
Fjölnir ( ) is a
legendary king in
Norse mythology
Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology, is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia as the Nordic folklore of the modern period. The ...
said to have been the son of
Freyr
Freyr (Old Norse: 'Lord'), sometimes anglicized as Frey, is a widely attested Æsir, god in Norse mythology, associated with kingship, fertility, peace, prosperity, fair weather, and good harvest. Freyr, sometimes referred to as Yngvi-Freyr, was ...
(Frey) and his consort
Gerðr
In Norse mythology, Gerðr (Old Norse: ; "fenced-in"Orchard (1997:54).) is a jötunn, Æsir, goddess, and the wife of the god Freyr. Gerðr is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; the ''P ...
(Gertha). The name appears in a variety of forms, including Fiolnir, Fjölner, Fjolner, and Fjolne. He was claimed as the progenitor of the
Swedish Yngling dynasty, reigning from
Gamla Uppsala
Gamla Uppsala (, ''Old Uppsala'') is a parish and a village outside Uppsala in Sweden. It had 17,973 inhabitants in 2016.
As early as the 3rd century AD and the 4th century AD and onwards, it was an important religious, economic and political c ...
. According to the ''
Grottasöngr'', Fjölnir lived from the 1st century BC to the early 1st century AD.
Fjölnir was said to have drowned in a vat of
mead
Mead (), also called honey wine, and hydromel (particularly when low in alcohol content), is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water, and sometimes with added ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops. The alco ...
while visiting Peace-Fróði, a similarly legendary king of
Zealand
Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...
, the
Danish island. Fjölnir was then succeeded by his son
Sveigðir.
Name
The
etymology
Etymology ( ) is the study of the origin and evolution of words—including their constituent units of sound and meaning—across time. In the 21st century a subfield within linguistics, etymology has become a more rigorously scientific study. ...
of the
Old Norse
Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...
name ''Fjǫlnir'' is unclear. It could stem from the verb ''fela'' ('to hide'), with ''Fjǫlnir'' as 'the concealer
f the mead of poetry">mead_of_poetry.html" ;"title="f the mead of poetry">f the mead of poetry, or it may have emerged as an abbreviation of ''fjǫlviðr'' ('the very wise'). A derivation from ''fjǫl'' ('crowd') has also been proposed, with ''Fjǫlnir'' as the 'manifold' or the 'multiplier', although such an adverbial formation has no attested parallel. According to
Lindow, the second etymology may be more fitting for a name of Odin, but the meaning remains uncertain in any case.
''Fjölnir'' is indeed also frequently mentioned as a
name
A name is a term used for identification by an external observer. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. The entity identified by a name is called its referent. A person ...
of
Odin
Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...
. In ''
Grímnismál
''Grímnismál'' (Old Norse: ; 'The Lay of Grímnir') is one of the mythological poems of the '' Poetic Edda''. It is preserved in the Codex Regius manuscript and the AM 748 I 4to fragment. It is spoken through the voice of ''Grímnir'', one ...
'' ('The Lay of Grímnir'), Odin mentions it to
Geirröðr
Geirröðr (also Geirröd) is a jötunn in Norse mythology. He is the father of the Gjálp and Greip, who are killed by the thunder-god Thor.
Geirröðr is mentioned in the skaldic poem '' Þórsdrápa'', written by Eilíf Godrúnarson ( ...
as one of his many names that constitute the beginning of his epiphany. In ''
Reginsmál'' ('The Lay of
Reginn'), a man who is clearly Odin uses ''Fjölnir'' to refer to himself as he is standing on a mountain addressing
Sigurd
Sigurd ( ) or Siegfried (Middle High German: ''Sîvrit'') is a legendary hero of Germanic heroic legend, who killed a dragon — known in Nordic tradition as Fafnir () — and who was later murdered. In the Nordic countries, he is referred t ...
and
Regin
In Norse mythology, Reginn (; often anglicized as Regin or Regan) is a son of Hreiðmarr and the foster father of Sigurð. His brothers are Fáfnir and Ótr.
Attestations Völsunga saga
When Loki mistakenly kills Ótr, Hreiðmarr demands to ...
. In ''
Gylfaginning
''Gylfaginning'' (Old Norse: 'The Beguiling of Gylfi' or 'The Deluding of Gylfi'; 13th century Old Norse pronunciation ) is the first main part of the 13th century ''Prose Edda'', after the initial Prologue. The ''Gylfaginning'' takes the form of ...
'' ('The Beguiling of
Gylfi'), ''Fjölnir'' appears among the 12 names given for ''
Alfödr'', another name of Odin.
Attestations
''Grottasöngr''
''
Grottasöngr'' informs that Fjölnir was the contemporary of
Caesar Augustus
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in ...
(63 BC – AD 14). He was a mighty king and the crops were bountiful and peace was maintained. At his time, King
Fróði Fróði (; ; Middle High German: ''Vruote'') is the name of a number of legendary Danish kings in various texts including ''Beowulf'', Snorri Sturluson's ''Prose Edda'' and his ''Ynglinga saga'', Saxo Grammaticus' ''Gesta Danorum'', and the ''Gro ...
, the son of
Friðleifr, ruled in
Lejre
Lejre is a railway town in the northwestern part of the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand in eastern Denmark. It has a population of 3,165 (1 January 2024) inhabitants. in
Zealand
Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...
. ''Grottasöngr'' relates that when Fróði once visited
Uppsala
Uppsala ( ; ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the capital of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019.
Loc ...
he brought two giantesses,
Fenja and Menja:
:Fróði konungr sótti heimboð í Svíþjóð til þess konungs, er Fjölnir er nefndr. Þá keypti hann ambáttir tvær, er hétu Fenja ok Menja. Þær váru miklar ok sterkar.
However, the two giantesses were to be his undoing (see ''
Grottasöngr'').
''Ynglinga saga''
The ''
Ynglinga saga
''Ynglinga saga'' ( ) is a Kings' sagas, Kings' saga, originally written in Old Norse by the Icelanders, Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson about 1225. It is the first section of his ''Heimskringla''. It was first translated into Engl ...
'' tells that Fjölnir was the son of
Freyr
Freyr (Old Norse: 'Lord'), sometimes anglicized as Frey, is a widely attested Æsir, god in Norse mythology, associated with kingship, fertility, peace, prosperity, fair weather, and good harvest. Freyr, sometimes referred to as Yngvi-Freyr, was ...
himself and his wife
Gerd
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a chronic upper gastrointestinal disease in which stomach content persistently and regularly flows up into the esophagus, resulting in symptoms and/or ...
, but he was the first of his house who was not to be deified.
Then Snorri tells that after Freyr's death, Fjölnir became the king of Sweden. However, he drowned in a vat of
mead
Mead (), also called honey wine, and hydromel (particularly when low in alcohol content), is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water, and sometimes with added ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops. The alco ...
visiting Peace-Fróði (''Friðfróði''), the king of
Zealand
Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...
.
''Ynglingatal''
Snorri also quoted some lines of ''
Ynglingatal'', composed in the 9th century:
:Translation: ‘The word of doom that fell upon Fjǫlnir was fulfilled where Fróði lived. And the windless wave of the spears of the bull
BEER">ORNS > BEERwas to destroy the prince.’
[
The '' Historia Norwegiæ'' provides a Latin summary of ''Ynglingatal'', which precedes Snorri's quotation. It also informs that Fjölnir was the son of Freyr, the father of Svegder and that he drowned in a vat of mead:
The even earlier source '' Íslendingabók'' cites the line of descent in ''Ynglingatal'' and also gives Fjölnir as the successor of Freyr and the predecessor of Svegðir. In addition to this it summarizes that Fjölnir died at Friðfróði's (i.e. Peace-Fróði): ''iii Freyr. iiii Fjölnir. sá er dó at Friðfróða. v Svegðir'':.Guðni Jónsson's edition of Íslendingabók]
/ref>
''Gesta Danorum''
In ''Gesta Danorum
("Deeds of the Danes") is a patriotic work of Danish history, by the 12th-century author Saxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Literate", literally "the Grammarian"). It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark and is an essentia ...
'', Book 1, Frodi corresponds to Hadingus and Fjölnir to Hundingus, but the story is a little different. It relates how King Hundingus of Sweden believed a rumor that King Hadingus of Denmark had died and held his obsequies with ceremony, including an enormous vat of ale. Hundingus himself served the ale, but accidentally stumbled and fell into the vat, choked, and drowned. When word came to King Hadingus of this unfortunate death, King Hadingus publicly hanged himself (see Freyr
Freyr (Old Norse: 'Lord'), sometimes anglicized as Frey, is a widely attested Æsir, god in Norse mythology, associated with kingship, fertility, peace, prosperity, fair weather, and good harvest. Freyr, sometimes referred to as Yngvi-Freyr, was ...
).
''Ballad of Veraldur''
Dumézil (1973, Appendix I) cites a Faroese ballad recorded in 1840 about Odin and his son Veraldur. It is believed that this Veraldur is related to Fjölnir and Freyr, as per Snorri's statement that Freyr was '' veraldar goð'' ("god of the world").
In this ballad Veraldur sets off to Zealand
Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...
to seek the king's daughter in marriage despite Odin's warnings. The king of Zealand dislikes Veraldur and tricks him into falling into a brewing vat in a "hall of stone" where Veraldur drowns. When Odin hears the news, he decides to die and go to Asgard
In Nordic mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: ''Ásgarðr''; "Garden of the Æsir") is a location associated with the gods. It appears in several Old Norse sagas and mythological texts, including the Eddas, however it has also been suggested to be refe ...
where his followers will also be welcomed after death.
The tale is similar to that of the death of Fjölnir, son of Freyr, who accidentally fell into a vat of mead and drowned while paying a friendly visit to Fridfródi the ruler of Zealand.
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
See also
* Ynglingatal
*Ynglinga saga
''Ynglinga saga'' ( ) is a Kings' sagas, Kings' saga, originally written in Old Norse by the Icelanders, Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson about 1225. It is the first section of his ''Heimskringla''. It was first translated into Engl ...
(part of the Heimskringla
() is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland. While authorship of ''Heimskringla'' is nowhere attributed, some scholars assume it is written by the Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (117 ...
)
* Historia Norvegiæ
* Gróttasöngr
*Gesta Danorum
("Deeds of the Danes") is a patriotic work of Danish history, by the 12th-century author Saxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Literate", literally "the Grammarian"). It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark and is an essentia ...
External links
Gimle: Hedniska ballader: Balladen om Oden och Veraldur (Frö)
(Text of the ballad of Veraldur).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fjolnir
Semi-legendary kings of Sweden
Demigods