Thor is the foremost of them. He is called Asa-Thor, or Oku-Thor. He is
the strongest of all gods and men, and rules over the realm which is
called Thrudvang. His hall is called Bilskirner. Therein are five
hundred and forty floors, and it is the largest house that men have
made.
Thor has two goats, by name Tangnjost and Tangrisner, and a chariot,
wherein he drives. The goats draw the chariot; wherefore he is called
Oku-Thor. He possess three valuable treasures. One of them is the hammer
Mjolner, which the frost-giants and mountain-giants well know when it
is raised; and this is not to be wondered at, for with it he has split
many a skull of their fathers or friends. The second treasure he
possesses is Megingjarder (belt of strength); when he girds himself with
it his strength is doubled. His third treasure that is of so great
value is his iron gloves; these he cannot do without when he lays hold
of the hammer’s haft. No one is so wise that he can tell all his great
works; but I can tell you so many tidings of him that it will grow late
before all is told that I know.
– Prose Edda: Gylfaginning(Snorri Sturluson, translated by
Rasmus Björn Anderson)
Heimdal is the name of one. He is also called the white-asa. He is great
and holy; born of nine maidens, all of whom were sisters. He hight also
Hallinskide and Gullintanne, for his teeth were of gold. His horse
hight Gulltop (Gold-top). He dwells in a place called Himinbjorg, near
Bifrost. He is the ward of the gods, and sits at the end of heaven,
guarding the bridge against the mountain-giants. He needs less sleep
than a bird; sees an hundred miles around him, and as well by night as
by day. He hears the grass grow and the wool on the backs of the sheep,
and of course all things that sound louder than these. He has a trumpet
called Gjallarhorn, and when he blows it it can be heard in all the
worlds. The head is called Heimdal’s sword.
– Prose Edda: Gylfaginning(Snorri Sturluson, translated by
Rasmus Björn Anderson)
There is yet one who is numbered among the asas, but whom some call
the backbiter of the asas. He is the originator of deceit, and the
disgrace of all gods and men. His name is Loke, or Lopt. His father is
the giant Farbaute, but his mother’s name is Laufey, or Nal. His
brothers are Byleist and Helblinde. Loke is fair and beautiful of face,
but evil in disposition, and very fickle-minded. He surpasses other men
in the craft of cunning, and cheats in all things. He has often brought
the asas into great trouble, and often helped them out again, with his
cunning contrivances. His wife hight Sygin, and their sone, Nare, or
Narfe.
Loke had yet more children. A giantess in Jotunheim, hight
Angerboda. With her he begat three children. The first was the
Fenris-wolf; the second, Jormungand, that is, the Midgard-serpent, and
the third, Hel.
– Prose Edda: Gylfaginning(Snorri Sturluson, translated by
Rasmus Björn Anderson)
When the gods knew that these three children were being fostered in
Jotunheim, and were aware of the prophecies that much woe and misfortune
would thence come to them, and considering that much evil might be
looked for from them on their mother’s side, and still more on their
father’s, Alfather sent some of the gods to take the children and bring
them to him.
Hel he cast into Niflheim, and gave her power over nine worlds, that she
should appoint abodes to them that are sent to her, namely, those who
die from sickness or old age. She has there a great mansion, and the
walls around it are of strange height, and the gates are huge. Eljudner
is the name of her hall. Her table hight famine; her knife, starvation.
Her man-servant’s name is Ganglate; her maid-servant’s, Ganglot. Her
threshold is called stumbling-block; her bed, care; the precious
hangings of her bed, gleaming bale. One-half of her is blue, and the
other half is of the hue of flesh; hence she is easily known. Her looks
are very stern and grim.
– Prose Edda: Gylfaginning(Snorri Sturluson, translated by
Rasmus Björn Anderson)
Her name was Brynhild, and she was a valkyrie.
Odin sends them to all battles, where they choose those who are to be slain, and rule over the victory.
Tasertrickslove 