Stories from Norwegian culture and mythology have always
fascinated me. Every Monday I try to find some of these stories to share with you. Some I find in my own back yard, some I translate from Norwegian
folklore and some are researched online. The stories from Norse Mythology are
based on “The Prose Edda”, an Icelandic collection of prose containing tales
from Nordic mythology, written by the Icelandic scholar and historian Snorri
Sturluson around the year 1220.
With all the recent attention Thor has been getting in the movies,
I thought it fitting to take a look at Thor’s mother. You know her better than
you might think.
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| Thor's Mother Jord |
Thor is the first son of Odin, father of the Asgardians, but
little is said of his mother. Thor has a
special love for Earth, more so than perhaps any other god. Like his father he
is captivated by the beauty, the strength and endurance of earth. Thor is the protector of earth and it is not
surprising since earth is his birthplace and Jord (Norwegian name for earth) is
Thor’s mother.
In Norse mythology, Jord, also known as mother earth is the
mother of Thor. Jord is a giantess and reckoned a goddess, like other jötnar
(giants) who coupled with the gods. Jord (also known as Fjorgyn, or Hlodyn) is
one of the Aesir, an earth goddess as well as a giant, she was the mother of
Thor and the mistress of Odin. Some say that she was Odin’s first wife but the
interpretations are unclear as to whether that is the case.
According to one
story, Odin sought to father a son whose power would derive from Earth as well
as Asgard, and hence he sought to mate with Jord. Odin created a cave in Norway
where Jord gave birth to Thor. Months after the infant Thor was weaned, Odin
brought him to Asgard to be raised. Odin's wife, the goddess Frigg, acted as
Thor's mother from that time onward. Not until years after his birth did Thor
learn that Jord was his birth mother, and he has been busy protecting her ever
since.
Did you know that by being a creature of the earth, you are related to Thor as well? Do you know where your hammer is, and how often do you use it?
