6 4 THE SUCCESSORS OF ODIN. 



from all parts of the country to assist at the sacrifices. The 

 Sagas say that great Things were held there, all important 

 quarrels settled, friendship sealed, and peace concluded between 

 chieftains and countries. 



" Frey took the realm after Njord ; he was called the drottin 

 of the Swedes, and took taxes of them. He was as well liked as 

 his father, and in his clays also were good seasons. Frey raised 

 a large temple at Uppsalir, and had his head burgh (hofud 

 stad) there ; all his taxes, lands, and loose property he gave 

 thereto. That was the beginning of the Uppsalir wealth, which 

 has been kept up ever since. 



" In his days the peace of Frodi l (King in Denmark) began ; 

 then there were good seasons in every land. The Swedes 

 attributed that to Frey. He was worshipped more than 

 other gods, because in his days the people of the land became 

 wealthier than before, on account of the peace and the good 

 seasons. His wife was called Gerd, daughter of Gymir ; 2 their 

 son was Fiolnir. Another name of Frey was Vnfjvi : this 



V / ^J 



name was long afterwards used among his kin as a name of 

 honour, and his kinsmen were afterwards called Ynglingar. 

 Frey fell sick ; when he was near death they took counsel 

 and allowed few men to see him ; they made a large mound 

 ready for him with a door and three holes. When Frey was 

 dead they carried him secretly into the mound and told the 

 Swedes that he was alive, and kept him there for three winters. 

 They poured all the taxes into the mound, the gold through 

 one hole, the silver through another, and the brass pennings 

 through the third. Then peace and good seasons continued " 

 (Ynglinga, c. 12). 



" When all the Sviar knew that Frey was dead, and peace 

 and good seasons continued, they believed it would last while 

 Frey was in Svithjod, and would not burn him, and called him 

 the god of the world (veraldar god), and sacrificed ever since 

 chiefly to him for good seasons and peace " (Ynglinga, c. 13). 



After the death of Frey, Freyja, the daughter of Njord, 

 became the priestess, and offered the sacrifices. 



" Freyja upheld the sacrifices, for she alone of the godar was 

 then living, and she became so renowned that all high-born 



1 The peace of Frodi, so called from 

 the chief who ruled Denmark at the 

 time, and who must have become very 



celebrated. 



2 Gymir, a jotun of whom nothing is 

 known. 



