The Nimble God
Another of Odin's sons was Hermod, his special attendant, a bright
and beautiful young god, who was gifted with great rapidity of motion
and was therefore designated as the swift or nimble god.
"But there was one, the first of all the gods
For speed, and Hermod was his name in Heaven;
Most fleet he was."
Balder Dead (Matthew Arnold).
On account of this important attribute Hermod was usually employed
by the gods as messenger, and at a mere sign from Odin he was always
ready to speed to any part of creation. As a special mark of favour,
Allfather gave him a magnificent corselet and helmet, which he
often donned when he prepared to take part in war, and sometimes
Odin entrusted to his care the precious spear Gungnir, bidding him
cast it over the heads of combatants about to engage in battle,
that their ardour might be kindled into murderous fury.
"Let us Odin pray
Into our minds to enter;
He gives and grants
Gold to the deserving.
He gave to Hermod
A helm and corselet."
Sæmund's Edda (Thorpe's tr.).
Hermod delighted in battle, and was often called "the valiant in
battle," and confounded with the god of the universe, Irmin. It is
said that he sometimes accompanied the Valkyrs on their ride to earth,
and frequently escorted the warriors to Valhalla, wherefore he was
considered the leader of the heroic dead.
"To him spake Hermoder and Brage:
'We meet thee and greet thee from all,
To the gods thou art known by thy valour,
And they bid thee a guest to their hall.'"
Owen Meredith.
Hermod's distinctive attribute, besides his corselet and helm, was a
wand or staff called Gambantein, the emblem of his office, which he
carried with him wherever he went.
Hermod and the Soothsayer
Once, oppressed by shadowy fears for the future, and unable to obtain
from the Norns satisfactory answers to his questions, Odin bade Hermod
don his armour and saddle Sleipnir, which he alone, besides Odin, was
allowed to ride, and hasten off to the land of the Finns. This people,
who lived in the frozen regions of the pole, besides being able to
call up the cold storms which swept down from the North, bringing much
ice and snow in their train, were supposed to have great occult powers.
The most noted of these Finnish magicians was Rossthiof (the horse
thief) who was wont to entice travellers into his realm by magic
arts, that he might rob and slay them; and he had power to predict
the future, although he was always very reluctant to do so.
Hermod, "the swift," rode rapidly northward, with directions to seek
this Finn, and instead of his own wand, he carried Odin's runic staff,
which Allfather had given him for the purpose of dispelling any
obstacles that Rossthiof might conjure up to hinder his advance. In
spite, therefore, of phantom-like monsters and of invisible snares
and pitfalls, Hermod was enabled safely to reach the magician's abode,
and upon the giant attacking him, he was able to master him with ease,
and he bound him hand and foot, declaring that he would not set him
free until he promised to reveal all that he wished to know.
Rossthiof, seeing that there was no hope of escape, pledged himself
to do as his captor wished, and upon being set at liberty, he began
forthwith to mutter incantations, at the mere sound of which the sun
hid behind the clouds, the earth trembled and quivered, and the storm
winds howled like a pack of hungry wolves.
Pointing to the horizon, the magician bade Hermod look, and the
swift god saw in the distance a great stream of blood reddening the
ground. While he gazed wonderingly at this stream, a beautiful woman
suddenly appeared, and a moment later a little boy stood beside
her. To the god's amazement, this child grew with such marvellous
rapidity that he soon attained his full growth, and Hermod further
noticed that he fiercely brandished a bow and arrows.
Rossthiof now began to explain the omens which his art had conjured
up, and he declared that the stream of blood portended the murder
of one of Odin's sons, but that if the father of the gods should woo
and win Rinda, in the land of the Ruthenes (Russia), she would bear
him a son who would attain his full growth in a few hours and would
avenge his brother's death.
"Rind a son shall bear,
In the western halls:
He shall slay Odin's son,
When one night old."
Sæmund's Edda (Thorpe's tr.).
Hermod listened attentively to the words of Rossthiof and upon his
return to Asgard he reported all he had seen and heard to Odin,
whose fears were confirmed and who thus definitely ascertained that
he was doomed to lose a son by violent death. He consoled himself,
however, with the thought that another of his descendants would avenge
the crime and thereby obtain the satisfaction which a true Northman
ever required.