‘How should Thor be referred to?’
‘By calling him the son of Odin and Earth, the father of Magni, Modi and Thrud, the husband of Sif, the stepfather of Ull, the wielder or possessor of the hammer Mjollnir, of the mighty girdle and of the hall Bilskirnir, the defender of Asgard and Midgard, the foe and killer of giants and troll women, the adversary of Hrungnir, Geirrod and Thrivaldi, the lord of Thjalfi and Roskva, the enemy of the Midgard Serpent and the foster son of Vingnir and Hlora.’
‘How should Baldr be referred to?’
‘By calling him the son of Odin and Frigg, the husband of Nanna, the father of Forseti, the possessor of the ship Hringhorni and the ring Draupnir, the adversary of Hod, the comrade of Hel and the god of laments.’
‘How should Njord be referred to?’
‘By calling him the god of wagons, the descendant of the Vanir, one of the Vanir, the father of Frey and Freyja or the god of gift-giving.’
‘How should Frey be referred to?’
‘By calling him the son of Njord, the brother of Freyja, the god of the Vanir, the descendant of the Vanir and one of the Vanir, the god of a good year, and the giver of wealth… He is called the foe of Beli… and the possessor of the boat Skidbladnir and the boar Gullinbursti… The boar is also called Slidrugtanni.’
‘How should Heimdall be referred to?’
‘He can be called the son of nine mothers, the watchman of the gods, as stated previously, the white one of the Æsir, Loki’s foe, or the seeker of Freyja’s ring. The phrase “Heimdall’s head” is a way of referring to a sword. The story goes that Heimdall was struck through by a man’s head, and there is a poem about him called Heimdall’s Chant. As a consequence a head can be referred to as the undoing of Heimdall, just as a sword can be called a man’s undoing. Heimdall is the owner of the horse Gulltopp. He is also the voyager to Vagasker and Singastein; it was on that occasion that he and Loki came to blows over the ring of the Brisings. The skald Ulf Uggason devotes a lengthy passage to that story in his poem Husdrapa, and it is stated there that Heimdall and Loki took on the shape of seals. Another name for Heimdall is Vindhler. He can also be called son of Odin.’
‘How should Tyr be referred to?’
‘By calling him the one-handed god, the foster-father of the wolf, the god of battles and the son of Odin.’
‘How should Bragi be referred to?’
‘By calling him the husband of Idunn, the first maker of poetry, the son of Odin and the long-bearded god. Hence anyone who sports a big beard is called a bearded Bragi.’
‘How should Vidar be referred to?’
‘He can be called the silent god, the possessor of the iron shoe, the foe and slayer of the wolf Fenrir, the avenger of the gods, the god who lives on his father’s house site, the son of Odin, and the brother of the Æsir.’
‘How should Vali be referred to?’
‘By calling him the son of Odin and Rind, the stepson of Frigg, the brother of the Æsir, the god who avenged Baldr, the foe and slayer of Hod and the resident on his father’s house site.’
‘How should Hod be referred to?’
‘By calling him the blind Æsir, the killer of Baldr, the shooter of the mistletoe, the son of Odin, the comrade of Hel and the foe of Vali.’
‘How should Ull be referred to?’
‘By calling him the son of Sif, the stepson of Thor, the god with skis, the god with a bow, the hunting god and the god with a shield.’
‘How should Hoenir be referred to?’
‘By calling him the seat mate, comrade, or trusted companion of Odin, the fast-moving god, the long leg or the king of clay.’
‘How should Loki be referred to?’
‘By calling him the son of Farbauti and Laufey or Nal, the brother of Byleist and Helblindi, the father of the spewer of the river Van, who is the wolf Fenrir, the father of Jormungand, who is the Midgard Serpent, the father of Hel and Nari, the kinsman and father’s brother of Ali, the comrade and bench mate of Odin and the Æsir, the guest of Geirrod, the adornment of Geirrod’s wooden chest, one who steals from giants, the thief of the goat, of Idunn’s apples, and of the ring of the Brisings, the kinsman of Sleipnir, the husband of Sigyn, the foe of the gods, the wrecker of Sif’s hair, the author of woes, the sly god, the one who slanders and betrays the gods, the one who engineered Baldr’s death, the bound one and the vexing litigant against Heimdall and Skadi.’