Scandinavian kingdoms or those of the Anglo-Saxons in England or Germans in Germany proper, whose first kings had been non-Christian, in which Forseti may have played a large role. It is equally possible that Forseti may have simply been a social and religious creation to symbolize the bond of trust, faith, and duty between loving partners, military alliances, and vassal kings throughout the German cultures.

BALDUR

Along with Thor, Baldur is considered the most majestic and magnificent of the sons of Odin and thus the Pantheon. Also called Baldr, Balder, and Baldir, he is the god of moral purity, justice, peace, innocence, chastity, and flawlessness. He is portrayed with a radiant glowing white light, and thus the flower “Baldur’s Brow” is named after him due to its bright white hue. He is the most loved of those in Valhalla under Odin, the most wondrous and flawless of all his sons. He is credited with building the most massive and advanced ship ever built, eventually to be used for his funeral in the traditional method of burning German and Scandinavian kings at sea via fire. He is the primary indicator of the coming end of this world, the Ragnaroek, via his death at the hands of his own brother, Hoedr. The blind Hoedr had been tricked by the wicked and immoral Loki to fire an arrow at the invincible god Baldur, killed by one of his own kin. This death and thus the funeral by fire included his wife Nanna, whose loyalty was so intense that she died of grief and willing suicide with his funeral pyre.

(in reference to the death of Baldur by the mistletoe poison-tipped arrow of Hoedir)

“I saw for Baldur, the blessed god, Ygg’s (Odin’s) greatest son, what doom is hidden: green and glossy, there grew aloft, the trees among, the mistletoe.”

(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, “Lokasenna”, pg.92)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: It is possible to suggest that Baldur was a socio-religious invention to understand or promote the cultural call for Germanic moral purity and chastity, a trait quite admired by the Roman historian Tacticus, in whose documentary “Germania” he adulated on the exclusive piety, faith, and moral strength of the Germanic peoples. He may also have simply been created as a cultural and religious ideal. If not a false or conceptual invention, it is possible to postulate that Baldur existed simply as the son of the historic Odin, himself revered as a limitlessly holy and wise god, which thus propagated to his son Baldur upon his successive deification and worship. Otherwise, it is also possible to claim that he was simply a revered pre-historical figure who embodied social morality and purity of chastity, innocence, and goodness, and was later deified and romanticized under the Skald-poets as a son of Odin himself due to his importance and discipline. In the ancient English epic Beowulf, Baldur is portrayed as a Swedish prince who is killed by his brother on accident. The myths of early Germanic England as common with those in Sweden implies a common ethnic awareness among Germanic peoples in terms of religion.

From the European Heritage Library

WWW.EUROHERITAGE.NET

Articles, maps, videos, and photos of European history, culture, religion, languages, and the controversial issue of Islam in Europe.



Ann

Kayye Nynne asked:


The Caucasian Mountain Dog also known as the Caucasian Ovtcharka is an ancient breed that for centuries was little known outside the remote regions from which it hails, namely the Caucasus which incorporate: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Iran and Turkey. The Caucasian Mountain Dog or Ovtcharka (in Russian Ovtcharka means shepherd or sheepdog) is a member of the working group of dog breed and despite its appellation of sheepdog/shepherd this dog was never a livestock herder but rather a guardian or protector which goes a long way in explaining its not inconsiderable size! The Caucasian Mountain dog was bred to protect livestock against wolves, bears and other predators; in fact the Caucasian Ovtcharka has an uncanny resemblance to a bear!

Considered until fairly recently by many to be a descendent of the Tibetan Mastiff, updated archeological evidence suggests that its ancestry originated from ancient dogs that lived in the woody hills of Iraq and Mesopotamia. It is believed that assorted dog types that accompanied nomadic tribes that settled in the Caucasus regions, with little intervention and interference from outside influences, eventually evolved into the Caucasian Mountain Dog.

Up until the 1930s, the Caucasian Ovtcharka was little known outside its home range until it started appearing in European dog shows in Germany. Around 1952 the Caucasian Mountain Dog was sub-divided into two distinct breeds: the Transcaucasian Ovtcharka which is typically the heavier-boned, massive dog that hails from the mountainous regions; and the Caucasian Ovtcharka, the less heavily built type that originates from the steppe regions.

In 1976 the two sub-breeds were consolidated and reclassified as one breed, and these days the Caucasian Mountain Dog is expected to conform to a single standard. Be that as it may however, the various sub-breeds can still be differentiated regionally from the various territories of the former USSR and nowadays one of the most coveted type of Caucasian Mountain Dog is the so-called Georgia sub-breed which is characteristically a thick-coated, heavy-boned, massive dog that most closely resembles a bear.

The potential of the Caucasian Mountain Dog as much more than a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) was quickly realized by the now defunct Soviet Army and soon enough this dog breed was employed both during peace and war time as auxiliary military “personnel” within the expanse of the Soviet Union. In the late 1960s the Caucasian Ovcharka was widely introduced to East Germany specifically for border patrol duty, fore mostly to patrol the infamous Berlin Wall. When the Berlin Wall came toppling down in 1989, the by-then, at least 7000-strong unit of Caucasian Mountain Dogs employed to patrol the Wall’s perimeter was disbanded and many of those dogs found new homes within the newly emancipated civilian population!

Temperament

This dog breed was developed to guard flocks and livestock and hence has a strong inherent guardian/protector trait. Much as a Border Collie family dog will tend to herd its family as a substitute flock of sheep, the Caucasian Mountain Dog will have the tendency to be somewhat protective of its immediate family, a characteristic that has obvious benefits but perhaps less obvious consequences. The Caucasian Ovcharka is a strong-willed (some might say stubborn) breed of dog that requires a firmer hand for proper socialization and training. The so-called stubborn nature of this dog type is not surprising when one considers that it was bred over hundreds of years for these exact qualities.

This dog was bred to largely exist independent of humans (except for its shepherd) and was bred to co-exist with the livestock it was guarding; thus the Caucasian Mountain dog breed is inherently wary of strangers be they people or animals. Unsurprisingly, the Caucasian Ovtcharka is most active at night (livestock predators tend to hunt under the cover of night) and though it may give the impression that it’s a big lazy dozing dog, at the slightest hint of intruders the Caucasian Mountain Dog will nimbly get to its feet, sound the alarm (barking) and immediately go to confront the threat!

The Caucasian Ovcharka takes the protection of its territory (these days consider that the family yard) very seriously and will consider any encroachment by a stranger as a threat. Despite its formidable size this dog is characterized by the use of minimal force to dissuade any threat. Such minimal force may likely take the form of confronting the predator and barking and growling aggressively; usually that is enough to change the minds of most intruders because much like its wild Canid counterparts, this old dog breed still retains the mindset that physical (or deadly) force should be a last resort since it tends to be counter productive (i.e., injury to either party).

Any Good With Kids?

As previously noted this dog breed tends to substitute its immediate family for the livestock it was selectively bred to protect; in other words this dog is strongly protective of members of its family. Hence it is important to understand that this dog could perceive rambunctious or rough child’s play between a family member and a friend (as is the tendency with boys) to be a threat and its hardwired protect-the-flock genetics will immediately kick in!

Thus it is vitally imperative to properly socialize this dog breed and also explain to your kids that just because they know that “Shaggy” would never hurt them, they should understand that the same may not go for their friends unless the dog knows them well (i.e., has accepted them as an extension of its flock). Obviously with a dog this size all activity around small children should be supervised, because though the family pet may not intend harm, it’s a big dog that during the heat of play may easily forget its formidable strength and size and could accidentally hurt a young child!

The Question Of Apartment Dwelling?

By and large the Caucasian Mountain Dog does not make the ideal apartment dweller. Although like most big dogs its energy level is somewhat low this dog breed is inherently nocturnal and was bred to alert and warn of, and off intruders. In other words your love for your Caucasian Mountain Dog could well translate into hatred from your neighbors because your Caucasian Ovcharka is driving them crazy with its nightly cacophony (barking…which is especially true if your neighbors are creatures of the night aka party animals).

Interactivity With Other Dogs

From a genetic view point the Caucasian Mountain Dog was never bred to be overly friendly with other canids be they dogs or wolves, because as a flock guardian it would have been expected to ward off all potential predators which naturally would have included feral dogs. However as with most any breed of dog timely and proper socialization usually overcomes any unfriendliness towards other dogs or animals in this breed!

Caucasian Mountain Dog Breed Standard

Currently there appear to be conflicting breed standards which could be in part explained by the different sub-breeds and the late acceptance of this breed into the AKC; as of now this dog breed has no AKC ranking. Only recently has the AKC moved to officially recognize this dog breed (May 2007) even though the Caucasian Ovcharka has been on record with the FSS (Foundation Stock Services) since 1996. From January of 2008 the Caucasian Mountain Dog will be allowed to formally compete in the AKC Companion Events.

Size Requirements:

The following height measurements are for the mature dog and are measured up to the shoulder bone.

Height of Males: 25.5 – 30 inches (64cm – 70cm)

Height Females: 24.5 and upwards

Weight of Males: 100lbs + (45kg – 70 kg)

Weight Females: 80lbs + (37kg – upwards)

It should be noted however that for the Kavkazskaya Ovcharka Breed (the Georgian Caucasian Mountain Dog sub-breed that most closely resembles a bear) the requisite dimensions differ considerably:

Height of Male: 28.3 – 29.5 inches (72cm – 75cm; minimum is 68cm or 26.8 inches)

Female Height: 26.0 – 27.2 inches (66cm – 69cm; minimum is 64 cm or 25.2 inches)

Naturally the weight of the Kavkazskaya Ovcharka Breed will tend to be somewhat heavier and it is not unusual for males to top 180lbs!

The Caucasian Mountain Dog falls under the category of Working Dogs as a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD).

Caucasian Mountain Dog



Scott

Bill Garlough asked:


Perfect Pairings

January 11, 2007 – as published in the Beacon News and Naperville Sun

By Bill Garlough

The Chicago Bears and the playoffs, now that is what I call a perfect pair!

It’s that time of year to plan your playoff football parties, whether you are tailgating at Soldier Field or celebrating at home with friends. This month’s column will be devoted to tailgating party food and wines that both complement these spicy dishes and stand up to those bold flavors.

The Bears are “in” and so is California “Zin.” Other wines that also work are France’s southern Rhones and Australia’s Shiraz. I will discuss all three of these reds, as they are fairly interchangeable and pair well with this menu. One of my goals with this column is to introduce readers to new wine experiences. So, I would encourage you to try something new at this year’s football party.

Wine speak

Nothing beats the combination of a great grilled steak and California’s Cabernet Sauvignons or France’s Bordeaux wines.

However, football party menus tend to consist of chili, beef stew, braised meats and ribs. These flavors tend to be bold and spicy. To counter this, wines with loads of jammy fruit work well.

The following three wines, each worthy of its own column, will be briefly discussed today.

California (red) Zinfandel

Zinfandel is as unique as California. Its origins are European, but its exact lineage is the subject of much debate. Zinfandel tends to be loaded with fruit, has soft tannins and offers peppery spice notes. It is the second most widely planted red varietal in California, behind Cabernet Sauvignon. Key growing regions include Sonoma Valley and Dry Creek Valley, Napa’s Spring Mountain District, Mendocino’s Anderson Valley and the Paso Robles region of Central California.

 France’s Southern Rhone (syrah-based) wines

The Rhone Valley of France is divided into two regions, northern and southern. The southern Rhone’s warmer climate, influenced by the Mediterranean, tends to produce wines with more fruit that are softer in nature. While the northern Rhone only uses syrah grapes in its reds, the southern Rhone’s reds are primarily a blend of grenache and syrah, with small amounts of mourvedre, carignan and cinsaut. As syrah in the south does not have enough character on its own, these other varietals are blended to add complexity to the wine. Key appellations in the southern Rhone region include Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and the Cotes-du-Rhone.

 Australia’s Shiraz

The southern coastline of Australia is home to this country’s wine industry. The sunny Mediterranean-like climate on this coast ensures a quality grape crop most every year. Shiraz is Australia’s leading red grape varietal, and makes up 40percent of its red grape production. Its origin is France’s syrah grape. Shiraz has been grouped into two styles, cool climate and hot climate wines. The cooler climate tends to produce a more elegant style while the hotter climates tend to produce wines that are bolder and “more in your face.” Key growing regions include South Australia’s Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale and the Coonawarra region. New South Wales’ Hunter Valley, Victoria’s Yarra Valley and Western Australia’s Margaret River region round out this list.

 Food and wine pairings

What these three full-bodied, dark red wines have in common are loads of jammy fruit, lower tannin levels and peppery spice notes that work well with football party menus. While any of the three wines will complement your football food, there are subtle differences for optimal pairings.

• Zinfandels: Great with chili, hamburgers, ribs, beef teriyaki.

• Southern Rhones: Great with ribs, beef stew, braised meats.

• Shiraz: Great with char-grilled steak au poivre, BBQ ribs, braised meats, beef stew.

Bill’s Picks

Wines that I recommend that should be available by your local wine shop include (retail pricing may vary):

$10 range

St. Francis “Old Vine” Zinfandel (may be closer to $15)

Shenandoah Vineyards “Special Reserve” Zinfandel

Cycles Gladiator “Central Coast” Syrah

Twin Beaks Shiraz

Rosemount Estate Shiraz

Palandri - Western Australian Shiraz

 

$25 range

Ridge Vineyards “Three Valleys” Zinfandel

Tobias Zinfandel

Domaine due Trapadis Cote-du Rhone

Pesquier from the Gigondas region of Rhone

Mr. Riggs “The Gaffer” Shiraz

Possum’s Vineyard Shiraz (may be more difficult to find, but worth hunting down)

 

Until next month, happy tailgating and Go Bears! 

 

 

For more from Bill Garlough’s Perfect Pairings visit My Chef.

 



Patricia

Bob Flushman asked:


With the overwhelming number of free deer hunting games available on the internet it becomes significant for you to every minute detail of the site, services provided and the quality of the game. With your favorite search engine like Google or Yahoo you can come across numerous gaming sites offering games for free while others offering paid services.

There are many different types of free deer hunting games online that you can try your hands on. These free games may be found as download game versions or online versions. Ensure that your computer has the ability of playing the game. You also need to pay attention to the instructions given in the game because what is the use of having a hunting weapon that could not be use to shoot the target roaming in front of you. You will find yourself helpless unable to shot the deer below your nose. Instructions help you to operate the game you chose to play. It should also be remembered to avoid downloading hunting games that do not have instructions.

You will also come across arcade style or mission based hunting style to choose from. In the arcade style you will find the deer walking or running across your sight challenging you use your weapon that can be a bow or rifle to shoot it. You earn points on every shooting. While there are other games that give you the opportunity to travel around the world encountering different environments having their own dangers and you must survive possible attacks by grizzly bears and other dangerous animals to continue the game. Once you succeed in bypassing the animals you can shoot the deer in these pieces of land. Of the many different deer types you will have the opportunity of shooting specific deer species for instance the European Roe Deer and Axis deer. That means you are allowed to shoot only certain deer. Unlike specific shooting you can choose many different types of weapons in your hunting trip. You are also provided with vehicles and transportation in your hunting trip to make certain that you catch your prize deer.

You can also download free deer hunting games but it will be worthy if you try out the demo version prior to downloading. Demo version helps you to experience the many different ways of deer hunting and it further helps to make a correct decision on downloading.



LeRoi Wilkers