In OE there were a couple of words for swan. The OE word swan remains unchanged. This comes from the proto-Germanic swanaz or the ‘singing bird’. Another OE word for swan was ilfetu, which might be cognate with the name Alvitr, a swan-maiden who along with her sister Hlaðguðr svanhvít (swanwhite) and Ölrún became the swan-wives of Völundr (Weland the smith) Slagfiðr and Egil.

art - Swan Maidens by English artist Walter Crane

Pictured above is a section of the Saxon Cross in St Peter’s Minster Church, Leeds. It’s not so easy to make out the image, but it depicts Weland the smith with a pair of wings, in the guise of his Eagle fetch (Fylgja) holding Böðvildr (OE Beadohild) by the waist with his beak. To the side of Welands legs are the tools of his smith-trade.

On the Nordendorf I fibulae there is a runic innoscription which invokes wigiþonar. Þonar is Thunor whilst the prefix is believed to come from either the Proto-Germanic *wīhaz ‘sacred’ or *wīgą / *wiganą ‘battle’ which is itself the root of the OE wīġ meaning both war (warrior) but can also mean weoh (idol).

Hāl Holy Thunor! Hāl Warrior Thunor!

image - Thunor weoh from Gudahagen's Viking Market.

Impressive Frēa - Thunor - Woden weoh godpoles.

image source

Gunnlöð was responsible for guarding the mead of poetry, however Woden in the form of a snake finds a way into the Hnitbjörg mountain where the mead is kept. There he seduced Gunnlöð for three nights and in return she allows Woden three drinks of the mead, after which he leaves in haste in the form of an eagle.

Gunnlöð by Anders Zorn (1886).

Thursley (Þunres lēah) common, Surrey.

Eolh-secg eard hæfþ oftust on fenne
wexeð on wature, wundaþ grimme,
blode breneð beorna gehwylcne
ðe him ænigne onfeng gedeþ

The Eolh-sedge is mostly to be found in a marsh;
it grows in the water and makes a ghastly wound,
covering with blood every warrior who touches it.

The Eolh-secg is often translated as Elk-Grass, however according to Johannes Hoops in his book 'Über Die Altenglischen Pflanzennamen' (1889) this rune actually refers to a plant recorded in OE as eolugsecg and eolxsegc or sea holly, also called sea thistle, a plant native to England.

It is suggested that Eolh originally meant eoletes from the root *ēalēt, itself from ēa meaning water. Secg translates as Sedge (grass) but secg was used in OE compound words to mean 'sword' which describes the sharp ended holly.

Attested in Old English is a form of chant once know as Sygegealdor or Sige-galdor, a magical chant used to gain Victory. We still occasionally use a victory galdor during our rites, Sige Tîr! The chant invokes the 'one who brings victory' or Siggautr, a kenning for Odin. In OE the name appears in the kingslist as Sigegeat, perhaps a byname of Woden.

An idol of the god Lytir was said to be placed in a wagon and when the goðar were sure that the spirit of the god had inhabited the weoh, it was paraded around parts of central Sweden. It was reckoned that the weoh would increase in weight when it had become possessed. Afterwards it was presented to the king who sought answers from the weoh by asking it questions.

It is thought that Lytir may well be another name for Freyr. Freyr, like the English Frēa are connected with the wagon. Author A Liberman claims the Icelandic term Litr meant ‘phallic’ and as we know Freyr is symbolised in such manner. Others suggest Lytir comes from liuta, meaning casting lots or divination. Whoever Lytir is they must have been important as there are place names in Sweden once named after him, Lytisberg and Lytislunda for example.

Image - Weoh of Freyr

The OE name Sinnihte meant ‘Ever night’ and came from PGmc *sinnahtī. The name looks like it could be related to the largely unknown goddess Sinhtgunt who is mentioned in the Merseburg Incantation. The meaning of her name is disputed and many translations are suggested, though nearly all associate her with either a star or the night sky. The element -gunt is connected with the idea of birth (from the proto Germanic kuntǭ). If Sinhtgunt’s name is rooted in *sinnahtī it may mean she is Nott (OE *Niht) the Night Goddess herself, which is why she is paired with Sunne in the Merseburg Incantation. This would suggest Sinhtgunt and Sunne are the twin-goddesses of night and day.

It’s the Sunstede today and my family-hearth have travelled to a Wodenist folk-moot this weekend, where we will be holding our Susntede-Blot in honour of (amongst others) Sunne and Bældæg. The word Sunstede comes from the OE Sunne 'sun' and stede meaning ‘in its position’. This is the OE word for the solstice. There was also the OE word midsumor meaning midsummer (which traditionally falls around the 24th).
Glæd sunstede!

Art by Elin Manon