Page:Norse mythology or, the religion of our forefathers, containing all the myths of the Eddas, systematized and interpreted with an introduction, vocabulary and index.djvu/447



[Anglo-Sax. eagor, the sea]. The god presiding over the stormy sea. He entertains the gods every harvest, and brews ale for them. It still survives in provincial English for the sea-wave on rivers. Have a care, there is the eager coming!—(Carlyle's Heroes and Hero-worship.) Æger.

A son of King Hraudung and foster-son of Frigg. Agnar.

A son of King Geirrod. He gives a drink to Grimner (Odin). Agnar.

[Anglo-Sax. ælf, munt-ælfen, sæ-elfen, wudu-elfen, etc.; Eng. elf, elves; Germ. alb and elfen, Erl- in Erlkönig (Goethe) is, according to Grimm, a corrupt form from the Danish Ellekonge like Elverkonge; in the west of Iceland the word is also pronounced álbr]. An elf, fairy; a class of beings like the dwarfs, between gods and men. They were of two kinds: elves of light (Ljósálfar) and elves of darkness (Dökkálfar). The abode of the elves is Álfheimr, fairy-land, and their king is the god Frey Elf.

or [Father of all]. The name of Odin as the supreme god. It also refers to the supreme and unknown god. Allfather.

[álf, elf, and heimr, home]. Elf-land, fairy-land. Frey's dwelling, given him as a tooth-gift. Alfheim.

[sviðr (svinnr), rapid, wise]. All-wise. One of the horses of the sun. Alsvid.

[All-wise]. The dwarf who answers Thor's questions in the lay of Alvis. Alvis.

[The etymology is doubtful; perhaps from ama, to vex, annoy, and svartnir (svartr), black.] The name of the sea, in which the island was situated where the wolf Fenrer was chained. Amsvartner.