Germanic Folklore (9): The Sacred Runes

 What follows is a text from the book Teutonic Mythology, published in 1905, by V. Rydberg. I have inserted into his text the stanzas to which he refers. 

he Sacred Runes

he sacred knowledge of runes, the "fimbul-songs," the white art, was, according to the myth, originally in the possession of Mimer. By self-sacrifice in his youth Oðinn received from Mimir a drink from the precious liquor of this fountain and nine fimbul-songs (Havamol, 140; Sigrdrifumol, 14). which were the basis of the divine magic of the application of the power of the word and of the rune over spiritual and natural forces, in prayer, in sacrifices and in other religious acts, in investigations, in the practical affairs of life, in peace and in war (Havamol, 144; Sigrdrifumol, 6). The character and purpose of these songs are clear from the fact that at the head is placed "help's fimbul-song," which is able to allay sorrow and cure diseases (Havamol, 146).

Havamol, 140.

140. None made me happy | with loaf or horn,

And there below I looked;

I took up the runes, | shrieking I took them,

And forthwith back I fell.

Sigrdrifumol, 14.

14. On the mountain he (Óðinn) stood | with Brimir's sword,

On his head the helm he bore;

Then first the head | of Mimir spoke forth,

And words of truth it told.

Havamol, 144.

144. Oðinn for the gods, | Dain for the elves,

And Dvalin for the dwarfs,

Alsvith for giants | and all mankind,

And some myself I wrote.

[144. Dain and Dvalin: dwarfs. Dain, however, may here be one of the elves rather than the dwarf of. that name. Alsvith ("the All Wise") appears nowhere else as a giant's name. Myself: Oðinn.]

Sigrdrifumol, 6.

6. Winning-runes learn, | if thou longest to win,

And the runes on thy sword-hilt write;

Some on the furrow, | and some on the flat,

And twice shalt thou call on Tyr.

[6. Tyr: the sword-god; "tyr" is also the name of a rune which became "T."]

Havamol, 146.

146. Better no prayer | than too big an offering,

By thy getting measure thy gift;

Better is none | than too big a sacrifice,

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

So Thund of old wrote | ere man's race began,

Where he rose on high | when home he came.

[Thund: another name for Oðinn. When home he came: presumably after obtaining the runes.]

n the hands of Oðinn they are a means for the protection of the power of the Asa-gods, and enable them to assist their worshippers in danger and distress. To these belong the fimbul-song of the runes of victory; and it is of no little interest that we, in Havamál, 156, find what Tacitus tells about the barditus of the Germans, the shield-song with which they went to meet their foes—a song which Ammianus Paulus himself has heard, and of which he gives a vivid description. When the Teutonic forces advanced to battle the warriors raised their shields up to a level with the upper lip, so that the round of the shield formed a sort of sounding-board for their song. This began in a low voice and preserved its subdued colour, but the sound gradually increased, and at a distance it resembled the roar of the breakers of the sea. Tacitus says that the Teutons predicted the result of the battle from the impression the song as a whole made upon themselves: it might sound in their ears in such a manner that they thereby became more terrible to their enemies, or in such a manner that they were overcome by despair. The above-mentioned strophe of Havamál gives us an explanation of this: the warriors were roused to confidence if they, in the harmony of the subdued song increasing in volume, seemed to perceive Valfather's voice blended with their own. The strophe makes Oðinn say: “If I am to lead those to battle whom I have long held in friendship, then I sing under their shields. With success they go to the conflict, and successfully they go out of it." Völuspa also refers to the shield-song in 47, where it makes the storm-giant, Hrymr, advancing against the gods, "lift his shield before him" (hefiz lind fyrir), an expression which certainly has another significance than that of unnecessarily pointing out that he has a shield for protection. The runes of victory were able to arrest weapons in their flight and to make those whom Oðinn loved proof against sword-edge and safe against ambush (Havamol, 148, 150). Certain kinds of runes were regarded as producing victory and were carved on the hilt and on the blade of the sword, and while they were carved Tyr's name was twice named (Sigrdrifumol, 6).

Havamál, 156.

156. A tenth I know, | what time I see

House-riders flying on high;

So can I work | that wildly they go,

Showing their true shapes,

Hence to their own homes.

[[156. House-riders: witches, who ride by night on the roofs of houses, generally in the form of wild beasts.]

Völuspa, 47.

47. Yggdrasil shakes, | and shiver on high

The ancient limbs, | and the giant is loose;

To the head of Mim | does Oðinn give heed,

But the kinsman of Surt | shall slay him soon.

[47. The giant: Fenrir. The head of Mim: various myths were current about Mimir. This stanza refers to the story that he was sent by the gods with Hönir as a hostage to the Wanes after their war, and that the Wanes cut off his head and returned it to the gods. Oðinn embalmed the head, and by magic gave it the power of speech, thus making Mimir's noted wisdom always available. The kinsman of Surt: the wolf  Fenrir, who slays Oðinn in the final struggle. Surt is the giant who rules the fire-world, Muspellsheim.

Havamol, 148, 150

148. A second I know, | that men shall need

Who leechcraft long to use;

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .

150. A fourth I know, | if men shall fasten

Bonds on my bended legs;

So great is the charm | that forth I may go,

The fetters spring from my feet,

Broken the bonds from my hands.

Sigrdrifumol, 6

6. Winning-runes learn, | if thou longest to win,

And the runes on thy sword-hilt write;

Some on the furrow, | and some on the flat,

And twice shalt thou call on Tyr..

nother class of runes (brimrúnar, Sigrdrifumol, 10; Havamol, 150) controlled the elements, purified the air from evil beings (Havamol, 155), gave power over wind and waves for good purposes—as, for instance, when sailors in distress were to be rescued—or power over the flames when they threatened to destroy human dwellings (Havamol, 152).

Sigrdrifumol, 10

10. Branch-runes learn, | if a healer wouldst be,

And cure for wounds wouldst work;

On the bark shalt thou write, | and on trees that be

With boughs to the eastward bent.;

[10. Branch-runes: runes cut in the bark of trees. Such runes were believed to transfer sickness from the invalid to the tree. Some editors, however, have changed "limrunar" ("branch runes") to "lifrunar" ("life-runes").]

Havamol, 150,

150. A fourth I know, | if men shall fasten

Bonds on my bended legs;

So great is the charm | that forth I may go,

The fetters spring from my feet,

Broken the bonds from my hands.

Havamol, 155,

155. A ninth I know, | if need there comes

To shelter my ship on the flood;

The wind I calm | upon the waves,

And the sea I put to sleep.

Havamol, 152,

152. A sixth I know, | if harm one seeks

With a sapling's roots to send me;

The hero himself | who wreaks his hate

Shall taste the ill ere I.

[152. The sending of a root with runes written thereon was an excellent way of causing death. So died the Icelandic hero Grettir the Strong.]

third kind of runes (málrúnar) gave speech to the mute and speechless, even to those whose lips were sealed in death (During his wanderings in the forests of the East Hadding has had wonderful adventures and passed through great trials. Saxo tells one of these adventures. He and Hardgrep, Vagnhofde's daughter, came late one evening to a dwelling where they got lodgings for the night. The husband was dead, but not yet buried. For the purpose of learning Hadding's destiny, Hardgrep engraved speech-runes on a piece of wood, and asked Hadding to place it under the tongue of the dead one. The latter would in this wise recover the power of speech and prophecy. So it came to pass. But what the dead one sang in an awe-inspiring voice was a curse on Hardgrep, who had compelled him to return from life in the lower world to life on earth, and a prediction that an avenging Niflheim demon would inflict punishment on her for what she had done. A following night, when Hadding and Hardgrep had sought shelter in a bower of twigs and branches which they had gathered, there appeared a gigantic hand groping under the ceiling of the bower. The frightened Hadding waked Hardgrep. She then rose in all her giant strength, seized the mysterious hand, and bade Hadding cut it off with his sword. He attempted to do this, but from the wounds he inflicted on the ghost's hand there issued matter or venom more than blood, and the hand seized Hardgrep with its iron claws and tore her into pieces (Saxo, Hist., 36 ff.)).

 fourth kind of runes could free the limbs from bonds (Havamol, 149). 

Havamol, 149,

149. A third I know, | if great is my need

Of fetters to hold my foe;

Blunt do I make | mine enemy's blade,

Nor bites his sword or staff.

 fifth kind of runes protected against witchcraft (Havamol, 151). 

Havamol, 151,

151. A fifth I know, | if I see from afar

An arrow fly 'gainst the folk;

It flies not so swift | that I stop it not,

If ever my eyes behold it.

sixth kind of runes (ölrúnar) takes the strength from the love-potion prepared by another man's wife, and from every treachery mingled therein (Sigrdrifumol, 7, 8).

Sigrdrifumol, 7, 8,

7. Ale-runes learn, | that with lies the wife

Of another betray not thy trust; On the horn thou shalt write, | and the backs of thy hands,

And Need shalt mark on thy nails.

Thou shalt bless the draught, | and danger escape,

And cast a leek in the cup;

(For so I know | thou never shalt see

Thy mead with evil mixed.)

[7. Lies, etc.: a guest on his arrival received a draught of ale from the hands of his host's wife, and it was to prevent this draught from bewitching him that the runes were recommended. Need: the word "nauth," meaning "need," is also the name of the rune which became "N." Leek: leeks were long supposed to have the power of counteracting poison or witchcraft.]

8. Birth-runes learn, | if help thou wilt lend,

The babe from the mother to bring;

On thy palms shalt write them, | and round thy joints,

And ask the fates to aid.)

seventh kind (bjargrúnar and limrúnar) helps in childbirth and heals wounds. An eighth kind gives wisdom and knowledge (hugrúnar, Sigrdrifumol, 13; Havamol, 159).

Sigrdrifumol, 13

13. Them Hropt arranged, | and them he wrote,

And them in thought he made, Out of the draught | that down had dropped

From the head of Heithdraupnir,

And the horn of Hoddrofnir.

[13. Hropt: Oðinn;The draught, etc.: apparently the reference is to the head of Mim, from which Oðinn derived his wisdom in magic; Heithdraupnir ("Light-Dropper") and Hoddrofnir ("Treasure-Opener") seem to be names for Mimir.]

Havamol, 159

159. A thirteenth I know, | if a thane full young

With water I sprinkle well;

He shall not fall, | though he fares mid the host,

Nor sink beneath the swords.

[159. The sprinkling of a child with water was an established custom long before Christianity brought its conception of baptism.]

 ninth kind extinguishes enmity and hate, and produces friendship and love (Havamol, 153, 161). Of great value, and a great honour to kings and chiefs, was the possession of healing runes and healing hands; and that certain noble-born families inherited the power of these runes was a belief which has been handed down even to our time. There is a distinct consciousness that the runes of this kind were a gift of the blithe gods. In a strophe, which sounds as if it were taken from an ancient hymn, the gods are beseeched for runes of wisdom and healing (Sigrdrifumol, 3.)

Havamol, 153, 161

153. A seventh I know, | if I see in flames

The hall o'er my comrades' heads;

It burns not so wide | that I will not quench it,

I know that song to sing.

161. A fifteenth I know, | that before the doors

Of Delling sang Thjothrörir the dwarf;

Might he sang for the gods, | and glory for elves,

And wisdom for Hroptatyr wise.

[161. Delling: a seldom mentioned god who married Not (Night). Their son was Dag (Day). Thjothrörir: not mentioned elsewhere. Hroptatyr: Oðinn.]

Sigrdrifumol, 3

3. "Hail to the gods! | Ye goddesses, hail,

And all the generous earth!

Give to us wisdom | and goodly speech,

And healing hands, life-long.

n ancient times arrangements were made for spreading the knowledge of the good runes among all kinds of beings. Oðinn taught them to his own clan; Dáinn taught them to the Elves; Dvalinn among the dwarfs; Ásvinr among the giants (Havamol, 143). Even the last-named became participators in the good gift, which, mixed with sacred mead, was sent far and wide, and it has since been among the Asas, among the Elves, among the wise Vans, and among the children of men (Sigrdrifumol, 18). The above-named Dvalinn, who taught the runes to his clan of ancient artists, is the father of daughters, who, together with dises of Asa and Vana birth, are in possession of bjargrúnar, and employ them in the service of man (Fafnismol, 13). To men the beneficent runes came through the same god who as a child came with the sheaf of grain and the tools to Scandia. Hence the belief current among the Franks and Saxons that the alphabet of the Teutons, like the Teutons themselves, was of northern origin. Rigsþula expressly presents Heimdal as teaching runes to the people whom he blessed by his arrival in Midgard. The noble-born are particularly his pupils in runic lore. Of Heimdal's grandson, the son of Jarl Borgar, named Kon-Halfdan, it is said:

Rígsþula, 43.

But Konr the Young

knew runes,

everlasting runes

and life runes;

further he could

save people,

blunt edges,

[and] still the ocean.

Havamol, 143.

143. Runes shalt thou find, | and fateful signs,

That the king of singers colored,

And the mighty gods have made;

Full strong the signs, | full mighty the signs

That the ruler of gods doth write.

[143. The king of singers: Oðinn. The magic signs (runes) were commonly carved in wood, then colored red.]

(Sigrdrifumol, 18.

18. Shaved off were the runes | that of old were written,

And mixed with the holy mead,

And sent on ways so wide;

So the gods had them, | so the elves got them,

And some for the Wanes so wise,

And some for mortal men.

[18. Shaved off: the runes were shaved off by Oðinn from the wood on which they were carved, and the shavings bearing them were put into the magic mead.]

Fafnismol, 13.

Fafnir spake:

13. "Of many births | the Norns must be,

Nor one in race they were;

Some to gods, others | to elves are kin,

And Dvalin's daughters some."

[13. There were minor Norns, or fates, in addition to the three great Norns. Dvalin: chief of the dwarfs.]

 

eutonic Mythology Gods and Goddesses of the Northland, Vol. III ch.26.  V. Rydberg. [1905]

 Translation of the poems and notes: Henry Adams Bellows