So what is the Voluspa?…

The Voluspa or more accurately Völuspá is the first set of Viking Age poetry in the Poetic Edda. The Völuspá translates to mean the “Prophecy of the Volva” or “Prophecy of the Seer.” A Volva was a wise-woman in old Norse culture. Within the Voluspa poem, Odin journeys to raise the wise-woman from the dead, some say he journeyed to Hel to raise a dead giantess, others suggest the Volva may have been the mother of monsters, Angrboda. Regardless the true identity of the wise-woman is unknown. Once resurrected she first proves her knowledge by explaining the creation myths of the Norse. Then she reveals to Odin secrets that only he is supposed to know, further proving her mastery of lore. Odin then showers her with gifts and asks her to foretell his future. In so doing the wise-woman tells the prophecies of Ragnarok - the twilight of the gods, and the death of Odin himself.

“The Illustrated Havamal” is a real book! I can hold it in my hands, and all the pre-order copies have been mailed out! I’ve made the book available in my store.

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WHAT IS THE HAVAMAL?

“The Hávamál” is a collection of ancient Norse wisdom, thought to have been written down in about 1270 CE. The title, Hávamál, translates as “Sayings of Har.” Har is the High One, another name for Odin, hence the ancient text means “Sayings of the High One.” These sayings are a collection of poetry, offering insights and wisdom to help one lead an honorable life.

With the Christianization of the North, scholars took it upon themselves to preserve their ancient culture by writing down these verses. The greatest collection of preserved poetry is “The Poetic Edda,” one section of which is “The Hávamál.”