Widofnir
Widofnir , also Vidofnir ( an. Víðópnir ), is the rooster of Norse mythology that sits on the tree Mimameid , an equivalent of the world tree Yggdrasil . It is golden in color and shines like a thunderstorm. As an almost immortal guardian, he watches over the integrity of this world tree. He is also considered the horror of the giant Surt from the Muspellsheim fire world and the giant Sinmara from the Niflheim ice world ( Fjölsvinnsmál 24).
In the myth of Widofnir, the dogs Gif and Geri guard the entrance to a woman named Menglöd , who can perhaps be equated with the goddess Freya . As a human being, you can only get to her when you pass the dogs. To do this, you have to distract them by giving them the two fried wings of Widofnir to eat. Widofnir can only be killed with the weapon Läwateinn (an. Lævateinn "damage branch"), a branch that was created by Lopt ("the airy" = Loki ). Sinmara, who lives below the death bars, watches over the weapon. She lends Läwateinn for the fight with Widofnir but only to the one who brings her a tail feather of Widofnir beforehand. (Fjölsvinnsmál 13-18, 23-30)
The task seems unsolvable. If you already have enough power over the cock to snatch a tail feather from it, you would probably have enough power over it to render it harmless. The story follows the tradition of classic heroic sagas or fairy tales, in which the hero first has to pass a series of difficult tests to become a woman (here Menglöd).
The Fjölswidlied is part of Svipdagsmál and comes from a manuscript from the pagan late days of Iceland . It is estimated to be in the 13th century and interpreted as pure poetry in the style of Edda songs.
Even if the mythological figure of the rooster on the tree is no longer mentioned in traditional Norse mythology, it can still be older. Jacob Grimm asked her statements to tap on the May trees , the weather vane on the cross trees of Wenden and weathercock on the church towers Compare and contrast. He thought it possible that the Christian missionaries appropriated the pagan symbol in a new way and placed it from the tree on top of their church steeples.
Karl Joseph Simrock indicated the name Widofnir (. Viðófnir / Viðópnir) in the sense of Windofnir " wind weaver ". Windofnir is the name of the heaven of the Vanen ( Alvíssmál 12), who are considered to be the Norse gods of fertility.
The rooster is generally a sun and fire symbol. His crows at sunrise represent vigilance and the victory of light over darkness. Thus it is a symbol of the recurring life and was also considered a soul guide by the Teutons. Because of his ardor he also stands for struggle and courage. Because of its fertility potency.
Individual evidence
- ↑ John Arnott MacCulloch: Eddic . In: Canon John Arnott MacCulloch (ed.). The Mythology Of All Races, 13 vols. New York; 1964; Vol. 2, p. 331
- ↑ Arnulf Krause. The songs of gods and heroes of the Elder Edda (translation). Reclam, 2004, p. 211.
- ↑ Jacob Grimm. German mythology. 3 vols. Revised edition from 2003, based on the 4th edition, Leipzig 1875-78, p. 558 f.
- ^ Karl-Joseph Simrock: The Edda . 1851, Notes on the Fiölswinnsmal .
- ↑ Herder Lexicon. Symbols. Herder Verlag; 5th ed .; 1987; Keyword "Hahn"