The Norns, Ladies of Destiny.
Norse goddesses of Fate, which was known as Norns were not in any way dependent on the gods, who could neither question nor influence their decrees under any circumstances. There were three sisters, probably descended from the giant Norvi, who emerged Nott (night). As soon as the Golden Age ended, and sin began to walk even heavenly abodes Asgard, the Norns made their appearance under the big ash tree Yggdrasil and took up residence near the spring Urdar. According to some mythical, its mission was to warn the gods of future evils, ask them to make good use of this and teach sound lessons of the past.
These three sisters, whose names were Urd, and Skuld Verdandi were the personifications of the past, present and future respectively. Its main task was to weave the loom of fate, the sacred tree watered daily with spring water and put fresh earth Urdar around their roots, to stay fresh and green forever.
Other mythologists, said later that Norns watched over the golden apples that hung from the branches of the tree of life, experience and knowledge, allowing only Idun to collect the fruit that was with the gods renewed their youth.
The Norns also fed and cared for the two swans that lived in the crystal clear spring Urdar and this pair is assumed that all swans descend on Earth. It is said that sometimes the Norns wore swan feathers to visit Earth, or sailed as sirens along the shores of several lakes and rivers, appearing to mortals, from time to time, to predict the future or give sage advice.
The Loom of the Norns.
The Norns sometimes weaving looms so large that while one of the weavers was at the top of a mountain in the west, another was at the eastern end. The strands of the plot seemed ropes and were of various colors, depending on the nature of the events that were to happen, and a black thread, extending from north to south, was invariably considered an omen of death. As the sisters traveled to and fro, sang a solemn song. Apparently not weave his own desire, but blindly, as if unwillingly executed the wishes of Orlog, the eternal law of the universe, an ancient and powerful force, which apparently had no beginning or end.
Two of the Norns, Urd and Verdandi entities were considered very beneficial, but the third one says, undid his work relentlessly and often, when I was almost finished, it furiously reduced to shreds, scattering the remains to the wind.
As personifications of the time, the Norns were represented as sisters of different ages and characteristics. Urd (wurde, rarely) had a very old and decrepit, continually looking back, as if absorbed in contemplating past events and people. Verdandi, the second sister was young, attractive and audacious, looking ahead, while Skuld, the future was usually represented with a thick veil and the head turned in the direction opposite to that Urd was watching and holding a book or scroll that had not been opened or unrolled.
The gods visited daily to the Norns, who loved to see, and even Odin himself down to the spring Urdar often for help, since they usually respond to your questions, and they provided only about their own fate and that of the other gods.
Nornagesta History.
The three sisters visited Denmark once and entered the home of a noble when her first child was born. Introduced in the room who was the mother, Norn first promised that the child would be handsome and brave and the second would be prosperous and a great skald, predictions that rejoiced the hearts of parents. Meanwhile, news of what was happening and had expanded into the room overlooked in such quantities that the third Norn was pushed roughly out of his seat.
Furious at this affront, Skuld haughty rose and declared that the gifts given by her sisters would be useless, as she decreed that the child would live only so long as the candle burning next to the bed late in consumption. These words filled with terror the hearts of the mother shivered and shook the baby to her breast, as the candle had nearly consumed and was close to extinction. The Norn more, however, had no intention of seeing their predictions turned into anything, but because she could not force his sister to retract his words, quickly grabbed the candle, blew out the flame and gave him the steaming piece to the boy's mother, asking him to keep carefully and never restarted until his son was already weary of life.
The child was given the name Nornagesta in honor of the Norns and grew up so beautiful, brave and talented as any mother could desired. When he was old enough to understand the solemnity of his duties, his mother told him the story of the visit of the Norns the day of his birth and placed in his hand the remaining piece of candle, which kept for many years, within the framework of his harp for more security. When his parents died, Nornagesta wandered from place to place, taking part and highlighting all the battles, singing their heroic deeds wherever he went. Since it was enthusiastic and poetic temperament, not soon tired of life, and while other heroes were old and decrepit, he remained young at heart and strong of body. Therefore, witnessed the exciting exploits of the heroic times, was a cherished companion of the ancient warriors and, after living for three hundred years, saw that the belief in the ancient pagan gods going to be replaced by the teachings of Christian missionaries. Nornagesta finally came to the court of King Olav Tryggvesson, which, according to his custom, made him almost by force and convinced him to be baptized. Then, eager to convince his people that the days of superstition had passed, the king forced the old skald to extract and lighting the candle that had kept so carefully for over three centuries.
Despite his recent conversion, Nornagesta observed while restless flame flickered and finally went out when he fell down dead, proving that, despite the newly received baptism, he still believed in the predictions of the Norns.
In the Middle Ages and even later, the Norns are many stories and myths, appearing as fairies or witches, for example, the story of "Sleeping Beauty" and Shakespeare's tragedy "Macbeth" .
The Vala.
Sometimes, the Norns were named Vala or prophetess, and who had the power of divination, a power that is regarded with great veneration in the northern races, who believed he was restricted females. The predictions were never questioned and Vala said that the Roman general Drusus was so terrified by the appearance of Veleda, one of the prophetess, who warned him to cross the Elbe, which ended up ordering the withdrawal. She foreshadowed his approaching death, which actually happened shortly after a fall from his horse.
These prophetess, which was also known as IDIS dises or Hagedises, officiated at forest shrines and sacred groves, and always accompanied the invading armies. Topping or mixed with the army, strongly led the warriors to victory and when the battle was over, often cut the bloody eagle on the bodies of prisoners. The blood was collected in large buckets, where the dises dipped their bare arms to the shoulders, before joining the frenetic dance that concluded the ceremony.
was not surprising that these women were much feared. Sacrifices were offered to them were right and was only in later times when they were demoted to the rank of witches and sent to join the hordes of demons in Brocken (Germany), or Blocksberg or Valpurgisnacht (valpurgis night).
addition to the Norns or designed, which were also considered protective deities, the Norse allotted to each human being a guardian spirit called Fylgia, who attended him for life, or with human or animal form and remained invisible unless at the time of death, except for the few initiates.
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