native purity. Let us examine, however, how far his bold assertion may be maintained, respecting the poetical machinery adopted by the ancient Scalds. Let us advert to Edda,[1] a monument "tout-à-fait unique en son espèce," as Monsieur Mallet assures us,[2] and try whether there be not, in fact, almost the whole of what he has rejected.
Gylfe was king of Sweden, and a celebrated magician. When a colony of Asiatics arrived in his country (a tradition which adds strength to my hypothesis) he assumed the form of an old man, and journeyed to the city of Asgard. "Sed Asæ erant perspicaciores, (imo ut) præviderent iter ejus, eumque fascinatione oculorum exciperent. Tunc cernebat ille altum palatium: Tecta ejus erant tecta aureis clypeis, ut tectum novum. Ita loquitur Diodolfius: 'Tectum ex auro micante, Pariotes ex lapide, Fundamina aulæ ex montibus fecere Asæ sagaciores.' "[3]
Here, beyond dispute, is an enchanted castle. And not only so, but the common oriental practice of putting a number of questions as the test of a person's wisdom, occurs in this very fable. "Qui est le plus ancien ou le premier des Dieux?" is first asked, and other interrogatories follow, of a similar character. Then for the Giants—in the Bunic mythology nothing is more common. Speaking of the formation of man, the Edda observes (I follow the French translation of M. Mallet): "Cet homme fut appellé Yme; les Géans le nomment Oergelmer, et c'est de lui que toutes leurs families descendent, comme cela est dit dans la Voluspa: 'Toutes les Prophétesses viennent de Vittolfe; les sages de Vilmôde, les Géans de Yme,' et dans un autre endroit: 'Des fleuves Elivages out coulé des goutes de venim, et il souffla un vent d'où un Géant fut formé. De lui viennent toutes les races Gigantesques.' "[4] In this place we have not merely an accidental notice of giants, but their full genealogy, and a quotation from a poem still more ancient than the Edda, introduced in support of it. Afterwards mention is made of the Dwarfs: "Alors les Dieux s'etant assis sur leurs thrônes rendirent
- ↑ "The Edda was compiled, undoubtedly with many additions and interpolations, from fictions and traditions in the old Runic poems, by Soemund Sigfusson, surnamed the Learned, about the year 1057."—Warton. But Warton has not proved his undoubtedly; and though I do not deny the probability of interpolations, I shall not relinquish the giants, &c., without further proof.
- ↑ Monumens de la Mythol. et de la Poesie des Celtes, &c., p. 13, Pref.
- ↑ "But the Asiatics were more quick-sighted; nay, they foresaw his Journey, and deceived him with their enchantments. Then he beheld a lofty palace: its roofs were covered with golden shields, like a new roof. Thus Diodolfius speaks of it: 'The Asiatics, more skilful, made the roof of shining gold, and its walls of stone; the foundations of the hall were mountains.' "—Goranson, Lat, Tr. of the Edda.
- ↑ Mythologie Celtique, p. 11.
