Veðrfölnir and eagle
In Norse mythology, Veðrfölnir (Old Norse "storm pale",[1] "wind bleached",[2] or "wind-witherer"[3]) is a hawk sitting between the eyes of an unnamed eagle that is perched on top of the world tree Yggdrasil. Veðrfölnir is sometimes modernly anglicized as Vedrfolnir, Vedurfolnir or Vetrfolnir.
The unnamed eagle is attested in both the
Attestations
In the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál, the god Odin (disguised as Grimnir) says that:
- Benjamin Thorpe translation:
- Ratatösk is the squirrel named, who has run
- in Yggdrasil's ash;
- he from above the eagle's words must carry,
- and beneath the Nidhögg repeat.[4]
- Henry Adams Bellows translation:
- Ratatosk is the squirrel who there shall run
- On the ash-tree Yggdrasil;
- From above the words of the eagle he bears,
- And tells them to Nithhogg beneath.[5]
The eagle is again attested in chapter 16 of the Prose Edda book
Theories
John Lindow points out that Snorri does not say why a hawk should be sitting between the eyes of an eagle or what role it may play. Lindow theorizes that "presumably the hawk is associated with the wisdom of the eagle" and that "perhaps, like Odin's ravens, it flies off acquiring and bringing back knowledge".[1]
See also
Notes
References
- Bellows, Henry Adams (Trans.) (1936). The Poetic Edda. Princeton University Press. New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation.
- Byock, Jesse (Trans.) (2005). The Prose Edda. ISBN 0-14-044755-5
- ISBN 0-203-40850-0
- ISBN 0-19-515382-0
- Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. ISBN 0-304-34520-2
- Thorpe, Benjamin (Trans.) (1907). The Elder Edda of Saemund Sigfusson. Norrœna Society.