F Z M P C C W Y Z
Creatures and characters described in the sagas that are not gods

Jotunheim

The inhabitants of this world are second in chronology after the Fire and Snow Giants. After the blocks of ice of Niflheim collided with the sparks of life of Muspelheim, the Giant Ymir arose. Then there was no solid earth yet, and where Ymir was was a somewhat unclear question; apparently, he, like his children and non-living blocks of ice, was in the void. Another thing is important - Ymir gave rise to a family of giants and built the world according to his desire. Ymir and his descendants ate the milk of the cow Audumbla, who licked ice blocks. After Odin, Willi and Ve - the first of the Aesir - killed Ymir, his entire world drowned in blood. Only a couple of giants survived, whose descendants then populated their country.

After killing Ymir, the Earth and Sky were made from his body, as well as trees, stars, seas and oceans. Mitgard and Jotunheim were formed, the latter being specially given by the Aesir to the giants.

Trolls, Jotuns or Frost Giants are the embodiment of strength, malice, deceit and the ancestors of everything bad that is in this world. Their modus operandi is brute force and cunning. The element of this world is Earth. Almost all Trolls are aggressive against people and Aces; the main battles are with them. Jotuns send all kinds of bad weather, hail, snow, storms and avalanches to the world. At the same time, Jotuns are the embodiment of natural forces: they do not know reason, but, nevertheless, are strong.

Looking ahead, let's say that the Vikings recognized wisdom in nature. How did this manifest itself? First of all, the source of true wisdom was located precisely in Jotunheim. Accident? It is unlikely that in this kind of texts, every detail has its own meaning. At the same time, the northerners clearly found virtue in the fight against nature, since Thor's wars with the giants, the embodiment of the evil forces of this nature, were the main feats. So how can we resolve this contradiction? In the east they did the following - they took the evil component of nature for granted (however, it should be noted that on such a scale of this kind natural Disasters, as there were no snow storms, hail or avalanches in the east), and they did not fight it, did not crush nature under themselves, leaving behind it the right to do what it wants - after all, it is wise. Thus the beginning of the “eastern path of development” was laid. The northerners did it differently - they understood the wisdom of nature, but did not want to put up with hail and snow. They imagined nature as a pillar of wisdom, covered with the dirt of evil manifestations, and believed that wisdom could only be achieved by eliminating this dirt, which they did with pleasure. But this is the “Western path of development.” Who is right - the eastern or northern inhabitants? It is impossible to give a definite answer to such a question - everyone is right. The main thing is not to go to extremes - excessive submission to nature will lead to death from hunger and cold, and excessive struggle with it will lead to death from smog and ozone holes.

What corresponds to the geographically given world, the world of Jotunheim? This is either the whole world east of the Scandinavian Peninsula, or Rus', or other states. It should be noted that clear names later appeared for all geographical territories, for example, Rus' was called Gardariki. Jotunheim, if it ever existed in nature, was later simply replaced due to geographical discoveries and campaigns. Perhaps Jotunheim is a memory of a time when there was no real travel yet, and the world outside the borders of your home or your village was incomprehensible and frightening. Then they came up with a designation for everything in the east, and for all the inhabitants there, and at the same time they blamed all natural disasters on them - so that it was not in vain to fear them and not in vain to fight with them.

Guide to the Nine Worlds. Jotunheim. Written by Raven Caldera

The Country of Giants fell into the possession of the Jotuns back in the days when the first Aesir divided the worlds between different peoples. This is a land that is at once formidable and exciting, beautiful and full of danger. As one would expect from a world of giants, everything here grows to gigantic proportions: dense forests rise like a palisade huge trees and inhabited by gigantic ferocious beasts. Travelers wander into this world at the most various reasons- when on business, and when just like that, out of stupidity. Jotunheim was originally conceived as a new homeland for the Jotuns - a place where the fire giants could live side by side with the frost giants. Both the Aesir and the Jotuns claim the title of creators of this world, but it is quite obvious that the ancient giants equipped and populated it on their own. Over time, the migrant Jotuns apparently adapted and acclimatized to the lands of Jotunheim, and many new genetic lines appeared among them, different from both the frost thurs and the fire ethin. Since all jotuns are werewolves, they easily adapt to new conditions and produce already adapted offspring.

Time and seasons

Days in Jotunheim are slightly shorter than in Midgard, and the sun rises and sets more quickly. One moment it was light - and the next moment the sun had already disappeared behind the horizon. Jotunheim comes closest to our world during the autumn equinox. Every now and then there are thunderstorms in Jotunheim; It rains very often, especially in spring. Such fierce storms as in Niflheim do not usually happen here, but during a thunderstorm the entire sky blazes with lightning, which almost always starts forest fires. Between thunderstorms, the clouds clear and the sky clears, but the dense forests that cover most of Jotunheim do not allow much light to reach the ground. Besides, high mountains obscure the horizon, so that to a traveler who does not master the art of flight, Jotunheim may seem one of the darkest worlds. This is one of the reasons why fortresses are built here on the tops of mountains: such places are best lit.

Geography

Imagine mountains as high as the Himalayas, covered with trees right down to the snow line
The size of a redwood tree: this is exactly what Jotunheim looks like, for the most part. Warmer places are like rainforests or jungles, while cold areas are like a good half of the year. snowing. In some places you can find cities closely surrounded by a wall of forest and connected by a complex network of roads under the canopy of giant branches; occasionally there are high-mountain meadows; but in general we can say that Jotunheim is one huge primeval forest.

There are three large mountain ranges in this world: one along the western coast; the second (the Nidfjöll mountains, where the dwarf Sindri built a shelter in case of Ragnarok) originates in the east, but then turns to the north, covering itself with snow and ice, almost as good as that of Niflheim; the third cuts the world of the Jotuns in half, like an arrow resting its tip on the southern tip. There, in the extreme south of Jotunheim, lies the famous Iron Forest; The trees in it are not as tall and slender as in other forests, and there are wide clearings between them. In essence, these are the glades of the Iron Forest - singular gender relief in Jotunheim, which can pass for flat meadows or fields, but they are not suitable for agriculture, because the entire Iron Forest is saturated with radiation of strange energy. The southeastern part of Jotunheim is hot and humid: this area is covered with rain forests and cut by streams and rivers.

The largest of Jotunheim's rivers, Elivagar, is not actually a river, but a narrow channel of the salt ocean. This is the watery border of the worlds, separating the southern tip of Jotunheim from the northern borders of Midgard. If you swim a little from the shore at this point, a gigantic living shaft will appear in the distance - the body of the Great Serpent. Along the northern border of Jotunheim flows the great river Tund - the second largest in this world; it separates Jotunheim from Asgard. Along its banks there are outposts and fortresses, guarding the inviolability of the border between two worlds separated cold war. Another one famous river, Slith, whose steel-gray waters are teeming with razor-sharp knives, serves as the southern border of the Iron Forest, and these knives are magical protection created by the locals.

In the northwest, near the Tund River, stands the Galgvid fortress. Here lives the harpist Eggder, the head of a permanent watch assigned to monitor the border with Asgard for incursions or signs of weakness. Eggder is welcoming and, for a jotun, even friendly; he happily receives guests at his table if they do not openly side with the aces and are able to sing him some new songs that he can adopt. Eggder keeps the sword of retribution, which once belonged to Volund, but asking him (as well as the keepers of other magical swords in the Nine Worlds) to look at this treasure is not only impolite, but also deadly. Eggder's assistant is Fjalar (not to be confused with the famous dverg of the same name!), a giant who prefers the appearance of a giant rooster. In the event of an invasion, Fjalar will issue a battle cry, signaling the start of the battle.

There are thousands of tiny islands scattered along the western coast, each of which is owned by one ethin or another. These island giants maintain close ties with Aegir and are mainly engaged in fishing (and in Jotunheim this is a much more dangerous business than in other worlds, because the fish here are gigantic and toothy). The furthest island from the coast, Ahlgrön, is a trade transit point between Jotunheim and Vanaheim. It belongs to the wealthy jotun Fjolvar, owner of a huge pleasure house. This house is famous throughout the Nine Worlds, and representatives of almost every race work in it - from the Jotuns, and from the Miniatures, and from the Vanir, and from the people of Midgard. Even some of the elves fell into the net of this enterprising giant, and although he does not yet have aces in his service, he does not give up hope that suitable talents will be found among them.

Utgard

The city of Utgard (whose name literally means "outer fortress") is the largest Jotun settlement in all of the Nine Worlds. If the palaces of Asgard can be likened to Paris or Rome of the Nine Worlds, then Utgard is something like New York or Los Angeles: gigantic and constantly growing in breadth, not always neat and a constantly bubbling cauldron street trading and fights in the gateways. In the worlds ruled by the Jotuns, this place is the most “civilized”, but this does not make it any safer.

The main part of Utgard is surrounded by a high stone wall, around which suburban areas spread out in a wide ring. Having passed through the gate, you find yourself on one of the narrow, noisy, crowded streets flocking to the central hill, on which Utgarda-Loki erected his palace. By the way, to get through the gate, you need to have a specie or some kind of hot commodity, a share of which will be charged to you as an entry fee. The duties are not constant, but for foreigners they are in any case higher than for locals. If your pockets are empty, the guards will consider you a beggar and send you away. So stock up on money or goods that you can sell. This situation is not typical for the Nine Worlds, which almost universally observe the laws of hospitality, but if the rulers of Utgard had not taken tough measures, the city would have immediately been overrun by the scum of all other worlds, not to mention the seekers of easy money from Jotunheim itself.

Utgard is literally teeming with markets where you can buy almost everything that is produced in the Nine Worlds. Among the traders are a wide variety of creatures of all sizes, species and races. The city is chock-full of taverns, inns and brothels. There are courtyards of players, where some can take part in competitions, while others can watch and place bets. (Do not get involved under any circumstances! The loser usually has to part with all his property.) Unlike what is customary in our modern markets, haggling about prices is more than appropriate here: the price that they will quote you at first will most likely be prohibitively inflated in the hope that you will bring it down by trading. There is no single currency in Utgard: the merchant, at his own discretion, can accept or reject any coin or goods for exchange. Products that look suspiciously good should be checked with a disillusionment charm - just to be on the safe side.

The Lord of Utgard is Utgarda-Loki (he adopted the first part of his name himself so that he would not be confused with the son of Lauveya). He is both a military leader and a sorcerer, a brilliant, cunning leader who inspires the deepest respect in his subjects. He can be hospitable and generous when he wants to impress visitors or achieve something from them; He plays the role of a kind host flawlessly, although he is not averse to making ridicule of those guests who think too much of themselves. It is said that of all the great Jotuns, Utgarda-Loki is the only one who never lost his composure in his life. Such iron self-control under the guise of royal politeness is simply amazing! Utgarda-Loki is able to pacify raging drunken Jotuns with just a glance, and in case this still does not work, he has an extremely competent, loyal and well-organized guard who will do everything for him.

The Utgard Guard is an elite branch of the military, enjoying much the same reputation as the Landsknechts in Renaissance Germany. Unlike most Jotun warriors, they undergo real drill and high-quality training. They patrol the roads outside the city, where they deal with troublemakers in their own way (including all sorts of strange strangers from whom you can’t expect anything good) and provide safe passage for merchants. They also protect the city itself, maintaining peace on the streets and stopping fights. As with all Jotun warbands, the city guard consists of both men and women; There are even married couples serving shoulder to shoulder. And don’t hope that female guards will turn out to be weaker, more inexperienced and kinder than their male comrades, or that they will be easier to buy into some pitiful fairy tale.

Nominally, Utgarda-Loki is a vassal of Thrym, the king of Jotunheim, but in fact he enjoys more power and respect than the king himself. The relationship between them is somewhat reminiscent of the relationship between the medieval Japanese emperor and the shogun: the first is only the ceremonial bearer of the crown, and the second is the real military leader who makes most of the important decisions.

Hold the Old (or, as he is sometimes called, Hold the Noisy) is the tribal leader of the Frostthurs of Jotunheim, elected High King shortly after the boundaries of the giant world were established. This cheerful, white-bearded aursor spends most of his time feasting and entertaining in his royal palace in the northern mountains and travels south only on special occasions. He does not like the noise and crowd of Utgard and leaves most of the state affairs, including the protection of Jotunheim, to the discretion of Utgard-Loki.

Source of Mimir

The source of Mimir is perhaps one of the most popular tourist attractions in
Jotunheim. Here the gnarled root of the World Tree stretches to the southeast, protruding from the ground like a gigantic mound, but in one place under it you can find the entrance to a cave. The well is there, in this cave, and there are a lot of skulls and severed heads floating in it. Some of them are offerings to Mimir, some are trophies that he takes when a visitor fails to answer his question correctly. These heads are a warning to uninvited guests: when they see them, many get scared and leave, but Mimir is only happy about this.

It may happen that one of the heads turns towards you and speaks itself: this means that Mimir has decided to take the first step. His head is old and wrinkled, wrapped like a cloak in long white hair flowing in the water. But more often he hides under water and you have to call him. To begin with, you can splash some good alcohol into the water. In general, the best offerings for Mimir are alcoholic drinks and food with a strong sweet smell that easily dissolves in water. The food does him no good, but he likes the taste.

Mimir is one of the ancestors of the etins, a representative of the most ancient generation; He is Odin himself's maternal uncle. He was once the husband of old Hel, the former goddess of death who held this title before it passed to Loki's daughter. Mimir is the god of underground waters, and like them, his wisdom is deep and mysterious. He has direct access to the so-called “library of the akashic records”, and, in addition, is friends with the norns. That is why everyone constantly pesters him with questions. However, he is a tired old man, moody, sarcastic and bitter. To say that he “regards” means to say nothing. Serving as a floating soothsayer head is a lousy job, and some travelers have noted, not without regret, that the best thing that can be done for Mimir is to finally let him die. If he likes you, he may actually say something useful, although he will still most likely be sarcastic and say a lot of hurtful things. If not, you can try to come another time.

If Mimir states that he will answer your question only if you answer his, do not agree. It is impossible to defeat him in this game. He is a great master at finding out questions to which you don't know the answer, although in theory you should know - and as a result, you will spend the last moments of your life slapping your forehead, moaning and feeling like a complete idiot. Yes, yes, I didn’t make a mistake: the loser loses his head. And don't think that if he's just a severed head in a well, he won't be able to kill you. Before you even have time to blink an eye, the sharpest blades will fall on you from the ceiling or from the wall. All these rotting, swollen heads are not an illusion or a joke. If Mimir turns out to be in a bloodthirsty mood, apologize for disturbing him, leave him some offerings (maybe next time he will receive you more kindly) and leave. Don't forget that even Odin had to pay a considerable price for Mimir's wisdom. This god will not tolerate a frivolous attitude.

Even if he answers your question, do not forget that he may deliberately frame it in the form of a riddle or omit some important information, without which you will fall into a trap if you follow his advice. However, he will not lie to you. Mimir never lies. Truth is his weapon, and he wields this weapon masterfully. If he asks you to name the day of your death, I strongly advise you to refuse. The temptation may be great, but an even greater temptation will arise later: you will want to try to delay your death, and such interference with the threads of Wyrd and the work of the norns will most likely bring you even greater trouble. In addition, you will waste your question, and Mimir may no longer want to answer others.

Gastropnir

Another popular place among visitors is Gastropnir, the fortress of Menglod, the famous Jotun healer. Gastropnir is located in the far west of Jotunheim - not far from the ocean shore that separates this world from Vanaheim - and rises at the very top of Mount Lyvjaberg. This mountain peak is the highest in all the western mountains; it is clearly visible both from the coast and from the mountain range surrounding Utgard. From the foot to the top of Lyvjaberg there is a winding path that encircles the mountain in circles; this path is full of dangers and obstacles. The palace itself, according to legend, was created from the bones of the giant Leirbrimir; but local legend says that Leirbrimir, the mountain jotun, himself turned into part of the mountain slope and remained so forever, and subsequently the rocky outcrop that was once his body was used as a foundation for the Gastropnir fortress.

The gates of this fortress, called “Trümgjöll” (“Loudly Clanging”), are huge; the wrought iron rods are tightly intertwined like grapevines. They say they were forged by the three sons of the dwarf Solblindi. From the outside, the gate is vigilantly guarded by two dogs - Gif and Geri. It is useless to try to bribe them with food: one will take the handout and start eating, but the second will still guard the passage. (It is very likely that this is not ordinary dogs, and the jotuns, who changed their appearance.)

The gatekeeper and chief steward of this palace is called Fjölsvinn (“Much-wise”). This is a rather large and menacing-looking giant, but at the same time very talkative: he usually does not mind chatting with passing travelers. However, this does not mean that he is ready to let anyone in who stops to talk with him. It is better to first send a message to Menglod herself asking for an audience. As for Menglod herself, she is the most famous healer among the Jotuns, especially knowledgeable in women's diseases. Representatives of all races come to study with her; she mentors Eir herself, the healer of Asgard. However, Menglod values ​​privacy and does not consider herself obligated to respond to any request on demand. If you come to her for healing or teaching, be prepared to pay for her help - and take it seriously. It is no coincidence that the name of her fortress means “Crusher of Guests.”

Menglod's husband is a mortal named Svipdag (not to be confused with the other Svipdag - Freya's late husband!), who came to her from Midgard or even, perhaps, from our world in ancient times. He often goes hunting with the Jotuns, who have long accepted him as one of their own. Menglod is served by the maidens Hliv and Hlivtras (“Breath of Help”), Tjodvarta (“Guardian of People”), Bjorta (“Shining”), Blidra (“White”) and the twin sisters Blida (“Meek”) and Frida (“Pretty” ), who are actually Vanir and Freya's younger sisters, siblings or cousins. She is also helped by Aurboda (“Giver of Gold”), the mother of Gerd, Freyr’s wife. Finally, among the maids of Menglod, a maiden named Eir is mentioned (loosely translated - actually, “healing”); some suggest that this is the same goddess of healing Eir, who serves Frigg, the queen of the Aesir, others - that we are talking about her namesake. Although I have not personally met Eir, Menglod’s servant, I have dealt with Frigg’s servant and herself, and I can assume that Asinya Eir sometimes visits Menglod to communicate and exchange knowledge: it is obvious that the latter two treat each other with respect and , most likely, they are even friends.

If you manage to get into Gastropnir, you will see many halls surrounding an open courtyard. One of these rooms seems to be created from flame or liquid lava: its walls shimmer with fire. This is Hyur, the Chamber of Heat, which was built especially for Sinmara (the mistress of Muspellheim, who often visits Menglod) by her adopted son Loki with the help of skilled miniature craftsmen. Don't try to go there: it's incredibly hot. The floor in this chamber is made of red-hot, and in some places even molten gold. Sometimes patients are briefly placed in the Khyur ward to warm up; sometimes they splash water on the floor - and this whole hot building temporarily turns into a healing, cleansing sauna. But its main purpose is to serve as a repository for Levatain, the fiery sword-staff of Surtr and Sinmara, forged by Loki as a gift to his adoptive parents. It is from this staff that all the heat comes. It is kept in an iron cup-shaped chest under nine locks. If you take it into your head to steal it, forget to even think about it: without a fair share of the blood of the fiery jotuns, it is impossible to even touch it, not to mention the fact that the guards of Gatropnir do not take their eyes off it.

Many people who have not traveled to the Nine Worlds and are able to see them only through the smoked glass of written tradition argue that Menglod is not a separate independent entity, but just a heyti (ritual name) of Frigg or Freyja. Since I have had the honor of interacting with all three of these ladies, I can assure you that Menglod is a completely separate person. She is a tall giantess who loves jewelry and is usually hung with bundles of beads, many of which appear to be healing amulets. She is especially skilled in treating women's ailments, but can take on any other health problem if she deems you worthy of her attention.

When it comes to offerings, Menglod loves precious jewelry, especially those that cannot be obtained from the mines of Jotunheim. In other words, she has plenty of crystals and polished stones in her treasury, but, for example, shell beads, rare stones or cut gems are truly exotic for Menglod. Flax for headbands can be a useful gift: of all the Nine Worlds, flax is grown only in Vanaheim.

Thrymheim

At the top of one of the mountains of the northeastern ridge rises Thrymheim, the royal palace of Jotunheim. Thrym, the frost thurs, born in Niflheim, was chosen as the High King and leader of all the Jotuns. As king, he performs largely ceremonial functions, although he is sometimes called upon to mediate disputes between tribal leaders and to make decisions on matters that concern too many or may have too serious consequences. (What kind of questions these are that Utgarda-Loki or Surt cannot solve for themselves, I have no idea, but I admit that such things still happen.) Getting to Thrymheim alone is not easy: the mountain paths are usually covered with snow. But the local guides know their stuff, and you can easily find some giant who won’t refuse to visit Thrym with you and drink beer at his hospitable table.

Hold the Old is a cheerful white-bearded giant, famous for his hospitality and often throwing lavish feasts. The best thing you can bring to his table are gifts that can amuse or entertain: songs, fairy tales, magic tricks, and so on. If you announce right from the door that you have come to entertain Thrym and his guests, most likely they will let you in immediately. Choose songs and tales that they have not yet heard, but which will be understandable to them: compose your repertoire thoughtfully. When Trym himself decides to joke, laugh; when he begins to tell a story himself, nod; Don't talk about politics and don't get drunk so as not to blurt out too much. If Thrym or some other jotun invites you to compete to see who can outdrink whom, decline the challenge under some plausible pretext - say, for example, that you still cannot resist such a powerful opponent. By the way, this is the absolute truth.

When dealing with Thrym, do not forget that under the mask of a good-natured jovial fellow hides a stern heart, much colder and crueler than it might seem at first glance. The hold hates the Aesir, and if you serve one of them, it is better not to mention it. Avoid this topic and don't needlessly anger him. Even if you have the sign of Thor's hammer hanging around your neck, Thrym can still let you into his hall - provided that he finds you funny; but leave all politics at the door and talk only about neutral topics. This is another reason not to get drunk when visiting him.

By the way, the beer in Thrymheim is perhaps the best in all the Nine Worlds, and extremely strong. The first to brew such beer was Olvaldi, the frost giant, whose name means “Lord of Beer”; his work was continued by his sons - Tjazzi (the ill-fated giant who kidnapped Idunn and paid for it with his life, Skadi's father), Idi and Ganga. The last two are still alive, well and brewing beer. Be very careful with this drink: it gives mortals a terrible hangover.

The giantess Thorgerd often visits the Thrym court (although she has her own modest home north of Thrymheim). In Jotunheim, she behaves like a typical frosty giantess - she knows how to send wind, rain and hail and often does this, but in fact, Thorgerd is Finnish by origin and spends part of the year in Lapland, among the Sami. For one reason or another, she became a frequent visitor to Scandinavia and entered the Scandinavian pantheon as the patron goddess of Halogaland, a region in northern Norway. Like Kari, the North Wind, she alternately grows younger and older over the course of a year, transforming from a strong, stalwart maiden to a gray-haired matron and back again.

Yarnvid (Iron Forest)

The strangest place in all of Jotunheim is the Iron Forest. There really is something strange in its atmosphere, something, as the Germans would say, unheimlich- ominous, “ungood.” Outwardly, it is no different from any other dense forest, but in reality it is a tirelessly seething whirlpool of magical energy, the effect of which is very similar to radiation. Natives of the Iron Forest usually have great magical and spiritual powers or special deformities, and sometimes both. Some of the major Jotun deities were born here: Hela, Fenris and Jormungandr. Their mother is Angrboda, the Crone of the Iron Forest.

The population of Yarnvid is divided into nine clans, or tribes. Their totems are the Wolf (all the werewolves of the Iron Forest belong to this tribe), the Snake, the Hyena, the Lightning, the Phantom Deer, the Cave Bear, the River of Knives, the Bloody Alder and the Gravedigger Beetle. At the head of each clan is a leader (for example, Farbauti, Loki's father, is the leader of the Lightning clan), and Angrboda, who heads the Wolf clan, is the leader of all leaders, permanently occupying this place after the victory over Farbauti. The Jotuns of the Iron Forest are far from monogamous and often enter into intertribal marriages, so that the blood of several clans, or even all nine, flows in their veins.

In general, the inhabitants of the Iron Forest look quite bizarre. All Jotuns are skilled shapeshifters, but these spend so much time in bestial or semi-animal form that the Iron Forest itself is sometimes called the Forest of Werewolves. Many of its inhabitants and natives are lycanthropes, and some have taken the form of wolves permanently, or at least prefer a half-beast form. Many are distinguished by outlandish deformities; others are covered with animal hair and rough skin, and sometimes with scales or feathers; others are hermaphrodites; others are horned and goat-legged or simply look strange in one way or another. (Generally speaking, among the Jotuns it is believed that any ambiguity of gender is a sign of descent from one of the clans of the Iron Forest: remember, for example, Loki, who changes gender, or the hermaphrodite World Serpent.)

The giants of the Iron Forest are short in stature compared to other jotuns - not much taller, and often shorter, than a tall person (however, there are exceptions - for example, Farbauti, a giant nine feet tall). Representatives of some clans, especially the Gravedigger Beetle tribe, are similar to the “trolls” we imagine them to be. folk tales. Another sign of Yarnvid’s blood is “the instability of the flesh,” as its inhabitants themselves call this phenomenon. It is implied that the Jotuns of the Nine Clans change shape so often and are so free from attachment to forms that it is simply impossible to say what they looked like “originally”, and they themselves sometimes do not remember it. Among the inhabitants of the Iron Forest there are also vampires who feed on the blood or life force of other creatures. In addition, the inhabitants of Yarnvid are excellent hunters. They can teach you how to skillfully track prey, including in the astral world.

The giants of Yarnvid are the most insular of all the Jotun communities, avoiding marriage with those who do not belong to one of their nine clans. They make an exception to this rule only when the birth rate falls due to numerous mutations. The rest of the Jotuns treat them with extraordinary respect, which is mixed with a bit of fear (let's not forget that most of the Jotun gods come from the Iron Forest). Oddly enough, the inhabitants of Yarnvid are quite supportive of people - provided that they manage to pass the test at the first meeting and do not become embittered. Tests are usually of two types. The inhabitants of the Iron Forest can attack you for fun (for example, lycanthropes simply jump from the bushes onto oncoming travelers) - not to kill or seriously injure, but to determine your place in the hierarchy. Here you can either surrender gracefully or fight them until they retreat. After this, you can address them with a friendly speech.

The second way of testing is to send someone especially ugly and ugly to meet you and watch your reaction. The main thing is not to forget that in the Iron Forest an unusual appearance is by no means considered a disadvantage. On the contrary, such differences are a sign of pedigree, a sign of descent from the same ancestors who gave birth to the Jotun gods. Due to the effects of magical "radioactivity", there is simply no such thing as a "correct" or "wrong" bodily form for the inhabitants of Yarnvid - unless we are talking about deformities that are incompatible with life or interfere with the enjoyment of life. The Jotuns of the Iron Forest are taught from childhood to help each other, compensating for the physical differences and problems of their fellow tribesmen: for example, at a clan meeting, a tall Jotun will place a dwarf troll on his shoulders so that he can see better; the long-legged one will never refuse to carry the short-legged one across the stream; those who are physically weak will always be protected from danger (especially since the physically weak often have better developed magical abilities than the strong); Finally, the measure of beauty is not so much the shape of the body as the charm of the individual.

The locals are well aware that outside the Iron Forest the concept of the physical norm is generally accepted and no one shares their cultural blindness to the physical ideal. But this is the point of their clan pride, and this is the basis of the kind of test in which some particularly ugly werewolf or troll may approach you and extend a bizarre limb. If you dislike their appearance, they will stop respecting you. Accept them as they are, without any comments or negative reactions. If you wince, look away, avert your eyes, or otherwise show disgust or pity, you have failed the test. But if you respond calmly and friendly, they will accept you as a friend (although keep in mind that they are sometimes rude in their expressions of friendship).

The Iron Forest is a good refuge for those whose appearance does not meet generally accepted standards. The locals won't judge you by your body: from their point of view, it looks the way it looks, and you are just you. There are many healers in the Iron Forest who specialize in mutations associated with the Yarnvid bloodlines; and they can help not only the Jotuns, but also people.

If the residents of Yarnvid accept you, you will become “one of their own” for them - completely and irrevocably. From their point of view, a person with an injury or disability, physical or mental, is by no means defective: he is simply who he is, one of a kind. The same applies to people with gender issues (and especially to those who are trying to somehow change their physical appearance and gender): among the Jotuns of the Iron Forest, the percentage of bisexual creatures and those with an indeterminate gender is much higher than anywhere else it was, and therefore they treat werewolves associated with gender reassignment much more calmly than many.

Meat is a good offering for any inhabitant of Yarnvid. In addition, the local residents are very fond of sweets, because in normal conditions They rarely get sweets. If you want to bring them booze, beer and mead are not suitable: like the people of Utgard, they prefer something stronger. The best thing is some strong and sweet liqueur. And (oddly enough) you can please them with small toys, especially figurines of some fancy creatures.

Cannibalism (which, we recall, is not alien to other types of jotuns) is very common in the Iron Forest and forms an important part of funeral rites. A troll who dies in battle hopes, not without reason, that his relatives will cook and eat his body, so that it will thereby return to the clan to which it belongs. The bodies of old people are stewed in large cauldrons to soften the meat and seasoned with herbs. Only those who die from the disease are buried or cremated. If you are invited to a funeral feast, remember that it is a great honor. And if you feel that you cannot accept her properly, find a very polite excuse - and one that will sound very convincing.

Hall of Angrboda

Some spirit-seers working with the Jotuns are addressed by Angrboda, the Old Woman of the Iron Forest. Her nickname, Old Woman ( Hag), may seem offensive, but it actually comes from the word " hagia" - "wise woman, witch." Angrboda is a sorceress, a fierce warrior, leader of the Wolf clan, witch of all nine clans and leader of their leaders; Of all the inhabitants of Yarnvid, she is the most respected. Each of the nine clans has its own leader, but in matters foreign policy they all obey Angrboda. She should be treated with as much respect as possible. She is endowed with a great, although not entirely controllable, gift of foresight, and it is not easy to fool her. For her prophecies she asks a high and, often, not the most pleasant price.

In visions, she almost always appears in the form of a tall, muscular giantess with reddish (“the color of dried blood,” as one spirit seer put it) hair, passionate, furious, bloodthirsty, and unusually wise and knowledgeable. As the Lady of the Iron Forest, she knows everything that happens within the borders of her domain and keeps everything under control. But, like most of the inhabitants of Yarnvid, she usually does not leave the Iron Forest and does not interfere in the affairs of the outside world.

If you want to work with the Mother of Wolves, remember that she is very picky, and if for one reason or another she does not like you, she will reject you, without sparing your feelings at all. Most jotuns do not like mental weakness, but Angrboda does not tolerate it at all: those who are weak in spirit and give up without a fight, in her opinion, should be abandoned to their fate even at birth. But if you are a strong and worthy person in a difficult situation, she can be amazingly compassionate. What she understands by weakness has nothing to do with physical condition: the weakness she hates is weakness of will. Even if you are sick or crippled, it doesn't matter to her as long as you don't give up and keep fighting. She treats with special tenderness those who have managed to win their place in the sun, despite congenital physical disabilities or disabilities. In her own way, Angrboda is also a Mother Goddess: with all the ferocity of a she-wolf defending wolf cubs, she protects those whom she recognizes as her own; but if the puppy behaves stupidly, she herself may growl at him, or even bite him to make fun of him. Angrboda is versed in the magic of hunting, divination and werewolfism, and in the female practices of Jotun sex magic. As for offerings, start by giving her some blood.

There is a shaman's pole with a wolf's skull in front of Angrboda's hall, although it is unwise to use it for travel unless you have received explicit permission. The entire palace is hung with skulls and bones, and the entrance is guarded by two huge wolves. Among Angrboda's household are her younger sister Glut ("Burning Coals") and Glut's two daughters - Eisa ("Smoldering Coals") and Enmira ("Ashes"), born from Loki, Angrboda's husband.

Another of the Iron Forest clans is led by Farbauti (“Cruelly Striking”) - a very tall giant who commands lightning and thunder. He is the father of Loki, although he (for personal reasons) did not accept his name as a patronymic: Loki is called only by his mother - the son of Lauveya. Subordinate to Farbauti, the Lightning Clan consists mainly of descendants of fire giants.

In the mountains overlooking the Iron Forest, there is a stone house with a tower, in which Lauveya lives - the mother of Loki and the wife of Farbauti, the leader of the Lightning clan. Due to disagreements with her husband, she lives alone, although Farbauti visits her often. All three of Lauveya's sons are wanderers: Helblindi is an island giant who prefers islands in the ocean, including the one where his mother is from; Buleyst is a thunder giant who occasionally visits Thrym's palace; and, of course, the famous Loki. Each of them can be found with her on occasion: they all love their mother dearly, and her home is the only place that they could call their home.

Lauveya is graceful, pretty and motherly. She is the goddess of trees, with a special tenderness for the small trees of the undergrowth. If you come to visit her and she likes you, she will sit you down at the table and feed you soup, telling you some moral stories in between. She usually welcomes everyone who comes with a gift and knocks on the door before entering. The most appropriate offering to Lauweya is to plant a tree in our world; She seems to love willow trees the most.

Gymirsheim

High in the western mountains stands the fortress of Gymir, the father of Gerd and the husband of Aurboda, one of Menglod's maids, surrounded by a wall of fire. Gyumir does not accept guests (except those whom he invited himself), so there is no point in trying.

Golden House

Two giantess sisters, Fenya and Menya, own a mill named Grotti, from under the millstones of which gold dust comes out. The only trouble is that to do this, you have to throw living people into the millstones, who die screaming while the sisters turn the mill. Fenya and Menya live on the western shore of Jotunheim, in a house whose thatched roof is covered with gold dust (like the Gladsheim palace in Asgard). Many tried to break into this house and steal Grotti or the wealth accumulated by the sisters, and they all ended badly. In fact, it's just a trap for the greedy. No need to go there.

Hyndla Cave

Hidden deep in the northern mountains of Jotunheim is the cave of the giantess Hyndla - the Witch ("wise woman") of these northern mountains. She spends most of her time sleeping - or, more precisely, in a state that from the outside can be mistaken for sleep; in reality, she “travels in distant lands,” sending her spirit where her body cannot reach. Hyndla's cave is guarded by etins loyal to her, who do not allow her “sleep” to be disturbed, so you can see her only when she wakes up briefly to eat and walk around the surrounding area.

For a giantess, Hyndla is short in stature - no taller ordinary person; she looks like a decrepit old woman with long silver hair that flows to the ground. She is very pale (because she rarely leaves her cave) and walks with a stick. Because of this apparent fragility, the giant guards treat her with great care.

Hyndla is the mistress of bloodlines: in her astral wanderings she is said to travel back and forth through the bloodlines of many peoples and races. The gods themselves turn to her when they need to find out how certain individuals are related to each other, and also ask her advice in connection with various “tribal experiments” on humanity. People and creatures of other races come to Hyndla to find out who their ancestors were, find out where certain hereditary diseases came from in their family, deal with blood curses, ask questions about their future descendants and, in general, about everything for which they need the ability to look far enough into the history of bloodlines. Especially useful tips it can be given to people with problems caused by inhuman blood; but for this you will have to go to visit her, because she herself never comes when called.

Hyndla is usually friendly, but can be irritable when asleep. If you flirt with her as a woman, she will usually soften, but be prepared to go all the way if she decides to take you at your word: despite her appearance as an ancient crone, she is very sensual.

Flora

Jotunheim is largely forested, and the vegetation here is rich, lush and extremely varied. In the lowlands, swamps and heather fields stretch for miles, interspersed with rain forests and peat bogs. On the slopes of mountains (which occupy a much larger area than lowlands) grow giant trees, only at the very strip of snow giving way to unpretentious bushes. Among the evergreen trees there are trees so huge that an entire fortress could be housed inside the trunk. And in practice, the most typical form of housing for the poorest part of the population is a hollow, hollowed out at the base of a living tree (usually so large that it doesn’t care about it). Food is mainly obtained by gathering: local residents know where to find fruits and nuts the size of a human head, and know how to look for plants with edible bark, flowers and roots.

Fauna

In terms of the number and diversity of animal species, Jotunheim ranks first in all the Nine Worlds. The gigantic animals of the Ice Age have not yet become extinct here. Cave bears and cave lions, saber-toothed tigers, hyaenodons, dire wolves, mammoths, mastodons and giant crocodiles- these are just a few of the predators that the etins hunt. (In addition, representatives of the megafauna serve as totems for some Jotun tribes.) The only thing you won’t find in the forests of Jotunheim are primates: there are no monkeys jumping along the branches here. But it is full of all sorts of other small animals that are hunted by large predators.

In wetter, swampier areas, insects are rampant, many of them poisonous. To ward them off, Jotuns simply change into a form that is less vulnerable to bites, and if you are going with a Jotun guide, be aware that he may not realize that the insects are dangerous to you. Be sure to clarify this issue before heading out. They also come across Poisonous snakes. In colder evergreen forests, you have to be constantly on guard to avoid tripping over a root, flying into a thorny bush, and becoming prey. large predator. If you do not know how to quickly change your appearance, enlist the help of a jotun guide. And pay him properly for his services.

Inhabitants

The Jotuns in general and their characteristics and habits are described in a separate chapter. According to the diversity of jotuns (and species intelligent beings in general) Jotunheim is superior to all other worlds. Thanks to their flexible, shape-shifting nature, many varieties of ethins have arisen, adapted to living in a particular environment. Marriages between representatives of different tribes and subspecies are the most common thing; There are no prohibitions here, and on the contrary, introducing new bloodlines into the tribe is considered useful, so etins often “go on wanderings” in search of a mate. The birth of children with atavisms is also common, and even siblings sometimes have almost nothing in common with each other.

Take, for example, the marriage of Farbauti and Lauveya: Farbauti is a fire giant with an admixture of the blood of the Iron Forest, and in Lauveya’s family fire, earth, sea and frost giants united (and for Jotunheim, mixtures of this kind are by no means uncommon.) They gave birth to three children: Loki - fiery ethin and bearer of the blood of the Iron Forest, Helblindi - sea giant and Buleist - frost thurs. Overall, as a race, the ethin of Jotunheim are powerful, resilient, and surprisingly diverse.

However, most of the population of this world are the so-called “mountain giants”. Jotunheim is the most mountainous of the Nine Worlds. Jotuns that live on mountain tops and rocky slopes are called bergris ( berg-rise). Some of the rocks and mountains of Jotunheim are “joined” to the northern European mountains so firmly that there is quite a lot of traffic between the worlds in these places. Most of the inhabitants of Jotunheim belong specifically to the category of mountain giants, although due to the fact that mountain giants descended from frost and fire giants, many of them also have clearly expressed generic traits of jotuns of ice or fire. In general, giants with strong frost blood gravitate to the northern mountain ranges, where there is snow most of the year. An example of this is Hold the Old, the nominal king of Jotunheim: his palace stands high in the snowy mountains. Skadi comes from the same area of ​​Jotunheim.

Further south, giants live in dense forests, where they make their homes in hollowed out tree trunks; however, where there are mountains (and about three-quarters of Jotunheim is covered with mountains), they either strive to climb higher or settle in rock caves. We associate a cave with something primitive and rough, but in fact these mountain (or, for that matter, arboreal) dwellings are often very comfortable and even luxurious.

However, mountain giants also successfully build large stone fortresses. They are proud of their ability to build a structure that will merge with the mountain into a single whole. The towers and spiers of their fortresses are indistinguishable in appearance from mountain peaks and rocky outcrops, providing excellent camouflage and confusing wandering outsiders. This is exactly what Tryma's fortress looks like. On the other hand, the city of Utgard is an unusual example of an undisguised giant building: its walls and towers rise menacingly in the middle of a wide wasteland, not even trying to blend into the landscape. The Bergris of Jotunheim are famous masons: they were once hired to build the main city of Asgard.

Concerning appearance, then mountain giants come in different heights, but for the most part they are taller, more massive and stronger than other jotuns, with the exception of the giant frost thurs of ancient times. Some, especially those who draw strength abundantly from their home mountains, are able to take on a mountain-like form in which they are huge, slow, and incredibly strong. Since sexual dimorphism among Jotuns is generally weak, most of the giantesses of Jotunheim are tall, muscular and broad-boned, even if they do not exceed the height of an “ordinary” person. (Considering that over the past centuries people have greatly increased in height - and to be convinced of this, just look at the clothes of our ancestors in some ethnographic museum - we can assume that the Jotuns in their humanoid form simply no longer seem so huge to us. )

Among the giants of Jotunheim there are fair-haired, red-haired, and darker ones. Even those of them who are not associated with rocks and mountains are usually close to the earth in its other forms and manifestations: for example, Lauveya is closely associated with trees, and Gerd is closely associated with garden plants. Jotuns weave fabrics from plant fibers and paint them in bright colors; they love to embroider, and almost all clothing made in Jotunheim is decorated with stripes of colorful embroidery. Another popular material for clothing is soft, well-tanned leather in bright colors.

Like the rocky land on which they live, the giants of Jotunheim are firm and unyielding: once they have made a decision, it is almost impossible to convince them otherwise. They are the most "civilized" of the Jotuns (that is, they have reached more high level technologies applicable in everyday life, they learned to build cities and fortresses and dress in exquisite clothes), but this does not prevent them from remaining as bloodthirsty, ferocious and passionate as other representatives of this race. Due to the high population density in Jotunheim, there are more laws and strict rules governing the circumstances under which they can kill (and eat) each other, but this does not necessarily mean that the giants here are more "tame".

The inhabitants of Jotunheim mainly prefer gathering agriculture, since there is little land suitable for plowing and sowing. However, their tree growing is highly developed, and the varieties of trees they have developed provide a substitute for almost everything that could be grown in the fields. The Vanirs themselves admit that it was from the Jotuns that they adopted the art of breeding fruit trees. In Jotunheim there grow more than seventy varieties of trees, producing nuts the size of a giant's fist and very varied in taste; The kernels of these nuts are ground into flour. A significant part of the diet consists of fruits and berries. Some types of trees are bred for their tender young foliage and root shoots, which are also used for food. The inner bark of some trees is used as a spice. In addition, the Jotuns specially cultivate some herbaceous symbiont plants that live on trees and have beneficial properties. "White herbs" (growing under trees and turning pale from lack of sunlight) are highly valued as medicinals.

The ideal forest house for a giantess housewife is a spacious hollow, hollowed out in the trunk of some gigantic tree, several hundred feet above the ground, so that ample light enters through high windows. Cultivated fruit and nut trees grow around, the fruits of which can be picked directly through the window without leaving the house, and blooming gardens of symbiont plants are spread out on giant branches. A spiral staircase winds around the trunk from the door of the dwelling all the way to the ground; if the mistress of the house is afraid of uninvited guests, then she makes do with a simple rope ladder, which she can raise and lower herself as needed.

In the few open areas, the Jotuns settle in stone houses covered with branches. In the center of the settlement there is usually a hill where there are ceremonial poles hung with bones - the remains of seasonal sacrifices. Mammoth tusks and large bones of giant animals are also used in everyday life: they are used to make roof rafters and various furniture.

If you come across a house made entirely of bones, then know that this is the home of a local witch or wise woman. There are many of these in Jotunheim, and some of them are well-known in their circles, but remember that they do not exist to teach you everything they know. Many travelers should take note of this to avoid getting into trouble. If any Etha sorceress wants to teach you something, she will turn to you herself or let you know that you can come to her. The idea of ​​going in search of a wise mentor among the Jotuns may seem romantic to some, but nothing good will come of such an undertaking. Nothing will hold you back local residents from attempting to astrally kill and eat anyone who behaves too naively and too demandingly. This world is by no means as peaceful and comfortable as some would like, and neither are its inhabitants. Be careful and polite and be prepared to accept if your request is denied.

Offerings

The offerings depend on the nature of that particular jotun. If you offer the giants of Jotunheim a treat, it should be hearty and contain a lot of meat. When measuring portions, don't skimp. Jotuns value spices and seasonings, but for them light delicacies are just an appetizer, which must be followed by a real meal. Can you offer them this plant foods, which is not easy to obtain in their area - for example, cereals that grow only on the plains, tropical fruits or rare roots and herbs that are not found in Jotunheim (but grow, for example, in China). They prefer stronger drinks; Jack Daniels and schnapps usually go well. And, of course, your work will always be appreciated (whether skilled or not, it doesn’t matter).

Jotuns usually also like pretty things self made. It is better to present them with gold or silver in the form of jewelry than in coins: save the coins for the doors. Expensive fabrics and decorations will come in handy in Utgard, but remember that all this should be not only beautiful, but also durable: leave fragile, exquisite toys for the elves. Good hand tools, just “good” ones, and not some cheap ones, will be an excellent gift for any home owner. Finally, the ideal gift for the inhabitants of Jotunheim would be for them to sacrifice a edible animal themselves before starting their journey, but of course most people do not have this option.

Translation by Anna Blaze (http://www.weavenworld.ru/books/C42/I226)

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The meaning of the word Jotunheim

Jötunheim in the crossword dictionary

Wikipedia

Jotunheim

Jotunheim, Jotunheim(that is land of the Jotuns;) in German-Scandinavian mythology - one of the nine worlds, a land inhabited by giants - the Jotuns.

According to legends, it was created by the Aesir east of Midgard for Bergelmir and his descendants. Jötunheim is separated from Asgard by the River Ewing. Jotunheim is ruled by King Thrym. The main settlement of Jotunheim is Utgard. The Iron Forest and Stone Mountains located there are also mentioned. In Jotunheim are located Gastropnir - the house of Menglad and Thrimheim - the house of Tiazi.

Often visited by the Asami. The sagas mention the repeated travels of Thor and Loki throughout Jotunheim, including to Utgard. The element of this world is Earth. Some of the Jotuns lived in the Stone Mountains; it was believed that their head and heart were made of stone. There is a place in Jotunheim - the Iron Forest, the habitat of witches and female trolls. The Norns came from Jotunheim. With their arrival, the golden age on earth ended and time was divided into past, present and future. Birth and death appeared.

Stringholm indicates that Jötunheim lies north from the Dvina to the Arctic Ocean and east from the Gulf of Bothnia to Ural mountains. Subsequently, after the establishment of closer relations between the Scandinavians and the inhabitants of Rus', Volga Bulgaria and Biarmia, Jotunheim was moved in legends beyond the Ural Mountains.

For Bergelmir and his descendants. Jötunheim is separated from Asgard by the River Ewing. Jötunheim is ruled by King Thrím. The main settlement of Jötunheim is Utgard. The Iron Forest and Stone Mountains located there are also mentioned. In Jotunheim are located Gastropnir - the house of Menglad and Thrimheim - the house of Tiazi.

Often visited by the Asami. The sagas mention the repeated travels of Thor and Loki throughout Jotunheim, including to Utgard. The element of this world is Earth. Some of the Jotuns lived in the Stone Mountains; it was believed that their head and heart were made of stone. There is a place in Jotunheim - the Iron Forest, the habitat of witches (night riders) and female trolls. The Norns came from Jotunheim. With their arrival, the golden age on earth ended and time was divided into past, present and future. Birth and death appeared.

Stringholm indicates that Jötunheim lies north from the Dvina to the Arctic Ocean and east from the Gulf of Bothnia to the Ural Mountains. Subsequently, after the establishment of closer relations between the Scandinavians and the inhabitants of Rus', Volga Bulgaria and Biarmia, Jotunheim was moved in legends beyond the Ural Mountains.

Miscellaneous

• The Finnish band Moonsorrow has a song called Jötunheim.
• The Swedish band Therion have an album Secret of the Runes, dedicated to the worlds of Norse mythology, including the song Jotunheim.

Notes

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See what "Jötunheim" is in other dictionaries:

- Jötunheim, Jötunheim (that is, the land of the Jötuns; other isl. Jötunheimr) in German Scandinavian mythology, one of the nine worlds, a land inhabited by the giants Jötuns. According to legends, it was created by the Aesir east of Midgard for Bergelmir and his descendants. From... ...Wikipedia

- Jötunheim, Jötunheim (that is, the land of the Jötuns; other isl. Jötunheimr) in German Scandinavian mythology, one of the nine worlds, a land inhabited by the giants Jötuns. According to legends, it was created by the Aesir east of Midgard for Bergelmir and his descendants. From... ...Wikipedia

- Jötunheim, Jötunheim (that is, the land of the Jötuns; other isl. Jötunheimr) in German Scandinavian mythology, one of the nine worlds, a land inhabited by the giants Jötuns. According to legends, it was created by the Aesir east of Midgard for Bergelmir and his descendants. From... ...Wikipedia

Thor Thor Genre fantasy ... Wikipedia

This article is about the comic book location. For the location of Germanic Scandinavian mythology, see Asgard. A page from the comic: an image of Heimdall's hall and himself standing on the rainbow bridge. Asgard ... Wikipedia

- (Old Historic singular iotunn, Old English eoton), thurs (Old Historic purs, Old English pyrs), in the later Scandinavian tradition trolls (singular troll), in Scandinavian mythology giants. They are presented in two ways. On the one hand, these are ancient giants... ... Encyclopedia of Mythology

Traditional religions Key Concepts God · ... Wikipedia

This article needs additional sources to improve verifiability. You can help improve this article by adding links to authoritative sources. Not confirmed... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Thor. Thor's Battle with the Giants, Morten Eskila Vinge (1872) ... Wikipedia

Books

• Indestructible Hulk. Volume 2. Gods and the Monster, Wade Mark. Bruce Banner and his laboratory assistants go to Jotunheim, and this can only mean one thing: the Hulk will have to fight the ice giants! Thor intervenes in their fight, but what's wrong with...

According to the ideas of the ancient Scandinavians and Germans, the universe consists of 9 worlds. The place where people live is called Midgard. It is located in the very center and is, as it were, the middle world. Midgard is Earth. The remaining 8 worlds are located along the axis above (in the sky), below (underground) and on the 4 cardinal directions.

Worlds of German-Scandinavian cosmogony

Asgard was considered the highest located world. It was inhabited by the aesir gods who created Midgard, people and all other worlds. Below lay the heavenly palace of Alfheim, where the light elves (elves) lived and the magnificent palace of the god of fertility Frey towered.

Underground were Svartalfheim (country of miniature dwarfs) and Helheim ( kingdom of the dead, ruled by Loki's daughter Hel). To the south of Midgard is the land of fire Muspellheim. The entrance to this inhospitable place was guarded by the giant Surt. He was also the ruler of Muspellheim.

Vanaheim spreads to the west of Midgard. This is the world of the Vanir gods overthrown by the Aesir. A truce is periodically concluded between Vanaheim and Asgard, but for the most part conflicts occur. If you move north from Midgard, you can find yourself in a foggy land of eternal darkness and cold, which the Scandinavians called Nilfheim. Frost giants live there.

The world of cold and magic

The ninth world - Jotunheim - was located just to the west of Midgard. It was created by the aces for the giant Belgermir and his entire family. Since then, this world has been inhabited by giants-jotuns. Translated from Old Norse, the word “Jötunn” means “glutton”. The inhabitants of Jotunheim were distinguished by their gigantic growth, enormous physical strength and ferocity. They were constantly at odds with both people and the Aesir themselves.

Jotuns are one of the oldest races of living beings, the personification of the elemental forces of nature. Only some could survive in such a gloomy place as Jotunheim. In the Old Norse epic, the giants-jotuns were constantly contrasted with the aesir. The first ones were evil, but rather simple-minded. The latter stood guard over goodness and life, but were distinguished by cunning and sophistication.

The world of giants is separated from Asgard not only by geographical location, but also by the mythical river Ewing. Its shores represent two complete opposites. On one, beautiful trees bloom and it is always warm, on the other - eternal ice and darkness. Jotunheim is ruled by the prince of darkness Thrym. One day he managed to steal Thor's magic hammer, for which he paid with his own life.

Among other “curiosities” in Jotunheim there is the iron forest, where giants often appear in the guise of wolves or witches. The giantess Angrboda also lives in it. The god Loki was inflamed with such passion for this lady that she bore him three offspring: the goddess of death Hel, the giant wolf Fenrir and the equally huge serpent Jormungandr.

The main city of Jotunheim is Utgard. This is not even a city, but a whole transcendental world, which in the Scandinavian sagas is always contrasted with reality and Midgard. No mortal will ever enter Utgard. This is a receptacle of demonic magic, not subject to the general world order. Despite the gloom and ugliness of Jotunheim and Utgard, both of these places were often visited by aces. Odin and his sons have been here more than once.

Jotunheim is not as far as it seems

Swedish writer and historian Anders Strinnholm, who studied the German-Scandinavian epic, believed that the Scandinavians could call the territory of Rus', from the Ural Mountains to the Arctic Ocean, Jotunheim. It was this snow-covered plain that the creators of the Elder and Younger Eddas associated with the gloomy and cold world of the ice giants-jotuns.