Name:______________________________________

Norse Worksheet #3

GERMANIC MYTH:  DIVINE ANCESTRY

1. Who is generally thought of as the most powerful of the Norse gods?
1. Thor                 b.  Frigg           c.  Odin

2 – 5. Number the following incidents in the story of the battle between two Germanic tribes, one led by the power of Odin, and the other led by the power of Odin’s wife, Frea (Frigg), in the order that they happened.

_____  Godan (aka Odin) planned to give victory to the first army he saw in the morning.

_____  Godan (aka Odin) asked who the Longbeards were – thus addressing Frea’s army first.

_____  Frea, Odin’s wife, had the women arrange their hair by their faces and stand with the men in her army.

_____  The Wandali prayed to Godan (aka Odin) for victory.

6 – 13.  Number the following events in the story of Freyr and The Giantess Gerd in the order they occurred.

_____  Skirnir, Freyr’s servant, go to Giantland to woo Gerd for Freyr.

_____ Freyr sees Gerd and immediately falls in love with her.

_____  Skirnir threatens Gerd and her father with death.

_____  Gerd agrees to marry Freyr.

_____  Savage guard dogs prevent Skirnir from meeting Gerd at her house.

_____   Skirnir offers Gerd gifts but she isn’t interested.

_____  Freyr gets ticked off because Gerd makes him wait.

_____  Skirnir describes and begins writing the curse Gerd will get if she does not marry Freyr.

14-15. Which two of the following may be the most likely interpretations of the Gerd myth?

a. Gerd, Freyr and Skirnir represent forces in nature resulting in agriculture.

b. Marriages that are not based on mutual love and kindness may not make the partners happy.

c. Honesty is the best policy.

d. The Golden Rule

16.  Why do you think Skirnir was so willing to design such an awful curse for the woman his master loved?