Wayland facts for kids

Wayland was a god from ancient Germanic beliefs. He was known as the god of blacksmiths, who made things from metal.

People wrote about Wayland in old Anglo-Saxon stories and poems like Deor, Waldere, and Beowulf. His story also appears on a special old box called the Franks Casket. You can find more about the Franks Casket here: [1] .

Wayland's Smithy

Wayland is also connected to a place called Wayland's Smithy. This is a very old burial mound (a hill built over a burial place) in Oxfordshire, England. The Saxon people named it after Wayland, but the mound was there long before they arrived.

There's a fun superstition about Wayland's Smithy. People say that if you leave a horse there overnight with a small silver coin (called a "groat"), the horse will have brand new shoes by morning! It's like Wayland the blacksmith is still working his magic.

See also

In Spanish: Wayland para niños