Are you a mythology fanatic? In this column, we tell numerous untold tales from Greek, Indian, Roman, Norse and other mythologies that are hidden among the pages of old epics. The tales narrated verbally from generation to generation which were finally written down in the ancient manuscripts. These intriguing stories are sure to leave you in awe.
Edition 27
(5 September 2021)
Rainbows in Norse Mythology
There’s a saying ‘the world isn’t all cupcakes and rainbows’, which implies that life isn’t always carefree and joyful. Real life consists of real struggles and hardships. Yes, rainbows are often associated with joys, success, hope and coloring one’s life with its vibrant vividness. And that’s true! Rainbows are indeed a delight for one’s eyes and do exemplify hope and joy. However, the Nordic people in ancient times, had a very different idea as to what rainbows signify. The Norse myths have quite a detailed description of the significance of rainbows.
According to legend, the gods built a spectacular arching bridge to connect the world of men- Midgard, to their own realm, Asgard, called the Bifrost. The gods traverse the Bifrost every time they have special business in the world of men. In most interpretations, the Bifrost is a great rainbow that carves a perfect path across the sky. The Prose Edda (an old Norse textbook recounting Norse legends) written by Snorri Sturluson, states that the Bifrost shimmers with three colors which are more than just a decorative element.
Sturluson claims that the red line in the bridge is a stripe of burning fire- main defense of Asgard against the jotnar, or giants,(the gods’ greatest enemies). The red fire that burns on the Bifrost provides protection from the ice giants of Niflheim and the mountain giants of Jotenheim. The threat of burning fire is enough to keep them from ever attempting to cross the magical bridge.
The Bifrost also has a god dedicated to its defense-Heimdall. His hall, Himinbjorg, is positioned near the end of the Bifrost (the rainbow) in Asgard. From there, he can keep a constant watch on the bridge to make sure no one attempts to reach Asgard without the approval of the gods.
This, along with the difficulty in finding the bridge’s end in Midgard, keeps wayward humans from trying to reach the home of the gods. Men, however, are not the greatest threat to Asgard.
Prophecies in Norse mythology claim that the Bifrost will be assaulted once, at the onset of Ragnarok. When Heimdall sees this, he will sound his horn,Gjallarhorn, to alert the other gods. This marks the official beginning of Ragnarok- the end of the world when war is waged between giants and the gods.
Many ancient religions used their myths to explain natural phenomena. Things that are easily understood by modern science were believed to be the actions of gods or spirits in the past. The Poetic Edda specifies that Thor (God of Thunder) does not ride across the bridge like the other gods. Instead, he wades through boiling hot water beneath the bridge, which is said to burn with flames. Today we know that rainbows appear when the sun shines after a rainstorm because of the refraction of light through water droplets in the air. Ancient people, however, would have to imagine a reason for the connection between the storm god and the colors in the sky.
Scholars interpret the story of Thor wading through the hot water as symbolizing the heat and humidity that are felt when the sun comes out after a storm. When this happens, the rainbow appears to burn in the sun’s heat.
So, in summary, the Bifrost was a passage built by gods to serve the purpose of connecting their realm, Asgard, to man’s realm, Midgard. According to the Prose Edda, the Bifrost is a rainbow and has a fiery red line of defense against the jotnar or giants. Heimdall is the god responsible for guarding the bridge, seeing that no unwanted passenger crosses it. Heimdall will alert the gods with his horn, Gjallarhorn, when Ragnarok approaches, and the war between the gods and giants begins, or as you would call it, doomsday!
Edition 25
(30 July 2021)
Myths around the world associated with Solar Eclipses
A solar eclipse is a fascinating phenomenon, which occurs two to five times every year. Now that we have a scientific explanation as to why this celestial event occurs, we are unafraid and view it as the earth being engulfed in the moon’s shadow. But our ancestors and people around the world considered this dark day to be a bad omen. In this article, we’ll see the myths and superstitious beliefs associated with the ‘doom day’.
As stated in the Hindu scriptures, the demon Rahu, who is beheaded by the gods for drinking Amrita, the immortal drink, swallows the Sun in his outrage. However, the sun emerges from Rahu’s severed neck, which explains why the solar eclipse does not last very long.
The Greeks believed that the gods quarreled amongst themselves, causing darkness to loom over Earth, which would bring destruction, disasters, and various other perilous calamities. They also assumed that the sun god, Apollo abandoned the earth and disappeared into the Underworld to punish the ruler for his wrongs.
In Norse Mythology, two mythical dogs-Skoll and Hati- constantly chase the Sun and Moon. The occurrence of a solar eclipse signifies that Hati has succeeded in capturing the Sun, and Skoll eats the moon, causing a lunar eclipse to occur. The Norse culture belief goes as such- When Ragnarok, the end of the world is near, the wolves will succeed in devouring Sol and Mani, the Norse personification of the Sun and Moon respectively, which they have been chasing for years.
According to Vietnamese belief, a giant frog is blamed for swallowing the Sun. When its master, Lord Hahn sternly orders his frog to spit it out, the sun begins to shine once again in its former glory.
Animals play a prominent role in myths related to eclipses, and Chinese myths and dragons are impossible to separate. So, as you may have anticipated, the dragon eats the Sun for lunch, causing a solar eclipse. Lord Xian threatens the dragon by firing arrows at him, forcing the creature to throw up the Sun.
The people banged pots and pans creating commotion to scare the demons away. Some immersed themselves in water for the duration of the eclipse. Eskimos thought that the Sun had been diseased for a while, that is the reason they covered themselves up and anything of importance, to prevent from being infected by the ‘unhealthy’ rays of the Sun.
Nevertheless, scientists and astronomers have denied these myths and superstitions of the eclipses affecting human health or behavior in any way. However, they emphasize the fact that looking at the eclipse without any protective gear can damage the eyes.
Edition 23
(30 June 2021)
The Pandora’s Box
The Pandora’s Box is an ancient relic in Greek Mythology. Hephaestus, the god of fire, gave life to Pandora. He asked his divine companions to bestow a gift upon the little girl. Aphrodite, Goddess of love and emotions gave her the capacity to experience deep emotion. From Hermes, god of travel and messages, she received the skill to master languages. Athena, the goddess of craftsmanship, gifted her the ability to pay attention to detail and fine artistry. Zeus blessed Pandora with two gifts- the first being curiosity, which made her eager to go out in the world, and the second, a heavy box, intricately carved and sealed shut. Zeus forbade her from opening the box under any circumstances since the contents inside of it were not for mortal eyes.
On earth, Pandora brimmed with excitement and curiosity, given her thirst for knowledge and desire to question her surroundings. Her mind often wandered off to the box given to her by Zeus, and she wondered as to what was in it which could not be perceived by the eyes of a mortal? Over time, Pandora’s desire to find out whatever was inside the box grew more and more, and her fingers itched to pry it open. She could hear voices coming from inside the box, voices that seemed to belong to a force beyond her control, something surreal. She was sure she could sometimes feel the contents rattling inside the box, straining to be free. It became exasperating, and the box drove her mad.
Soon, her thirst became irresistible and she decided to open the box. She promised herself that she would take one glance to quench her thirst for knowledge and seal the box shut right away, vowing never to think of it again. She lifted the lid, and the box forced itself open. Horrifying sounds and monstrous creatures burst out swirling around her in crazy motions. They screeched and made horrendous noises, leaving Pandora aghast. Pandora tried to get them back into the box, but they formed a gruesome cloud and surged away. Pandora felt an unpleasant sense of foreboding. Zeus had used the box as a vessel to contain all the evil and suffering he’d created. Once unleashed, they were uncontainable. As Pandora realized the terrible mistake she’d made, releasing all those dreadful forces into the world, she wept uncontrollably. She heard a tinkling sound and saw a soft glimmer of light coming from the box. It eased her anguish. As the little sphere of light escaped the box and floated away, Pandora was filled with hope. She knew that opening the box was irreversible but alongside the strife, she’d set hope forth to temper its effects.
Today, the myth of Pandora’s box suggests the extreme consequences one can face when tampering with the unknown. Are we to investigate everything we don’t know or are some mysteries better left unsolved?