Freyja, also called Frea or Freya, is the goddess of fertility, love and lust.
Freya was beautiful and powerful, and at the same time a fighter. From time to time she fought in battles. When it came down to it, she threw herself into battle with as much fire as a Valkyrie. That is also the reason why Freyja is sometimes considered the leader of the Valkyries, but that is Odin, in whose service they are.
Freyja is the goddess of the angels and according to the Germans, the “most beautiful” of all gods.
There are several myths about Freyja. For example, Freya played an important part in the well-known myth about the hammer Mjölnir, which was stolen by the giant Þrymr and asked Freya’s hand as a ransom. Freya, however, did not want this and Thor had to bring back the Mjölnir himself. Thor, dressed as Freya, went to the giant with Loki.
The giant was aware of this, but Thor was able to retrieve his hammer and then killed the giant.
There is also a myth about the giant who built Asgard’s foundations. He would have claimed Freya’s sun, moon and hand as wages. At the time, this trio was seen as the union of the forces of light, love and growth. But because of the cunning of Loki, this giant did not finish his wall around Asgard in time, and he did not get his wages with it. Loki did this by turning himself into a mare (so he could change shape and sex) to distract the horse carrying the giant’s stuff. According to myth, the eight-legged horse of Odin: Sleipnir, originated from the community of the mare (Loki) and the horse.
There is also a myth that explains the seasons. Freyja was married to Odr (Odhur) who was very fond of traveling. One day he left his wife and two children to travel. Freya then went looking for Odr and soon autumn came and then winter. Freya eventually finds Odr under a laurel tree and they return together to Asgard. And during the return journey it soon becomes spring again.
As the warrior goddess, Freya rides Hildisvín, the warrior. In Hyndluljóð it is said that she turned Ottar into a boar to hide him. The boar has a special relationship with Northern European mythology, both in terms of its fertility and its fighting spirit. The boar was used as a protective talisman in war, probably because real boars can attack very violently (especially females defending their young). Helmets from the 7th century found in Sweden depict warriors wearing large boars as a helmet sign. Also in Beowulf it is said that the boar on the helmet serves to protect the life of the warrior wearing it.
A few chosen ones in the battle are called by Freya to her castle Folkvangr, where they have a good life in the afterlife. (For his part, Odin also chooses his own chosen fighters for his Valhalla, according to Grímnismál
The ninth is Folkvang, | where Freyja decrees
Who shall have seats in the hall;
The half of the dead | each day does she choose,
And half does Othin have
Freya’s association with death is highlighted in Egil’s saga, when his daughter Thorgerda (gerorgerðr) threatens to commit suicide after her brother’s death: “I will not eat until I sit with Freya.”
Freya is considered the Northern European counterpart of Venus and Aphrodite, although she possesses a combination of attributes not found in any mythology of other Indo-European peoples. In this respect it is closer to the Mesopotamian Ishtar, insofar as it is involved in love as well as in battle. Some believe that she is the most immediate mythological successor to the hermaphrodite fertility god Nerthus.
Friday is named after this goddess, although there is also strong name relationship with Freyr.
