NORSE GEOGRAPHY. 



53 



of the Romverjar (Romans) went widely about the world 

 and underlaid (conquered) all nations ; and many chiefs on 

 that account left their lands. As Odin was foreknowing 

 and skilled in witchcraft he knew that his descendants 

 would live in the northern part of the world. Then he 

 set his brothers Vili and Ye to rule Asgard ; he left, and 

 all the Diar with him, and many folk. First he went west- 

 wards to Gardariki, then southwards to Saxland. He had 

 many sons ; he became owner of land at many places in Sax- 

 land, and left his sons to defend Saxland. Then he went 

 northwards to the sea and settled on an island ; that place is 

 now called Odinsey (Odin's island) in Fjon (Fyen). Then 

 he sent Gefjon 1 northwards across the Sound to discover lands ; 

 she came to Gylfi, and he gave her one plough-land. Then 

 she went to Jotimheim and there got four sons by a Jotun ; 

 she changed them into oxen, and harnessed them to the plough, 

 and drew the land out to sea, and westwards, opposite to 

 Odinsey, and the land is called Selund (Zealand) ; she after- 

 wards lived there. Skjold, a son of Odin, married her; they 

 lived at Hleidra (Leire). There is a lake or sea called Log 

 (Malaren). The fjords in the Log lie as the nesses in Selund. 

 When Odin heard that Gylfi's land was good he went there, 

 and he and Gylfi made an agreement, for Gylfi thought he 

 had not strength enough to withstand the Asar. Many 

 devices and spells did Odin and Gylfi use against each other, 

 and the Asar always got the better of them. Odin took up 

 his abode at the Log (Malaren), which is now called the old 

 Sigtiinir ; there he made a great temple and sacrificed accord- 

 ing to the custom of the Asar. He gave abodes to the temple- 

 priests ; Njord lived at Noatiin, Frey at Uppsalir, Heimdall at 

 Himinbjorg, Thor at Thrudvang, Baldr at Breidablik ; he gave 

 good abodes to them all " (YngJinga, c. 5). 



While Odin, according to the sages, was in Sweden 2 his son 

 Sigrlami ruled over Gardariki ; during the life of his father or 

 after his death he had to fight against the Jotnar, and, like 

 Skjold his brother, he married a daughter of King Gylfi, who 

 ruled over the present Sweden, whose authority is made to 

 extend to the principal islands which form part of the present 



Denmark. 



i 



"At this time the Asia-men and Tyrkjar came from the 

 east and settled in the northern lands; their leader was 



1 Gefjon was one of the Asynjur. 



- Svithj6d = Sweden, but it can hardly 



be taken in these early Sagas as exactly 

 corresponding to modern Sweden. 



