RELIGION.—IDOLS AND WORSHIP OF MEN AND ANIMALS, ETC.
The introduction of idol worship—The gods magnificently
dressed—Besmearing the gods—Descriptions of the gods in
temples—Amulets representing the gods—Worship of men after
death—Animal worship—Worship of groves and natural objects—Fire
regarded as holy.
It is impossible to tell at what time idols or representations of the
gods came to be introduced; it is however certain from the Sagas, that
they were already very common in the temple before Christian
missionaries came to preach a new religion. At some period, and we know
not how the change took place, we see that likenesses were made to
represent some of the gods, which were often adorned with fine clothes
and ornaments of silver and gold, and as a rule stood on an elevation or
pedestal, which also seems to have served as an altar.[273] Occasionally
they were besmeared with fat, possibly to give them a bright appearance.
There must have been many idols representing different persons who were
worshipped besides the Asar, as we find that Thorgerd Hördabrud was also
represented.
In the great temple in Mœri, in Norway, all the gods were seated on
chairs, and the idol of Thor was magnificently adorned with precious
metal. This god was also in the temple belonging to Hakon and Gudbrand
in Gudbrandsdal.
“Then they (Fridthjof and Björn) heard that Beli’s sons were in Baldr’s
hagi at the _disablót_;[274] they went up there, and asked Hallvard and
Asmund to damage all ships small and large which were near; and so they
did. They went to the door in Baldr’s hagi; Fridthjof wanted to go in;
Björn told him to be wary, but he wanted to go alone. Fridthjof asked
him to stay outside and keep watch. Then Fridthjof went in, and saw that
few people were in the _disar-hall_. The kings were at the _disablót_
and sat drinking; there was fire on the floor, and their wives sat at
the fireside and warmed the gods, and some besmeared them with grease
and wiped them with a cloth” (Fridthjof’s Saga, 9).
When Sigmund was ready to start for an expedition to avenge his father—
“The Jarl (Hakon) went out with him and asked, ‘What belief hast thou?’
Sigmund answered, ‘I believe in my might and strength.’ The Jarl
replied, ‘It must not be so; thou must seek for help where I put all my
trust, which is in Thorgerd Hördabrud. Let us go to her, and try to get
luck for thee from her.’ Sigmund told him to do as he liked; they went
to the woods, and then, by a little by-path, to an open space in the
forest where there was a house with a fence around it; this house was
very fine, and the carvings were ornamented with gold and silver. Hakon
and Sigmund entered with a few men; there were many gods, and so many
glass-windows, that there was no shadow anywhere. A splendidly dressed
woman was in the inner part of the house opposite the entrance. The Jarl
threw himself down, and lay long before her feet; then he rose and told
Sigmund that they must make her some sacrifice, and put silver on the
stool before her. ‘But as a mark that she will accept, I want her to let
loose the ring she wears on her arm; thou, Sigmund, wilt get luck from
that ring.’ The Jarl took hold of the ring, but it seemed to Sigmund
that she clenched her fist and he did not get it. He threw himself down
a second time before her, and Sigmund saw that he wept; he rose, and
took hold of the ring, which then was loose, and gave it to Sigmund, who
promised not to part with the ring” (Færeyinga Saga, ch. 23).
When Hakon Jarl, after having been baptized in Denmark, had again
adopted the practice of the pagan religion,
“He heard of a temple which was the largest in Gautland, while it was
heathen. In that temple were one hundred gods. Hakon took all the
property which was in it. The men who guarded the temple and the
sacrificing-place fled, while some of them were slain; Hakon went back
to his ships with the property and burnt and destroyed all that he met
with on the way, and had very much property when he came down. While he
was making this ravage in Gautland, Ottar Jarl, who ruled over a great
part of Gautland, heard of it; he quickly started and gathered all the
land host against Hakon Jarl, and attacked him. They at once began the
battle; Hakon was overpowered, and at last fled with his men, and went
to Norway. Thereafter Ottar Jarl summoned a _Thing_, and declared at it
that Hakon should be called _varg-i-veum_ (wolf in the holy place),
because, said he, no man had done worse deeds, for he had destroyed the
highest temple in Gautland, and wrought many other evil deeds; that no
one knew any example of such things, and that wherever he went he should
have that name” (Jómsvikinga Saga, ch. 12).
“King Olaf Tryggvason (995–1000) went to Thrandheim to christianize the
bœndr; they agreed that he should go into their temple and observe their
customs. He went into the temple, with a few of his men and some of the
bœndr. They were all unarmed except the king, who had a staff ornamented
with gold in his hand. As they entered there was no lack of carved
idols: Thor sat in the middle, for he was most worshipped; he was large
and ornamented all over with gold and silver; he sat in a splendid
chariot, to which were harnessed two very well-made wooden he-goats.
Both the chariot and the he-goats rested on wheels, and the rope around
their horns was of twisted silver. All was made with wonderful skill”
(Flateyjarbók i., p. 319).
Votive offerings of jewels and other valuable objects have been made in
temples and churches in all lands and ages, and to this day the practice
holds in some Roman and Greek Catholic countries.
The use of small images as amulets by the Northmen is shown by Kálf’s
answer when asked by the King (Olaf Tryggvason) where Halfred was.
“‘He probably still adheres to his custom of sacrificing secretly; he
has the image of Thor made of a tooth in his purse, and too little is
told to thee, lord, about him, and thou canst not see how he really is.’
The King asked them to call Halfred that he might answer for himself.
Halfred came. The King said, ‘Is it true of thee, that thou
sacrificest?’ ‘It is not true, lord,’ answered Halfred; ‘now search my
purse; here no trick is possible, even if I had wanted to use one.’
Nothing of the kind was found with him” (Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga).
“When King Olaf (Tryggvason) had been a short while in Thrandheim he
heard a rumour that some men in Thrandheim still kept up heathendom, and
that the idol of Frey stood there unbroken, and that those men who were
there sacrificed to the idol. When he heard this he was displeased, and
at the time he got these evil tidings he was at a feast. There were also
some men from Thrandheim with him. He accused them of sacrificing to
Frey as some witnesses had told him, and as they knew that they were not
guiltless they did not deny it boldly, but would not acknowledge it. He
said: ‘It will be seen how much of your words is true, and I will try it
in this way—I command you to break the idol of Frey, to which I am told
you sacrifice, and if you will not do that I believe that the accusation
I bring against you is true.’ They answered: ‘We will not break the idol
of Frey, for we have served him long, and it has helped us well.’ He
said: ‘I and my men will break it though you forbid it.’ They answered:
‘Certainly we will forbid and hinder the destruction of Frey, though we
expect that he will valiantly defend himself and help us if we follow
him boldly, for he has more power than thou thinkest.’ He said: ‘This
shall be tried. You shall defend Frey and I will attack him with God’s
grace and the help of good men. Let him then defend himself if he is
able. To-morrow we shall hold a _Thing_ where I appoint. I will take
Frey there and judge him boldly, and slay him, and do the good for you
which God teaches me, if you will leave your false belief.’ They did not
think this very advisable, but saw it had to be as the king wished. They
went to their ships and rowed in the fjord and strove with both sails
and oars. The luck of the king was stronger than the witchcraft of Frey
and the evil belief of those who followed him, and therefore it happened
as the best one (God) wished, and the king’s ship went much faster and
he got first to the temple. When he came ashore his men saw some stud
horses near the road which they said belonged to Frey. The king mounted
a stallion and let others take the geldings, and they rode to the
temple. He alighted from the stallion, went into the temple, and struck
down the gods from their altars. Then he took Frey under his arm and
carried him out to the horse, and shut up the temple. He rode with Frey
to the meeting and came before those summoned. His land-tent was
pitched, and he waited there. Now the men of Thrandheim came to the
temple and opened it and went in. They saw that Frey had disappeared and
the other gods were maimed, and they knew for certain that the king had
caused this. They went to the meeting. When they had come there the king
spoke mostly of things connected with the rule of the land and the laws.
He then sent men to his tent and bad them carry Frey out, and when he
was brought to the king the king took him and set him up and said: ‘Do
you know this man?’ They answered: ‘We know him.’ ‘Who is he then?’ said
the king. ‘One whom thou dost not know; he is Frey, our god.’ He said:
‘What good can Frey do, that you think it needful or a great necessity
to believe in him?’ They answered: ‘We thought him very powerful until
within a few years.’ ‘Why is he less powerful now?’ said the king. They
answered: ‘Because he is now angry with us, which thou causest, for
since thou didst tell us to believe in another god, and we partly
followed thy persuasions, he thinks we have forsaken him, and therefore
will not take any care of us.’ He then said, as if in mockery or jest:
‘It is unfortunate that Frey is angry with you, but in what way did he
before show the power which you now miss?’ They answered: ‘He often
spoke with us and foretold future things, and gave us good years and
peace.’ He said: ‘I maintain that Frey has not spoken with you, but the
devil himself.’ ... He took a large axe and went to Frey, and said: ‘Now
I will try, Frey, if thou canst talk and answer me.’ Frey was silent.
‘If thou,’ said the king, ‘canst not or wilt not, then may the one who
is in thee, and has long strengthened thee, answer.’ ... Frey was
silent. The king said: ‘Still I speak to thee, Frey; if thou canst give
to men strength or power, then spare it not, and do what thou art able
to do, and if thou sleepest, awake and defend thee, for now I will
attack thee.’ He raised his hand and cut off Frey’s hand, but he did not
move. Then he struck one blow after the other until he had cut asunder
the whole idol....” (Flateyjarbók, I. Olaf Tryggvason).
The gods were not the only beings worshipped, for we have some examples
of men being worshipped after their death.
“Olaf Geirstada-alf had a dream, at which he was much surprised, and
which he would not tell when asked. He then summoned a _Thing_ from all
his realm, which was held at Geirstadir. The king asked the people to
finish their cases, and afterwards he would make known why he had
summoned them, as many might think that there was little reason for it.
‘I will tell my dream here,’ said he. ‘It seemed to me that a large
black and fierce-looking bull entered the land from the east; it went
about the whole realm. It seemed that so many men fell before its
breath, that only half were left. Finally it killed my hird.’ He asked
them to explain it, for he knew it must signify something. They answered
that he himself could guess best what it meant. He added: ‘There have
long been peace and good seasons in this kingdom, but many more people
than it could sustain. The bull of which I dreamt is probably a
foreboding of a sickness which will begin in the eastern part of this
land, and cause many deaths. My hird will be attacked last, and it is
most probable that I shall follow, for I cannot, more than others,
survive my destined death-day. Now this dream is explained, and it will
prove to be true. I advise the multitude here assembled to throw up a
large mound out on the cape, and make a fence across it higher up, so
that no cattle can go thither. Into the mound let every man of
prominence put half a mark of silver to be buried with him. Before the
disease ceases, I shall be placed in the mound. I warn all not to behave
like some who worship by sacrifice, after their death, those in whom
they trusted while alive, for I think dead men can do nothing useful. It
may also happen that those who are worshipped will be suddenly
bewitched. I think the same evil spirits (_vœttir_) sometimes do useful,
sometimes harmful things. I fear much that a famine will come in the
land after I have been _mounded_, and nevertheless we shall be
worshipped and afterwards, bewitched in spite of ourselves.’ It happened
as King Olaf said, and according to his explanation of the dream. The
disease came before it was expected, many died, and all men of any
prominence were laid in the mound; for King Olaf immediately sent men to
make an exceedingly large mound, and the people made the fence according
to his advice. It also happened that the hird died last and was _mound
laid_. At last Olaf died, and was quickly laid among his men with much
property and the mound was closed. Then fewer people died. Bad seasons
and famine followed. It was then resolved to offer sacrifice to King
Olaf for good seasons, and they called him Geirstada-alf” (Flateyjarbók
ii. c. 6).
“There was a king named Godmund in Jötunheim; his farm was called Grund,
and the _herad_ (district) in which it was situated Glæsisvellir. He was
a powerful man and old, as well as all his men, and lived for so many
generations that people believed Odains Akr (the land of the undying) to
be in his realm. The place is so healthy that sickness and old age
vanish from every man who comes there, and nobody can die there. It is
said that after the death of Godmund, men worshipped him and called him
their god. King Godmund had a son, Höfund, a seer and a wise man; he was
made judge over all the adjoining lands; he never gave a wrong judgment;
nobody dared or needed to doubt his judgment” (Hervara Saga, c. 1).
“Thórólf Smjör (butter, because he said Iceland was so fertile that
butter dripped from every blade of grass) was the son of Thorstein
Skrofa, son of Grim, who was worshipped after his death on account of
his popularity and called Kamban” (Landnama i., ch. 14).
_Animal Worship._—The worship of animals and birds seems to have
sometimes taken place.
Once some men went to Eystein and told him that a large host had come
into his realm so hard to deal with that it had devastated all the land,
and left no house standing.
“When Eystein heard these tidings he thought he knew who these vikings
were. He sent an _arrow-message_ all over his realm and summoned all who
were willing to help him and could wield a shield. ‘Let us take with us
the cow Sibilja, our god, and let her run in front, and I believe that,
as before, they will not be able to stand her bellowing. I urge you all
to valiantly drive away this large and evil host.’ This was done, and
Sibilja let loose; Ivar saw her coming, and heard her fierce bellowing;
he bade all the host make a great noise both with weapons and war-cries,
lest they should hear the voice of the evil beast which went against
them. Ivar told his hearers to carry him forward as far as they could,
and when the cow came at them to throw him on her, and then either he or
she should die; and to take a large tree and cut it into the form of a
bow, and also bring him arrows; this strong bow was now brought, and the
large arrows he had ordered, which were not manageable by any other.
Ivar then urged every one to do his best. Their host went onward with
great rushing and tumult, and Ivar was carried in front of their ranks.
The bellowing of Sibilja sounded so loud that they heard it as well as
if they had been silent and stood still; they were so startled that all,
except the brothers, wanted to fight among themselves. When this wonder
was going on, those who carried Ivar saw that he drew his bow as if it
were a weak elm twig, and they thought he was going to draw his arrows
beyond the point.[275] They heard his bowstring sound louder than they
had ever heard before; they saw that his arrows flew as swiftly as if he
had shot with the strongest cross-bow, and so straight that one arrow
went into each eye of Sibilja; and she stumbled and fell down on her
head, and her bellowing was much more than before. When she came at them
he bid them to throw him on her, and he was as light to them as a little
child, for they were not very near to the cow when they threw him; he
came down on the back of Sibilja, and became as heavy as if a rock fell
on her, and every bone in her was broken and she was killed.
“Although the sons of Ragnar were valiant, they could not stand both an
overwhelming force of men and witchcraft; nevertheless they made a stout
resistance, and fought like warriors with great renown. Eirik and Agnar
were in the front that day, and often went through the ranks of King
Eystein, but Agnar fell” (Ragnar Lodbrok’s Saga).
“King Olaf was at a feast in Ögvaldsnes. One evening there came to the
farm an old man, very wise in talk, one-eyed, with a hood low down over
his face; he could tell of every country. He began to talk with the
king, who liked it very much and asked about many things, but he was
able to answer any question, and the king did not go to bed for a long
time that night. Then the king asked if he knew who Ögvald was, after
whom the bœr and the ness (cape) were named. The guest said he had been
a king and a great warrior, and had worshipped a cow more than anything
else, and taken it with him wherever he went, as he thought it wholesome
to drink its milk. Ögvald fought against a king called Varin, and fell
in the battle; he was _mounded_ there a short way from the bœr and the
bautastones raised, which stand there still. In another place near to
this bœr the cow was _mounded_” (Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga, c. 71).
“Floki Vilgerdarson, a great Viking, made himself ready in Rogaland to
search for Snow-land (Iceland). He made a large sacrifice to the three
ravens, which were to show him the way. They sailed to the Faroes, and
then put to sea with the three ravens, to which sacrifice had been made
in Norway; when the first was let loose it flew in the direction of the
stern; the second rose into the air, and came back to the ship; the
third flew in front of the prow in the direction in which they found the
land.
“They landed at the place called Vatnsfjord, in Breidifjord. The fjord
was so full of fish that they neglected to gather hay on account of the
fishing, and during the winter therefore all their cattle died. The
spring was rather cold there, and Floki went up on a mountain on the
north side of the fjord, and on the other side saw a fjord filled with
ice. Therefore they called the land Iceland” (Landnama i., c. 2).
Natural objects, such as groves and the sacrificing stone, were
worshipped, and no one was allowed to look at Helgafell (a holy
mountain) before he had washed himself in the morning, and no cattle
were to be killed there.
“Eyvind, the son of Lodin, settled in the valley of Flatey (his land
extending) as far as Gunnsteinar (Gunn-rocks), which he worshipped.”
“Thorir Snepil took up the whole of Fnjóskadal to Odeila, and dwelt at
Lund (grove); he worshipped the grove” (Landnama iii., ch. 17).
“Hord’s brother-in-law Indridi wished to slay the bondi Thorstein
Gullknapr (gold-button), and waited for him on the way to his
sacrificing house, whither he was wont to go. When Thorstein came, he
entered the sacrificing house and fell on his face before the stone he
worshipped, which stood there, and then he spoke to it. Indridi stood
outside the house; he heard this sung in the stone:—
Thou hast hither
For the last time
With death-fated feet
Trodden the ground;
Before the sun shines,
The hard Indridi
Will justly reward thee
For thy evil doings.
“Thorstein went out and home; Indridi distinctly saw him going, and told
him not to run so fast. He went in front of him, and at once struck him
with the sword of Soti under the chin so that his head flew off” (Hörd’s
Saga, c. 37).
“On the ness stands a mountain, which he (Thórólf Mostrarskegg) held in
such reverence that no one was allowed to look on it unwashed, and
nothing was to be killed on it, neither men nor cattle. He called it
Helgafell (holy mountain), and he believed he would go thither when he
died, as well as all his kinsmen on the ness. On the point at which Thor
had landed he made the place for all judgments, and there established a
_herad-thing_ (a _Thing_ for the district). This place was so holy that
he would not allow the field to be defiled in any manner” (Eyrbyggja, c.
4).
Fire seems to have been looked upon as holy; and it was sometimes the
practice to ride round the land with fire, or to throw a burning arrow,
so as to signify ownership.
“Jörund godi (temple-priest), son of Hrafn Heimski, settled west of
Fljót, where it is now called Svertingsstadir; there he raised a large
temple. A small piece of land lay unsettled east of Fljót, between
Krossá (river) and Jöldustein; Jörund went with fire around this, and
made it the property of the temple” (Landnama v., c. 3).
“Onund the wise took up land in the valley east of Merkigil. When Eirik
(from Goddalir) wanted to settle in the valley west of it, Onund threw
sacrificing-rods to ascertain when Eirik would come and take up the
land. Onund then forestalled him, and shot with a burning arrow across
the river, and thus took possession of the land west of it and dwelt on
it” (Landnama iii., c. 8).
The chief Blundketil was burnt in his house by his foes. When the chief
Tungu-Odd heard of it he rode to the place with the son of the burnt
chief.
“Odd rode to a house which was not quite burnt down. He stretched out
his hand and pulled a rafter of birch-wood out of the house, and then
rode against the sun (from west to east) round the houses with the
burning brand and said: ‘Here I settle on this land, for I do not see
any homestead; may the witnesses present hear it. He then whipped his
horse and rode away” (Hœnsa Thori’s Saga, c. 9).