List of rivers in the song Grímnismál

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In Norse mythology , the song Grímnismál mentions a catalog of about forty rivers , which Snorri Sturluson partially repeats in two places in his Prose Edda . On the one hand, he describes eleven of these rivers as Élivágar , which for him are the rivers of the past. On the other hand, he lists 25 of the names in the same context as the song Grímnismál . Some of these rivers are also passed down through the Þulur .

The river name catalog poses some puzzles to research. Only four of the rivers are mentioned elsewhere in Norse mythology. Two of them go back to earthly rivers (Dwina, Rhine ). Attempts have been made to associate the remaining names with earthly rivers in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and England, with moderate success. It is possible that many of the names do not even go back to rivers in Norse mythology, but were invented for mnemonic reasons in order to obtain better memory sequences.

Legend of the abbreviations

In the list, the sites in Norse mythology are identified with the following abbreviations:

List of river names

No. Name
(Old Norse) 		Name
(german) 		Meaning
(Gurevic, Simek) 		No. in
size 27-29 		No. in
Gyl 4 		No. in
Gyl 39 		Þulur Remarks
1 Eikin Eikin the angry one 4th 4th X A river in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27).
2 Fimbulþul Fimbulthul the loud roaring end? mighty wind? powerful speaker? 8th 4th 8th The river flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5). It flows in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27). Fimbulthulr "mighty orator" is also an epithet of Odin (Hav 80, 142).
3 Fjǫrm Fjorm the one in a hurry, the one in a hurry 7th 3 7th The river flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5). It flows in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27).
4th Geirvimull Geirwimull the river teeming with spears, gushing with spears 14th 12 A river in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27). The name is reminiscent of rivers of Christian vision literature, which also carry weapons, compare also Slíðr (No. 25, Vsp 36) and Saxo Grammaticus : Gesta Danorum , 1.31.
5 Gipul Gipul the shower end? the gaping one? 11 9 A river in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27).
6th Gjǫll Gjöll Noise (the noisy) 36 11 The river flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5). It then flows past Midgard and then falls down to the world of Hel (Grm 28). He is the river that comes closest to the realm of the dead (Gyl 4). The dead have to cross it by crossing the Gjallarbrú bridge , which is guarded by the giantess Modgudr (Gyl 47). Gjöll thus corresponds to the Styx in Greek mythology.
7th Gǫmul Gömul the old 13 11 X A river in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27).
8th Gǫpul Göpul the roar? the gaping one? 12 10 A river in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27).
9 Degree Degree the greedy one? the gust? 19th 17th
10 Gunnþorin, Gunnþráin Gunthorin, Gunnthrain the combative 20th 18th
11 Gunnþró, Gunnþrá Gunthro, Gunnthra Gunnthro: fighting gutter; Gunnthra: the combative 6th 2 6th The river flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5). It flows in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27).
12 Hell Hell the downward flowing? the smooth one? the deceptive one? 18th 16
13 Hríð Hrid Severe weather (the stormy one) 29 6th The river flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5).
14th Mr. Hrönn the wave 27 22nd Hrǫnn is also the name of one of Heimdall's 9 mothers (Skm 76).
15a Guy eyes Guy eyes Bath tub 40 X The two Kerlaugar belong to the rivers that Thor has to wade through every day in order to get to the place of execution of the gods at Yggdrasil , since the Asenbrücke Bifröst is completely on fire and the holy waters (of the rivers?) Boil (Grm 29).
15b Guy eyes Guy eyes Bath tub 41 X
16 Warms Grains the protective one? 38 Kǫrmt is one of the rivers that Thor has to wade through every day to get to the place of execution of the gods at Yggdrasil , since the Asen Bridge Bifröst is all on fire and the holy waters (of the rivers?) Boil (Grm 29). Based on this location, the river could be part of the eastern border of Midgard opposite Jötunheim .
17th Leiptr Leipt (r) Lightning (the lightning) 37 10 The river flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5). It then flows past Midgard and then falls down to the world of Hel (Grm 28). His “shining water” is invoked by Sigrun to reinforce a curse (HH II 31).
18th Nnn Yes the fast, the strong 26th 21st
19th Nǫt Need the humidity 25th 20th
20th Nyt Nyt Benefit (the useful one) 24 19th X
21st Arms Örmt the one dividing into arms? 39 Ǫrmt is one of the rivers that Thor has to wade through every day to get to the place of execution of the gods at Yggdrasil , since the Asen Bridge Bifröst is all on fire and the holy waters (of the rivers?) Boil (Grm 29). Based on this location, the river could be part of the eastern border of Midgard opposite Jötunheim .
22nd Rennandi Rennandi the current 10 X A river on the border of Asgard (Grm 27).
23 Rín Rin the Rhine 9 A river on the border of Asgard (Grm 27). Rín is the Nordic name of the Rhine .
24 Síð Sid the slow one 1 1 X A river in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27).
25th Slíðr Slid (r) the terrible, the dangerous 28 5 It flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5). Then coming from the east it flows “with knives and swords through poisonous valleys” (Vsp 36). The name is reminiscent of rivers in Christian vision literature, which also carry weapons, compare also Geirvimul (No. 4) and Saxo Grammaticus : Gesta Danorum , 1.31.
26th Sœkin, Sækin, Sekin Sökin, Sækin, Sekin the one in a hurry? the one pushing forward? 3 3 X A river in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27).
27 Beach Strand Beach (the shallow?) 35 X
28 Svǫl Swöl the coolness, the cold 5 1 5 The river flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5). It flows in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27).
29 Sylgr Sylg (r) Devourer (the devourer) 30th 7th It flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5).
30th Þióðnuma Thjodnuma devouring people 23 25th
31 Þǫll Tholl the swelling? 17th 15th
32 Þyn Thyn the shower end 15th 13 X The river is also mentioned in the Njáls saga .
33 Van Wan Hope (the beneficial) 33 Ván also means the saliva of the Fenris Wolf (Gyl 33).
34 Vegsvinn Wegswinn the raging one? 22nd 24 X
35a Víð, Víl Wid, Wil the width 2 2 Named twice in the Grm. The river flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5). It flows in or on the border of Asgard (Gyl 39, Grm 27).
35b Víð Wid The width 32 9 Named twice in the Grm.
36 Vin Win the dying one? 16 14th The river could be identical to Vina (No. 37).
37 Vína Wina Dvina 21st 23 X In research, this river is mostly identified with the Dvina River in Russia.
38 Vǫnd Wönd the moody, the difficult 34 X
39 Ylgr Ylg (r) the she-wolf 31 8th The river flows from Hvergelmir (Gyl 4) and belongs to the Élivágar (Gyl 5).

literature

  • Elena A. Gurevic: On the genealogy of the þula . In: Alvíssmál. Research on medieval culture in Scandinavia . No. 1/1992 . VWB Verlag, Berlin 1993, ISBN 978-3-86135-600-4 , p. 65-98 (pp. 73-76) .
  • Christopher Hale: The River Names in Grímnismál 27-29 . In: Robert J. Glendinning, Haraldur Bessason ( Edda .): Edda - A Collection of Essays . University of Manitoba Press, Winnipeg 1983, ISBN 978-0-88755-117-8 , pp. 165-186 .
  • Rudolf Simek : Lexicon of Germanic Mythology (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 368). 3rd, completely revised edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-520-36803-X .
  • Albert Morey Sturtevant: Etymological Comments upon Certain Old Norse Proper Names in the Eddas . In: Publications of the Modern Language Association . tape 67 , 1952, pp. 1145-1162 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Christopher Hale: The River Names in Grímnismál 27-29. In: Edda - A Collection of Essays. 1983, pp. 165-186
  2. ↑ Elena A. Gurevic: The Genealogy of Thula. In: Alvíssmál. Research on medieval culture in Scandinavia. No. 1/1992, 1993, pp. 73-76
  3. ^ Rudolf Simek: Lexicon of Germanic Mythology (= Kröner's pocket edition. Volume 368). 3rd, completely revised edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-520-36803-X , p. 133.
  4. ^ Rudolf Simek: Lexicon of Germanic Mythology (= Kröner's pocket edition. Volume 368). 3rd, completely revised edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-520-36803-X , p. 235.
  5. ^ Rudolf Simek: Lexicon of Germanic Mythology (= Kröner's pocket edition. Volume 368). 3rd, completely revised edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-520-36803-X , p. 326.
  6. ^ Rudolf Simek: Lexicon of Germanic Mythology (= Kröner's pocket edition. Volume 368). 3rd, completely revised edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-520-36803-X , p. 389.
  7. ↑ Njáls saga 19: “Hǫfuð þetta skalt, hrotta / hljómstærandi, færa, / kom þú eldskerðir orðum / áls ferðar, Hallgerði; / hykk at þǫll myni þekkja / Þynjar logs ok skynja / þýð, hvárt þat hafi smíðat / þungt níð, boði skíða. "