Heathen Wyrdos Podcast - The Nornir

Heathen Wyrdos Podcast

Hello! Wyrdos Sif, Theo and Kenna talk all about the Nornir and realise that it's just really confusing. Like your podcasts with a touch of *CHAOS*, you've come to the right place. This is a wild one.

Stay tuned for the episode notes on discord, they'll be up soon because boy it's messy as heck./

Sources:

The Norns in Old Norse Mythology - K.B. Pedersen

The Well and the Tree - Paul C. Bauschat

Prose Edda

Poetic Edda

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Voluspa-

She saw valkyries

come from far and wide,

ready to ride

to Goðþjóð.

Skuld held a shield,

and Skögul was another,

Gunnr, Hildr, Göndul

and Geirskögul.

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Gyfaginning -

These are called Valkyrs: them Odin sends to every battle; they determine men's feyness and award victory. Gudr and Róta and the youngest Norn, she who is called Skuld, ride ever to take the slain and decide fights.

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Gylfaginning, Prose Edda so we can blame Snorri- What are the Norns?

A hall stands there, fair, under the ash by the well, and out of that hall come three maids, who are called thus: Urdr, Verdandi, Skuld; these maids determine the period of men's lives: we call them Norns; but there are many norns: those who come to each child that is born, to appoint his life; these are of the race of the gods, but the second are of the Elf-people, and the third are of the kindred of the dwarves, as it is said here:

Most sundered in birth

I say the Norns are;

They claim no common kin:

Some are of Æsir-kin,

some are of Elf-kind,

Some are Dvalinn's daughters. *

Then said Gangleri: "If the Norns determine the weirds of men, then they apportion exceeding unevenly, seeing that some have a pleasant and luxurious life, but others have little worldly goods or fame; some have long life, others short." Hárr said: "Good norns and of honorable race appoint good life; but those men that suffer evil fortunes are governed by evil norns.

*Sif note: interesting, because this sort of echoes the Valkyries - that people can become Valkyries regardless of origin. It’s a title, an occupation, perhaps. Fate-weaving or something akin to that is something that was treasured and prized, leading to an elevated station, potentially. Which also echoes the real world and ‘women’s work’ which was crucial to Viking Age life. So many cool little connections.

Links:

Web of wyrd- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ20-12x910

Valkyrie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIDzL1qxP94&t=65s

Yggdrasil video - https://youtube.com/watch?v=04vhZlH7I5g&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE

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Heathen Wyrdos Logo Art by Forfeda: http://www.forfeda.com

Music: Towards the Horizon by Alexander Nakarada (www.serpentsoundstudios.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

All other sound effects and video clips used here are under license courtesy of envato elements.