Heiðr - Gullveig Part 2

Heiðr / Heidr

she the shining one 

Previous post in this series: The Three Maids - Gullveig Part 1

Let's start out with Heidr, probably the most easily-accepted connection with Gullveig.

Carl Larsson (1853-1919), engraving by Gunnar Forssell (1859-1903). Originally from Fredrik Sander's 1893 edition of the poetic Edda.

Heidr is mentioned twice in the Poetic Edda: once in the Voluspa, and once in the fragmented Voluspa in skamma.

Völuspá (21-23)

[21] The war I remember, | the first in the world,
When the gods with spears | had smitten Gollveig,
And in the hall | of Hor had burned her,
Three times burned, | and three times born,
Oft and again, | yet ever she lives.

[22] Heith they named her | who sought their home,
The wide-seeing witch, | in magic wise;
Minds she bewitched | that were moved by her magic,
To evil women | a joy she was

 [23] On the host his spear | did Othin hurl,
Then in the world | did war first come;
The wall that girdled | the gods was broken,
And the field by the warlike | Wanes was trodden.

Völuspá in skamma (4)

[4] Heith and Hrossthjof, | the children of Hrimnir.
Of Hvethna's sons | Haki was best by a bit,
by Hjorvarth was | Hvethna's father.

I think it's fairly evident here that Heidr is Gullveig.

Hrimnir

According to Skírnismál (31), Hrimnir is a three-headed rime-thurs who dwells in Niflheimr beyond the underworld by Hrímgrímnir's side; Hrímgrímnir is the six-headed rime-thurs. Also of note, Skírnismál (33-34) makes a reference to the "maid"

There is a reference to another six-headed lad in Vafthrudnismal (33), that of the son of Ymir.

Vafthruthnir spake:

[33] "They say 'neath the arms | of the giant of ice
Grew man-child and maid together;
And foot with foot | did the wise one fashion
A son that six heads bore

The Giants sieze Freya by Arthur Rackham 1917 (apparently theres not much art for Hrimnir - so heres another because pictures are nice)

This would make Heidr second generation from Ymir, his granddaughter, and a thurs based on my previous post on Ymir and the Origins of Giants

Hljod - "Howling"

Heidr appears in the Volsunga Saga (the Saga of the Volsungs) under the name Hljod and is Hrimnir's daughter. This saga tells us about a king and a queen that had no luck in having children so they called upon the gods for help. Frigg answered their call by sending Hrimnir's daughter in a crow's appearance carrying an apple for them, and after the queen had eaten the apple, she had a child. 

Heidr (Hljod) was working for Frigg as a "wish-maiden." It’s easy enough to assume that Hljod and Heidr may have been the same being based upon these connections.

Frigg reaches into a box presented to her by a handmaid, Ludwig Pietsch, 1865 (Probably not Hljod, but the gods didn't post much to the gram back then, so cant be picky)

Volsunga saga Chapter 2

"The daughter of Hrimnir the giant, and sets an apple in her hand, and bids her bring it to the king. She took the apple, and did on her the gear of a crow, and went flying till she came whereas the king sat on a mound, and there she let the apple fall into the lap of the king; but he took the apple and deemed he knew whereto it would avail; so he goes home from the mound to his own folk, and came to the queen, and some deal of that apple she ate."

There is a whole thing in this saga about werewolves, too, and it’s a lot to unpack - but I would suggest reading it with this in mind, and see what you think, especially considering what will later be referenced with the relationship of Angrboda to Wolves. 

One important thing to note as well are the names “Heidr” and “Hljod.” “Heidr” derives from the ON word heidr with the meaning “heath,” and it is heidingi (heidinn ), a heathen, and gentile. However, it is also used as a metaphor for a wolf, meaning someone (or something) who lives on heaths and in the wilderness. “Hljod” means "howling" and draws another connection to wolves there, too.

heiðr (heidr) definition

- [1] "bright"
- [2] "heath"

heiðingi (heidingi) definition

- [1] "a wolf"
- [2] "one who lives on heaths"


Another small detail we get from Volsunga saga is that it parallels what we learned of Heidr in Voluspa 22 in that Heidr (Hljod) lived with the king Volsungr in Midgard for a while, which correlates what is said of Heidr.

So, to summarise, as there's a lot going on here...

  • Heidr is fairly accepted as Gullveig, but what we have established is;
  • Heidr one of the three "horrible and powerful" giantesses who comes out of Jotunheimr in the dawn of time.
  • Heidr is a seeress and practices "evil witchcraft".
  • Heidr has a rime-thurs as a father, which would imply she is also a rime-thurs.
  • Heidr name can be associated with wolves


Next post in the series: Aurboða - Gullveig Part 3

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