Motherly Love In Norse Mythology: Strong and Tender
One of the reasons to keep Norse mythology still alive until modern time was because of the values that have survived the test of time. This blog post is to mention eleven mothers in Norse mythology who always brought the best things to their kids.
Frigg the Queen of Asgard
Mother communicates her love
in a thousand different ways.
When there’s a need she is there,
whether it is night or day.
Frigg was the only official queen of Asgard who could sit on the throne of Odin the Allfather. Frigg and Odin had a son who was the sole heir to Odin's power. His name was Baldur and he was a beloved god. Everyone in the cosmos loved him so much for his kindness, beauty, and fair play.
But what was written in the fate of Baldur was a blow to Norse gods. It prophesied that one day, Baldur would meet his tragic ending and the death of Baldur would become the first sign of Ragnarok the Doom of Gods.
Frigg who was the goddess of love and mother feared that one day she might not see his son again, traveled all around the world to make everyone promise. She wanted every creature in the cosmos to promise never to harm her son. Finally, she had their words.
But Baldur never could escape his fate.
In the most grieving time of the loss, Frigg was the first to embrace herself and start to find out a way to help her son back. The ruler of the underworld said if Frigg could ask everyone in the cosmos to mourn for Baldur, he would be back to life. Once again, Frigg wandered around Nine Worlds asking everyone to weep for Baldur. All of them did, except for a giant who was actually Loki in disguise refused to do so. This became the reason why Baldur remained in the land of the deceased until Ragnarok had come to pass.
Sigyn the Giantesses of Fidelity
Son, oh how my heart aches so.
I would love to have you back
and never let you go.
Son, where there was happiness,
now there is sadness.
Son, how I long to hear your voice
and see your beautiful smile
and have you back
for just a little while.
Son, until that day I see you again,
I will look to the sky and
search among the stars
for my son and best friend
Sigyn must have been the most miserable character in Norse mythology for all the things she had been through. Sigyn was one of Loki's wives. While Loki and Angrboda had some "famous" kids like Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel, Sigyn was not often mentioned.
But Sigyn had two sons with Loki. Their names were Vali and Nari. Not until the death of Baldur did these kids appear in Norse myth.
At that point, Norse gods were angry and they swore to make Loki pay for what he had done to Baldur. Thor was the one who managed to catch Loki in a river. Binding Loki to a rock, gods carried out to torture him.
Vali, Nari, and Sigyn came to the cave where Loki was tortured. Vali was turned into a wolf and forced to kill his brother, Nari. And Loki then was bound to the rock by the entrails of his deceased son.
In the Punishment of Loki, Sigyn held a bowl to collect all of the venom dripping onto Loki's face.
Legend had it that Sigyn was there to observe everything. The death of a son must have been an ultimate tragic to any mother in the cosmos. Loki, at that time, was enduring the most terrible punishment when a snake placed above his face was dripping its venom. But we forgot to mention the pain that Sigyn (and Loki as well) had to encounter when their son died in such a way.
Sigyn was not only a mother, but she was also a wife as well. She did not leave Loki alone inside the cave. She chose to stay and cared for Loki. She understood that the pain Loki endured was no less than hers.
Nine Maidens the Giantesses of Love
A mother's love is eternal,
the kind that won't ever die.
A mother's love is the tie that binds,
and her bond can never be broken.
A mother's love is branded in our hearts,
even when her words aren't spoken.
The nine sea maidens were the mother of a god living up in Asgard. Although nothing much was told about these moms we all feel their love for their only son.
According to the myth, when parents of the maidens found out that they were with child by a god, their parents were angry. But to keep their kid safe, the maidens moved away from their home to raise up the kid.
Heimdall and Nine Mothers
Their son was god Heimdall the Guardian of Asgard. He was brought up in the ocean. His mothers raised him up with the moisture of the sea, the strength of the earth, and the heat of the sun above. Heimdall then grew up as a handsome and tall man.
When his time finally came, he made his way to Asgard and took the responsibility to guard Asgard and protect those living inside the abode.
Although the mothers could not meet their son again, their love for him was unconditional.
