WORSHIP OF THOR. 353 



to make the sign of the hammer at burials and marriages. 1 

 This hammer was called Mjollnir, and (Lokasenna) when Thor 

 is taunted by Loki, he answers each time by these lines 



" Be tbou silent, coward, 

 My Tkrudhamar (mighty hammer) 



Mjollnir 2 

 Shall take thy talk from thee." 



But that the svastica was emblematic of the sign of Thor, 

 and had been adopted as such by the people of the North, is 

 only an hypothesis, for it is also found in Greece and other 

 countries ; there is nothing in the Sagas to prove the assertion. 



" Asbjorn Reyrketilsson and his brother Steinfinn took up 

 land above Krossa, and east of Fljot. Steinfinn lived at Stein- 

 finnstadir, and no man has descended from him. Asbjorn 

 consecrated his land to Thor, and called it Thorsmork " (Land- 

 narna v., 2 ch.). 



The hammer as an ornament is not uncommon, and may 

 have been used as an amulet, as is seen on several runic stones 

 (see p. 352). 



Even Christians called upon Thor for help in sea voyages 

 and difficulties. 



" Eyvind, from Sweden, went on expeditions westward, aud 

 in Ireland married Eaiorta, daughter of the Irish king 

 Ivjarval. She bore him a son, Helgi, and they sent him to the 

 Hebrides to be fostered. Two winters later they came back to 

 the Hebrides, and did not recognise him, as he had been starved. 

 They therefore called him Helgi the Lean, and took him away. 

 He was after this fostered in Ireland, and when grown up 

 became a highly honoured man, and was married to Thorun 

 Hyrna, daughter of Ketil Flatnose. They had many children ; 

 Hrolf and Ingjald were their sons. Helgi the Lean went to 

 Iceland with his wife and children. He had a very mixed 

 creed ; he believed in Christ, but nevertheless invoked Thor 

 for help in sea voyages and in difficulties. When he saw 

 Iceland, he inquired from Thor where he should take up land. 

 The answer told him to go to the north coast of Iceland " 

 (Landnama iii., 12). 3 



1 Thrymskvida. The bridegroom and 

 bride were to be marked with the holy 

 sign. (Vol. II., p 12.) 



2 St. Olafs Saga, 44. <- He was marked 

 after Thor and hammer in the hand." 



3 In the account of Fornmanna Sijgur 



about the battle of Srold, Eirik jarl is 

 said to have had Thor in the prow of his 

 ship. "He took it away and put the 

 cross instead, which he did on the advice 

 of Olaf Tryggvason," otherwise he would 

 not get the victory. 



VOL. I. 2 A 



