Freyr

Freyr was the son of the sea god, Njord.

He had a twin sister named Freyja.

Njord and his two children were Vanir, the older family of gods. Njord and his two children came to live with the Aesir when the war of the gods ended.

This had been a token of truce. The two families of gods agreed to exchange gods with each other. The Aesir sent Honir and Mimir to live with the Vanir.
Njord and his children were accepted as equals in Asgard.

Freyr became one of the major gods worshipped in the Viking age, especially in Sweden. Freyr resided in a mansion in Alfheim.

Alfheim was also the home of the light elves and one of the nine worlds in Norse Mythology. The gods gave Alfheim to Freyr as a teething gift.

  • He was a fertility god.
  • Freyr was said to be quite handsome.
  • He was considered to be kind.
  • Freyr was associated with the light and the sun.
  • He had control over fruitfulness and peace.
  • His name means “Lord”.

Freyr rode his boar named Gullinbursti. Gullinbursti was able to travel across sky and over the ocean with ease. The golden bristles on the boar shone like the sun. Freyr also owned a ship he travelled in. The ship was named Skidbladnir. The ship was enormous. It could easily hold all the gods of Asgard.

When Freyr did not use the ship, he could simply fold it up and put it in his pocket for safekeeping. It was an extraordinary ship indeed. Skidbladnir had been crafted by the dwarfs.

Freyr Falls Madly in Love

The most famous myth about Freyr was when he fell madly in love. It all started the day he snuck up on the thrown belonging to Odin. From this high seat he could see all the nine worlds. As he was looking he caught sight of a woman he considered to be the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. It was definitely love at first sight. The woman was Gerd. She was a Jotun.

Gerd was the daughter of the giant named Gymir. Freyr had no idea how he was going to gain the affection of Gerd. He spent every second of the day longing for this special woman. He would not speak nor eat. Naturally he became ill.

Njord got upset and worried about the strange behavior of his son. He sent the servant named Skirnir to find out why Freyr was acting so irrationally. Skirnir reported to Njord that Freyr madly in love with a giantess. Njord knew if he was to help his son he would have to see to it that Gerd and Freyr were married. Skirnir was given the mission to go to the land of the giants and bring Gerd willingly back as the fiancée of Freyr. Skirnir received Freyr’s magic sword to protect himself from any hostile giants.

Upon arrival Skirnir seeks out Gerd and immediately announces the proposal and promises to give her some apples of youth if she accepts. Gerd is outraged. She instantly turned down the offer. Skirnir then offers to give her the golden ring named Draupnir. Draupnir is the magical ring which reproduces eight new rings every ninth night. Gerd is not impressed and refused the offer.

Skirnir changed tactics and started to threaten her. At first Gerd could care less about the threats, she had no intention of marrying Freyr. Skirnir then threatened to put evil curses on her using the secrets of the runes. The last treats scared Gerd into agreeing to marry Freyr after all. She did however demand that Freyr wait nine days before they were to be united. Those nine days of waiting were pure torture for Freyr. Finally Gerd and Freyr met.

Gerd was spooked by all the evil curses that would fall on her if she did not marry Freyr. The couple married. Freyr finally got the woman he loved.

During Ragnarok Freyr is killed by Surt.

Surt was the giant who ruled in Muspelheim; the land of fire.