Freyja facts for kids
Freyja (pronounced "FRAY-yah") is an important goddess in Norse mythology. Her name comes from the Old Norse word for "the Lady." She is known as the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and even war and death. Freyja is also skilled in a type of magic called seiðr.
She is a member of the Vanir gods, and her father is Njörðr. Her twin brother is Freyr. Freyja is considered one of the most beautiful goddesses. She owns a famous necklace called Brísingamen. She travels in a chariot pulled by two large cats and is often seen with her giant boar, Hildisvíni. Freyja also has a magical cloak made of falcon feathers that allows her to fly.
Freyja is married to the god Óðr, and they have two daughters, Hnöss and Gersemi. She rules over a beautiful heavenly field called Fólkvangr. When warriors die in battle, Freyja welcomes half of them to Fólkvangr, while the other half go to Valhalla with Odin.
Contents
Welcoming Fallen Warriors
When brave warriors die in battle, the Valkyries choose who will fall and bring their souls to the afterlife. Freyja shares these heroes with Odin. Half of the fallen warriors go to her sacred realm, the field of Fólkvangr. There, she has a grand hall called Sessrúmnir, where she decides where her warriors will sit.
The old myths describe it like this: The ninth hall is Folkvang, where bright Freyja decides Where her warriors shall sit, Some of the slain belong to her, Some belong to Odin.
Freyja's Beloved Husband
Freyja is married to a god named Óðr. She loves him very much, but he often goes on long journeys. When he is away, Freyja cries tears that are said to be red gold. When these tears fall to Earth, they turn into gold and amber. Because of this, gold was sometimes called "Freyja's tears." She and Óðr have two lovely daughters named Hnoss and Gersemi.
The Brísingamen Necklace
Freyja often rides in a chariot pulled by her sacred animals, two large blue cats. She can also ride on her golden boar, Hildisvíni, who joins her in battle. Freyja was famous for her beauty. Myths tell of three giants who wanted to marry her, but they were all defeated by Thor, the god of thunder.
Freyja also owns a very special necklace called Brísingamen. The trickster god Loki once stole this precious necklace. Freyja had to ask the guardian god Heimdall for help. Heimdall fought Loki and won, returning the necklace to Freyja. Because of this, Loki is sometimes called "Thief of Brisingamen," and Heimdall is called "Seeker of Brisingamen."
Another time, Thrymr, the king of the giants, stole Thor's hammer, Mjölnir. When Loki went to Jötunheimr to get the hammer back, Thrymr said he would only return it if Freyja agreed to marry him. When Loki told Freyja the news, she became so angry that the heavens shook, and her Brísingamen necklace broke!
To get Mjölnir back, it was decided that Thor would pretend to be Freyja. Loki disguised himself as one of Freyja's maidservants. Thor even borrowed Freyja's necklace for the disguise. When they arrived, Thrymr held a huge feast to celebrate the wedding. He presented Mjölnir to "Freyja" as a wedding gift. Thor then grabbed his hammer and defeated Thrymr and everyone at the wedding.
Freyja's Many Roles
Freyja is a powerful warrior goddess. When she rides into battles, she claims half of the souls of heroes who die. She is also a skilled practitioner of magic, known as seiðr. She has a magical cloak made of falcon feathers that allows her to fly between different worlds.
Freyja is also seen as the goddess of crops and childbirth. She is a goddess of love, and people in love would often pray to her.
Freyja and Frigg were two of the most respected goddesses in Norse mythology. Viking people especially worshipped them. Freyja is often described as the kindest among the goddesses. In a poem from the Poetic Edda, a young man named Ottar always trusted in the goddesses. He built a rock shrine for them, and Freyja answered his prayers. She even disguised Ottar as her golden boar and went on a journey to help him find his ancestors.
After Ragnarök
In the final great battle called Ragnarök, Odin and Freyr are said to die. The myths do not clearly state whether Freyja dies or survives during Ragnarök.
Freyja's Names
Freyja's name means "the Lady," just as her brother Freyr's name means "the Lord."
The day of the week, Friday, is believed to be named after either Freyja or Odin's wife, Frigg. Before Christianity became common, the Orion constellation was sometimes called Frigg's distaff or Freyja's girdle. Some people even think that Frigg and Freyja might have been the same goddess.
Freyja is also known as Vanadis, which means "Lady of the Vanir" in Old Norse. The metallic element Vanadium was named after her. The Vanir gods are sometimes thought to be related to elves. Her brother Freyr is known as the Lord of the elves, and their home is Alfheim.
Another name for Freyja is Gefn, which means "Giver." This name suits her role as a fertility goddess.
Freyja represents the strong Norse women of the Viking Age, whose husbands often went away to war. From Freyja's name, noble Norse women were called "Fru," and wives were called "house-fru." The German word "Frau," meaning "woman," also comes from this root.
Today, Freya and Freja are common female names in Scandinavian countries.
Images for kids
-
While Freyja's cats look on, the god Thor is unhappily dressed as Freyja in Ah, what a lovely maid it is! (1902) by Elmer Boyd Smith.
-
Freyja in the Dwarf's Cave (1891) by Louis Huard
-
Ripe rye in Northern Europe
-
Freyja's hair—Polygala vulgaris—a species of the genus Polygala.
-
The pendant found in Hagebyhöga, now on display in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm.
-
The reconstructed wagon found in the Viking Age Oseberg ship burial, featuring a depiction of nine cats
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Freyja para niños
