Odin.  The chief of the gods.  He is the all-pervading spirit of the world, the governor of the universe, the author of war and the inventor of runes and of poetry.  In appearance he is old, tall, one-eyed and long-bearded.  He wears a broad-brimmed hat and a many-colored coat, and carries a spear called Gungner.  Odin’s birds.  Odin has two ravens, Hugin and Munin (reflection and memory), which every day fly around the world and return to him with intelligence of all that happens.  Peasant.  The piece of lowest rank in chess; a pawn.  Ragnarok (the twilight of the gods).  The day of the destruction of the world, and of the regeneration of gods and men.  See Canto XXIV.  Ran (the robber).  Goddess of the sea; wife of AEger.  Rota.  One of Valhal’s maidens; a valkyrie.  Runes.  The letters of the ancient Scandinavian alphabet were called runes (secrets).  The runes were sixteen in number, and previous to the introduction of Christianity they were supposed to have been invented by Odin himself.  A knowledge of them was for a long time confined to a few, who use them for the purposes of sorcery.  Rune-stone.  A stone inscribed with runes, and set up at graves or elsewhere as a monument.  Saga.  Goddess of history; hence a history.  Seming.  A son of Odin.  The early kings of Norway traced their lineage directly to Seming.  Signe.  See Hagbart Skinfaxe (shining mane).  The horse of Day.  Skoal.  A health.  Skuld.  The future.  See Norns.  Sleipner (the slipper).  Odin’s course with eight feet.  Sokvabek.  Dwelling of Saga.  SURT.  God of fire.  Thing (pronounced ting).  A deliberative assemblage of Norsemen, composed of all who were capable of bearing arms.  It was held in the open air.  The thingsmen expressed approval of any measure by striking the shield with the sword.  Thor.  The second of the gods; the thunderer; the subduer of the frost giants.  He has a red beard; his weapon is a short-handled hammer called Mjolner.  He is girt with a belt of strength, and wears iron gloves.  His sons are Magne and Mode, strength and courage.  Urd.  The past.  See Norns.  Urd’s fount.  The fountain from which the norns sprinkled the tree Ygdrasil.  Utgard-Loke.  The Loke of the Giants,—­called Utgard, because he dwelt in the uttermost parts of the world, Jotunheim.  Vala.  A prophetess.  Valaskjalf.  Odin’s dwelling.  Valhal (the hall of the slain).  Only those who fell by wounds received in battle, or self-inflicted, were entitled to the joys of Valhal, where they were feasted by Odin and attended by the valkyries.  VALKYRIES (choosers of the slain).  Goddesses who serve in Valhal and go on Odin’s errands.  Var.  The goddess who presides over marriages.  VEGTAM.  A name assumed by Odin when he went to consult the vala concerning the fate of Balder.—­See