: tinies of the Present and Past are derived from the verb verða (Part. Pres. verðandi; Part. Past or Sinn); D. vorde; G. werden; A. S. weordan, to become. Skuld has her name from the Part. Past, skuld, of the verb skula; Sw. skola; 4. S. sculon in the Pres. tense skal; Sw. skall; D. skal; A. S. sceal; E. shall: in the Past tense skyldi; Sw. skulle; D. skulde; 4. S. sceolde; E. should. Grimm remarks that the names of the three Destinies would have been in M. G. Vaúrths, Vairthandei, and Skulds; and in Anc. G. Wurt, Werdandi, and Scult. The A. S. Wyrð, is like Urd, a Fate or Destiny, the pl. Wyrdas corresponding to the N. Urdir, Norns, Parca, or Destinies; hence our word weird, and the "Weird Sisters" of Shakspeare *. UTGARD, prop. UTGARÐR, lit. Outer-ward. See Midgard. VAFTHRÚÐNIR: vaf, from the v. vefa, to involve, prop. to weave; hence cog. with D. væve; M. G. vaibjan; G. weben; A. S. wefan; E. to weave thrúðnir, see Thrúður. VAFUDR, the Weaver, or the Constrainer. See the foregoing word. VAKR, VAKUR, alert, lively, vigilant, corresponding in this sense to the D. vakker; G. wacker. The root is in the v. vaka; D. vaage; G. wachen; 4. S. wacian; E. to watch; also A. S. weccan; E. to waken. VALASKJALF: vala, prob. from val; D. valg; G. wahl, choice, election: skjálf, see Hlídskjálf. VALFAÐIR, or VALFÖÐUR, lit. the Choosing Father: val, choice, see the preceding word: faðir, father. VALHALLA, prop. VALHÖLL, lit. the Hall of the Chosen: val, choice, see Valfaðir: höll; M. G. hallus; Old G. halla; G. halle; A. S. heal, hæll; E. hall, originally sig. a temple, another word for which in the N., Old G., Old Sr., and A. S. languages, was hof. See page 289. The N. word salr; Anc. G. sal; Old Sx. seli; A. S. sele; may also have originally indicated a temple. See Fensalir. VALKYRJOR, or VALKYRJUR, sing. VALKYRJA (in the old orthog. Valkyrior), lit. Choosers of the Slain. The N. valr; Anc. G. wal; A. S. wæl, denoted the slain in battle; whence the D. Valplads; G. Wahlplatz (lit. the place of the slain), a poetical word for a field of battle: kyrja, from the v. kjöra; A. S. curon; Anc. G. küren, to choose. From the Anc. G. v. küren is the mod. G. part. erkoren, chosen, elected; and kur, or chur, expressing the Electoral dignity, as Churfürst, lit. Elected Prince. It may be remarked that such L. words as Bellona, Alecto, &c., and even Parca and Venefica, were rendered in A. S. by Wælcyrge and * The reader will find a great deal of curious information respecting Norns, Fairies, and the White Ladies of the Middle Ages, in the 16th chapter of Grimm's Deut. Mythol. Our word fairy is from the French fée, and Grimm observes that from the L. word fatum was formed the It. fata; Span. hada; Provençal, fada; and F. fée: fata and fée having the same analogy of derivation as nata and née, amata and aimée. Wælcyrre. Grimm concludes that the M. G. form would have been Valakusjó. VANADÍS, prop. a Goddess of the Vanir. See that word, and Dís. VANAHEIMR. See Vanir and Gladsheimr. VANIR, the sing. would be Vanr; a word of dt. origin: the E. E. think that it may be cog. with N. vænn, beautiful; with the L. venustus and Venus, and ph. with the E. wench; but this etym. is too conjectural to be of much value. VARR, prob. sig. wary. See Andvari. VASADR, from vás, moisture, a word cog. with the E. wet and wash. VE. Grimm has shown that the N. ve was used in the m. sing. to express a particular god; that in the pl. it would be vear, gods, idols; and that the n. pl. ve indicated sacred places, loca sacra. He also shows that the word is cog. with the Anc. G. wih, a grove; Old Sx. wih, a temple; and expresses an idea fluctuating between nemus, templum, fanum, idolum, and numen. Its root must be sought in the M. G. veihan; G. weihen, to consecrate. See the note, page 291. VEÐURFÖLNIR might be rendered Storm-stilling; vedur being derived from veðr; D. væir; G. wetter; A. S. weder; E. weather: and fölnir, prob. from v. fela, to cover, to conceal; hence concealing the weather, or causing serenity. VEGSVINN, lit. Road-knowing: vegr; D. vej; M. G. vigs; G. and A. S. weg; E. way: svinn, from svinnr (svithr), wise, cog. with M. G. svinths. See Fjölsvidr. VEGTAMR. See note, page 373. VERATYR, lit. the Man-god: vera, from verr, a man, cog. with numerous words in the Ind. E. languages, as M. G. vair; Sl. vyras; Sk. viroh; L. vir, &c.: týr, see Týr. VERDANDI. See Urd. VÍÐ, from víðr; D. vid; G. weit; A. S. wid; E. wide. VIDAR, prop. VIÐAR, ph. from viðr, a tree; cog. with E. wood; and prob. also with weed and withy. VÍÐBLÁINN, expanded azure (lit. Wide-blue): við, see VIÐ: bláinn, from blár; D. blaa; G. blau; A. S. blæw; E. blue. VÍÐFINNK, prob. from vior, wide, vast; and finnr, from v. finna; D. finde; M. G. finthan; G. finden; A. S. findan; E. to find. VIÐÓLFR, or VIÐÁLFR, lit. Sylvan Elf: vid, from viðr, a tree, see Vidar: álfr, an elf. VIÐRIR, Moderator of the weather; from v. viðra, to still the weather; and this from veðr, weather. See Veðurfölnir. VIGRID, prop. VÍGRÍÐ, from víg, a battle; A. S. wig (whence wigcræft battle craft, the art of war): ríð, from v. ríða; D. ride; G. reiten; 4. S. rídan; E. to ride. VILI, Will. The N. vili, vilji, like the Anc. G. willo, expressed not only voluntas, but also votum impetus and spiritus; and Grimm remarks that the M. G. v. viljan, to will, is nearly related to the v. valjan, to choose, to elect. See Valkyrjor. VILMEITHR, or VILMEIÐR, from vil, favour, cog. with vili: and meiðr, an old word for tree. VIN, and VINA, prob. from vinr, a friend, cog. with v. unna, to love, to favour; A. S. unnan, to give, to bestow; and the E. winsome. VINDÁLFR, Wind Elf: vindr; D. vind; G., A. S., and E. wind. VINDSVALR; vindr, wind: and svalr, cold, glacial. VINGÓLF, lit. the Abode of Friends: vinr, a friend, see Vin: gólf means lit. a floor; D. gulv. VITUR, VITR, from vit; G. witz; E. wit. See Grafvitnir. VÖLUNDR. The N. Völundr is the Velint of the Vilkina-saga; the G. Wielant, Wieland; the A. S. Weland, Welond (Wayland). The root of the word is the N. vél, art, skill, craft, cunning; cog. with the A. S. wil; E. wile and guile. Grimm remarks that we must presuppose an Old G. v. wielan; A. S. welan, to fabricate, the part. of which would be wielant and weland. This would be a more grammatical derivation than that of Prof. Müller, who derives the word from vél, art; and lundr, mind. At all events the word denotes a skilful artificer, in which sense it is still used by the Icelanders, hann er völundr à járn; he is a famous workman-a Wayland-in iron; and they very appropriately term a labyrinth a Wayland-house-Völundarhús. See the note, page 376. VÖLUSPÁ. The Old N. has two generic terms for a sybil or prophetess Völva and Vala, gen. Völu, which Grimm remarks would correspond to an Old G. Walawa or Wala. The word vala is prob. cog. with val, choice. See Valfadir and Valkyrjor. The N. spá, is cog. with and has the same sig. as the Scotch spae. See the note, page 363. VÖRA, prop. VÖR, gen. VARAR; prob. the same root as Varr. YGGDRASILL, very dt. etym. F. Mag. is of opinion that it may be derived either from ý, cog. with úr, moisture, rain; whence yg, ygg, was afterwards formed, and drasill, from the v. draga, to carry (prob. cog. with the G. tragen, and the E. to drag); or from Ygg, one of Odin's names (see the following word), and drasill, bearing; hence, according to F. Mag., it would sig. bearing (producing) rain, or bearing Odin. YGGR. This name of Odin is prob. from the v. yggja, which sig. to meditate, and also to fear; hence the word might be rendered by either the Meditating or the Terrible. Yggr, in the N. lang., means simply, terror. YLG, the Howling; prob. from v. ýla; D. hyle; G. heulen; E. to howl. YMIR: very dt. etym. ymr sig. a confused noise, like the rustling of trees when shaken by the wind; also the clang of metals; but whether the proper orthog. be Ymir, Ymir, Imir or Imir, the etym. given by the E. E. are alike conjectural. Grimm is inclined to derive it from the v. ymja, umdi which has the same sig. as the v. gjalla, to roar, to clang. INDEX. ADULTERY, punishment of amongst the Ægir, his banquet, 375, 376; his journey to Agriculture amongst the Scandinavians Alexander III. purchases the Hebrides, Alfred, king, preserves England against Altars, remains of in Scandinavia, 107; Al-things, in Iceland, when held, 293; man- Anglo-Saxons ;-see Saxons. Arms and armour of the northern nations, Asgard, 80, 85, note, 406. Ash, the greatest of all trees, 96;-see Ygg- Ask, the first man, 99. 406. Astronomy studied by the Scandinavians, Audhumbla, the cow, account of in the Auguries amongst the Scandinavians, 118. Baldur, son of Odin, his character, 95; Bifröst, the rainbow, 408; breaks to pieces, Bojorix, General of the Cimbri, 66. Bor, his sons create heaven and earth, Bragi, god of eloquence and poetry, 95. apples, 459; of Odin obtaining the poeti- Brahminical doctrines compared with the Breidablik, the mansion of, 414. Britain conquered by the Saxons, 180. Burials;-see Funerals. Cabot, his voyages and discoveries, 263; Cæpio, proconsul, defeated by the Cimbri, Carbo Papirius sent against the Cimbri, Celts erroneously confounded with the Celtiberians repulse the Cimbri, 62. Charlemagne, his grief at the conquests of Charles the Simple gives his daughter to Rollo, 184; cedes to him Normandy, Christianity embraced by Rollo, 185; by Cimbri, their origin, 60; their expedition auxiliaries they again overwhelm Gaul, | Concubinage in Scandinavia, 312; story Constantinople attacked by the Scandina- Finns, their probable early importance, 7; Fleets fitted out by the Scandinavians, 175; Floki, his settlement in Iceland, 187. Fortification, art of, amongst the Scandi- French conquered by the Scandinavians. Frey, brother of Freyja, 94; worshipped Danes, their invasion of England, 164; Freydisa stimulates the Northmen against Dead, burning of, amongst the Scandina- Denmark, early inhabitants of, 60; uncer- Divorce, Icelandic laws of, 317; story of, ib. Dwarfs, 404; origin of, 409. Earth, Eddaic account of its creation, 404. Edda, the Prose or Younger, 90. 377; Elivagar, the rivers, 402. Elves of Light and Darkness, 414. Europe, early notices of, 38; eastern origin of its inhabitants, ib.; northern nations Eyrbyggja Saga, abstract of, 517. Feasts, fondness of the Scandinavians for stivals, religious, the three great ones, the Skrællings, 258; her voyage with Fridleif, story of, in Saxo, 116. Frotho, king of Denmark, 137. his con- Funerals of the Scandinavians, 209; cere- Gauls overwhelmed by the Cimbri and Gefjon, Eddaic account of her ploughing, Germans;-see Teutons. Giants of the Frost, origin of, 402; Thor's Gimli, the highest heaven, 104. 400. 456; Glossary of proper names used in the Edda, 541. Glossology, advance in, 29. Goa, goddess, festival in honour of, 111. Grágás, the Icelandic code of laws, 297; |