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Frigg

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Frigg is a goddess from Germanic mythology.

Frigg by Doepler
Frigg by Doepler

She belongs to a group of gods called the Æsir. Most old sources say she is the wife of Odin. She lives in a place called Fensalir. This home is located in the wetland halls. Many people associate her with marriage and motherhood. She is also linked to prophecy and seeing the future.

Frigg and Fulla 1874
Frigg and Fulla 1874

Some thinkers also connect her to the goddess of the Earth.

Many stories show how Frigg interacts with other gods. She has a maid named Fulla who helps her. Frigg is also linked to goddesses named Lofn, Hlín, and Gná. In one old legend, she helps a group of people called the Winnili. These people were led by a woman named Gambara. When the Winnili faced a war, they called upon Frigg. She told them to let their women wear their hair long. This helped the god Godan recognize them at sunrise. Because of this, they became known as the Langobards.

Her name has a very long history. The name Frigg comes from an old word, *Frijjō. This word is related to words for being free. It is also close to words meaning beloved or dear. Scholars say the name is a sibling to words for love and friendship. In the past, the name had many different spellings. In Old Swedish, people wrote it as Frigg, Freya, or Frea. One person named Johannes Bureus even recorded a Runic version in 1599.

Frigg appears in many important ancient texts. The Poetic Edda mentions her in several different poems. One poem, called Völuspá, tells of her sadness. She wept when her son Baldr died. The poem also says Odin was the beloved of Frigg. Another text is the Prose Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century. There is also a 10th-century manuscript from Merseburg, Germany. This writing, called an incantation, mentions Frija and Volla. They are said to be sisters who help heal a horse.

We can still see her influence in our world today. The English word Friday comes from her name. It originally meant "Frigg's Day." This is a way of honoring her in our weekly calendar. Even after people became Christian, her name stayed in Scandinavian folklore. Today, people study her in art and popular culture. Some people even follow her in modern Germanic Neopaganism.

Frigg and Odin in Grímnismál by Frølich
Frigg and Odin in Grímnismál by Frølich

Her stories help us understand how ancient people viewed the world.

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🖼️ Images & Media (8)
File:Frigg by Doepler.jpg
Frigg by Doepler.jpg
File:Wodan Frea Himmelsfenster by Emil Doepler.jpg
Wodan Frea Himmelsfenster by Emil Doepler.jpg
File:Wodan Frea Himmelsfenster II by Emil Doepler.jpg
Wodan Frea Himmelsfenster II by Emil Doepler.jpg
File:Wodan heilt Balders Pferd by Emil Doepler.jpg
Wodan heilt Balders Pferd by Emil Doepler.jpg
File:Frigg and Odin in Grímnismál by Frølich.jpg
Frigg and Odin in Grímnismál by Frølich.jpg
File:Frigg and Fulla 1874.jpg
Frigg and Fulla 1874.jpg
File:Baldr's Death by Frølich.jpg
Baldr's Death by Frølich.jpg
File:Paganeu1.gif
Paganeu1.gif
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