This article is missing information about Vættir in Norse myth. The article requires significant verifiable expansion. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.(November 2018)
The Old Norse term véttr[ˈweːtːz̠], / vættr and its English cognate wight are descended from Proto-Germanic *wihtiz (thing, creature), from Proto-Indo-European *wekti- ("object, thing").[3]Vættr and wight normally refer to a supernatural being, especially landvættr (land spirit), but can refer to any creature. The Norwegianvette is used much in the same way as the Old Norse vættr as are the corresponding Swedish cognate vätte (dialect form vätter – Old Swedish vætter)[4] and the Danishvætte. A related form in the Slavic languages can be seen in Old Church Slavonic вєшть, (veštĭ), meaning thing, matter, or subject.
Viking Age
Landvættir (nature spirits) are chthonic guardians of specific grounds, such as wild places or farms. When Vikings approached land, they reportedly removed their carved dragon heads from the bows of their longships so as not to frighten and thus provoke the landvættir to attack and thereby incur bad luck from them. Icelandic culture continues to celebrate the supernatural protection over the island and four landvættr can still be seen in the Icelandic coat-of-arms: a troll-bull, troll-eagle, dragon, and handsome giant. The troll-animals are actually jötunn who shape shifted into the form (and mentality) of an animal and such animals are supernaturally strong.
Folklore
Húsvættir is a collective term for keepers of the household, like the Scottish brownie, or the Nordic tomte (also referred to as Nisse). The tomte or nisse is a solitary vätte, living on the farmstead. He is usually benevolent and helpful, which can not be said about an innately mischievous illvätte. However, a nisse can cause a lot of damage if he is displeased or angry, including killing of livestock or causing serious accidents.[5]
Scandinavian folklore features a class of beings similar to the Old Norse landvættir. They are known by many names, although the most common are vättar in southern Sweden (singular: vätte), vittra in northern Sweden, and huldrefolk in Norway (although the singular vittra and huldra, respectively, refer to a solitary and quite different being).
During the 19th century, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe compiled Norwegian folk tales. These stories often reflected the animistic folk belief that preserved earlier elements derived from the Viking Age but was strongly influenced by medieval Biblical cosmology. Prominent are stories that reflect later views of the vættir, usually called the huldrefolk (from Old Norse huldufólk), meaning "concealed people" and referring to their other worldliness or their power of invisibility.[6][7]
The English surname Wightman retains the meaning of the word "wight" and could be translated as "elf-friend".[8]
See also
Rå, spirits that protect natural features in later Scandinavian folklore
Citations
^"vætte". Det Danske Sprog- og Litteraturselskab. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
^"vette". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
Scandinavian Folklore, compiled by Scott Trimble – a scholarly outline of prominent themes in Scandinavian folklore.
January 20, 2023
vættir, this, article, missing, information, about, norse, myth, article, requires, significant, verifiable, expansion, please, expand, article, include, this, information, further, details, exist, talk, page, november, 2018, vættir, norse, ˈwɛːtːez, singular,. This article is missing information about Vaettir in Norse myth The article requires significant verifiable expansion Please expand the article to include this information Further details may exist on the talk page November 2018 The vaettir Old Norse ˈwɛːtːez singular vaettr ˈwɛːtːz are spirits in Norse mythology The term can be used to refer to the full cosmos of supernatural beings including the alfar elves dvergar dwarves jotnar giants and gods the AEsir and Vanir Vaettir can also refer more specifically to landvaettir ˈlɑndˌwɛːtːez nature spirits fjallvaettir ˈfjɑlːˌwɛːtːez mountain spirits sjovaettir ˈsjoːˌwɛːtːez sea spirits skogvaettir ˈskoɣˌwɛːtːez forest spirits vatnavaettir ˈwɑtnɑˌwɛːtːez guardians of the specific waters or husvaettir ˈhuːsˌwɛːtːez house spirits 1 2 Vaettir in Grimm s Fairy Tales 1915 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Viking Age 3 Folklore 4 See also 5 Citations 6 General and cited sources 7 Further reading 8 External linksEtymology EditThe Old Norse term vettr ˈweːtːz vaettr and its English cognate wight are descended from Proto Germanic wihtiz thing creature from Proto Indo European wekti object thing 3 Vaettr and wight normally refer to a supernatural being especially landvaettr land spirit but can refer to any creature The Norwegian vette is used much in the same way as the Old Norse vaettr as are the corresponding Swedish cognate vatte dialect form vatter Old Swedish vaetter 4 and the Danish vaette A related form in the Slavic languages can be seen in Old Church Slavonic vyesht vestĭ meaning thing matter or subject Viking Age EditLandvaettir nature spirits are chthonic guardians of specific grounds such as wild places or farms When Vikings approached land they reportedly removed their carved dragon heads from the bows of their longships so as not to frighten and thus provoke the landvaettir to attack and thereby incur bad luck from them Icelandic culture continues to celebrate the supernatural protection over the island and four landvaettr can still be seen in the Icelandic coat of arms a troll bull troll eagle dragon and handsome giant The troll animals are actually jotunn who shape shifted into the form and mentality of an animal and such animals are supernaturally strong Folklore EditHusvaettir is a collective term for keepers of the household like the Scottish brownie or the Nordic tomte also referred to as Nisse The tomte or nisse is a solitary vatte living on the farmstead He is usually benevolent and helpful which can not be said about an innately mischievous illvatte However a nisse can cause a lot of damage if he is displeased or angry including killing of livestock or causing serious accidents 5 Scandinavian folklore features a class of beings similar to the Old Norse landvaettir They are known by many names although the most common are vattar in southern Sweden singular vatte vittra in northern Sweden and huldrefolk in Norway although the singular vittra and huldra respectively refer to a solitary and quite different being During the 19th century Peter Christen Asbjornsen and Jorgen Moe compiled Norwegian folk tales These stories often reflected the animistic folk belief that preserved earlier elements derived from the Viking Age but was strongly influenced by medieval Biblical cosmology Prominent are stories that reflect later views of the vaettir usually called the huldrefolk from Old Norse huldufolk meaning concealed people and referring to their other worldliness or their power of invisibility 6 7 The English surname Wightman retains the meaning of the word wight and could be translated as elf friend 8 See also EditRa spirits that protect natural features in later Scandinavian folkloreCitations Edit vaette Det Danske Sprog og Litteraturselskab Retrieved June 1 2019 vette Store norske leksikon Retrieved June 1 2019 wight etymonline com Vattern Runeberg org Svensk etymologisk ordbok The Vaettir Real Heathenry Retrieved June 1 2019 Asbjornsen amp Moe Fairytalez com Retrieved June 1 2019 Vaettir Nightbringer se Retrieved June 1 2019 Surname Database Retrieved 21 August 2014 General and cited sources EditReidar Th Christiansen 1964 Folktales of Norway University of Chicago Press ISBN 978 0226105109 Reimund Kvideland amp Henning K Sehmsdorf 1988 Scandinavian Folk Belief and Legend University of Minnesota Press ISBN 978 0816619672Further reading EditNorske Folke Eventyr Norwegian Folktales by Peter Christen Asbjornsen amp Jorgen Engebretsen Moe 1843 1844 1871 1876 External links EditScandinavian Folklore compiled by Scott Trimble a scholarly outline of prominent themes in Scandinavian folklore Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vaettir amp oldid 1124497951, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
