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Detail from The Goddess Gerd by UK sculptor George Blackall Simonds (1847–1929 CE). Gerðr of The Shimmering Arms is her most-known kenning. This could be yet another attribute derived/associated with the Northern Lights as they shimmer across the sky, so the sculpture depicts the jotun maiden with her arms upraised, and a possible dawn-esque Goddess halo of radiance made of hair, so her shimmering epithet could also perhaps alternately be a Midnight Sun association, or more simply the sun's reflection dazzling one's eyes off of the ice , or all the above really given the polyvalent nature of the Norse Gods, but the beauty of the proverbial & ideal pale-limbed lovely is definitely at work. And when Freyr beholds this attribute from his sneaking a view from Odin's throne  Hlidskjalf , the D'Aulaires show the phenomena of her shimmering as the first thing of Gerðr he sees. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in...

In a moment of curiosity, Freyr sits on Odin's high seat from which all the worlds can be seen. [ Freyr on Hlidskjalf   (1930) by Kather ine Pyle.] Because who wouldn't want a chance to see everything? But as Odin sits there to seek wisdom, Freyr instead beholds all through eyes of desire , and in looking, he sees the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, Gerðr of the Shimmering Arms, a jotuness so pallid in form, and comely in beauty that Freyr's stricken with a lovesickness he's never known before. [ Skirnir's Message to Gerd (1908) by W. G. Collingwood.] In that moment Freyr sees all the worlds, and beholds the one he wants most of all. The climb into that forbidden seat allows him the advantage of seeing the best possibility of out of all the women in existence, and in that very same instant he knows his Wyrd is hard forged. The action of sitting somewhere high for insight could be referencing the Nordic magic ritual of útiset...

Conan waxes poetic about the incomparable beauty of the frost giant's daughter! Now the weak-kneed barbarian knows why the Aesir covet them so . We also see a strong resemblance to Deborah Ann Woll. [From Dark Horse Comics' 2004 adaptation of Howard's The Frost Giant's Daughter . Art by Cary Nord.] #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer,  do contact him .