Editing Njörðr (section)

==Attestations==
===''Poetic Edda''===
[[Image:The Lovesickness of Frey.jpg|thumb|Njörðr, Skaði, and Freyr as depicted in ''The Lovesickness of Frey'' (1908) by W. G. Collingwood]]

Njörðr is described as a future survivor of Ragnarök in stanza 39 of the poem ''[[Vafþrúðnismál]]''. In the poem, the god [[Odin]], disguised as "[[List of names of Odin|Gagnráðr]]" faces off with the wise jötunn [[Vafþrúðnir]] in a battle of wits. While Odin states that Vafþrúðnir knows all the fates of the gods, Odin asks Vafþrúðnir "from where Njörðr came to the sons of the Æsir", that Njörðr rules over quite a lot of temples and [[hörgr]]s (a type of Germanic altar), and further adds that Njörðr was not raised among the Æsir. In response, Vafþrúðnir says:

<blockquote><poem>In [[Vanaheimr|Vanaheim]] the wise Powers made him
and gave him as hostage to the gods;
at the doom of men he will come back
home among the wise Vanir.<ref name=LARRINGTON46>Larrington (1999:46).</ref></poem></blockquote>

In stanza 16 of the poem ''[[Grímnismál]]'', Njörðr is described as having a hall in Nóatún made for himself. The stanza describes Njörðr as a "prince of men", that he is "lacking in malice", and that he "rules over the "high-timbered temple."<ref name=LARRINGTON54>Larrington (1999:54).</ref> In stanza 43, the creation of the god Freyr's ship [[Skíðblaðnir]] is recounted, and Freyr is cited as the son of Njörðr.<ref name=LARRINGTON58>Larrington (1999:58).</ref> In the prose introduction to the poem ''[[Skírnismál]]'', Freyr is mentioned as the son of Njörðr, and stanza 2 cites the goddess [[Skaði]] as the mother of Freyr.<ref name=LARRINGTON61>Larrington (1999:61).</ref> Further in the poem, Njörðr is again mentioned as the father of Freyr in stanzas 38, 39, and 41.<ref name=LARRINGTON67>Larrington (1999:67).</ref>

[[Image:Lokasenna by Lorenz Frølich.jpg|thumb|''Lokasenna'' (1895) by [[Lorenz Frølich]]]]

In the late [[flyting]] poem ''[[Lokasenna]]'', an exchange between Njörðr and [[Loki]] occurs in stanzas 33, 34, 35, and 36. After Loki has an exchange with the goddess Freyja, in stanza 33 Njörðr states:

<blockquote><poem>That's harmless, if, besides a husband, a woman has
a lover or someone else;
what is surprising is a pervert god coming in here,
who has borne children.<ref name=LARRINGTON90>Larrington (1999:90).</ref></poem></blockquote>

Loki responds in the stanza 34, stating that "from here you were sent east as hostage to the gods" (a reference to the Æsir-Vanir War) and that "the daughters of [[Hymir]] used you as a pisspot, and pissed in your mouth."<ref name=LARRINGTON90/> In stanza 35, Njörðr responds that:

<blockquote><poem>
That was my reward, when I, from far away,
was sent as a hostage to the gods,
that I fathered that son, whom no one hates
and is thought the prince of the [[Æsir]].<ref name=LARRINGTON90/></poem></blockquote>

Loki tells Njörðr to "stop" and "keep some moderation", and that he "won't keep it a secret any longer" that Njörðr's son Freyr was produced with his [[Sister-wife of Njörðr|unnamed sister]], "though you'd expect him to be worse than he is." The god [[Tyr]] then interjects and the flyting continues in turn.<ref name=LARRINGTON90/>

Njörðr is referenced in stanza 22 of the poem ''[[Þrymskviða]]'', where he is referred to as the father of the goddess Freyja. In the poem, the jötunn [[Þrymr]] mistakenly thinks that he will be receiving the goddess Freyja as his bride, and while telling his fellow jötunn to spread straw on the benches in preparation for the arrival of Freyja, he refers to her as the daughter of Njörðr of Nóatún.<ref name=LARRINGTON100>Larrington (1999:100).</ref> Towards the end of the poem ''[[Sólarljóð]]'', Njörðr is cited as having nine daughters. Two of the names of these daughters are given; the eldest Ráðveig and the youngest Kreppvör.<ref name=THORPE120>Thorpe (1907:120).</ref>

===''Prose Edda''===
Njörðr is also mentioned in the ''Prose Edda'' books ''[[Gylfaginning]]'' and ''[[Skáldskaparmál]]''.

====''Gylfaginning''====
[[Image:Niorder und Skadi auf dem Wege nach Noatun after an original by W Engelhard by F W Heine.jpg|thumb|''Njörðr and Skaði on the way to Nóatún'' (1882) by [[Friedrich Wilhelm Heine]]]]
[[Image:Skadi's longing for the Mountains.jpg|thumb|"Skadi's longing for the Mountains" (1908) by W. G. Collingwood]]
In the ''Prose Edda'', Njörðr is introduced in chapter 23 of the book ''Gylfaginning''. In this chapter, Njörðr is described by the enthroned figure of High as living in the heavens at Nóatún, but also as ruling over the movement of the winds, having the ability to calm both sea and fire, and that he is to be invoked in seafaring and fishing. High continues that Njörðr is very wealthy and prosperous, and that he can also grant wealth in land and valuables to those who request his aid. Njörðr originates from [[Vanaheimr]] and is devoid of Æsir stock, and he is described as having been traded with [[Hœnir]] in hostage exchange with between the Æsir and Vanir.<ref name=BYOCK33-34>Byock (2006:33–34).</ref>

High further states that Njörðr's wife is Skaði, that she is the daughter of the jötunn [[Þjazi]], and recounts a tale involving the two. High recalls that Skaði wanted to live in the home once owned by her father called [[Þrymheimr]] ("Thunder Home"). However, Njörðr wanted to live nearer to the sea. Subsequently, the two made an agreement that they would spend [[numbers in Germanic paganism|nine]] nights in Þrymheimr and then next three nights in Nóatún (or nine winters in Þrymheimr and another nine in Nóatún according to the ''[[Codex Regius]]'' manuscript<ref name=BYOCK141>Byock (2006:141).</ref>). However, when Njörðr returned from the mountains to Nóatún, he says:

<blockquote><poem>
Hateful for me are the mountains,
I was not long there,
only nine nights.
The howling of the wolves
sounded ugly to me
after the song of the swans.<ref name=BYOCK33-34 /></poem></blockquote>

Skaði then responds:

<blockquote><poem>
Sleep I could not
on the sea beds
for the screeching of the bird.
That gull wakes me
when from the wide sea
he comes each morning.<ref name=BYOCK33-34 /></poem></blockquote>

High states that afterward Skaði went back up to the mountains to Þrymheimr and recites a stanza where Skaði skis around, hunts animals with a bow, and lives in her fathers old house.<ref name=BYOCK141/> Chapter 24 begins, which describes Njörðr as the father of two beautiful and powerful children: Freyr and Freyja.<ref name=BYOCK35>Byock (2006:35).</ref> In chapter 37, after Freyr has spotted the beautiful jötunn [[Gerðr]], he becomes overcome with sorrow, and refuses to sleep, drink, or talk. Njörðr then sends for Skírnir to find out who he seems to be so angry at, and, not looking forward to being treated roughly, Skírnir reluctantly goes to Freyr.<ref name=BYOCK45>Byock (2006:45).</ref>

====''Skáldskaparmál''====
[[Image:Njörðr (1832) from Die Helden und Götter des Nordens, oder Das Buch der sagen.jpg|thumb|''Njörðr'' from the philological book ''Die Helden und Götter des Nordens, oder Das Buch der Sagen'' (1832)]]

Njörðr is introduced in ''[[Skáldskaparmál]]'' within a list of 12 Æsir attending a banquet held for [[Ægir]].{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=59}} Further in ''Skáldskaparmál'', the [[skald]]ic god [[Bragi]] recounts the death of Skaði's father Þjazi by the Æsir. As one of the three acts of reparation performed by the Æsir for Þjazi's death, Skaði was allowed by the Æsir to choose a husband from amongst them, but given the stipulation that she may not see any part of them but their feet when making the selection. Expecting to choose the god [[Baldr]] by the beauty of the feet she selects, Skaði instead finds that she has picked Njörðr.{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=61}}

In chapter 6, a list of [[kenning]]s is provided for Njörðr: "God of chariots", "Descendant of Vanir", "a Van", father of Freyr and Freyja, and "the giving God". This is followed by an excerpt from a composition by the 11th century [[skald]] [[Þórðr Sjáreksson]], explained as containing a reference to Skaði leaving Njörðr:

<blockquote>Gundrun became her son's slayer; the wise god-bride [Skadi] could not love the Van; Kialar [Odin] trained horses pretty well; Hamdir is said not to have held back sword-play.{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=75}}</blockquote>

Chapter 7 follows and provides various kennings for Freyr, including referring to him as the son of Njörðr. This is followed by an excerpt from a work by the 10th-century skald [[Egill Skallagrímsson]] that references Njörðr (here anglicized as "Niord"):

<blockquote>For Freyr and Niord have endowed Griotbiorn with a power of wealth.{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=75}}</blockquote>

In chapter 20, "daughter of Njörðr" is given as a kenning for Freyja.{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=75}} In chapter 33, Njörðr is cited among the gods attending a banquet held by Ægir.{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=86}} In chapter 37, Freyja is again referred to as Njörðr's daughter in a verse by the 12th century skald [[Einarr Skúlason]].{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=98}} In chapter 75, Njörðr is included in a list of the Æsir.{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=157}} Additionally, ''Njörðr'' is used in kennings for "warrior" or "warriors" various times in ''Skáldskaparmál''.{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=248}}

===''Heimskringla''===
[[File:AM 738 4to, 36r, BW Njörðr.jpeg|thumb|right|A depiction of Njörðr from a 17th-century Icelandic manuscript]]

Njörðr appears in or is mentioned in three [[Kings' sagas]] collected in ''Heimskringla''; ''[[Ynglinga saga]]'', the ''Saga of Hákon the Good'' and the ''Saga of Harald Graycloak''. In chapter 4 of ''Ynglinga saga'', Njörðr is introduced in connection with the [[Æsir-Vanir War]]. When the two sides became tired of war, they came to a peace agreement and exchanged hostages. For their part, the Vanir send to the Æsir their most "outstanding men"; Njörðr, described as wealthy, and Freyr, described as his son, in exchange for the Æsir's [[Hœnir]]. Additionally, the Æsir send [[Mímir]] in exchange for the wise [[Kvasir]].<ref name=HOLLANDER8>Hollander (2007:8).</ref>

Further into chapter 4, Odin appoints Njörðr and Freyr as [[gothi|priests]] of [[Blót|sacrificial offerings]], and they became gods among the Æsir. Freyja is introduced as a daughter of Njörðr, and as the priestess at the sacrifices. In the saga, Njörðr is described as having once wed his unnamed sister while he was still among the Vanir, and the couple produced their children Freyr and Freyja from this union, though this custom was forbidden among the Æsir.<ref name=HOLLANDER8 />

Chapter 5 relates that Odin gave all of his temple priests dwelling places and good estates, in Njörðr's case being [[Nóatún (mythology)|Nóatún]].<ref name=HOLLANDER10>Hollander (2007:10).</ref> Chapter 8 states that Njörðr married a woman named Skaði, though she would not have intercourse with him. Skaði then marries Odin, and the two had numerous sons.<ref name=HOLLANDER12>Hollander (2007:12).</ref>

In chapter 9, Odin dies and Njörðr takes over as ruler of the Swedes, and he continues the sacrifices. The Swedes recognize him as their king, and pay him tribute. Njörðr's rule is marked with peace and many great crops, so much so that the Swedes believed that Njörðr held power over the crops and over the prosperity of mankind. During his rule, most of the Æsir die, their bodies are burned, and sacrifices are made by men to them. Njörðr has himself "marked for" Odin and he dies in his bed. Njörðr's body is burnt by the Swedes, and they weep heavily at his tomb. After Njörðr's reign, his son Freyr replaces him, and he is greatly loved and "blessed by good seasons like his father."<ref name=HOLLANDER13>Hollander (2007:13).</ref>

In chapter 14 of ''Saga of Hákon the Good'' a description of the [[Germanic paganism|pagan Germanic]] custom of [[Yule]] is given. Part of the description includes a series of [[Toast (honor)|toasts]]. The toasts begin with Odin's toasts, described as for victory and power for the king, followed by Njörðr and Freyr's toast, intended for good harvests and peace ({{langx|non|[[til árs ok friðar]]}}). Following this, a beaker is drunk for the king, and then a toast is given for departed kin.<ref name=HOLLANDER107>Hollander (2007:107).</ref> Chapter 28 quotes verse where the kenning "Njörðr-of-roller-horses" is used for "sailor".<ref name=HOLLANDER119>Hollander (2007:119).</ref> In the ''Saga of Harald Graycloak'', a stanza is given of a poem entitled ''Vellekla'' ("Lack of Gold") by the 10th century Icelandic [[skald]] [[Einarr Helgason|Einarr skálaglamm]] that mentions Njörðr in a kenning for "warrior".<ref name=HOLLANDER135>Hollander (2007:135).</ref>

===''Egils saga''===
In chapter 80 of the 13th century [[Icelandic saga]] ''[[Egils saga]]'', [[Egill Skallagrímsson]] composes a poem in praise of Arinbjörn (''[[Arinbjarnarkviða]]''). In stanza 17, Egill writes that all others watch in marvel how Arinbjörn gives out wealth, as he has been so endowed by the gods Freyr and Njörðr.<ref name="SCUDDER-163">Scudder (2001:163)</ref>