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that always they got comfort and aid by it, for where he was they thought help was near. Often he went away so long that he passed many seasons on his journeys.

Odin had two brothers, the one hight Ve, the other Vile,[1] and they governed the kingdom when he was absent. It happened once when Odin had gone to a great distance, and had been so long away that the people of Asia doubted if he would ever return home, that his two brothers took it upon themselves to divide his estate; but both of them took his wife Frigg to themselves. Odin soon after returned home, and took his wife back.

Odin went out with a great army against the Yanaland people; but they were well prepared, and defended their land, so that victory was changeable, and they ravaged the lands of each other and did great damage. They tired of this at last, and, on both sides appointing a meeting for establishing peace, made a truce and exchanged hostages. The Yanaland people sent their best men,—Njord the Ivich and his son Frey; the people of Asaland sent a man hight Hæner,[2] as he was a stout and very handsome man, and with him they sent a man of great understanding, called Mimer; and on the other side the Yanaland people sent the wisest man in their community, who was called Quaser. Now when Hæner came to Yanaheim he was immediately made a chief, and Mimer came to him with good counsel on all occasions. But when Hæner stood in the Things, or other meetings, if Mimer was not near him, and any difficult matter was

  1. See Norse Mythology, page 174.
  2. See Brage's Talk, p. 160; and Norse Mythology, pp. 247 and 342.