![]() Who are Huginn and Muninn to Odin?Ī lot has been made of this by scholars in the last hundred years or so, maybe longer back even. However, it isn’t clear from this verse what the purpose of their flying every day actually is.īut I fear more for Munin. In verse twenty, he tells of his ravens, and how they fly across the worlds. Odin, who was in disguise (naturally) and calling himself Grimnir, shared his knowledge with the young boy. The only one willing to bring something to drink to Odin, was Agnar the young son of the king. The Grimnismal poem is from the Poetic Edda and tells the story of a time Odin was held captive. It is believed that even in the end, at Ragnarok, they will be there by his side. As his companions, or as discussed above, extensions of him, they go where Odin goes. While they never play a major part in any of the old myths, Huginn and Muninn are always with Odin. Huginn and Muninn in Norse myths and poetry Free to travel the nine worlds, seeking out information and knowledge. Both words, and as such Huginn and Muninn, are connected to the mind and seen as separate from the body. Like so many old Norse words or concepts, the understanding is often contextual and often not a simple word.Ĭonsidering the meaning and looking at the old Norse hugr and munr, you could argue they mean almost the same. The old Norse “ munr” could as well be understood to mean mind, joy or pleasure, delight found in one’s mind. Just like how Huginn means much more than thought, however, the meaning of Muninn is much broader than just “memory”. ![]() Muninn (sometimes Munin) is derived from the Old Norse “munr”, which comes from the Proto-Germanic “ muniz”, which can be seen as meaning “memory”. While this was in Christian times, there are many examples of Old Norse myths making it into modern folklore people believed in hundreds of years later. In older Norwegian, “hug/hugen” comes from “ hugr” and can be understood as both soul and something independent of the body.Īccording to Norwegian folklore, some people were believed to be able to hurt others from afar, with their “evil hugen”. In later, more modern times I believe the word “hug”, as in giving someone a hug is also derived from the same source. The translation however is not as straightforward and the meaning can represent a spirit or even a sense of something. Huginn (sometimes Hugin) is derived from the Old Norse “hugr”, which comes from the Proto-Germanic “hugiz”, meaning “thought”. This is found in the Gylfaginning, part of Snorri’s Prose Edda. Odin was so closely associated with his ravens that one of his many names was actually Hrafnagud, Raven God. When seen on a battlefield, ravens were seen as there on behalf of Odin or being him in raven form. However, different from Sleipnir for example, they were much more than just animals associated with Odin, they represented him. When riding into battle, they would also go with him, just like his wolves Geri and Freki followed him. For Odin, arguably the most powerful Seidr shaman of Norse mythology, it seems only natural he would have fylgjur with him.Īcting as Odin’s eyes and ears, Huginn and Muninn would travel the nine realms every morning, gathering information for him. The Norse believed everyone could have them, but at least for humans, they were mostly spirits. The fylgja (plural fylgjur) is the concept of the companion spirit, often in animal form, following you through life.
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