329 
Hel. “ The Black.” Goddess of: deaths cast down by the 
All-Father into Niflheim. A personification of the darker 
aspect of a future existence. 
Hraesvelgr. “ Corpse-devourer.” A giant clad in eagle’s 
plumage, who sits at the northern end of heaven, and from 
whose wings comes the wind. (Cf. Egdir). Wind-powers of 
course come into great prominence in stormy regions ; hence 
the importance of the wind-aspect of Odhinn. These myths 
belong to a period when the wandering Aryans had colonized 
the wild North. 
Jotunn. “ Eaters.” The Giants; unruly, devouring, turbulent 
powers of nature, who are especially opposed to and overthrown 
by Thorr, the bright champion of kosmic order, on the establish- 
ment of which they were driven beyond the ocean-stream to 
Jotunheim, the Utgard or Outer-world. Amongst them are 
such beings as Beli* and Hrungnir, “ the Heaped-up ” (i.e., 
rude, wild mountains), who was slain by Thorr. Their original 
sire was Ymir. Cf. the Greek Titans. In illustration of 
their opposition to the bright-powers, we find that “ both 
giants and dwarfs shun the light. If surprised by the break - 
ing-forth of day, they become changed to stones. 
Loki. “ The Shiner,” i.e., Fire.J The evil-aspect of the 
fire-power, which originally as Lodr, beneficent “ Warmth,” 
played an important part in the animation of man. Loki, by 
his tricks and recklessness, constantly endangered the gods, 
who at length bound him ; but he will break loose at Rag- 
narok and especially oppose Heimdallr; he also, as noticed, 
became the sire of the great monsters and a representation of 
evil. 
Mancic/armr. “ Moon-swallower.” A wolf, offspring of Loki, 
who at Ragnarok shall swallow Mani, the moon ; the sun and 
moon are constantly pursued by the wolves of darkness, who 
will at length overtake them.§ 
Midhgardhsormr. “ The Serpent-of-Midgard.” Midgard 
is the earth as the kosmic centre-point; and in the aerial 
heavens originally rages the serpent, snake, or dragon of 
storm and darkness, the Yedic .Ahi|| and Yritra,1f the Ira- 
* Vide sup. In voc. + Northern Mythology, i. 8, note 3. 
X Sk. root lok, “ to shine old Norse logi, “flame etc. 
§ Vide Garmr. In this connection we may remember “ the Manducus, a 
symbolic effigy with gaping jaws which was borne aloft in Roman games and 
processions to represent the under-world” (Rev. Isaac Taylor, j Etruscan 
Researches , 121). 
|| The “Binder,” “Strangler” ; Sk. root anh, “to press together Gk. 
echis, echidna. 
The “ Coverer ” ; Sk. root mi, “ to cover.” In Vedic mythology Vritra 
personified as a rain-restraining demon. 
