Annar
Encyclopedia
In Norse mythology
, according to the Gylfaginning
, Annar (Old Norse Annarr 'second, another') is the father of Jörð
'Earth' by Nótt
'Night'. The form Ónar (Old Norse Ónarr 'gaping') is found as a variant. Annar/Ónar is also the name of a dwarf in the catalogue of dwarfs in the Völuspá
that is repeated in the Gylfaginning
. In the pseudo-historical genealogy of Odin
's ancestors in the introduction to Snorri Sturluson
's Prose Edda
, a certain Athra is said to be he "whom we call Annar". What this refers to is unknown. (See Sceafa for discussion of the section of this genealogy in which Annar appears.)
In the Gylfaginning Snorri writes of Nótt 'Night':
Snorri might have been using a source in which annar 'second, another' was intended to mean Odin
, for he himself had just previously written of Odin: "The earth was his daughter and his wife ...".
But in the Skáldskaparmál
Snorri uses the form Ónar instead, giving "daughter of Ónar" as one of the kennings for Jörð 'Earth'. Snorri also cites from Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld
:
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, according to the Gylfaginning
Gylfaginning
Gylfaginning, or the Tricking of Gylfi , is the first part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda after Prologue. The Gylfaginning deals with the creation and destruction of the world of the Norse gods, and many other aspects of Norse mythology...
, Annar (Old Norse Annarr 'second, another') is the father of Jörð
Jörð
In Norse mythology, Jörð and also called Jarð as in Old East Norse, is a female jötunn. She is the mother of Thor and Meili, and the personification of the Earth. Fjörgyn and Hlôdyn are considered to be other names for Jörð...
'Earth' by Nótt
Nótt
In Norse mythology, Nótt is night personified. In both the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, Nótt is listed as the daughter of a figure by the name of Nörvi and is associated with the...
'Night'. The form Ónar (Old Norse Ónarr 'gaping') is found as a variant. Annar/Ónar is also the name of a dwarf in the catalogue of dwarfs in the Völuspá
Völuspá
Völuspá is the first and best known poem of the Poetic Edda. It tells the story of the creation of the world and its coming end related by a völva addressing Odin...
that is repeated in the Gylfaginning
Gylfaginning
Gylfaginning, or the Tricking of Gylfi , is the first part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda after Prologue. The Gylfaginning deals with the creation and destruction of the world of the Norse gods, and many other aspects of Norse mythology...
. In the pseudo-historical genealogy of Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
's ancestors in the introduction to Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
's Prose Edda
Prose Edda
The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda or simply Edda, is an Icelandic collection of four sections interspersed with excerpts from earlier skaldic and Eddic poetry containing tales from Nordic mythology...
, a certain Athra is said to be he "whom we call Annar". What this refers to is unknown. (See Sceafa for discussion of the section of this genealogy in which Annar appears.)
In the Gylfaginning Snorri writes of Nótt 'Night':
She was given to the man named NaglfariNaglfariIn Norse mythology, Naglfari is the father of Auðr by the personified night, Nótt. Naglfar is attested in a single mention in the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, where he is described as one of a series of three husbands of Nótt, and that the couple produced a son, Auðr...
; their son was AudAudAud might refer to*Australian dollar *Ambedkar University, Delhi *American University in Dubai *Doctor of Audiology *Auðr, the son of Nótt and Naglfari in Norse mythology...
. Afterward she was wedded to him that was called Annar; Jörð ['Earth'] was their daughter.
Snorri might have been using a source in which annar 'second, another' was intended to mean Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
, for he himself had just previously written of Odin: "The earth was his daughter and his wife ...".
But in the Skáldskaparmál
Skáldskaparmál
The second part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda the Skáldskaparmál or "language of poetry" is effectively a dialogue between the Norse god of the sea, Ægir and Bragi, the god of poetry, in which both Norse mythology and discourse on the nature of poetry are intertwined...
Snorri uses the form Ónar instead, giving "daughter of Ónar" as one of the kennings for Jörð 'Earth'. Snorri also cites from Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld
Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld
Hallfreðr Óttarsson or Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld was an Icelandic skald. He is the protagonist of Hallfreðar saga according to which he was the court poet first of Hákon Sigurðarson, then of Óláfr Tryggvason and finally of Eiríkr Hákonarson...
:
In council it was determined
That the King's friend, wise in counsel,
Should wed the Land, sole daughter
Of Ónar, greenly wooded.