Editing Freyr (section)

==''Prose Edda''==
When [[Snorri Sturluson]] was writing in 13th century Iceland, the indigenous Germanic gods were still remembered although they had not been openly worshiped for more than two centuries.

===''Gylfaginning''===
In the ''[[Gylfaginning]]'' section of his ''[[Prose Edda]]'', Snorri introduces Freyr as one of the major gods.

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Njörðr í Nóatúnum gat síðan tvau börn, hét sonr Freyr en dóttir Freyja. Þau váru fögr álitum ok máttug. Freyr er hinn ágætasti af ásum. Hann ræðr fyrir regni ok skini sólar, ok þar með ávexti jarðar, ok á hann er gott at heita [[til árs ok friðar]]. Hann ræðr ok fésælu manna. ''Gylfaginning'' 24, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060219152329/http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/gg/ggrpar23.html EB's edition]
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[[Njördr]] in [[Nóatún (mythology)|Nóatún]] begot afterward two children: the son was called Freyr, and the daughter [[Freyja]]; they were fair of face and mighty. Freyr is the most renowned of the [[Æsir]]; he rules over the rain and the shining of the sun, and therewithal the fruit of the earth; and it is good to call on him [[Til árs ok friðar|for fruitful seasons and peace]]. He governs also the prosperity of men. ''Gylfaginning'' XXIV, [https://web.archive.org/web/20100401223136/http://northvegr.org/lore/prose/037040.php Brodeur's translation]
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[[File:Frey had seated himself on the throne of Odin.jpg|thumb|Seated on Odin's throne Hliðskjálf, the god Freyr sits in contemplation in an illustration (1908) by Frederic Lawrence]]
This description has similarities to the older account by Adam of Bremen but the differences are interesting. Adam assigns control of the weather and produce of the fields to Thor but Snorri says that Freyr rules over those areas. Snorri also omits any explicitly sexual references in Freyr's description. Those discrepancies can be explained in several ways. Adam and Snorri were writing with different goals in mind. It is possible that the Norse gods did not have exactly the same roles in Icelandic and Swedish paganism. Either Snorri or Adam may also have had distorted information.

The only extended myth related to Freyr in the ''Prose Edda'' is the story of his marriage.

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Þat var einn dag er Freyr hafði gengit í Hliðskjálf ok sá of heima alla. En er hann leit í norðrætt, þá sá hann á einum bœ mikit hús ok fagrt, ok til þess húss gekk kona, ok er hon tók upp höndum ok lauk hurð fyrir sér þá lýsti af höndum hennar bæði í lopt ok á lög, ok allir heimar birtusk af henni. ''Gylfaginning'' 37, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060219152340/http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/gg/ggrpar33.html EB's edition]
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It chanced one day that Freyr had gone to [[Hlidskjálf]], and gazed over all the world; but when he looked over into the northern region, he saw on an estate a house great and fair. And toward this house went a woman; when she raised her hands and opened the door before her, brightness gleamed from her hands, both over sky and sea, and all the worlds were illumined of her. ''Gylfaginning'' XXXVII, [https://web.archive.org/web/20090604222039/http://www.northvegr.org/lore/prose/045048.php Brodeur's translation]
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The woman is [[Gerðr]], a beautiful [[Jötunn|giantess]]. Freyr immediately falls in love with her and becomes depressed and taciturn. After a period of brooding, he consents to talk to [[Skírnir]], his foot-page. He tells Skírnir that he has fallen in love with a beautiful woman and thinks he will die if he cannot have her. He asks Skírnir to go and woo her for him.

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Þá svarar Skírnir, sagði svá at hann skal fara sendiferð en Freyr skal fá honum sverð sitt. Þat var svá gott sverð at sjálft vásk. En Freyr lét eigi þat til skorta ok gaf honum sverðit. Þá fór Skírnir ok bað honum konunnar ok fekk heitit hennar, ok níu nóttum síðar skyldi hon þar koma er Barey heitir ok ganga þá at brullaupinu með Frey. ''Gylfaginning'' 37, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060219152340/http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/gg/ggrpar33.html EB's edition]
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Then Skírnir answered thus: he would go on his errand, but Freyr should give him his own sword—which is so good that it fights of itself—and Freyr did not refuse, but gave him the sword. Then Skírnir went forth and wooed the woman for him, and received her promise; and [[Numbers in Norse mythology|nine nights later]] she was to come to the place called [[Barrey]], and then go to the bridal with Freyr. ''Gylfaginning'' XXXVII, [https://web.archive.org/web/20090604221954/http://www.northvegr.org/lore/prose/049052.php Brodeur's translation]
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The loss of [[Sword of Freyr|Freyr's sword]] has consequences. According to the ''Prose Edda'', Freyr had to fight [[Beli (Norse giant)|Beli]] without his sword, and slew him with an [[antler]]. But the result at [[Ragnarök]], the end of the world, will be much more serious. Freyr is fated to fight the fire-giant [[Surtr]], and since he does not have his sword he will be defeated.
[[Image:Freyr and Surtr by Frølich.jpg|right|thumb|The final battle between Freyr and Surtr, illustration by [[Lorenz Frølich]]]]
Even after the loss of his weapon Freyr still has two magical artifacts, both [[Norse dwarves|dwarf]]-made. One is the ship [[Skíðblaðnir]], which will have favoring breeze wherever its owner wants to go and can also be folded together like a napkin and carried in a pouch. The other is the boar [[Gullinbursti]] whose mane glows to illuminate the way for his owner. No myths involving Skíðblaðnir have come down to us but Snorri relates that Freyr rode to [[Baldr]]'s funeral in a wagon pulled by Gullinbursti.

===Skaldic poetry===
Freyr is referred to several times in [[skaldic poetry]]. In ''[[Húsdrápa]]'', partially preserved in the Prose Edda, he is said to ride a boar to Baldr's funeral.

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:Ríðr á börg til borgar
:böðfróðr sonar Óðins
:Freyr ok folkum stýrir
:fyrstr enum golli byrsta. ''Húsdrápa'' 7, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070304005008/http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/skindex/hdr.html FJ's edition]
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:The battle-bold Freyr rideth
:First on the golden-bristled
:Barrow-boar to the bale-fire
:Of Baldr, and leads the people. ''Húsdrápa'' 7, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060108014642/http://www.northvegr.org/lore/prose/109112.php Brodeur's translation]
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In a poem by [[Egill Skalla-Grímsson]], Freyr is called upon along with [[Njörðr]] to drive [[Eric I of Norway|Eric Bloodaxe]] from Norway. The same [[skald]] mentions in ''[[Arinbjarnarkviða]]'' that his friend has been blessed by the two gods.

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:[E]n Grjótbjörn
:of gæddan hefr
:Freyr ok Njörðr
:at féar afli. ''Arinbjarnarkviða'' 17, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070304005018/http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/ugm/skindex/egar.html FJ's edition]
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:Frey and Njord
:have endowed
:rock-bear
:with wealth's force. ''Arinbjarnarkviða'' 17, Scudder's translation
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===''Nafnaþulur''===
In ''[[Nafnaþulur]]'' Freyr is said to ride the horse [[Blóðughófi]] (''Bloody Hoof'').