Beside the warlike Æsir stands an older race: the Vanir, gods of growth, peace and wealth.
The Norse world of gods knows two races: the warlike Æsir around Odin and Thor – and the older Vanir, gods of fertility, peace and wealth.
At the beginning stood a war between the two races that ended in a draw. To make peace, hostages were exchanged: thus the sea god Njörd and his children Freyr and Freyja came to the Æsir. This tale perhaps reflects the merging of two older cults.
Freyr is the god of good weather, the harvest and fertility – and thus of peace and prosperity. To him belong the ship Skíðblaðnir, which always has a fair wind and can be folded up, and the golden-bristled boar Gullinbursti.
A famous story tells how Freyr falls in love with the giant’s daughter Gerd and gives away his wonderful sword to win her. This sacrifice takes its revenge at Ragnarök, where he falls without his weapon against the fire giant Surt. Here too the Norse keynote shows: every choice has its price.
We present Freyr’s sister, the mighty Freyja, in a post of her own.