Editing Ullr (section)

==Literary tradition==
===''Gesta Danorum''===
[[Image:Olaus Magnus - On Invocators of the Sea.jpg|thumb|Ollerus traverses the sea on his magic bone; 16th-century woodcut]]

In [[Saxo Grammaticus]]' 12th-century work ''[[Gesta Danorum]]'', where gods appear [[euhemerize]]d, Ullr, latinized as ''Ollerus'', is described as a cunning wizard with magical means of transportation:

{|
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:{{lang|la|Fama est, illum adeo praestigiarum usu calluisse, ut ad traicienda maria osse, quod diris carminibus obsignavisset, navigii loco uteretur nec eo segnius quam remigio praeiecta aquarum obstacula superaret.}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kb.dk/elib/lit/dan/saxo/lat/or.dsr/3/4/index.htm|title=Saxo Grammaticus, Gesta Danorum, Liber 3, Caput 4|work=kb.dk}}</ref>
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:The story goes that he was such a cunning wizard that he used a certain bone (probably a sledge or similar conveyance), which he had marked with awful spells, wherewith to cross the seas, instead of a vessel; and that by this bone he passed over the waters that barred his way as quickly as by rowing.– Elton's translation
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|}

When [[Odin]] was exiled, Ollerus was chosen to take his place and ruled under the name Odin for ten years until the true Odin was called back.

===Poetic Edda===
[[Image:Manuscript Ullr.jpg|thumb|upright|Illustration from an 18th-century [[Iceland]]ic [[manuscript]] showing Ullr on his skis and with his bow]]

Ullr is mentioned in the poem ''[[Grímnismál]]'' where the homes of individual gods are recounted. The English versions shown here are by Thorpe.

{|
|
:{{lang|non|Ýdalir heita}}
:{{lang|non|þar er Ullr hefir}}
:{{lang|non|sér of görva sali.}}
|
:[[Ýdalir]] it is called,
:where Ullr has
:himself a dwelling made.
|}

The name ''Ýdalir'', meaning "yew dales", is not otherwise attested. The elastic wood of the [[Taxus baccata|yew]] was an important material in the making of bows, and the word ''ýr'', "yew", is often used [[metonymy|metonymically]] to refer to bows. It seems likely that the name ''Ýdalir'' is connected with the idea of Ullr as a bow-god.

Another strophe in ''Grímnismál'' also mentions Ullr.

{|
|
:{{lang|non|Ullar hylli}}
:{{lang|non|hefr ok allra goða}}
:{{lang|non|hverr er tekr fyrstr á funa,}}
:{{lang|non|því at opnir heimar}}
:{{lang|non|verða of ása sonum,}}
:{{lang|non|þá er hefja af hvera.}}
|
:Ull’s and all the gods’
:favour shall have,
:whoever first shall look to the fire;
:for open will the dwelling be,
:to the Æsir's sons,
:when the kettles are lifted off.
|}

The strophe is obscure but may refer to some sort of religious ceremony. It seems to indicate that Ullr was an important god.

The last reference to Ullr in the ''Poetic Edda'' is found in ''[[Atlakviða]]'':
{|
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:{{lang|non|Svá gangi þér, Atli,}}
:{{lang|non|sem þú við Gunnar áttir}}
:{{lang|non|eiða oft of svarða}}
:{{lang|non|ok ár of nefnda,}}
:{{lang|non|at sól inni suðrhöllu}}
:{{lang|non|ok at Sigtýs bergi,}}
:{{lang|non|hölkvi hvílbeðjar}}
:{{lang|non|ok at hringi Ullar.}}
|
:So be it with thee, Atli!
:as toward Gunnar thou hast held
:the oft-sworn oaths,
:formerly taken -
:by the southward verging sun,
:and by Sigtý’s hill,
:the secluded bed of rest,
:and by [[Rings in Germanic cultures|Ullr's ring]].
|}

Both ''Atlakviða'' and ''Grímnismál'' are often considered to be among the oldest extant Eddic poems. It may not be a coincidence that they are the only ones to refer to Ullr. Again Ullr appears to be associated with some sort of ceremony, this time the practice of [[Rings in Germanic cultures|swearing an oath on a ring]]; the ring was later associated with [[Thor]] in a reference to the Norse settlers in [[Dublin]].{{Sfn|de Vries|1970b|p=390}}

===''Prose Edda''===
In chapter 31 of ''[[Gylfaginning]]'' in the ''[[Prose Edda]]'', written in the 13th century by [[Snorri Sturluson]], Ullr is referred to as a son of [[Sif]] (with a father unrecorded in surviving sources) and thus a stepson of Sif's husband, [[Thor]]:

{|
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:{{lang|non|Ullr heitir einn, sonr Sifjar, stjúpsonr Þórs. Hann er bogmaðr svá góðr ok skíðfœrr svá at engi má við hann keppask. Hann er ok fagr álitum ok hefir hermanns atgervi. Á hann er ok gott at heita í einvígi.}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/gg/gg4par23.html|title=Gylfaginning 23-32|work=hi.is}}</ref>
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:Ullr, Sif's son and Thór's stepson, is one [too]. He is such a good archer and ski-runner that no one can rival him. He is beautiful to look at as well and he has all the characteristics of a warrior. It is also good to call on him in duels.– ''Young's translation''
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|}

In ''[[Skáldskaparmál]]'', the second part of the ''Prose Edda'', Snorri mentions Ullr again in a list of [[kenning]]s, informing his readers that Ullr can be called ski-god, bow-god, hunting-god and shield-god. In turn a shield can be called Ullr's ship. Despite these details, he relates no myths about Ullr, potentially as he did not know of any.{{citation needed|date = August 2022}}

===Skaldic poetry===
Snorri's note that a shield can be called Ullr's ship is borne out by surviving [[skaldic poetry]] with kennings such as ''askr Ullar'', ''far Ullar'' and ''kjóll Ullar'' all meaning Ullr's ship and referring to shields. While the origin of this kenning is unknown it could be connected with the identity of Ullr as a ski-god. Early skis, or perhaps sleds, might have been reminiscent of shields. A late Icelandic composition, ''[[Laufás-Edda]]'', offers the prosaic explanation that Ullr's ship was called ''Skjöldr'', "Shield".

The name of Ullr is also common in warrior kennings, where it is used as other god names are.

:''Ullr brands'' – Ullr of sword – warrior
:''rand-Ullr'' – shield-Ullr – warrior
:''Ullr almsíma'' – Ullr of bowstring – warrior<ref>{{cite web |author=Eysteinn Björnsson |title=GLOSSARY: T - Ú (tafn - úrfræningr) |website=Lexicon of kennings |url=http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/kennings/tvoca.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030513011612/http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/kennings/tvoca.html |archive-date=2003-05-13 }}</ref>

Three skaldic poems, ''[[Haustlöng]]'', [[Eilífr Goðrúnarson]]'s ''[[Þórsdrápa]]'', and a fragment by [[Eysteinn Valdason]], refer to Thor as Ullr's stepfather, confirming Snorri's information.