The ....

GALDRABOK An
Icelandic

GRIMOIRE
Stephen Flowers
First published in 1Y/:SY by Samuel Weiser, Inc.

Box !" #or$ Beach% Maine &'(!& &! && (( () (* ( !& ( ) * + , ' " !()( Srephen E. Flowers
All rights reserved. N part ! this publicati n may be repr duced r transmitted in any ! rm r by any means, electr nic r me... chanical% including ph t c py, "ith ut permissi n in "riting !r m Samuel Weiser, Inc. #evie"ers may $u te brie! passages. %ibrary ! & ngress &atal ging in 'ublicati n (ata

Flowers% Srephen E.% !(+')he *aldrab+, : an Icelandic .ri/oire / edited, translated, and0 introd1ced by Stephen E. Fl "ers. p. em. Includes a translati n ! Galdra2o$.

Bi2lio.raph34 p.
1. -agic, *ermanic./andb ,s, manuals, etc.c.-Earl5 " r,s

ro !)&&. ". M3tholo.3% Gennanic-Earl3 wor$s to !)&&. '. Iceland-Reli.ion-Earl3 wor$s to !)&&. I. Galdra2o$. En.lish. !()(.

n. Title.
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N.3. *raphics, 3eene, N/ 'rinted in the 4nited States ! America by 5a,er 6 hns n, Inc.% Ann Arb r, -I

Contents
A22re5iations ix

Ac$nowled./ents xi Introd1ction 7iii 9art ! :istorical Bac$.ro1nd ;hapter I4 :istorical ;ontext4 9olitico-Reli.io1s ;li/ate in Iceland ' :eathen 9eriod <)*&-!&&&= ' ;atholic A.e <!&&&-!++&= + Re>or/ation A.e <!++&-! +&=4 Iceland at * the ti/e o> the Galdrab6k ;hapter "4 :istor3 o> Ma.ic in Iceland !! :eathen 9eriod <)*&-!&&&= !! ;atholic 9eriod <!&&&-!++&= !( Re>or/ation A.e <!++&-!*+&= "! ;hapter '4 Icelandic Boo$s o> the Blac$ Art "* The Blac$ Boo$s o> Le.end ")
5i Contents

Text o> the Galdrab6k "( Other :istorical Man1als o> Ma.ic '" The Two Traditions in the 7orth '+ ;hapter ,4 The Old Gods and the De/ons o> :ell '* The :eathen Gods and Goddesses ') The De/ons o> :ell ,! ;hapter +4 R1nes and Ma.ical Si.ns ,+ ;hapter 4 Theor3 and 9ractice o> Ma.ic in the Galdrab6k +! 9art " The Galdrab6k The Galdrab6k +( Appendices Related Spells in Ger/anic Ma.ic Appendix A4 Other Icelandic So1rces )' Fro/ the :1ld Man1script )' Fro/ the Kredd1r Man1script (" Fro/ S5end Gr1ndt5i.6s ;ollection (( Fro/ the ;ollection o> ?on A/ason (( Fro/ @ario1s Man1scripts ;ollected 23 la>1r Da5>dhsson !&! Appendix B4 :eathen Ma.ic in Old En.lish Man1scripts !&+
Contents

Appendix ;4 :eathen Ma.ic in Old :i.h Ger/an Spells Contra Vermes The Merse21r. ;har/s 7otes >or 9art ! 7otes >or 9art " Bi2lio.raph3

Abbreviations
Ice.

O7
9G/e.

pA.
s.. st. Icelandic Old 7orse 9roto-Ger/anic pl1ral sin.1lar stanBa

Acknowledgments
For their help and contin1in. inspiration d1rin. the 3ears in which $nowled.e was acc1/1lated to write this wor$% I wish to than$ 9ro>. Dr. Ed.ar 9olo/e% 9ro>. Dr. Kla1s D1wel% 9ro>. Dr. ?ohn Ceinstoc$% and Ro2ert Doller.

Introduction
The so-called Galdrab6k,' or 0Boo$ o> Ma.ic%0 is the sin.le /osi i/portant doc1/ent >or 1nderstandin. the practice o> /a.ic ir late /edie5al Iceland. It is especiall3 i/portant in that it .i5e% a 1niE1e insi.ht into the 5ario1s reli.io-/a.ical ele/ents thai went into a s3nthetic national /a.ical tradition in Iceland al the ti/e o> its co/pilation. 7o other doc1/ent o> co/para2le a.e .i5es so /an3 details o> the preser5ation o> the archaic Ger/anic .ods% cos/olo.3% and /a.ical practices as does this little /an1script. :ere we are not dependent on >ol$tales or indirect reports thro1.h con>essions exacted 23 the tort1res o> the In. E1isition or other ch1rchl3 a1thorities to reconstr1ct the /a.icoreli.io1s 5iews o> the galdramenn </a.icians= o> the da3F instead% we ha5e direct e5idence o> act1al practices written 23 the rna. .icians6 own hands. In /an3 wa3s the Galdrab6k is to the Icelandic >ol$tales o> /a.ic6 what the r1nic inscriptions are to the acco1nts o> /a.ic recorded in the sa.as. The3 pro5ide >act1a corro2oration o> what otherwise /i.ht ha5e 2een considered% >or/ o> >antas3. In this 5ol1/e the reader will >ind not onl3 an annotatec translation o> the co/plete Galdrab6k 21t also a si/ilar treat/enl
7iv Introduc!ion

o> selections >ro/ other written so1rces o> Ger/anic /a.ical practice >ro/ all o> the Ger/anic peoples. :owe5er% in no re.ion did the old wa3s and the old .ods and .oddesses s1r5i5e so well as in Iceland. And 2eca1se we are >oc1sin. on these texts >or what is 1niE1el3 Ger/anic a2o1t the/% lea5in. as secondar3 what isco//on to e5er3 E1ropean tradition% wewill concentrate /ainl3 on Icelandic so1rces in this st1d3. O1r two principal areas o> interest will 2e the preser5ation o> the old .ods and the preser5ation o> the 1niE1e >or/s o> Ger/anic /a.ical practice inherited >ro/ the heathen a.e. In preparin. this wor$ >or /odern p12lication% I65e /ade

e5er3 e>>ort to re/ain tr1e to the ori.inal text o> the Gaklrab6k. Irre.1larities in capitaliBation and spellin. are le>t as in the ori.inal as the3 /a3 ha5e special /eanin. or si.ni>icance.

HISTORIC ! " C#GRO$%&

;:A9TER
O7E
Historical Context: Politico-Religious Climate in Iceland

esta2lish a context >or the /a.ic practiced in the

Boo$s o> Blac$ Ma.ic that were /ainl3 set down in the !+&&s and ! &&s% we /1st loo$ at the 5ario1s sta.es oi reli.io1s and political de5elop/ent in Iceland. These period% are three4 the :eathen A.e% the ;atholic A.e% and the Re>or/ation A.e.

Heat'en (eriod )*+,-.,,,/

The .enerall3 1npop1lated island o> Iceland was settled /ainl3 23 7orwe.ians <alon. with their Irish and Scottish thralls= who were see$in. political and reli.io1s >reedo/ >ro/ the onsla1.ht o> the 7orwe.ian $in. :araldr iuir0agra <>air-hair=% who had set a2o1t to conE1er all o> 7orwa3 and to 2rin. it 1nder a sin.le ;hristian-st3le /onarch3. These new Icelanders set 1p a >or/ o> social order deepl3 rooted in their nati5e herita.e-a sort o> representati5e or rep12lican aristocrac3. There was ne5er a $in. in Iceland. Rather% the land was r1led 23 the local priest-chie>tains <O7 god'ar, s..
, THE GALDRAB6K

god'i/, who wo1ld /eet once a 3ear at the lt'ing <.reat asse/2l3=% or parlia/ent% to setrle le.al cases and to pass le.islation >or the co1ntr3. This >or/ o> .o5ern/ent was /ini/al in its exercise o> central a1thorit3. ;o1rts co1ld decide cases 21t had no a2ilit3 to carr3 o1t sentencesF that was le>t 1p to the $ins/en o> the wron.ed part3. Most o>ten% those who had co//itted /ansla1.hter% >or exa/ple% wo1ld 2e 0o1tlawed0F that is% the3 wo1ld 2e declared to 2e o1tside the protection o> the law% and the3 co1ld 2e $illed witho1t le.al reperc1ssions to the a5en.ers. Another principal >eat1re o> Ger/anic law was the idea that the part3 wron.ed was the one to 2e co/pensated 23 the cri/inal. The 0state0 /ade no pro>it on cri/e. For al/ost e5er3.cri/e a /onetar3 5al1e was set% so instead o> 2ein. o1tlawed a /an /i.ht 2e a2le to satis>3 the wron.ed part3 with a pa3/ent o> so/e $ind% called 1eregeld. Each .odhi held an a1thorit3 <O7 god'ord', which /eans 0a1thorit3 as a god'i2/, which corresponded

ro1.hl3 to a district. The a1thorit3 in E1estion was owned 23 the god'i and co1ld 2e sold% inherited% or s12di5ided. ! The Icelanders practiced the reli.ion the3 2ro1.ht with the/-their a.e-old pol3theistic Ger/anic heathenis/.G a reli.ion that allows >or as /1ch indi5id1al >reedo/ as did the Icelandic s3ste/ o> .o5ern/ent. One /an /a3 worship Odhinn% another% Th rrF another% Fre3HaF and 3et another /a3 si/pl3 02elie5e in his own /i.ht and /ain.0 Also% there were a n1/2er o> ;hristians a/on. the IrishIScottish thralls 2ro1.ht to Iceland% and a >ew o> their /asters e5en con5ertedF 21t it is said that it did not last in their >a/ilies. The point to re/e/2er is that the Icelanders tolerated these di>>erences. B3 the 3ear !&&&% Ireland% En.land% 7orwa3% and Den/ar$ <Iceland6s chie> >orei.n contacts= had all o>>iciall3 2eco/e ;hristian. It was 1nder a 5ariet3 o> social% econo/ic% and reli.io1s press1res that ;hristianit3 was >or/all3 accepted as the o>>icial reli.ion at the Althin. o> !&&&. '

Cat'olic A.e ).,,,-.33,/

B3 all acco1nts the acceptance o> ;hristianit3 23 the Icelanders was hi.hl3 >or/alistic% /ar$ed 23 little con5iction on the part o> e5en those who 5oted >or it. 912lic sacri>ices to the Ger/anic .ods were >or2idden% 21t the pri5ate practice o> the traditional >aith-incl1din. the eatin. o> horse >lesh and the expos1re o> in>ants-was allowed to contin1e. ;on5ersion to the ;atholic >aith was /ar$ed 23 a .rad1al transition period lastin. se5eral .enerations and 23 an 1ndi/inished interest on the part o> the Icelanders in their own traditions. In the earliest phase o> this period /an3 o> the god'ar si/pl3 had the/sel5es ordained as priests. Others lent their reli.io1s d1ties to other relati5es-as @i$in. priests so/ehow appeared 1nsee/l3. Also% there were leigu4restar <hired priests= who were 2o1nd to a chie>tain li$e a thrall. For the >irst thirt3 3ears or so o> this period Iceland /1st ha5e re/ained lar.el3 heathen in its practice o> reli.ion and especiall3 o> /a.ic. Fro/ !&'& to !!!) there rei.ned in Iceland what is called the 5rid'ar6ld-The A.e o> 9eace-in which the co//on >e1din. s12sided and a new c1lt1re 2e.an to ta$e hold as indi5id1al Icelanders exa/ined the new reli.ion. This co1ld also 2e characteriBed as a period o> /ixed >aith in which ;hristianit3 act1all3 2e.an to .ain a >oothold in the c1lt1re as scholars tra5eled a2road to learn o> the new >aith and schools were esta2lished in Iceland itsel>. It was toward the end o> this ti/e% aro1nd !!&&% that Icelandic was>irst1sed to write histories% sa.as% and poetr3. There de5eloped in the co1ntr3 a .eneral lo5e o> learnin. that led so/e /en to Hoin the cler.3 in order to 2e ed1cated a2road and others to enter /onasteries >or the sa/e scholarl3 reasons. So/e e5en esta2lished schools on their pri5ate estates% where the3 wor$ed as scholars and teachers. These traditions o>
THE GALDRAB6K

learnin. act1all3 were rooted in the pre5io1s a.e% in which oral tradition was H1st as lo5in.l3 preser5ed. It /1st 2e re/e/2ered that Iceland was settled in lar.e part 23 the conser5ati5e c1lt1ral aristocrac3 o> 7orwa3% which led to an 1n1s1all3 hi.h le5el o> interest in national intellect1al traditions e5en in later ti/es. Toda3 Iceland has the hi.hest literac3 rate and the hi.hest per capita 2oo$-p12lishin. rate in the world. 7one o> these de5elop/ents apprecia2l3 chan.ed the nat1re o> the ch1rch or cler.3 in Iceland. There was alwa3s a stron. sec1lar ele/ent in the Icelandic ch1rch and a strain o> c1lt1ral conser5atis/ that >ostered the preser5ation and contin1ation o> national traditions in statecra>t% reli.ion% and literar3 c1lt1re. And lest one thin$ that those /an3 Icelanders who Hoined the ch1rch and the /onasteries d1rin. this ti/e were >orced to reHect worldl3pleas1res >or li5es o> de5oted and pio1s learnin.% it sho1ld 2e /entioned that celi2ac3 was ne5er en>orced >or the Icelandic priesthood% and the >act that priests co1ld not le.all3 /arr3 le>t the door open >or a >or/ o> pol3.a/3% or /1lticonc12ina.e. The heathen wa3s si/pl3 went >orward. The A.e o> 9eace 2e.an to crac$ apart in a period o> ci5il stri>e% 2e.innin. a2o1t !!!). At that ti/e the old patterns o> >e1din.% exactin. o> 2lood 5en.eance% and the li$e 2e.an to e/er.e a.ain-with the added ele/ents o> political conspirac3 and intri.1e in5ol5in. >orei.n powers and the o>>ices o> the ch1rch. Altho1.h ele/ents o> this ci5il stri>e wo1ld contin1e >or cent1ries% in !" " it wassharpl3 c1rtailed 23 the inter5ention o> the 7orwe.ian $in.. An a.e o> 7orwe.ian do/inance lasted 1ntil !'(*% when a period o> Danish do/ination 2e.an. This was to last 1ntil Iceland was a.ain a2le to esta2lish co/plete independence in !(,,% when the Danes were 1nder 7aBi occ1pation. Despite the do/estic stri>e and >orei.n exploitation exhi2ited 2etween the end o> the A.e o> 9eace and the 2e.innin. o> Historical Context * Danish do/ination% this period was a sort o> .olden a.e o> Icelandic c1lt1re and literat1re. This was the ti/e when the poe/s o> the (oetic "elda were co//itted to parch/ent% when Snorri St1rl1son wrote the 9rose "elda <!"""=% and when /ost o> the .reat sa.as were co/piled. Icelanders had 2eco/e co/>orta2le with their 07ational ;atholicis/%0 which had allowed indi.eno1s traditions to s1r5i5e and nati5e 0saints0 <so/e o>>icial% so/e not= to 2e re5ered. B1t >orei.n do/ination was to pro5e a dan.er to this c1lt1ral 2alance o> the past and present. ,

Re0ormation A.e <!++&-! +&=4 Iceland at t'e Ti/e o0 t'e Galdra2o$

It was with the 2ac$.ro1nd o> the heathen and ;atholic past that the /a.ic contained in the Galdrab6k and related /an1scripts was practiced. B1t it was d1rin. this period o> reli.io1s stri>e and 1lti/atel3 o> reli.io1s persec1tion that the wor$ was act1all3 co//itted to parch/ent. The 9rotestant Re>or/ation% o> co1rse% 2e.an with Martin

L1ther in Ger/an3 aro1nd !+!*. It E1ic$l3 spread in northern E1rope% where the sec1lar a1thorities especiall3 had lon. har2ored a c1lt1ral ani/osit3 >or the do/ination o> Ro/e. In !+' the Re>or/ation was o>>iciall3 accepted in Den/ar$% and hence its possession% Iceland% was also destined to >ollow that co1rse. Beca1se o> Iceland6s contin1ed isolation and intrinsic conser5atis/ the Re>or/ation did not co/e easil3 to the island. So1rces o> the Re>or/ation in Iceland were two4 the >orei.n >orces o> the Dano-7orwe.ian crown and the do/estic ch1rch/en who had 2eco/e con5inced o> L1ther6s doctrines while st1d3in. a2road. One o> the reasons the crowned heads >o1nd 9rotestantis/ so attracti5e is that it allowed the $in.s to nationaliBe% and in e>>ect to con>iscate% the6 wealth and properties
) T:E GALDRABOK

o> the ;atholic ch1rch in their respecti5e co1ntries. Resistance to the Re>or/ation ca/e >ro/ the conser5ati5e pop1lace and% o> co1rse% >ro/ the ;atholic cler.3. Fro/ !+' to !++& there was in e>>ect a low-intensit3 reli.io1s war in Iceland. The >orces o> 9rotestantis/ and the crown >inall3 won with the exec1tion o> Bishop ? n Arason in !++&. B1t this /ar$ed onl3 the 2e.innin. o> an3 Re>or/ation at the pop1lar le5el. It wo1ld ta$e a >1ll cent1r3% 1ntil aro1nd ! +&% 2e>ore 9rotestantis/ co1ld reall3 2e considered >1ll3 accepted 23 the pop1lation at lar.e. This period o> 0pop1lar Re>or/ation0 was /ar$ed 23 increasin. exploitation on the econo/ic >ront and 23 increasin. Danish do/ination in politics. In ! &" Den/ar$ esta2lished a trade /onopol3 o5er Iceland so that the island co1ld no lon.er trade >reel3 with who/e5er it pleased% res1ltin. in a ti/e o> econo/ic hardship o>ten re>lected in the >ol$tales o> the period. The power>1l Danish trades/en and the 9rotestant ch1rch/en <who were 5irt1all3 the a.ents o> the Danish crown= r1thlessl3 exploited and oppressed the pop1lace. One >o1rth o> the tithe paid to the ch1rch and the >ines i/posed 23 the co1rts went directl3 to the $in. o> Den/ar$. The laws o> the co1ntr3 were chan.ed to i/pose the death penalt3 >or /oral cri/es s1ch as heres3 <ai/ed a.ainst the 01n-Re>or/ed0= and ad1lter3. O> co1rse% this net wo1ld e5ent1all3 2e widened to incl1de 0witchcra>t.0 A.ain all or part o> the estate o> an3one con5icted o> these% as well as lon.-esta2lished or le.iti/ate% cri/es went to the crown. S1ch /eas1res were especiall3 harsh on the pop1lation 2eca1se 1ntil this ti/e the old Ger/anic-heathen le.al codes% which pro5ided >irst and >ore/ost >or the co/pensation o> the 5icti/s o> cri/es <not the state or $in.=% were still lar.el3 in place on the island. Thro1.ho1t the ! &&s the co1ntr3 was spiralin. downward into .eneral econo/ic and political deca3. Fro/ o1r historical perspecti5e% howe5er% the a.e was not witho1t its 2ene>its. The scholarl3 h1/anis/ that de5eloped to so/e extent in Iceland 21t especiall3 in Den/ar$ .a5e rise to a concerted e>>ort 23 scholars to sa5e the Icelandic literar3 herita.e. It was pro2a2l3 as a part o> this process that the /an1script o> the Galdrab6k was

2ro1.ht to Den/ar$. In >act% li$e the econo/ic wealth o> the nation% its c1lt1ral wealth was also s3phoned o>> to ;openha.en. 7ow the /an1scripts collected at that ti/e are 2ein. repatriated% and% ironicall3% the3 were pro2a2l3 sa5ed 23 Danish scholars >ro/ the c1lt1ral and /aterial ra5a.es wrea$ed 23 Danish trades/en and other a.ents o> the crown. Man3 o> the /an1scripts that were not collected 23 the Danes were eaten in ti/es o> >a/ine or% >or want o> other /aterials% were 1sed to /a$e clothin..

;:A9TER TCO
History of Magic m Iceland

are 1n1s1all3 well in>or/ed on all aspects o> th.

practice o> /a.ic 23 the Icelanders. M1ch /ore thar an3 other nonclassical <i.e.% non-Greco-Ro/an= E1 ropean people% the Icelanders ha5e le>t 2ehind a clear record a their /a.ical 2elie>s and practices and ha5e .i5en 1s clear idea4 o> the contexts in which this /a.ic was practiced. Ce not aniJ ha5e ori.inal heathen so1rces <in the (oetic 6elda and s$aldic poetr3= 21t also clear re>lections o> pre-;hristian practices sei down in the sa.a literat1re. The sa.as are prose wor$s-se/i. historical 3et e/2ellished tales-written down >or the /ost pari 2etween !!"& and !,&&. These% howe5er% 1s1all3 re>lect e5ent6 and 2elie>s o> the @i$in. A.e <a2o1t )&&-!!&&=.6

Heat'en 9eriod )*+,-.,,,/

Sa.as re.1larl3 >eat1re wor$s o> /a.ic and .i5e 1s 5i5id pict1re% o> the li5es o> se5eral /a.icians. Z The /ost >a/o1s o> these is the 6gil's Saga, which is essentiall3 a 2io.raph3 o> E.ill S$alla.r>rnsson <(!&-((&=% an Icelandic s$aldic poet% r1nic /a.ician%
!" THE GALDRABOK

and worshipper o> Odhinn. Be3ond s1ch so1rces% we ha5e% o> co1rse% the rare >inds o> act1al .ri/oires s1ch as the Galdrab6k represents. S1ch wor$s% alon. with r1nic inscriptions% le.al records% and the li$e >or/ correlation to the 0literar30 /aterial and >ill in so/e o> the .aps le>t 23 the sa.as and poe/s. The earl3 period o> Icelandic /a.ic isdi5ided into essentiall3 two phases4 heathen and ;atholic. The later Re>or/ation% or 9rotestant% period chan.ed the pict1re considera2l3. It was in the 9rotestant a.e that the /an1scripts o> /ost o> the galdraboekur were created. :owe5er% to e5en 2e.in to 1nderstand the /a.ical world 5iew o> the co/pilers o> these 2oo$s% we /1st 1nderstand well the cos/os o> the Ger/anic heathen past in which their ideas were rooted. It sho1ld 2e clear >to/ the disc1ssion a2o5e% concernin. the histor3 and character o> the ch1rch d1rin. the ;atholic

period% how and wh3 we are a2le to 1se doc1/ents act1all3 written down at that ti/e as relia2le so1rces >or the heathen practice o> /a.ic. The ;atholic period is reall3 /ore an a.e o> s3nthesis than a radical depart1re >ro/ the past as >ar as /a.ic% as well as c1lt1re in .eneral% is concerned. B3 all internal acco1nts% in the heathen a.e there see/ to ha5e 2een two $inds o> /a.ic pre5alent4 galdur7 and seid')r/. Altho1.h these later appear to ha5e ta$en on so/e /oral connotationsthe galdur >or/ 2ein. /ore 0honora2le0 and the seid8, >or/ widel3 considered 0sha/e>1l0 or 0wo/anish0-in realit3 there see/ to ha5e 2een ori.inall3 onl3 certain technical <and perhaps social= distinctions 2etween the two. Icelandic galdur is deri5ed >ro/ the 5er2 gala <to crow% chant=6 and is there>ore do/inated 23 the 1se o> the incantational >or/1la that is to 2e spo$en or s1n. and perhaps also car5ed in r1nes. The ori.inal /eanin. o> seid' /a3 also ha5e so/ethin. to do with 5ocal per>or/ance <i. e.% sin.in. or chantin.=% altho1.h the exact ori.inal /eanin. o> the word is 1nclear.6 Chat is relati5el3 clear is the proced1ral and ps3cholo.ical distinctions 2etween these twc
H~tory o0

9agic in Iceland !'

techniE1es. The practice o> galdur see/s to 2e /ore anal3tical% conscio1s% willed% and e.o-oriented% whereas seid' appears /ore int1iti5e and s3nthetic. T3pical o> galdur wo1ld 2e the ass1/ption o> a 0/a.ical persona0 or alter e.o >or wor$in. the will% whereas in seid' a trance state wo1ld 2e ind1ced in which the e.o wo1ld 2e o> relati5el3 less i/portance. It /i.ht also 2e said that seid' is closer to what /i.ht 2e 1nderstood as sha/anic practice.0 I hasten to point o1t that these are reall3 two tendencies in the pa.an /a.ic <real tho1.h the3 are=% and the 0/oral0 distinction is a later de5elop/ent. Odhinn is said to 2e the 0>ather0 o> galdur and its nat1ral /aster% 21t it is 2elie5ed that he learned the arts o> seid' >ro/ the @anic .oddess Fre3Ha.G It is also te/ptin. to sa3 that seid' is /ore 2ased on 0nat1ral0 /ethods o> wor$in. /a.ic <especiall3 with ani/al and 5e.eta2le s12stances=% whereas galdur is /ore 2ased on lin.1isticIs3/2olic wa3s o> wor$in. <with co/2inations o> 5er2al >or/1las and .raphic si.ns=. O1r texts show that the 2asic techniE1es and ter/inolo.3 o> galdur s1r5i5ed relati5el3 /ore intact than did those o> seid'. This is perhaps 2eca1se o> the relati5el3 si/ple techniE1e o> wor$in. galdur. In the practice o> galdur the /a.ical wor$ see/s /ore hea5il3 dependent on the powers o> the /a.ician hi/sel>. One traditional area o> Ger/anic /a.ic >ro/ which the galdur o> o1r texts inherits /an3 o> its /ethods is that o> r1ne /a.ic. The r1nes <Ice. r$nar or runir/ constit1te a writin. s3ste/ 1sed 23 the Ger/anic peoples >ro/ perhaps as earl3 as "&& B.;.E. to the earl3 !(th cent1r3 in so/e re/ote areas o> Scandina5ia.6 These r1nes% or r1ne sta5es <Ice. runsta0ir/ as the3 were o>ten called% see/ to ha5e 2een 1sed excl1si5el3 >or nonpro>ane p1rposes

>ro/ their 2e.innin.s to the Scandina5ian Middle A.es <2e.innin. a2o1t !!&& ;.E.= The word r$n in Icelandic si.ni>ies not onl3 one o> these 0sta5es0 1sed in writin. 21t also% and /ore ori.inall3% the idea o> 0secret%0 or 0secret lore.0
!, T:E GALDRABOK

Ta2le !4 The Older R1ne-row 9honetic 71/2er Shape @al1e 7a/e Meanin. o> 7a/e ! ~ > '0e'u li5estoc$% wealth " !K 1 "'iiruz a1rochs ' \> th ' t'urisa: .iant , ~ a 89 ansu the .od + !K r 'raid'o ridin. < $ 'kauna: s re * X . ,gebo .i>t ) 9 w !wun"o Ho3 ( N h ''agala: hail !& 1- n 'naut'i: need !! K i "'isa ice !" t{ j ,;era 3ear <har5est= !' ? ei ' ei'1a: 3ew

!, r:: p '4ert'ro dice 2ox <G= !+ f -B ' el'a: el$ ! S s 89 sowilo s1n !* t t ... teiwa the .od T3r
!) 2 'berkana 2irch <-.oddess= !( ! e 'e'1a: horse "& "#\ / #manna /an "! $# I 'lagu: "ater "" L n. *ingwaz the .od In. "' A8l d 'daga: da3 ", ~ & ' 6t'ala ancestral estate
0Indicates a rec nstructed 9roto-Ger/anic ! rm. His<r= o0 9agic in Iceland !+

Fro/ the ori.ins o> the tradition to a2o1t )&& c. E. the older s3ste/ o> twent3->o1r r1nes pre5ailed <Ta2le !=. This s3ste/ was s12seE1entl3 re>or/ed in an orderl3 and 1ni>or/ >ashion thro1.ho1t Scandina5ia. B1t as so/e >or/1las in o1r late texts show% the /a.ical 5al1e o> the n1/2er ", see/s to ha5e contin1ed. In the so-called @i$in. A.e <>ro/ a2o1t )&& to !!&&= the last heathen codi>ication o> the r1nes too$ place. It was >ro/ this period that /an3 o> the pre-;hristian aspects o> /a.ical practice >o1nd in o1r galdrabrekur see/ to ha5e .rown. D1rin. the @i$in. A.e the r1ne sta5es were red1ced to sixteen in n1/2er. As in earlier ti/es% each r1ne had a na/e as well as its phonetic 5al1e <1s1all3 indicated 23 the >irst so1nd in its na/e.=

There were also interpretati5e poetic stanBas connected to each r1ne.0 These are o> special interest since the3 were at least recorded in Iceland and 7orwa3 in the !,&&s and !+&&s-a ti/e 5er3 close to that when o1r earliest /a.ical texts were 2ein. co/piled. There>ore% we can spec1late that the galdramenn </a.icians= /i.ht ha5e had so/e detailed $nowled.e o> the esoteric lore o> heathen r1nolo.3% Man3 o> the/ were certainl3 literate in r1nes. The s3ste/ o> the @i$in. A.e r1nes% as it wo1ld ha5e 2een $nown to the Icelanders% is shown in Ta2le " on pa.e ! . This ta2le has se5eral thin.s to teach 1s directl3 a2o1t the si.ni>icance o> what we will enco1nter in the spells >o1nd in the galdrabrekur. First o> all% the n1/2er ! is o>ten >o1nd 1nderl3in. the co/position o> the sta5e >or/s in the spells. The3 are 1s1all3 not act1al r1ne sta5es% 21t the3 do re>lect the >or/1laic si.ni>icance o> the n1/2er ! . Also% the old r1ne na/es show 1p not onl3 in the spells-where the3 apparentl3 si.ni>3 the r1nes the3 na/e <e...% see Spell , in 9art "=-21t also in the c1rio1s na/es o> the 0/a.ical si.ns0 <Ice. galdrasta0ir/ the/sel5es% s1ch as 'agall. In pa.an ti/es the r1nic /a.icians were well-$nown and honored /e/2ers o> societ3. Traditionall3% r1nelore had 2een ! T:EGAWRABOK Ta2le "4 The #o1n.er R1ne-row 9honetic 71/2er Shape @al1e 7a/e Meanin. o> 7a/e

I M6 > te /one3% .old% li5estoc$ " f\ ufo ur a1rochs <or driBBleI sla.= ' KN rh t'urs .iant , % a liss the .od <or est1ar3= + K r reid' a ridin.

= $I. kaun s

re, ulcer

* O- h 'agall 0hail0 <special r1nic

na/e= ) &- n naud')r> need% distress ( I iIe iss ice 1' .< a ar .ood 3ear% har5est 11 ~ s s6l s1n !" t tid T=r <the .od= T5r !' B pI2 b;arkan 2irch <.oddess=

!,

r / mad'r /an

!+ I# I logr "ater ! ! Rl3 =r 3ew <2ow= the preser5e o> /e/2ers o>the esta2lished social order interested in intellect1al or spirit1al p1rs1its. For the /ost part% these /en were >ollowers o> the .od Odhinn% the Ger/anic .od o> /a.ic%

ecstas3% poetr3% and death.0 It is also worth notin. that /en were /ore o>ten en.a.ed in r1nic /a.ic than were wo/en-a social pheno/enon that is re>lected in the later statistics o> the witchcra>t trials in Iceland.
Histor= o0 9agic in Iceland 1~

The .eneral techniE1e o> r1ne /a.ic in pa.an ti/es consisted o> three proced1ral steps per>or/ed 23 a E1ali>ied r1ne /a.ician4 (1) car5in. the sta5es into an o2Hect% <"= colorin. the/ with 2lood or d3e% and <'= spea$in. a 5ocal >or/1la o5ei the sta5es to load the/ with /a.ical power.0 This direct tech niE1e% which is not dependent on the o2Hecti5e inter5ention '1 .ods or de/ons% will later 2e in contin1ed e5idence in the galdrabrekur. It clearl3 shows the contin1ation o> a practice >rorr earl3 Ger/anic ti/es ri.ht 1p to the /ode/ a.e. Se5eral exa/ples >ro/ old Icelandic literat1re will show this $ind o> /a.ic at wor$. One o> the /ost interestin. exa/ples >o4 o1r p1rposes is >o1nd in the (oetic 6dda in the la3 called% alternati5el3% 0For S$>rnis0 or the 0S$>/isrnal0 <st. ' =. This poerr pro2a2l3 dates >ro/ the earl3 tenth cent1r3. :ere the rnessen.ei o> the .od Fre3r% na/ed S$>/ir% is tr3in. to >orce the 2ea1ti>1 .iantess <etin-wi>e= to lo5e his lord% Fre3r. S$>rnir threatens her with a c1rse4 A t'urs-rune I 0or t'ee, and t'ree o0 t'em I scratc'lec'er= and loat'ing and lust? o00 I s'all scra4e t'em as on I did scratc' t'em i0 o0 none t'ere be need. !" The 2asic /oti5ation and stance o> the r1nic /a.ician% a% well as technical aspects s1ch as the en1/eration o> the sta5e% and the act1al st3le o> the incantation% will 2e >o1nd in late4 spells. Another >a/o1s exa/ple that clearl3 shows r1ne-rna.ica techniE1es is one in the 6gil's Saga <chap. ,,=. In order to deteci poison in his drin$in. ho/% E.ill drew o1t his $ni>e and sta22ec the pal/ o> his hand. Then he too$ the ho/% car5ed r1nes or it% and r122ed 2lood on the/. :e said4
!) THE GAWRABOK

I car@e a rune on t'e 'orn I redden t'e s4ell in blood t'ese 1ords I c'oose 0or =our ears . The ho/ 21rst as1nder% and the drin$ went down into the
straw. !'

Besides r1nic /a.ic% 21t o>ten in conH1nction with it% we >ind /a.ic wor$ed in pre-;hristian ti/es with certain hol3 or otherwise power>1l nat1ral s12stances. There /1st ha5e 2een a whole /a.ical classi>ication s3ste/ o> sacred woods onl3 di/l3 re>lected in the galdrabrekur. In an3 e5ent% the woods o> 5ario1s trees pla3ed a special part in the Ger/anic /a.ical technolo.3 as well as its /3tholo.3. The world is said to 2e constr1cted aro1nd the >ra/ewor$ o> a tree-#..drasill <the Corld-Tree=.

:1/an$ind is said to ha5e 2een shaped 23 a three>old aspect o> Odhinn >ro/ trees4 the /an >ro/ the ash and the wo/an >ro/ the el/ )emblaA/. Another s12stance o> extre/e i/portance is 2lood. The r1nes were o>ten reddened with it% and it was .enerall3 tho1.ht to ha5e intrinsic /a.ical powers% especiall3 when it was either h1/an or that o> a sacri>icial ani/al. In /an3 pre-;hristian sacri>icial rites the 2lood o> the ani/al was sprin$led onto the altar% te/ple walls% and e5en rhe .athered >ol$% all o> which were said to 2e hallowed 23 this contact. !, The et3/olo.3 o> the En.lish 5er2 0to 2less0 re>lects this heathen practice as it is 1lti/atel3 deri5ed >ro/ a 9roto-Ger/anic >or/ Pblot'iso;an <to hallow with 2loodF 9G/c. 'blot'am, 2lood=. Other than woods o> trees% her2al s12stances were also widel3 1sed in pre-;hristian /a.ical practice. Especiall3 pre5alent were >or/s o> the lee$ <Ice. laukur/, the na/e o> which co//onl3 occ1rs as a /a.ical r1nic >or/1la e5en as earl3 as ,+& ;.E. IS It is also noteworth3 that se5eral her2s 2ear the na/es o> 7orse .ods or .oddesses% >or exa/ple% Icelandic 0rigg;argras
Histor= o0 9agic in Iceland !6

<Fri..6s her24 orc'is odoratissima or sat=rium albidium/ and bal dursbra <Bald1r6s 2row4 cotula 0oetida or 4=et'rum inodorum, & perhaps e3e-2ri.ht=. Additionall3% certain s/all stones% called in Icelandic l=0 sceinar <her2-/a.ical healin. stones=% are tho1.ht to ha5e power4 to heal disease /a.icall3. These were so/eti/es e5en car5ec with r1nes or other si.ns.

Cat'olic (eriod ).,,,-.33,/

The latter part o> the a.e H1st 2e>ore the ti/e when the gaBd. rabrekur 2e.an to 2e set down is called the ;atholic period. A% will 2e re/e/2ered >ro/ o1r disc1ssion o> the politico-reli.io1% histor3 o> Iceland% a pec1liar $ind o> ;atholic ;hristian ch1rcl existed in Iceland >ro/ !&&& to the /iddle o> the !+&&s. In al >acets o> li>e this represented a period o> /ixed >aith in which ele/ents o> the ancient nati5e herita.e and the new >orei.r reli.ion were 2ein. s3ncretiBed. :eathen ele/ents in the /a.ical tradition wo1ld nat1rall3 2e di/inished 2oth as new /aterial wasintrod1ced and as $nowled.e o> the technical aspects o> the pa.an tradition 2e.an to >ad% thro1.h ne.lect and lac$ o> the old esta2lish/ent s1pport. 7e5ertheless% the old /aterial and techniE1es /1st ha5e contin1ed in a real wa3 >or /an3 .enerations. In a wa3 this is a 0dar$ a.e0 >or o1r $nowled.e o> the act1al practice o> /a.ic in Iceland 2eca1se the wor$s co/posed at this ti/e depicted the @i$in. A.e practices% and we ha5e no act1al gaklrabrekur >ro/ the period itsel>. Fro/ what we ha5e in the Re>on/ation A.e% it is possi2le to spec1late that the heathen tradition was $ept ali5e on its own ten/s >or a lon. ti/e 21t e5ent1all3 was s3ncretiBed with the ;hristian tradition. It /1st% howe5er% 2e 1nderstood that prac"&

T:E GALDRAB6K

tiein. /a.ic at all was considered 23 orthodox >orces to 2e heretical and so/ewhat dia2olical. <That is wh3 there is an acti5e% explicit /er.er o> the old .ods and the de/ons o> hell. See chapter ,.= The in>l1ence o> the >orei.n ;hristian tradition see/s tc ha5e 2een /ost $eenl3 >elt in new ele/ents introd1ced in the >or/1las. These wo1ld incl1de personalities >ro/ explicitl3 ?1dea-;hristian /3tholo.3 <e...% Solo/on% ?es1s% Mar3=. Be3ond these personalities certain >or/1las /1st ha5e 2een incorporated at this ti/e4 the 1seo> the trinit3% >or/1laso> 2enediction pec1liar to the ;atholic ch1rch% and so on. Other ele/ents% s1ch as ?1dea-Gnostic >or/1las <e...% Qeho5a Se2aoth Q#ahweh TBa2aothJ% Tetra.ra//aton= /1st ha5e co/e directl3 >ro/ /a.ical 2oo$s i/ported >ro/ the ;ontinent at this ti/e. As >ar as the act1al /ethods o> wor$in. /a.ic are concerned% there /1sl ha5e 2een a relati5e shi>t in e/phasis to the pra3er >or/1la% it which the /a.ician 2ids >or the intercession o> so/e s1pernat1ral entit3 on his 2ehal>. Altho1.h this was pro2a2l3 $nown in sa/% >or/ in the heathen a.e% it had li/ited applicationF whereas il predo/inates in the ?1dea-;hristian tradition. The in>or/ation we ha5e a2o1t /a.icians and /a.ic o> this period is 5er3 indirect. Altho1.h /an3 texts were co/posed ir this period% the3 /ostl3 har$ed 2ac$ to the heathen a.e wher /a.ic ca/e into pla3. The later >ol$tales% /ostl3 collected ir the !*&&s and !)&&s tell o> two >a/o1s /a.icians o> this a.e. howe5er. One was Sae/1nd1r Si.>1sson the Cise <!&+ -!!''=. who was the god'i <priest-chie>tain= o> Oddi. :e is rep1ted tc ha5e 2een the /ost learned /an o> his ti/e% 21t all o> his writin.4 are now lost. F1rther% he was said to ha5e acE1ired /a.ica $nowled.eas a capti5e o> the Blac$ School o> Satan. This le.e/ /a3 2e d1e to the >act that he st1died Latin and theolo.3 ir France. Sae/1nd1r has the rep1tation% despite the ori.ins o> hi4 $nowled.e% o> 2ein. a 0.ood0 /a.ician. It see/s that the rep
Histor= o0 9agic in Iceland "!

1tation >or 0white0 or 02lac$0 /a.ic that the historical /a.iciar1 acE1ired was d1e /ore to literar3 stereot3pin. and re.ional con>licts than to an3 historical or practical >acts. See/1nd1r6s sister :alla also 0practiced the old heathen lore%0 asone text descri2in. her p1ts it% altho1.h the writer >eels o2li.ed to add that she was
9nevertheless ... a very religi us " man. 91+

Re0ormation A.e ).33,-.+3,/

Cith the ad5ent o> 9rotestantis/ in Iceland% 2e.innin. a2o1t !+' % a radical new sit1ation 2e.an to pre5ail. As learnin. decreased in E1alir3 and persec1tions o> /a.ic increased in intensit3% ele/ents o> Icelandic /a.ic alread3 in place 2e.an to reach $nowled.e and practice as >ar as the esta2lish/ent was concerned% so it there>ore 2eca/e /ore wrapped 1p in the /ixt1re o> pre5io1sl3 reHected heathenis/. At the close o> the ;atholic period there were two conte/porar3

Icelandic /a.icians with 5er3 di>>erent rep1tations. Gotrs$al$ 7i$lasson the ;r1el <2ishop o> :olar >ro/ !,(* to !+"&= had a rep1tation as an e5il /a.ician. :e was the co/piler o> the >a2led Raud'skinni 2oo$ o> /a.ic disc1ssed in chapter '. Gotts$al$ is well $nown in Icelandic histor3 otherwise as a r1thless political sche/er who conspired a.ainst sec1lar political >i.1res >or his own sel>ish ends. IG This as /1ch as an3thin. else pro2a2l3 led to his rep1tation in the >ol$ tradition. An approxi/ate conte/porar3 o> Gotts$al$ was :al>dan1r 7ar>ason <died !+ )=% 5icar o> Fell in Gotts$al$6s diocese o> :olar. Little is $nown o> :al>dan1r6s li>e% 21t there is a rich 2od3 o> >ol$tales concernin. hi/.0 :e see/s to ha5e 2een the le.endar3 0white0 co1nterpoint to the 02lac$0 Bishop Gorts$ai$. :al>dan1r and Gotrs$al$ >or/ a $ind o> 2rid.e 2etween the ;atholic and Re>or/ation a.es in the histor3 o> Icelandic /a.ic. "" T:E GALDRABOK Deep into the 9rotestant period we a.ain ha5e a pair o> stron.lcontrasted /a.ician >i.1res4 Eir>$1r o> @o.s sar and Galdra Lopt1r. Eirl$1r% who was a E1iet and pio1s 5icar% li5ed >ro/ ! '6 to !*! . :e is little $nown in histor3 21t shares with See/1nd1 the rep1tation o> a practitioner o> .ood /a.ic% wholl3 deri5er >ro/ .odl3 so1rces-altho1.h he was not a2o5e practicin. tl1 /ost dreaded arts <e... % necro/anc3= >or 0peda.o.ical p1rposes.6 :ere I re>er to one o> the /ost tellin. anecdotes in the histor o> Icelandic /a.ic% one that e/phasiBes the character and le5e o> h1/or necessar3 to practice /a.ic4 Two 2o3s once ca/e to Eiri$1r the priest and as$ed hi/ tR show the/ how he wo1ld set a2o1t raisin. .hosts. :e told then to co/e with hi/ to the ch1rch3ard% and the3 did. :e /1ttere4 so/ethin. 2etween his teeth% and the earth 2e.an .1shin. SI o1t o> a .ra5e. The 2o3s reacted di>>erentl3F one la1.hed% an% the other 21rst into tears. Eirt$1r said to the latter4 0Go ho/ a.ain% /3 .ood >ellow% and than$ God 3o1 did not .o o1t c 3o1r /ind. As >or this other 2o3% it wo1ld 2e a pleas1re to teacl
him. 911

This /i.ht 2e co/pared with an episode in5ol5in. Galdra Lopt1r <Lopt1r the Ma.ician= that is s1pposed to 2e one o> hi /ost depra5ed acts-raisin. the draugur <.host= o> Bishop Gotts $al$ in order to reco5er his >a/o1s 02lac$ 2oo$%0 Raud'skinnl Little is $nown o> the historical Lopt1r% 21t we do $now tha he wasa scholar at the school at : !arand that he died in !*"" In Galdra-Lopt1r we ha5e a $ind o> Icelandic Fa1st% whose /aHc sin is his insatia2le desire >or /ore $nowled.e and power. "& The 1se o> >ol$tales to trace the histor3 o> /a.ic is a ris$ tas$. The3 reall3 tell 1s /ore a2o1t the chan.in. attit1des < the >ol$ toward /a.ic and other h1/an /oti5ations than a2or the act1al practices o> an3 .i5en ti/e. :owe5er% in this area% in so /an3 others% Iceland pro5ides re/ar$a2le technical detail and o>ten s1rprisin.l3 5al1e->ree renditions o> e5ents-e5e
Histor= o0 9agic in Iceland

tho1.h the teller o> the tale /a3 >eel the need to co//ent

ne.ati5el3 Ot positi5el3 as an aside. Chen we loo$ o5er the whole 2od3 o> Icelandic >ol$tales dealin. with /a.ic we see certain trends. For exa/ple% /en o> hi.h ran$ are rarel3 chided with char.es o> 2lac$ /a.ic% e5en tho1.h their reported practice% see/ little di>>erent >ro/ those a.ainst who/ the char.e was le5eled. In the earl3 phase o> the ;hristian period% heathen lore was loo$ed 1pon with so/e a/2i5alence% and the ;hristian De5il was hardl3 1nderstood. It see/ed to 2e a /oral watershed as to the so1rce o> a /a.ician6s $nowled.e and power-o> the ;hristian God or o> so/e other so1rce <i.e.% heathenIdia2olical=. Later% especiall3 in the 9rotestant period% all /a.ic was loo$ed 1pon with s1spicion-all wiBards were 0.ra30 at 2est. This attit1de in the >ol$tales is perhaps /ost eloE1entl3 s3/2oliBed in the Galdrab6k in those spells in which the old .ods are eE1ated with in>ernal de/ons and @alholl is so/ehow eE1ated with hell. Beca1se o> Iceland6s pec1liar ch1rch or.aniBation in the ;atholic period and the .eneral isolation o> the co1ntr3 >ro/ ;ontinental a>>airs% the practice o> /a.ic was not o>>iciall3 persec1ted or prosec1ted d1rin. that ti/e. The InE1isition 2eca/e acti5e on the ;ontinent >ollowin. 9ope Innocent Ill6s 21ll o> !!((. That was /ainl3 directed a.ainst or.aniBed heretics% 21t its circle .rad1all3 widened to incl1de sorcer3 e5en when heres3 was not in5ol5ed <in a 21ll 23 9ope 7icholas @ in !,+!=. B1t e5en this >ailed to penetrate the dar$ /ists o> Th1le. In lar.e /eas1re this pheno/enon is pro2a2l3 d1e to the >act that it was cler.3/en the/sel5es who were /ost acti5el3 en.a.ed in sorcer3 in IcelandA The 9rotestants on the ;ontinent were no less se5ere in dealin. with witchcra>t than the InE1isition had 2een% and in /an3 cases the3 were /ore de5astatin. in that their >oc1s on indi5id1als and s/all .ro1ps /ade /ore indiscri/inate perse ",
T:E GAWRAB6K

c1tions easier. It was 1nder co5er o> the Re>or/ation that witch. cra>t persec1tions ca/e to Iceland. These persec1tions ne5ei reached the .enocidal le5els $nown on the ;ontinent% when h1ndreds o> tho1sands were exec1ted% 21t the3 are ne5ertheles historicall3 si.ni>icant. The >irst trial >or witchcra>t in Iceland is recorded in !++, the last at the Althin. o> !*"&. Records were poorl3 $ept in thi4 periodF howe5er% it is esti/ated that d1rin. this ti/e so/e *+, trials were held% altho1.h records >or onl3 !"+ s1r5i5e. Of these !"+ acc1sed persons onl3 ( were wo/en.0 This is in /ar$ec contrast to the .eneral pattern o> witchcra>t acc1sations anc certainl3 s1..estsso/ethin. o> the de/o.raphics o> /a.ical practice in Iceland. This is .enerall3 a re>lection o> lon.-standin. Ger/anic tradition% in which /en were at least the eE1al &4 wo/en in the occ1lt arts. Ce ha5e records >or onl3 twent3-six exec1tions </ostl3 23 21rnin.= >or witchcra>t. Onl3 one wo/ar was act1all3 exec1ted. Others who were con5icted o> this cri/e% 21t whose sentence was short o> death% were >lo..ed or o1tlawec

<in e>>ect 2anished >ro/ the co1ntr3=. The period o> /ost intensi5e witchcra>t persec1tions &I clearl3 /ar$ed 2etween the >irst exec1tion in ! "+ and the last in ! )+. :owe5er% it is worth pointin. o1t that d1rin. this ti/% Iceland s1>>ered.enerall3 1nder a /oral code o> extre/el3 harsl6 laws% which pro5ided >or capital p1nish/ent >or a wide 5arier% o> cri/es-/1rder% incest% ad1lter3% the>t-as well as witchcra>t. Also% >indin. r1ne sta5es car5ed on a stic$ or written on parch /ent was e5idence s1>>icient to con5ict so/eone o> witchcra>t. All o> this is a >ar cr3 >ro/ the sa.a a.e when .reat /en $new the r1nes and the Althin. co1ld not i/pose the death penalt3 Finall3% it is noteworth3 that altho1.h it was not necessaril3 the poorest or /ost i.norant >ol$ who were acc1sed o> sorcer3% the rich% power>1l% or scholarl3 <who were in historical retrospect the chie> practitioners= were lar.el3 i//1ne. P Histor= o0 9agic in Iceland "+ A&- to the $inds o> /a.ic practiced in this period% we ha5e direct e5idence in the >or/ o> the Galdrab6k itsel>% which was co/piled o5er a period 2etween a2o1t !++& and ! )&% incl1din. /an3 3ears o> the persec1tions. :ere we are not dependent on secondhand descriptions 21t ha5e the practical /an1al itsel> as it was 1sed 23 act1al /a.icians. The sa/e can 2e said >or the other% later /aterial recorded in Appendices A and B. The re/ainin. chapters treat the 5ario1s aspects o> /a.ic as practiced in the Galdrab6k. In the !++&-! )& period Iceland de5eloped a national s3nthesis o> /a.ic that was wor$ed 23 /e/2ers o> the hi.hest le5els o> its societ3. B1t it is perhaps 2eca1se o> the relati5e lac$ o> a strict set o> socioecono/ic and ed1cational class distinctions in Iceland at the ti/e and a>terward that the s3nthesis s1r5i5ed as lon. as it did. E5en toda3 Icelanders are noted >or their partic1larl3 stron. 2elie>s in occ1lt /atters0 and their 1na2ashed pride in their heathen past. "'

;:A9TER T:REE Icelandic $ooks of t%e $lack Art

"

esides the Galdrab6k, which is the >oc1s o> o1r st1d3

here% the apparentl3 once rich text1al tradition o> Icelandic /a.ic is in >ra./ents and shreds. The >ol$tale% o> Iceland report on the existence o> >a/o1s 2oo$s o> the 2lac$ arts owned 23 notorio1s /a.icians o> histor3 and ho1sed in renowned schools where /a.ic was practiced. These $inds o> 2oo$% were also reported in /ore relia2le historical so1rces% so/e ot which e5en contain s1//aries o> their contents. Otherwise we

are dependent on later collections and on stra3 re>erences in /an1scripts whose contents are .enerall3 other than that oi galdur. So/e o> the later 2oo$s containin. spells are pro>iled in Appendix A. In le.end% the earliest o> the >a/o1s Icelandic /a.icians oi the ;hristian period% Bishop See/1nd1r the Cise% is said to ha5e learned the arts o> /a.ic at a /3sterio1s Blac$ School o> Satan so/ewhere on the ;ontinent% perhaps in Ger/an3 or France.6 B1t in later ti/es the two cathedral schools o> Iceland at : !al <in the north= and S$alholt <in the so1thwest= were the hot2edF o> /a.ical acti5it3. As noted 2e>ore% the le.endar3 /aterial alsc tends to di5ide the /aster /a.icians into two /ain t3pes4 2e ")
T:E GAWRAB6K

ne>icent and /ali>icent. See/1nd1r the Cise is the /odel o> .oodness% and Gotts$al$ the ;r1el is the archet3pe o> e5il. It is c1rio1s% howe5er% that their so1rces o> /a.ical lore are the sa/e <as o>ten >ro/ Satan or Odhinn as >ro/ the ;hristian God=F and in the 2oo$s that ha5e s1r5i5ed% all $inds o> /a.ic are /erril3 /ixed to.ether. It see/s that ro the /a.ician hi/sel> <not necessaril3 to the non/a.icians who /i.ht sit in H1d./ent o> hi/= /a.ic is a ne1tral thin. that can 2e 1sed in ca1ses H1st and 1nH1st.

T'e "lack "ooks o0 !egend

There are two /ain texts o> le.endar3 i/portance in the histor3 o> Icelandic 2oo$s o> the 2lac$ arts. It is i/possi2le to tell where le.end ends and histor3 2e.ins with these acco1nts% 21t one thin. that is 2orne o1t 23 hard e5idence is the i/portance o> s1ch 2oo$s and the nat1re o> their contents. The /ost >a/o1s and sinister o> all o> these 2oo$s was Raud'skinni <Red Leather=% which was said to ha5e 2een co/piled 23 the /ost e5il o> all /a.icians% Bishop Gotts$al$ 7i$lasson the ;r1el% Bishop o> :olar >ro/ !,(* to !+"&. Raud'skinni is said to 2e a 2oo$ o> the 2lac$est /a.ic% drawn >ro/ the heathen a.e. It was s1pposed ro ha5e 2een written with .olden letters on red parch/ent <hence% the na/e 0Red Leather0=. It is also said to ha5e 2een written in r1nes.G Gotts$al$ is reported to ha5e 2een 21ried with the Raud'skinni, and it is >1rther said that he did not teach all o> the /a.ic co/piled in the 2oo$. There>ore% the text was ass1/ed to 2e o> enor/o1s secret power. So/e two h1ndred 3ears a>ter Gotts$al$6s death there was said to 2e a scholar at the school o> :olar na/ed Lopt1r% or Galdra-Lopt1r. Lopt1r wished to .ain the $nowled.e contained in Raud'skinni, so he set a2o1t to raise the dead Gotts$al$ and >orce hi/ to .i5e
Icelandic "ooks o0 t'e "lack rt "6

1p the 2oo$. Lopt1r was 1ns1ccess>1l% howe5er% and was le> shattered 23 the enco1nter with the power>1l.host o> Gotts$al$.4 Another >a/o1s /a.ical 2oo$ o> se/ile.end was Grdskinn <Gra3 Leather=. There were perhaps at one ti/e two 2oo$s 2! this na/e% one at : lar and one at S$alholt% 2oth ori.inalh co/piled >ro/ the sa/e so1rce. The description o> this 2oo$ &1

interestin. in that the text is s1pposed to ha5e consisted o> twe parts% the >irst part written in nor/al letters <i.e.% in the Ro/ar alpha2et= and containin. in>or/ation on lesser /a.ical arts% >oi exa/ple% glimugaldur <wrestlin. /a.ic= and In0alis! <pal/istr3=. The so1ls o> those who read H1st the >irst part co1ld still 2e sa5ed% 21t those who read the second part o> Grdskinni were da/ned. This second part was said to 2e written in @illurunir <errin. r1nes% i.e.% coded r1nes desi.ned to conceal their act1al /eanin.s=. These were 2lac$ /a.ical spells the /a.ician Galdra-Lopt1r had /astered., O> co1rse% these 2oo$s /a3 ne5er ha5e act1all3 existed% 21t certainl3 ones with contents li$e those descri2ed in >ol$tales did exist. In >act% o1r Galdrab6k is a s1r5i5in. exa/ple. Ce do not need to repeat what the 1s1al >ate o> s1ch 2oo$s was once the3 were disco5ered 23 the esta2lish/ent a1thorities. :owe5er% it is 1se>1l to recall that there was an acti5e ca/pai.n a.ainst s1ch 2oo$s>or cent1ries% and .i5en that circ1/stance it is re/ar$a2le that the Galdrab6k was a2le to s1r5i5e.

TeCt o0 t'e Galdra2 $

The ori.inal /an1script o> this collection o> 2lac$ /a.ical spells waswritten in Iceland 2e.innin. so/eti/e d1rin. the latter part o> the !+&&s. It is there>ore a prod1ct o> the Re>or/ation A.e. The /an1script does not represent a co/prehensi5e co/position% 21t rather it is a collection o> spells% /ore or less rando/l3
'& T:E GALDRABOK

pieced to.ether.6 As we ha5e the 2oo$ now% it has 2een addec to 23 >o1r scri2es wor$in. o5er a period o> as lon. as a h1ndrec 3ears. The >irst /a.ician% wor$in. in Iceland d1rin. the latter hal o> the sixteenth cent1r3% wrote down spells !-!&. Soon therea>tei it was passed on to another Icelander% who added spells !!-'( 9erhaps so/eti/e later a third Icelandic scri2e ca/e into pasT session o> the 2oo$ and added spells ,&-,,. This latter galdra. mad'ur wrote in the c1rsi5e st3le o> the !*th cent1r3. Chat i% re/ar$a2le a2o1t his wor$ is that it contains s1ch a rich store o> re>erences to the older .ods and to Ger/anic lore-and thi4 was aro1nd ! +&% /ore than hal> a /illenni1/ a>ter that >ate>1 Althin. o> the 3ear !&&&A 7ot lon. a>ter this third scri2e hac added his spells% the 2oo$ was ta$en to Den/ar$% where it ca/% into the hands o> a Danish /a.ician who wrote in spells 2e.in. nin. with the last section o> ,, thro1.h ,*. This Dane /1si ha5e also had the 1se o> other Icelandic 2oo$s o> /a.ic% no0 lost% >ro/ which he collected these spells. In ! )" the 2oo$ was acE1ired 23 the Danish philolo.is ?. G. Spar>5en>elt and was later acE1ired 23 the Swedes <so/e ti/e 2etween ! )( and ! (,= >or their .reat collection a 0Gothic0 /on1/ents and /an1scripts. E5ent1all3 it >o1nd it% wa3 into the Acade/3 o> Sciences <State :istorical M1se1/4 in Stoc$hol/% where it is now. A s1r5e3 o> the contents o> the /an1script re5eals so/e

interestin. tendencies. There are essentiall3 two $inds o> /a.$ wor$ed here. One wor$s 23 /eans o> a pra3er >or/1la in whicl hi.her powers are in5o$ed and 23 which the /a.ical end i4 e>>ected indirectl3. This is the case onl3 with a /inorir3 <a tota o> ei.ht= o> the spells in the Galdrab6k. Far /ore co//on an the spells that wor$ as direct expressions o> the /a.ician6s will This will is expressed thro1.h si.ns.or thro1.h written or spo$er >or/1las. O>ten these /ethods are co/2ined so that the o5eral
Icelandic "ooks o0 t'e "lack rt '!

rit1al >or/1la is 5er3 si/ilar to the $ind practiced in ancient ti/es and reported o> E.ill S$alla.r>/sson% >or exa/ple. There are a total o> twent3-three spells 1sin. galdrasra0ir, while ei.ht /a$e 1se o> spo$en or written spells. Two% '' and ,+% /a$e 1se o> >or/1las that /ix the pra3ers with the 1se o>galdrasra0ir. Three spells e/plo3 neither pra3er nor si.ns 21t rather /a$e 1se o> nat1ral s12stances that are s1pposed to wor$ a /a.ical e>>ect. This is the $ind o> nat1ral /a.ic /ost o>ten >o1nd in the 0leech2oo$s%0 or ph3sicians6 /an1als. The reli.io1so1tloo$ expressed in the spells is also o> central interest. A >1ll twent3-one o> the spells ha5e a predo/inantl3 non-;hristian or o5ertl3 heathen <or e5en dia2olical= 5iewpoint. This is not 1nexpected% as the whole practice o> /a.ic had 2een associated with the heathen past and with de/onic so1rces>ro/ the ti/e o> the introd1ction o> ;hristianit3. In spite o> this% there are so/e nine spells that ha5e a 0p1rel3 ;hristian0 o1tloo$ in that the3 o5ertl3 cite ;hristian >i.1res or 1se ;hristian >or/1las. There are also ei.ht spells that de/onstrate Q1deo-Gnostic roots4 +% !&% !!% !"% '!% '*% '(% and ,". These o>ten /a$e 1se o> ?1daic or Greco-Gnostic >or/1las 21t cannot 2e classi>ied as ;hristian. The3 were% no do12t% 2orrowed >ro/ the ;ontinental tradition alon. with the o5ertl3 ;hristian >or/1las. Additionall3% there are >i5ehi.hl3 c1rio1s spellsthat /ix o5ettl3 Ger/anic pa.an contents with o5ertl3 ;hristian contents. It is worth notin. that >o1r o> these were added 23 the last two scri2es. This /i.ht indicate that the pa.an and especiall3 the ;atholic;hristian >or/1las were recedin. >1rther into the cate.or3 o> reHected $nowled.e and were th1s increasin.l3 2eco/in. candidates >or 1se in /a.ical >or/1las. There are ro1.hl3 six di>>erent /a.ical /oti5ations expressed in the spells o> the Galdrab6k. B3 >ar the /ost co//on are apotropaic% or protecti5e% >or/1las% o> which there are no less than ei.hteen. Besides these spells% which are constt1cted '" THE GALDRAB6K so as to protect the /a.ician >ro/ so/e acti5e har/ <e...% trollshot or the wrath o> power>1l /en=% there is a .ro1p o> nine .enerall3 2ene>icent spells desi.ned to 2rin. the /a.ician .ood >ort1ne or 2ene>icial circ1/stances. An o5erridin. concern o> the /a.icians who co/piled this 2oo$ was the disco5er3 o> thie5es. There is a total o> six s1ch spells. These are c1rio1s in that the3 are spells >or the acE1isition o> so/e >or/ o> clair5o3ance

or /a.ical $nowled.e <Ice. kunnatta? see Spell ,,= 23 which the /a.ician will 2e a2le to 0see0 an i/a.e o> the /an who stole >ro/ hi/. The last spell <,*= is a >or/1la >or in5isi2ilit3. Besides these protecti5e and otherwise passi5e >or/1las% there is a siBa2le .ro1p o> spells de5oted to /ore a..ressi5e >or/s o> /a.ic. These are ten in n1/2er% o> which >o1r or so are a/on. the /ost /ischie5o1s 3et recorded in the annals o> sorcer3. I> Icelandic /a.icians went aro1nd castin. these spells% it is no wonder the3 spent so /1ch ti/e and e>>ort worr3in. a2o1t the 0wrath o> power>1l /en.0

Ot'er Historical 9anuals o0 9agic

O> co1rse% 2esides the Galdrab6k no coherent and archaic 2oo$ o> its $ind exists an3/ore. B1t there are a n1/2er o> 2oo$s that contain 5ario1s a/o1nts o> interestin. lore. One o> the /ain pro2le/s in research in this area is that the so1rces ha5e not 2een collected% andIor con5enient editions o> the/ ha5e not 2een /ade. There are historical records o> 2oo$s >ro/ the l Dth cent1r3 that .i5e 1s so/e idea o> their 2asic contents. The /a.ical 2oo$s o> 9astor ? n the Learned <!+*,-! +&!= >ell into the hands o> 9astor G1dh/1nd1r Einarsson o> Stadharstadh1r in ! "+. G1dh/1nd1r 1sed these 2oo$s to write a tract a.ainst the prac Icelandic
"ooks o0 t'e "lack rt '.

tice o> /a.ic in ! "*. ?on was said to 2e a learned 21t s1per stitio1s /an who spread the lore o> /a.ic in the >or/ o> kreddur or s1perstitio1s 2elie>s. Ce $now >ro/ secondar3 citations o> thi now lost tract 23 G1dh/1nd1r that ?on6s 2oo$s contained spell 1sin. the sator-sE1areG and 0r1nes0 connected with 2i2lical pas sa.es </ostl3 >ro/ the 9sal/s=. G1dh/1nd1r% who was at pain to connect this lore with the worship o> Satan% 5ent1red at interpretation o> the sator-sE1are as a scra/2lin. o> the sentenci Satan o4eror te, operor te Satan. This he translates as 0Satan ! an in th3 wor$% I a/ in th3 toil.40 As a res1lt o> this p12licit3 an% the e>>orts o> G1dh/1nd1r% ?on was conde/ned >or witchcra> at the Althin. o> ! '! 21t was not exec1ted. There also exists a detailed catalo. o> the contents o> 4 galdrabok >o1nd 23 the school/aster o> S$alholr in the 2ed & two st1dents in the 3ear ! ,.( The school/aster handed it o5e to Bishop Br3nH1l>1r S5einsson% who /ade a listin. o> its con tents. The 2oo$ itsel>was/ost certainl3 21rned% 21t the st1dent were spared the sa/e >ate. The3 were not e5en tried% 21t the6 were expelled >ro/ the school and exiled to En.land. One & the/ ret1rned a>ter so/e 3ears. The descripti5e list /ade 23 Br5nH1l>1r contains ei.ht ite/s. :ere are translations o> so/e o> those that are /ost in terestin. >or o1r p1rposes. 7o. !,4 0To wrestle in a di>>eren wa3% with car5in.s and the drawin. o> 2lood. Additionall3 Q>o1r si.ns4 hed.e-ho. tooth% gin0aCi, hagal~ and satriC.2 7o. ./ kgis';almur <hel/ o> awe=. 7o. ",4 0;onH1ration >or a >ox. :er Thorr and Odhinn are in5o$ed% with twent3-three si.ns.0 7o

" 4 0;onH1ration >or a /o1se% with a h1/an ri2-the De5il i in5o$ed in co/plete tr1st in Thorr and Odhinn with the 5erse sator arepo% etc.0 7o. "*4 0To .i5e so/eone the sleep-thorn with the drawin. o> 2lood and two si.ns.0 7o. "(4 0To /a$ so/eone sleepless% with a c1rsin. 5erse and one si.n. Addition
', T:E GALDRAB6K

all3 the De5il is called 1pon as well as twel5e arch-de5ils 23 the power o> L1ci>er.0 7o. '(4 0To >ind o1t who stole >ro/ so/eone% with two si.ns 'agall inn /inni Qha.all the lesserJ.0 7o. *,4 0Sc that a troll o> utburd'ur Qthe .host o> an 1n2aptiBed 2a23J will not dri5e so/eone /ad% with >o1r si.ns.0 7o. **4 0To car5e the sleep-thorn >or so/eone.0 7o. )&4 0A.ainst the>t4 conH1rin. 'rimt'urs Qri/e .iantJ and grimt'urs Qcr1el .iantJ and the Father o> all Trolls QOdhinnJ with twent3-nine si.ns.0 The contents &! this list /a3 2e co/pared 2ene>iciall3 with the contents o> the Galdrab6k and with the later collections >o1nd in the appendixes o> this 2oo$. At least one old Icelandic leech2oo$ <ph0 3sicians6 /an1al= >ro/ the late !,&&s contains se5eral lea5es at the 2e.innin. that are /ore /a.ical than the a5era.e contents o> the 2oo$. !& These contain so/e o> the oldest representations o> the regis';almur anc si/ilar si.ns% as well as pra3er >or/1las in which the old .ods <i.e.% dhinn Qalso as FHolnirJ% Th rr% Fri..% and Fre3Ha= are /ixed with Q1deo-;hristian >i.1res. The other Icelandic so1rces treated extensi5el3 in Appendix A are collections /ade in the !)&&s. Their contents 1s1all3 .c 2ac$ to the !*&&s% and their s12stance% as can 2e seen directl3% .oes ri.ht 2ac$ to the /edie5al period and 2e3ond. The readei is ad5ised to see the introd1ctor3 /aterial in Appendix A >OI the historical details o> these collections. Besides the Icelandic /aterial% which is the core o> this st1d3% I ha5e also appended /aterial >ro/ other Ger/anic areas. Appendix B has a selection >ro/ an Old En.lish leech2oo$ thai .i5es an insi.ht into a di>>erent traditional /ix 21t ne5ertheles% o>ten retains /1ch o> the /ore archaic 1nderl3in. Ger/anic lore. Finall3% Appendix ; has the /ost >a/o1s spells in the histor3 o> Ger/anic /a.ic% which are >ro/ the ;ontinenta Ger/an tradition and which ha5e i/portant Indo-E1ropean parT allels.
Icelandic BooIR.I o0 t'e Black Art

T'e T1o Traditions in t'e %ort'

'+

Altho1.h the sit1ation is act1all3 /1ch /ore co/plex than I a/ a2le to present it here% >ro/ the perspecti5e o> the northern% or Ger/anic% re.ion there were essentiall3 two .reat traditions o> /a.ic% the northern and the so1thern. The3 are not o> o5erridin. i/portance to o1r st1d3% since we are concentratin. on the Icelandic tradition% which was 23 >ar the /ost conser5ati5e o> the Ger/anic lands. B1t when we loo$ at the /a.ical traditions o> En.land and Ger/an3 as earl3 as the tenth cent1r3 or at the /a.ical teachin.s in Sweden in the sixteenth cent1r3%

we see the trans/ission o> 5irt1all3 p1re /a.ical traditions-in the >or/ o> literat1re o>ten translated in part into the 5ernac1lar>ro/ the Mediterranean to the northern lands. O> co1rse% it /1st 2e 1nderstood that the Mediterranean 0tradition0 was 23 this ti/e an entirel3 arti>icial and co/posite one /ade 1p /ainl3 o> ele/ents >ro/ Greco-E.3ptian% Q1deo-;hristian% and e5en 0eastern0 >eat1res >ro/ 5ario1s 7ear Eastern and Indian c1lts <e...% Manichaeanis/=. This s3nthetic Mediterranean tradition /arched steadil3 a.ainst the northern tradition% not <as with reli.ion= 23 2r1te econo/ic and /ilitar3 >orce 21t 23 the .entler >orce o> presti.e. In no re.ion is this whole process clearer and /ore polariBed than in Ger/an3. There the second Merse21r. spell is the last record o> Codan6s na/e 2ein. 1sed in a /a.ical context. :owe5er% the 1se o> his na/e contin1es into the !*&&s and 2e3ond in Iceland and re/ote re.ions o> Scandina5ia-and perhaps e5en in the co1ntr3side o> En.land. In Ger/an3 we >ind that the old >ol$ tradition% altho1.h to a .reat extent s1per>iciall3 0;hristianiBed%0 retained a heathen spirit.0 This tradition contin1ed to 2e practiced at the le5el o> the co//on >ol$ in the co1ntr3side and on the heaths% 21t in the cities and 1ni5ersit3 towns the Mediterranean tradition was 2ein. de5eloped% artic1lated% and% ' THE GALDRABOK t3picall3% i/pro5ed 23 Ger/an scholars and /a.icians >ro/ the se/ile.endar3Geor. <?ohann= Fa1st1s <!,)&-!+'(G= to Al2ert1s Ma.n1s <!!('-!")&=% Theophrast1s Bo/2ast1s 5on :ohenhei/ <9aracels1s= <!,('-!+,!=% and ;orneli1s A.rippa 5on 7etteshei/ <!,) -!+'+=. The in>l1ence o> the two traditions was /1t1al. An exa/ination o> the Ger/an her/etic /a.icians will show a hi.h le5el o> interest in and 1se o> the local >ol$ traditions. In t1rn% the >ol$ traditions were sat1rated with non-Ger/anic li.1res and entities that ha5e lar.el3 replaced the pa.an ones.

;:A9TER FOSR
&%e 'ld (ods and t%e )emons of Hell

e traditional .ods and .oddesseso> the Ger/anic people%

had an 1ncann3 wa3 o> s1r5i5in. in the Icelandic national tradition o> /a.ic and >ol$lore. Altho1.h we >ind onl3 isolated /ention in the oldest so1rces o> Ger/an or En.lish '1 e5en in other Scandina5ian traditions% we >ind a widespread and 5i.oro1s li>e >or the old .ods in the Icelandic world. The reasons >or this sho1ld 2e o25io1s >ro/ the >ore.oin. disc1ssions o> the pec1liarities o> Icelandic socioreli.io1s histor3. As >ar as the old .ods in the other Ger/anic traditions o>

/a.ic are concerned% the reader sho1ld cons1lt the rele5ant appendixes in this 2oo$. The texts in those sections ha5e 2een selected principall3 on the 2asis o> what the3 tell 1s o> the /ost traditional le5els o> /a.ic% which incl1des the 1se o> not onl3 the na/es o> the old di5inities 21t also the contexts in which the3 occ1r. :ere we will loo$ at the co/plete pict1re o> the 0theolo.30 andIor 0de/onolo.30 presented in the Galdrab6k and related Icelandic texts. It is o1r principal ai/ to loo$ at the s1r5i5al o> the heathen di5inities as s1ch% 21t we will also exa/ine their relationship and apparent assi/ilation to the /3tho-/a.ical >i.1res >ro/ the Q1deo-;hristian tradition% 2oth e5il and .ood.

T'e Heat'en Gods and Goddesses

In the Ger/anic tradition% as well as in e5er3 other indi.eno1s tradition o5er which ;hristianir3 was laid% the old pop1lar di5inities s1r5i5ed in at least two wa3s4 <l= 23 2ein. dri5en 01nder.ro1nd%0 where the3 o>ten li5ed alon.side the other reHected entities <e...% de/ons=% or <"= 23 2ein. assi/ilated to accepted or esta2lished entities. This latter /ethod was 23 >ar the /ore co//on thro1.ho1t all traditions. In so/e cases the old .ods were identi>ied with ?es1s% his disciples% the apostles% and /ost co//onl3 with 5ario1s saints. These saints were so/eti/es preexistin. ones% 21t in so/e cases there see/s to ha5e 2een a 5irt1al canoniBation o> the old di5inities 1nder new 0;hristianiBed0 na/es and circ1/stances.6 This is reall3 a separate st1d3% as we can 2e concerned here onl3 with those instances >o1nd in /a.ical texts. :owe5er% it is worth realiBin. that this was a .eneral and widespread pheno/enon not li/ited to the /a.ical arena. " B3 >ar the /ost 5i.oro1sl3 represented o> the old .ods in the Icelandic so1rces is% not s1rprisin.l3% the Galdra> dh1r <Father Fre3% 1jo2n&# Fengur T34n54r The$$1% T3r464&

5igure !4 SiC galdrastaBir recorded b= >on mason.

T'e O25 Gods and t'e &emoT.3 o0 Hell '(

o> Ma.icH-s-Odhinn. 7ot onl3 does his na/e appear in 5irt1all3 e5er3 litan3 o> na/es o> the old .ods% 21t also his 'eiti <Ice.F nic$na/es= >reE1entl3 appear as na/es o> /a.ical si.ns or in other litanies. For exa/ple% ? n A/ason records a series o> six galdrasta;ir, each with a distincti5e na/e.0 <See Fi.1re 1.) O> the six% >o1r. (.-+) are well attested Odhinn nic$na/es. , These and other s1ch /a.ical 23na/es o> Odhinn show that $nowled.e concernin. the co/plex lore o> Odhinn6s 5ario1s >1nctions was $ept ali5e% not /erel3 his /ost 1s1al na/e. In the Galdrab6k Odhinn6s na/es are recorded in a total o> six spells <''% ',% ,!% ,'% ,+% and , =. O> these% two <'' and ,+= are >or 1nco5erin. thie5es% two <', and ,'= are lo5e spells% and ,! is to alla3 the an.er o> another-which is needed% .i5en the /ali>icent c1rse >or/1la o> Spell , ! A re5iew o> those spells will show that Odhinn can 2e >o1nd in an3 co/pan3 and >or a wide spectr1/ o> /a.ical ai/s. E5er3 indication points to the contin1ed acti5e-e5en i> corr1pted-$nowled.e o>Odhinn and his /a.ical >1nctions. O> all o> the na/es o> the old ones% Odhinn

is% as Spell ,' p1ts it% the megttugaste </i.htiest=. 9erhaps the second /ost acti5el3 represented o> the old .ods is Thorr. This is not s1rprisin. either% since he see/s to ha5e 2een the /ost pop1lar .od in pa.an Iceland. In the Galdrab6k he is not represented o1tside the litanies o> di5ine and de/onic na/es in spells ,'% ,+% and , . :owe5er% there is other e5idence show that Thorr6s role in Icelandic /a.ic wassi.ni>icant thro1.h a galdrasta0ur called the T'6rs'amar <Thorr6s ha//er=. The na/e o> this si.n was attached to se5eral >or/s o5er a lon. histor3. At one ti/e it was ascri2ed to the solar wheel% or swasti$a% and is recorded in the >ol$tale /aterial o> ?on A/ason with the >or/ 7

0 which see/s re/iniscent o> the old solar

wheel.0
;1rio1sl 3 eno1.h% the na/es o> these two .ods appear to ha5e s1r5i5ed ri.ht 1p to /odern ti/es in locations re/ote >ro/ ,& THE GAWRABOK Iceland. In En.land d1rin. the late !(th cent1r3 the >ollowin. /a.ical incantation was recorded in the dialect o> Lancashire4 T'roice I smoites 1it' Hol= Crok,

1it' t'is mell D'ammerE Oi t'roice de1 knock, One 0or God% n' one 0or Cad% n' one 0or !ok. 6 The Cod /entioned here is o25io1sl3 CodUen=% and the Lo$ pro2a2l3 re>ers to Lo$i-all o> which points to a s1r5i5al o> an odd /ixt1re o> En.lish and Scandina5ian lore. In this cent1r3 a Ger/an wo/an in 7orth ;arolina was >o1nd to 2e 1sin. the na/e o> ThorUr= in co/2ination with the :ol3 Trinit3 in a healin. rite.0 Besidesthese two pro/inent di5inities /entioned in 5ario1s spells% at least two o> the elder di5inities6 na/es appear as part o> the na/es o> certain her2s. 5rigg;argras <the her2 o> Fri..= is /entioned in Spell ,&% and another her2 is called "aldursbra <the 2row o> Bald1r=. Fri.. was the wi>e o> Odhinn% and Bald1r was one o> his sons% who was $nown >or his in51lnera2ilit3% his per>ection% and his /1rder at the hands o> Lo$i and :odh1r% At least one /3th is all1ded to directl3 in Spell , o> the Galdrab6k, which sa3s4 0tho1 wilt 2e as wea$ as the >iend Lo$i% who was 2o1nd 23 all the .ods.0 This shows that the /3thic /aterial recorded in the (oetic and (rose 6ddas was well $nown to the galdramad'ur who co/posed the spell.) Altho1.h there are so/e spells in which sin.le Ger/anic .od na/es appear% it is /ore 1s1al >or the/ to be 1sed in litanies o> .od na/es. Ce see these in spells ''% ,'% ,+% and , . There are se5eral thin.s worth notin. a2o1t these litanies. The3 contain the na/es o> the .reat .ods and .oddesses o> the ancient Ger T'e
Old Gods and t'e &emo2, o0 He$ ,!

/anic reli.ion% 21t the3 do not see/ to 2e or.aniBed in an3 wa3 especiall3 /eanin.>1l to the pa.an theolo.3. Also% the last three o> these >o1r litanies are reall3 s3ncretic co/positions in which

the Ger/anic na/es appear ri.ht alon.side na/es >ro/ Q1deo;hristian and Mediterranean /3th and /a.ic. B1t the o5erall i/pression is that the Q1deo-;hristian ele/ents are newco/ers in an alread3 esta2lished /a.ical s3ste/. This i/pression is stren.thened 23 the >act that not onl3 are the .reat di5inities o> the Ger/anic hi.h /3tholo.3 present 21t also that the so-called lesser di5inities o> the pa.an Ger/anic cos/os .i5e shape to the /a.ical world 5iew o> the Galdrab6k. There are se5eral /entions o> the 2elie> that trolls or el5es co1ld 2e responsi2le >or a>>lictions 23 /eans o> /a.ical 0shots%0 or proHectiles h1rled at people <see spells "! and '(=% whereas the 0.iants%0 or /ore precisel3% etins <Ice. ;iimar/ % are /entioned twice <see spells '' and ',=. 9erhaps one o> the /ost interestin. s1r5i5als is the na/e o> the dwellin. place o> the .ods-Calhalla <Ice. @alholl=. @alholl is the 0hall Qor perhaps 0roc$0J o> the slain0 and is held to 2e a dwellin. place in As.ardh1r <co1rt o> the .ods= in which Odinic warriors who died in 2attle are ho1sed in the s1pernal real/. This shows a certain contin1ance o> cos/olo.ical traditions >ro/ the heathen past that i/pressed itsel> on the str1ct1re o> the new entities co/in. to the north.

T'e &emons o0 Hell

7ot onl3 are the old .ods o> the Ger/anic peoples said to 2e in @alholl% 21t in the 5iew o> the galdramenn who wrote this 2oo$% so too were de/ons o> :e2raic /3tholo.3-Satan and BeelBe212to 2e >o1nd there. The /ost re5ealin. >or/1la is >o1nd in
," T:E GALDRABOK

Spell ,'% where we read4 0:elp /e in this% all 3e .ods4 Thorr% Odhinn% Fri..% FreiHa% Satan% BeelBe212% and all those .ods and .oddesses that dwell in @alholl.0 The >act that Saran had co/e to @alholl was a si.ni>icant e5ent in the histor3 o> Icelandic /a.ic. This s3/2olicall3and eloE1entl3 showshow the so1thern /a.ical ele/ents were at >irst assi/ilated in the north on ter/% set 23 the northern tradition. Fro/ the standpoint o> the new esta2lish/ent c1lt1re% howe5er% this had the net e>>ect o> 0dia2oliBin.0 the old Ger/anic .ods. To a .reat extent% 21t certainl3 not excl1si5el3% the ole .ods were eE1ated with de5ils in the ;hristian /ind. As ti/6 went on% especiall3 2e.innin. at the ti/e o> the Galdrab6k, a..ressi5e /a.ical spells wo1ld 2e /ore li$el3 to 1se the old .od. or de/ons in their >or/1las% whereas protecti5e spells were /ore li$el3 to /a$e 1se o> ;hristian ele/ents. This is o25io1sl3 nOI a hard and >ast r1le at the ti/e o> the Galdrab6k 21t onl3 % .eneral tendenc3. As noted earlier% the old characteristics and >1nctions & the /1lti>aceted traditional deities 2eca/e split 1p 23 the /ore d1alistic and dichoto/iBin. ;hristian do./as% so >or a while the old .ods co1ld >eel at ho/e alon.side ?es1s or Satan. B1t wher all wassaid and done% 2eca1se o> >1nda/ental de>ects in ;hristiar doctrine% the old .ods and .oddesses o> @alholl 1lti/atel3 >o1nc

the co/pan3 o> BeelBe212 and Satan /ore to their li$in.. It /i.ht 2e con5incin.l3 ar.1ed that the wa3>or this proces in Scandina5ia had 2een prepared cent1ries earlier. That is 2e ca1se the ;hristianiBation o> 5ario1s Indo-E1ropean people <Gree$s% Ro/ans% ;elts% and the $indred Ger/ans= was .en erall3 acco/panied 23 a s1ppression o> the pa.an .ods thro1.l ca/pai.ns o> dia2oliBin. the/-t1rnin. the/ into de5ils. It i then no wonder that the heathen deities o> the north-or /on precisel3 their s3/pathiBersand >ollowers-wo1ld reco.niBe thei $ith and $in in the .1ise o> the ;hristian 0de5ils.0 7owhere i
T'e Old Gods and t'e De/ons o0 He$ ,'

this process /ore 2latantl3 shown than in a Low Ger/an 2aptis/al oath >ro/ the ninth cent1r34 Forsa$est tho1 the de5ilsG .et res4ondetF I >orsa$e the de5ils. and all de5ilish sacri>icesG res4ondetF and I >orsa$e all de5ilish sacri>ices. and all de5ilish wor$sG res4ondetF and I >orsa$e all the wor$s and words o> the de5il% and Th1nar and Coden and Saxnote and all those who are their co/panions. Dost tho1 2elie5e in God the Al/i.ht3 FatherG res4ondetF I 2elie5e in God the Al/i.ht3 Father. Belie5est tho1 in ;hrist the Son o> GodG res4ondetF I 2elie5e in ;hrist the Son o> God. Belie5est tho1 in the :ol3 GhostG responder4 I 2elie5e in the :ol3 Ghost. ( On the other hand% and especiall3 in the ;atholic period% the new reli.ion was hea5il3 i/pressed with heathen ideas. ;ertain aspects o> the old >aith were s1per>iciall3 ;hristianiBed% and /an3 old traditions were .i5en a ;hristian 5eneer. In the world o> the /a.icians this /eant that ;hristian >i.1res co1ld so/eti/es 2e 1sed ri.ht next to pa.an deities. And as o1r wondro1s exa/ple in Spell , shows% the norrhe/ sorcerer was so >ree /a.icall3 that he co1ld 1se the na/es o> Odhinn% the Sa5ior% and Satan in the sa/e litan3. It /i.ht also 2e tr1e that /an3 ti/es when the words0lord0 <Ice. dr6ttinn/ or 0.od0 <Ice. gudh) are 1sed% the3 are not >ree o> heathen connotations. The Icelandic /a.ical trian.le o> Ger/anic entities% ;hristian entities% and ;hristo-de/onic entities is a pec1liar one in ,, T:E GALDRAB6K that the old .ods re/ained relati5el3 stron.er in Iceland than an3where else% and the3 s1r5i5ed /ost 5i.oro1sl3 in /a.ical practice. E5en in the >ol$tales 0heathen $nowled.e0 is eE1ated with sorcer3. F1rther% it see/s that ta$en as a whole and as >ar
as magic is c ncerned, the dem nic entities "ere never as 9evil9

nor the ;hristian >i.1res e5er E1ite as 0.ood0 as the3 see/ to ha5e 2een in other re.ions.

;:A9TER

1R8E Runes and Magical *igns

= the ! th cent1r3 the ancient lore o> the r1nes was in

a hi.hl3 corr1pt state. :owe5er% the histor3 o> /a.ic shows that con>1sed >or/s can apparentl3 still 2e 1sed /eanin.>1ll3 23 s$illed sorcerers. Chat is o> interest >or 1s here is the wa3 in which essential /ethods o> r1nic /a.ical techniE1e5er3 di>>erent >ro/ those o> the /a.ic that co1ld ha5e 2een i/ported >ro/ the Mediterranean-were handed down in the Icelandic tradition. The two /aHor distincti5e .raphic >eat1res are the 1se o> r1nes or r1ne li$e si.ns and the 1se o> /a.ical si.ns )galdram=ndir/ that /a3or /a3 not ha5e r1nic ori.ins. Another stri$in. >eat1re is the 5er3 techniE1e 23 which this /a.ic was wor$ed% as it is 5irt1all3 identical with that o> the r1ne /a.ic o> the heathen a.e. The r1nes the/sel5es contin1ed to 2e $nown as a practical script in Iceland% and we see the/ 1sed to write inscriptions in and aro1nd so/e o> the /a.ical si.ils in Appendix A% >or exa/ple. B1t these relati5el3 clear instances o> r1nic writin. were >ar less pre5alent than the 1se o> encoded r1nic >or/s called @i$uletur or @i$urunir, which were /eant to con>1se and conceal , T:E GALDRABOK rather than act1all3 re5eal /eanin.s. One o> the wa3s in which r1nelore was apparentl3 1sed 23 the wiBards who co/piled these spells was to ha5e certain n1/2ers o> r1ne li$e >i.1res arran.ed in a wa3 that s1..ested the r1nic s3ste/. 7otes to spells 1.-190 >or exa/ple% show a 5ariet3 o> wa3s in which the n1/erical s3ste/s and the >or/s o> the r1nes the/sel5es were 1sed in /a.ical 0sta5es. 0 There see/s to 2e an e>>ort to ha5e a si.ni>icant n1/2er o> >i.1res to /a$e 1p co/plexes o> si.ns% so there are twent3->o1r or sixteen or ei.ht o> the/ in the >or/1las. Another >eat1re apparentl3 inherited >ro/ ancient r1nic /a.ical practice is the 5er3 ter/inolo.3 1sed to descri2e the >i.1res and wa3s o> 1sin. the/. Most o>ten the >i.1res are re>erred to in Icelandic as sta0ir <s.. sta0ur/-2sta@es.2 This is inherited >ro/ the old technical desi.nation o> r1nes as sta5es or stic$s 2eca1se the3 were o>ten car5ed on s1ch wooden o2Hects >or talis/anic p1rposes. The exec1tion o> these >i.1res >or /a.ical p1rposes is indicated 23 the Icelandic 5er2s reisa <to scratch= &! rista <to car5e=. These are 1sed in contexts that show that act1al c1ttin. or car5in. is intended <e...% into wooden o2Hects= 21t also in contexts that show that what is act1all3 intended is /ore li$e writin.% as with in$ and E1ill on parch/ent or paper. :owe5er% the old /a.ical r1nic ter/inolo.3 died hard. 9ro2a2l3 the /ost o1tstandin. sin.le >eat1re o> the Icelandic 2oo$s o> /a.ic is their 1se o> co/plex /a.ical si.ns. Most e>>ort% at classi>3in. these si.ns tr3 to co/e to .rips with their relationships

to the r1nes and their /a.ical >1nctions.6 There see/ tc 2e three /ain t3pes o> s1ch si.ns4 (1) bandmnir <2ind r1nes% /ade 1p o> /ore or less o25io1s co/2inations o> r1nes=% <"= galdrasta0ir </a.ic sta5es% which were perhaps ori.inall3 2inc r1nes 21t which ha5e 2eco/e so st3liBed as to ta$e on independent li5es o> their own=% and <'= galdram=ndir </a.ic si.ns% which see/ to ha5e alwa3s 2een nonr1nic a2stract si.ns% s1d Runes and Magical *igns ,! as the Thorr6s ha//er disc1ssed a2o5eV. Man3 o> the si.ns appeal to 2e co/2inations o> r1nes and a2stract cos/olo.ical si.ns. The /ain pro2le/ in an3 e>>ort to 0decipher0 these si.ns is the lon.standin. tradition o> st3liBation and si/pli>ication <or arti>icial co/plication=. Another >or/ o> classi>ication has to do with their /a.ical >1nctions. I> the3 were intended to 2e protecti5e a/1lets% the3 /i.ht 2e called 23 the Latin na/e innsigli <si.ils= or 23 the Icelandic ter/ @amasta0ir <protecti5e sta5es=. The ter/ galdrasta0ir wo1ld then indicate /a.ic o> an operati5e nat1re% /eant to ca1se alterations in the en5iron/ent. 9rotecti5e /a.ic co1ld 2e ;hristian and wo1ld o>ten 1se 2i2lical passa.es to char.e the >i.1re with intent% 21t operati5e /a.ic was 5er3 o>ten considered heathen <or de5ilish=. A.ain% it is al/ost i/possi2le to read an3 lin.1istic /eanin. in the galdra.sta0ir <and /an3 o> the bandrunir/ witho1t ha5in. so/e lead .i5en in the co//entaries. These leads 1s1all3 co/e in the >or/ o> na/es .i5en to these si.ns. Exa/ples o> these are .i5en in Fi.1re 1, on pa.e ')% with the bandrunir that ha5e 2een st3liBed in the /edi1/ o> pen and in$. 7e5ertheless% /an3 o> their r1nic >eat1res are o25io1s. :owe5er% /an3 o> the na/es .i5en to /a.ical si.ns see/ to ha5e ro do with their >1nctions and not their >or/s. The na/es the/sel5es are 1s1all3 1niE1e words that are hi.hl3 o2sc1re in /eanin.. The two /ost >a/o1s na/es o> s1ch si.ns are 2,gis';dlmur <the hel/ o> awe% or terror= and s@e0nt'om <sleep-thorn= ~. The 2,gis';dlmur co1ld 2eco/e a 5er3 co/plex $ind o> >i.1re% 21t its 2asic >or/ was that o> a >o1r- or ei.ht>old cross with 2ranches at its ter/inals. Cith these two si.ns we are l1c$3 2eca1se we ha5e /3thic s1r5i5als that .i5e 1s so/e insi.ht into their ori.ins and /eanin.s. The 2,gis';dlmur is /entioned in the /aterial concernin. Si.1rdhr Fa>nir-2ane. " Chen Si.1rdhr sla3s the .reat etin-wor/% or serpent% na/ed Fa>nir in order to win the treas1re hoard o>
S AT& R AR E 9& TENET &9ERA R & TAS

:B

5igure "4 Sator-sGuare. the 7i>l1n.s <7ie2el1n.s=% one o> the 0o2Hects0 o> power thai he .ets is the aegis';almur. This o2Hect is not a hel/et 21t /ore o> a .eneral co5erin. that s1rro1nds the 0wearer0 with an o5erawin. power to terri>3 and s12d1e his ene/ies. The power i% concentrated in or 2etween the e3es and is o>ten associated witV the power serpents ha5e to paral3Be their pre3. This is apparenth

an ancient Indo-E1ropean concept% as is shown in the er3/olo.% o> the Gree$ drakon-t'e one with the e5il e3e. Ce also thin$ o> the Gor.ons6 a2ilit3 to paral3Be with the .aBe o> their e3es sei in a head s1r/o1nted with serpents. Chate5er the ori.ins '1 the Icelandic /a.ical si.n% its >1nction re/ains essentiall3 the Runes and Ma.ical Si.ns ,( sa/e% 21t here there are practical indications% not H1st /3thic all1sions. The s@e0nt'orn is also /entioned in Old 7orse /3thic literat1re as the /a.ical de5ice with which Odhinn placed one o> the @alk=r;ur, Si.rdr>>a <or Br3nhildr=% into a deep sl1/2er% >ro/ which she co1ld 2e awa$ened onl3 23 one who co1ld cross the /a.ical 2arrier o> >ire placed aro1nd her 23 Odhinn. ' This >eat too was acco/plished 23 the Odhinic hero Si.1rdhr Fa>nir-2ane. Spells intended to p1t people into a deep sl1/2er >ro/ which the3 can 2e awa$ened onl3 23 the /a.ical will o> the sorcerer are co//on in the Icelandic 2oo$s% 21t the si.ns 1sed and .i5en the na/e s@e0nt'orn are n1/ero1s. Besides these two well-attested si.ns there are /an3 na/es .i5en to si.ns% >or exa/ple% ga4aldur <see note on Spell ',=% @ed'urga4i <weather darede5il% to ca1se a stor/=% kau4aloki <deal closer% >or .ood 21siness=% Ginnir <a na/e o>Odhinn=% ngurga4i <rec$less one o> an.er=. B1t E1ite o>ten the sa/e na/e /a3 2e .i5en to two or /ore di>>erent si.ns. Despite the >act that it is o25io1sl3 o> so1thern ori.in% no disc1ssion o> /a.ical >i.1res in the /edie5al north wo1ld 2e co/plete witho1t /entionin. the so-called sator-sE1are.0 This /ost o>ten appears inscri2ed with Latin letters <see Fi.1re "=. This >or/1la has alread3 2een to1ched on in connection with the /a.ic 2oo$s o> ?on the Learned. The >or/1la was apparentl3 well $nown% as /a.ical instr1ctions o>ten call >or recitin. the sator-arepo. It is di>>ic1lt to tell what exactl3 is /eant 23 this. Cas there a secret decodin. <s1ch as pastor G1dh/1nd1r s1spected=% or were the letters o> /a.ical s3lla2les to 2e recitedG Another interestin. aspect o> the sator-sE1are in the north is the >act that not onl3 is it /entioned in 2oo$s o> /a.ic% 21t it is also >o1nd in at least se5en r1nic inscriptionsA One >ra./entar3 exa/ple was recentl3 >o1nd on the 2otto/ o> a 2owl in Sweden%6 and it reads as shown in Fi.1re ' on pa.e +&. +& THE GALDRAB6K
or

R
d

1
s a t&r a r ee % &
t

60 n #;

5igure '4 Inscri4tion on t'e bottom o0 a bo1l 0ound in S1eden. The 2owl dates >ro/ the end o> the BOOs% so it can 2e seen that

the 1se o> this >or/1la is se5eral h1ndred 3ears older than OSI /a.ical 2oo$s wo1ld indicate.

;:A?9TER SI8
&%eory and Practice of Magic in t%e *aldrab+,

xa/ples s1ch as the sator-sE1are point 1p the >act thai

there were de>initel3 in>l1ences co/in. into the north >ro/ the so1thern traditions o> /a.ic. B1t to so/e extent these exa/ples ser5e also to show the re/ar$a2le de.ree to which 2asic northern ideas o> how /a.ic wor$s and how to wor$ /a.ic re/ained intact e5en 1nder this s1per>icial in>l1ence. In this chapter I want to loo$ at the 1nderl3in. theories o> /a.ic as expressed in the Icelandic .ri/oires% at the powers 23 which it is tho1.ht to wor$% and at so/e o> its consistent rit1al techniE1es. One o> the wa3s we can see the northern co/ponent is 23 o2ser5in. how these /a.ical ele/ents were dealt with in the north in contrast to the so1th.6 The t3pical str1ct1re o> Mediterranean /a.ic in5ol5es >i5e steps with >i5e partic1lar >1nctions4 I. 9reparation <speci>ic to wor$in.= ". ;ircle '. ;onH1ration o> spirit ,. Address to spirit +. License to depart +" THE GALDRAB6K The preparation t3picall3 in5ol5es two /ain aspects4 <!= the proc1re/ent or arran.e/ent o> tools and s12stances partic1lar to the operation and <"= the deter/ination o> an a1spicio1s ti/e >or the operation. The latter 1s1all3 in5ol5es technical $nowled.e o> astrolo.3. <B3 the wa3% Icelandic /a.ic is al/ost >ree o> astrolo.ical ele/ents.= A circle-reall3 a co/plex o> /a.ical dia.ra/s drawn on the s1r>ace o> the space o> operation-is erected. This t3picall3 incl1des a circle in which the /a.ician stands and a trian.le o1tside that circle in which the spirit appears. The circle >1nctions as a shield to protect the /a.ician >ro/ the spirit% and the trian.le ser5es to constrain the spirit. The entit3 is then called to appearance 23 a series o> conH1rations% which are a /ixt1re o> pra3er >or/1las and co//andin. threats. Ss1all3 the spirit in E1estion is threatened with the wrath o> spirits a2o5e it in the hierarchies o> hea5en or hell. Once the spirit arri5es% the /a.ician addresses it% as$in. or co//andin. what he wills. Traditionall3 <and despite whate5er re5isionist theorists /a3 sa3=% the spirit does the wor$ >or the /a.ician.

The rite is concl1ded 23 a license to depart% which 2anishes the spirit awa3 >ro/ the /a.ician. There are certain traits in this theoretical wor$in. /odel that re/ain >orei.n to the Icelandic /a.ician. There rarel3 see/s to 2e an3 preparation >or the speci>ic wor$in.. It wo1ld see/ that the Icelandic /a.ician constantl3 prepared hi/sel> in a .eneral wa3 and then applied his spells al/ost in a ro1.h-andread3 >ashion. This is 5er3 re/iniscent o> the wa3 E.ill S$alla.r>/sson wor$ed. F1rther% the Icelandic /a.ician ne5er see/s . to need to protect hi/sel> >ro/ the powers he is callin. on. <:e appears /ore concerned with other h1/ans.= Altho1.h spirit1al entities are in5ol5ed% it see/s closer to the tt1th to sa3 the3 help the /a.ician wor$ his will than wor$ it >or hi/. And since the /a.ician has no need to protect hi/sel> >ro/ the entities he s1//ons% he has no need to 2anish the/. T'eor= and (ractice o0 9agic in t'e Gaklrab6k +4 Generall3% /edie5al Icelandic /a.ic see/s to ha5e wor$ec thro1.h one o> a co/2ination o> three /edia4 <!= .raphic si.ns <"= spo$en or written words% and <'= nat1ral s12srances. Spel , in the Galdrab6k shows a co/2ination o> all three ele/ents% >or exa/ple. Graphic si.ns <incl1din. r1nes and other written characters4 are tho1.ht to 2e cond1its or doorwa3s thro1.h which 5ariow powers or entities are directed to do the will o> the /a.ician. These si.ns are .enerall3 called sta;ir <sta5es=. The act1al ph3sical si.n see/s to ha5e little power on its ownF it is onl3 in co/2ination with the will o> a trained /a.ician that an3 res1lts car 2e expected. That is wh3% in the >ol$tales concernin. the >a/o1s galdramenn, s1ch e/phasis is placed on their scholarl3 characterF and on the >act that the si.ns had to 2e learned 23 a process that in5ol5ed /ore ti/e and e>>ort than H1st /e/oriBin. their external >or/s. Also% the >act that except >or the /ost co//on si.ns <e...% the regis';almur or T'6rs'amar/ the shapes o> the 0sta5es0 are rarel3 repeated% e5en when the3 /i.ht 2e called 2= the same name, indicates that it "as an inner >or/% n t an external shape% that was /ainl3 2ein. 0learned.0 Cords <spo$en or written= are the /edi1/ o>ten 1sed to acti5ate the si.ns% or words can wor$ alone either to direct '1 co//and so/e power or entit3 or to 2eseech an entit3 to act on 2ehal> o> the /a.ician. This latter pra3er-t3pe >or/1la is 1s1all3 >o1nd onl3 in spells o> a ;hristianiBed $ind. In the /edie5al Icelandic >or/1laries words and na/es can acti5ate the correspondin. power or entit3 in a wa3 desired 23 the /a.ician and as >or/1lated in his 5er2al spell. The 0power o> the na/e0 is a well-$nown pheno/enon in the annals o> /a.ic." Ce $now that s1ch a 2elie> reaches 2ac$ into the Ger/anic past. Its /ost >a/o1sdepiction is in the lore s1rro1ndin. Si.1rdhr Fa>nir-2ane4 a>ter >atall3 wo1ndin. the serpent Fa>nir% Si.1rdhr atte/pts to conceal his na/e >ro/ the d3in. .iant <etin= 2eca1se% as we read +, THE GALDRAB6K in the Fa>nis/al% 0it was the 2elie> in olden ti/es that the words

o> a doo/ed /an had .reat /i.ht% i> he c1rsed his >oe 23 na/e.0G This ancient Ger/anic lore was% o> co1rse% >1rther rein>orced 23 the i/portation o0E1deo-Gnostic na/es o> God or wordso> power that are heaped 1p in so/e o> the ;hristian-t3pe spells <e...% in the Galdrab6k spells !% '% !"% and "!=. In all cases these 5er2al ele/ents are seen as 2ein. @itall3 lin$ed to the act1al thin.s the3 na/e% and there>ore will>1l and trained /anip1lation o> s1ch words and na/es constit1tes a /anip1lation o> the act1al thin.s or entities. ;ertain s12stances were tho1.ht to ha5e a predisposition >or 1se in /a.ical operations% the /ost t3pical 2ein. 2lood and woods o> 5ario1s $inds. Both are well represented in the heathen t3pe o> spell. The 2lood o> the /a.ician or that o> an ani/al is 1sed in spells ',% ,+% , % and ,*. Fo1r $inds o> wood-oa$% rowan% alder% and ash-are /entioned in six spells <(% "(% '"% ''% ' % and ,*=. In all 21t the last o> these% sta5es o> one $ind or another are to 2e car5ed into the wood. A.ain% this is a direct contin1ation o> r1nic /a.ical practice. :er2s are also /entioned in se5eral spells. The /ost 1se>1l are /ille>oli1/ <3arrow= and 5rigg;argras )orc'is odoratissima or sat=rium albidium/. Man3 other spells /a$e 1se o> 5ario1s s12stances on which sta5es are to 2e car5ed. In each case there see/s to 2e an 1nderl3in. analo.ical reason >or the 1se o> the s12stance% which /1st 2e e5al1ated on a case-23-case 2asis. In the spells o> Icelandic /a.ic the e/phasis is laid hea5il3 on the person o> the /a.ician. :e is rarel3 said to ha5e the explicit help o> o1tside >orces% and the rit1als% s1ch as the3 are% are E1ite si/ple proced1res% This is a.ain in sharp contrast with the hoc1s-poc1s o> the co/plex .ri/oires o> the so1thern tradition. Since there is s1ch a hea53 e/phasis on the person o> the /a.ician% it is necessar3 to ta$e a closer loo$ at what /a$es 1p
T'eor= and (ractice o0 Ma.ic in t'e Galdrab6k ++

the ps3choph3sical co/plex o> the indi5id1al h1/an 2ein.. The ancient Ger/anic peoples had a co/plex and well-de5eloped str1ct1re >or these ps3chic aspects o> the h1/an 2ein.. Ce can $now this to a >airl3 exact de.ree 2eca1se the3 had s1ch a wellde5eloped set o> technical ter/s >or the ps3che. In heathen ti/es this 2od3-so1l str1ct1re co1ld ha5e 2een descri2ed as ha5in. (1) a ph3sical 2od3 <O7 Uk), <"= a shape or se/iph3sical 2od3 i/a.e <O7 'amr/, <'= a >ac1lt3 o> inspiration <O7 6d'r/, <,= a 5ital 2reath <O7 lind=% <+= a 5oliti5eIco.niti5eIpercepti5e >ac1lt3 <O7 'ugr/, < = a re>lecti5e >ac1lt3 <O7 /inni=% <*= a 0shade0 or a>terdeath i/a.e <O7 sal or% >i.1rati5el3% skuggi, shadow=% <)= a per/anent /a.ical so1l% or >etch <O7 fylg a), and <(= a d3na/istic e/powerin. s12srance that .i5es l1c$% protection% and the a2ilit3 to shape-shi>t <O7 ha!"#g a)$% Sn>ort1natel3% with the co/in. o> ;hristianit3% the re>ined nati5e ps3cholo.3% or lore o> the so1l% was assailed and 2e.an to deca3 and 2eco/e 5er3 con>1sed. In o1r Galdrab?.,kur we onl3 ha5e the 2are re/nants o> a >ra./ented s3ste/. Chat is clear% howe5er% is that the Icelandic /a.icians preser5ed so/e o> the

technical lore in the wa3s rhe3 2elie5ed /a.ic wor$ed. It see/s >airl3 clear that e5en in the period in which those spells were 2ein. 1sed the /a.icians realiBed <!= an ani/atin. or 5ital principle% <"= a personal i/a.e% and <'= a separa2le power entit3 23 which 0sendin.s0 <Ice. &'#d"#ga() were sent% and <,= an essential core >ac1lt3 o> 0heart and /ind0 <O7 'ugr/. For exa/ple% it is o25io1s that c1rse >or/1las are /eant to deplete the 5ital ener.3 o> a person or ani/al% and protecti5e >or/1las are /eant to 21ild 1p this >ac1lt3. Other >or/1las are intended to chan.e the E1alit3 o> the contents o> the 'ugur>or exa/ple% to ca1se so/eone to >ear or lo5e the /a.ician. The a2ilit3 to see shades% or i/a.es% o> other people% especiall3 ones who ha5e stolen so/ethin. >ro/ the /a.ician% is also >reE1entl3 /entioned. + THE GALDRAB6K To concl1de this disc1ssion o> the theor3 o> /a.ic i/plied in the spells o> the Galdrab6k and related texts% perhaps a care>1l anal3sis o> one spell wo1ld 2rin. thin.s into sharper >oc1s. I re>er to Spell ', in the Galdrab6k. This is a spell to .et the lo5e o> a wo/an. It is an atte/pt to t1/ her >ree will .en1inel3 toward the /a.ician% 21t it is co1ched in the /a.ical >or/s o> threats and c1rses. A re5iew o> the /a.ical proced1res wo1ld incl1de a co/plex set o> actions. First% the wo/an6s 2ein. is lin$ed to the >or/1la 23 /eans o> location <placin. o> sta5es% etc.% 0in a place where she will .o o5er it0= and essence <writin. her na/e with sta5es=F then the /a.ician6s <sex1alG= 2ein. is lin$ed with the wo/an6s 2ein. and with the /a.ical >or/1las 23 /eans o> the 0etin-spear 2lood0 <se/enG=F and >inall3% the /a.ical si.ns that .raphicall3 e/2od3 the ai/ o> the operation are inscri2ed and the whole contained in a rin. o> water. All o> this has lin$ed the wo/an% the /a.ician% and the ai/ in an essential 21t as 3et onl3 .eneral wa3. This s3/2olic and .raphic series o> actions and si.ns is then e/powered and .i5en a hi.hl3 speci>icdirection 23 the words o> the spell spo$en o5er the >or/s. This spell incl1des re>erences to how the >or/1la is to wor$ within the ps3cholo.ical sche/e as 1nderstood 23 the /a.ician. It incl1des .raphic i/a.er3 and a pra3erli$e entreat3 to Odhinn >or s1ccess. <Odhinn is% 23 the wa3% $nown in the ancient /3tholo.3>or his interest in spells o> this $ind.= ?1st a2o1t all ele/ents co//on in /edie5al Icelandic spells are to 2e >o1nd in this operation. And a.ain% it sho1ld not 2e /issed that the .eneral proced1re is E1ite the sa/e as that practiced 23 the heathen r1nic /a.icians o> the north.

TH6 ; GALDRABOK
T:E GALDRAlBOK
I. A 4ra=er 0or 4rotection against all kinds o0 dangers

This pra3er o1.ht to 2e worn on onesel> in all $inds o> dan.ers that threaten >ro/ water% sea% and weapons. It sho1ld also 2e read H1st 2e>ore one sees one6s ene/ies4 les1s ;hrist1s E/an1el% pater et Do/ine. De1s /e1s De2aoth% AdonaiH% Snitas% Trinitas% SapientHa% :ia, :ita, manus, / m , usi n , &aritas et terus. &reat r, Rede/tor% S1os% Finis, unigienitus, Fons% Spes, H/as% et t1 Er.o/an1s% Splendor% L1x% Grarn/aton% Flos% M1nd1s i/asio% paraclet1s% ;ol1/2a% ;orona% prophetas% :1/ilas% For tissi/1s% Atanatos% K3rias% K3nos% K5rieeleison. la/as% L1x% t1a% Gra//aton% ;ap1t% Alpha et pri/e *enue, is1s% A.n1s% o5is% @it1los% Serpens, %e , :ermus, 1n1 Spirit1s Sanct1s% :elio% :eloH% La/asa2actanH% ;ons1/at1/ est Hnclinate capite% Spirit1s Hes1s 5inset% Hes1s i/perat% Rede/tor De1s A2raha/% De1s Hsaac% De1s Haco2. Sriel% To2iel% Geraleel% Ga2riel% Raphael% Michael% ;her 12in% ;heraphin% ;aspar% Fert /ira/% Meloior1s% Balthasar A1r1/% et trH5a no/i% E5is S1per ponta5it% Sol5et1r% A5isi2et petate% Ada/% E5a% Hes1s 7aBaren1s% Rex H1dior1/% Hes1s ;hris t1s FilH DeiF Miserere /eH. 9etr1s% Andrias% Haco21s% Hahannes% 9hilipp1s% Bartolo/e1s Si/on% H1das% Matthias% L1cas% 9a1l1s% Barna2as. E5i /e De>endit a ;ani21s% in /an1s ;o/ent11/ Spirit1rr /e1/% Rede/isti /e1/ @erita t1e A/en.6 & THE GALDRABOK

<

<

". For 4rotection against 1eariness arul a00liction

The pra3er wrirten a2o5e /1st also 2e read i> an3one is2ored or sic$ in an3 wa3% and it will 2e stopped.

7. gainst trouble 1it' c'ildbearing'

Read the three >ollowin. words three ti/es into the ear o> a wo/an who cannot 2e /ade to part with her child in 2irth and sa3 the 9ater 7oster three ti/es in 2etweenF then thin.s will .et 2etter4 GALAT:% MALGALAT:% SARAT:IM. A>ter this >ollows three 9ater 7osters in Latin4 9ater 7oster E5i es in ;elis% Santilicet1r no/en t11/% ad5eniat Re.n1/ t11/% >iat 5ol1ntas t1a% Sic 1t in celo% et in terra pane/ nostr1/ E5otidian1/% da no2is hodie% et Di/irte no2is% de2ita nostra% Sic 1t et nos% Di/irti/1s% De2itori21s nostris% et ne nos ind1cas% in tentationern% Sed li2era nos a /alo A/en E5Ha t11/ est Re.n1/% t1a potenHa et Gloria in Sec1la Sec1or1/ A/en. ,. To stanc' blood' To stanch 2lood that is >lowin. >ro/ a /an6s 2od3% read this 5erse three ti/es% with a 9ater 7oster in 2etweenF 21t i> 3o1 want to stanch 2lood on the head% then hold 3o1r th1/2s a.ainst the e3es and sa34 San.5is /aneat in te% Sic 1t >ecit ;hrist1s in se% San.5is /aneat in t1a 5ena% Sic1t >etit ;hrist1s in S1a pena% San.5is /aneat >ix1s% Sic1t E5ando ;hrist1s >1it ;r1ssi>ix1s. 9ater 7os ter. To stanch a nose2leed >or so/eone% write these words on

his >orehead in his own nose 2lood4 ;O7SSMMATSM EST.

3. gainst 'eadac'e arul insomnia

A.ainst headache and sleeplessness write this 5erse and lea5e it in his ni.htcap% or 1nder his head in the e5enin. witho1t hi/
T'e Galdrab6k

$nowin. it% and it will help hi/4 MILA7T @A @ITAl.O6Tl HEOBOA FEBAOT:.6

. A s4ell against e@il 1'en some ot'er incantations are a 4roblem

I> 3o1 want to treat so/eone% 21t so/e incantations )galldrar. are 1pon hi/% then read this o5er hi/ three ti/es% and also Ie hi/ read the >ollowin. hi/sel> i> 3o1 wish4 @1lnera S12 E5inis% te S12trae ;hriste R1ins% @1lnen E5inE5e Dei% S1nt /edisina t1H. B1t i> 3o1 let hi/ read it hi/sel>% then also ha5e hi/ reac the >ollowin. <3o1 sho1ld also read this i> 3o1 are readin. o5e4 3o1rsel>=4 @SL7ERA SSB L@I7IS% MESSBTRAE ;:RISTI RSI7IS% @SL7ERA L@I7L@E DEI% SS7TT MEDISI7A MEJ +. gainst 0ainting or 4estilence o0 li@estock One has to clip or c1t these hel/s o> awe6 onto one6s li5estocl i> it is swoonin. or diseasedF the >irst one sho1ld 2e p1t on the le>t sho1lder and the other one on the ri.ht. ). To 1in a girl's lo@e Li$ewise% 3o1 sho1ld% while >astin.% /a$e the second hel/ & awe with 3o1r sali5a in 3o1r pal/ when 3o1 .reet the .irl whorr 3o1 want to ha5eF in s1ch a case it sho1ld 2e in 3o1r ri.ht hand.
6. THE GAWRABOK

(. To cause 0ear in an enem=

I> 3o1 want 3o1r >oe to 2e a>raid o> 3o1 whene5er he sees 3o1% ther car5e these sta5es on an oa$ 2ranch6 and wear it in the /iddle ' 3o1r 2reast-and see to it that 3o1 see hi/ 2e>ore he sees 3o1

!&. To get one's 1is' 0ul0illed

Read this 5erse three ti/es >orward and three ti/es 2ac$ward and 3o1 will .et the o1tco/e that 3o1 want. Forward4 Sprend /anns :oc% >liHde t11i 2oll6 Bac$ward4 Boll t11i >liHde% :oc /anns Sprend0

... gainst t'e 'ate and 4oison o0 0iends and enemies

Choe5er carries the >ollowin. si.il on hi/sel> will ne5er 2e har/ed 23 an3 o> the Fiend6s te/ptation% and his ene/3 wiA not 2e a2le to wor$ an3 acti5e hate a.ainst hi/. 7or will he 2R exposed to an3 poison in his >ood or drin$% and he will ne5eJ >all 5icti/ to an3 treachero1s dealin.s.
T'e Ga$>rab6k '

.H. gainst distress at sea, dangerous 1ea4ons, and sudden deat'

Choe5er carries this na/e on hi/sel> cannot 2e drowned in the sea% nor 2e str1c$ 23 hostile weaponsF nor will he die an 1npleasant death% and neither co/e to har/F :elon :elo1i :elion Saa 2onaiH l1x tetra/ Gra/at1s6

.7. gainst 'arm 0rom an enem=

I> an3one carries these sta5es on hi/sel>% nothin. can har/ hi/ all da3% and his ene/ies will not ha5e an3 power o5er hi/. !&

14. gainst all kinds o0 su00ering and danger

The person% /an or wo/an% who carries these sta5es on hi/sel> will 2e stric$en with no tor/ent. And no sword can har/ hi/% nor an3 o> his ene/ies% and no wor/0 will .et inro his >ood or drin$.0
, T:E GALDRABOK

!+. To 1in t'e lo@e o0 a 4erson

#o1 sho1ld write this one and ha5e it with 3o1% and /en will lo5e 3o1 5er3 /1ch. !'

K*4R=4 ~'o;2:Z:

sF

.:p.:
! . To cause 0ear in =our enemies
I> 3o1 want 3o1r ene/ies to >ear 3o1% alwa3s carr3 this sta5e 1nder 3o1r le>t ar/. 1=

!*. To 1in t'e 0a@or o0 4o1er0ul men

#o1sho1ld write this.and alwa3s ha5e it with 3o1% and power>1l /en will li$e 3o1 5er3 /1ch.
T'e Galdrab6k +

.*. 5or protection against a$ kinds o0 e@il

I> 3o1 wish to el1de so/ethin. that is e5il DilltE, then carr3 these sta5es with 3o1 so that nothin. can har/ 3o1% no sword and no tor/entF neither Qwill there 2el an3 wor/ nor poison in 3o1r >ood or drin$. IS !(. To cause 0ear ;arr3 these >ollowin. sta5es with 3o1% and 3o1r ene/ies will >ear 3o1.!

H,. A 1as'ing @erse

I CAS: M#SELF in th3 dew and dales6G in the 2rilliance o> th3 >ire% /3 lord. I set th3 2lessed >or/ 2erween /3 e3es. I wash awa3 all o> /3 >oes and their spells QUo/1lltl. I wash awa3 >ro/ /3sel>the power and an.er o> /i.ht3 /en. The world shall 2e $ind to /e% with >riends and $ind deeds. The earth Q>r nJ shall 2e .racio1s to /e in .oods QUWI and acE1isitions. E5er3thin. will
T:EGAWRAB6K

2e s1ccess>1l that I need to do% to spea$% to thin$. This I 2id thee% lord% $in. o> .lor3 Dd=rdarkonungurE, so that e5er3one who sees /e toda3 will ha5e to cast $ind .lances at /e and will 2e deli.hted with /e% as the 2lessed MAID MARIO7 waswith her 2lessed% lo5el3 son when she >o1nd hi/ 23 the ri5er Hordan% and when she >o1nd hi/ in the /inster% and when she so1.ht hi/ as a /o1rner. Li$ewise% I 2id thee% lord o> lords and $in. o> $in.s% that tho1 wilt t1rn awa3>ro/ /e and re/o5e all r1in and ill l1c$% all /alice and all treacher3 on the part o> others% who want to decei5e /e in words and thro1.h words% in deeds and thro1.h deeds% in incantations QI golld(u!) and thro1.h incantations%

or in whate5er wa3 the3 want to r1in /e. :ear tho1 /3 pra3er% /3 dear lord. I ha5e >aith in thee and I tr1st in all .ood thin.s. A/en. !) "!. B3/iel(-pra5er :EAR T:OS ME% :OL# TRI7IT#% Father% Son% and hol3 .host *a#d"), sale lord% Shaper o> all thin.s% r1lin. in .lor3 with all the saints. Be tho1 a 25rnie and a shield >or /3 so1l QsalJ% /3 li>e% and /3 2od3 Ql>$a/aJ% inside as well as o1tside% >or seein. and hearin.% tastin.% s/ellin.% and >eelin.% >or >lesh and 2lood% 5eins and sinews% cartila.e and 2one% 2owelsand all o> /32od36s /o5e/ents and connections. Indeed% >or th3 na/e6s sa$e% lord% /a3 all /3 Hoints and li/2s recei5e li>e and spirit% to /o5e% and to 2e stren.thened and 2eco/e whole. 9rotect /e% /3 lord% on the ri.ht and le>t sides% >orward and 2ac$ward% a2o5e and 2elow% H, >ro/ the inside and o1tside% when I 2ow down and when I rise 1p% in hard weather% in waters .reat and s/all% in the sea% in hi.h wa5es% and in con>1sin. dar$ness% when I a/ wal$in.% standin.% sittin.% in sleep and while awa$e% in silence and while tal$in.% and in all /3 2od36s wor$in.s. 9rotect /e% /3 lord% da3s and ni.htsF help /e% al/i.ht3 God in hol3 trinit3-AOO7AIJ AGIJOS OT:EOS AGIHOS #SK#ROS AGIHOS AT:A7AT'e
Galdrab6k *

T:OS ELE#SO7 #MAS DEBAOT: EMA7SEL-sa5e /e% /3 lord% >ro/ deadl3 dan.ers that threaten >ro/ land% >ro/ the waters and sea% >ro/ all 2easts and /onsters o> the ocean% 2irds and 2easts that .o on >o1r >eet% and all creepin. 2easts. 9rotect /e% /3 lord% >ro/ all e5il% >ro/ >ire and claps o> th1nder Dreidar t'rumumE, >ro/ snow and hail% >ro/ rain and wind% >ro/ earthE1a$es and all $inds o> /o5e/ents in the earth% and >ro/ all dan.ero1s phases o> the /oon% >ro/ /a.ical poison Da0 eitre IiolkingaE, >ro/ all .lances o> en5io1s e3es% >ro/ e5il words and wor$s and dan.ero1s sit1ations% >ro/ wor/s% >ro/ all the de5ils o> dar$ness and /idda3% and >l3in. shots >ro/ the/0 that dail3 are .oin. o1t inro the dar$ness o> this world. 9rotect /e% /3 lord% >ro/ all the hostilit3 o> the ene/3% who wants to withhold >ro/ /e all .ood thin.s% here 2e>ore death% and in death% and in the other world a>ter death% tho1 lord .od% who e5er li5es and r1les in hol3% per>ect trinit3% one .od in all a.es o> a.es. A/en. HH. &a=s t'at 2rin. bad luck These are the da3s that the old ones held to 2e 1nl1c$3F the3 see/ed especiall3 so >or the E.3ptians40 In ?an1ar3 the Ist and *th In Fe2r1ar3 the 'rd and ,th In March the !st and ,th In April the )th and lath In Ma3 the 'rd and *th In ?1ne the lath and !+th In ?1l3 the lath and !'th In A1.1st the lst and "nd In Septe/2er the 'rd and lath

In Octo2er the 'rd and lath In 7o5e/2er the 'rd and +th In Dece/2er the *th and lath ) T:EGAWRAB6K "'. Tobeable to count u4 4la=ing cards, 1'ic' are 0ace do1n!' ! 4 *'( Kin. 4 4 + ,4 Kna5e4 ) 4 L1een !&."

HJ. T'e .,Kt' (salm o0 &a@idZ%

God do not 2e silent concernin. /3 praise% >or the3 ha5e 1nloc$ed their6 1n.odl3 /o1ths a.ainst /e and spea$ a.ainst /e with a >alse ton.1e. And the3 spea$ 5eno/o1sl3 a.ainst /e e5er3where and stri5e a.ainst /e witho1t ca1se. Beca1se I lo5e the/% the3 are a.ainst /e% 21t I pra3. The3 repa3 /e ill >or .ood and hate >or lo5e. Set a /an who does not >ear .od o5er hi/% and the >iend0 sho1ld stand at his ri.ht hand. Chen his case co/es. to H1d./ent% he will .o o1t conde/ned and his pra3er will 2eco/e sin. L6 Ma3 his da3s 2e >ew and /a3 another ta$e his o>>ice. Ma3 his children 2e >atherless and his ho1sewi>e a widow. Ma3 his children wander ai/lessl3and 2e. >or al/s and >are a2o1t li$e poor /en who are r1ined. Ma3 the 1s1rers s1c$ o1t e5er3thin. that he has% and /a3 stran.ers .ra2 all his wealth. And /a3 there >/ none who will showhi/ an3 .oodness ?n5 /a3 there 2e none who will ha5e pit3 on his >atherless children. Ma3 his descendants 2e rooted o1t and /a3 their na/e 2e wiped o1t in the next .eneration. Ma3 the /isdeeds o> his >ore>athers 2e re/e/2ered and p1t 2e>ore the >ace o> the lord% and the sins o> the /other ne5er 2e 2lotted o1t. Ma3 the lord ne5er >or.et the/ and the /e/or3 o> the/ will 2e wiped awa3 >ro/ the earth.
T'e Galdrab6k (

Beca1se he was so /erciless in e5er3 endea5or% and persec1ted those poor and need3% he wo1ld send e5en those >illed with .rie> to :el Qi.e.% $ill the/J. And as he desired c1rsin.% so let hi/ ha5e it% and as he did not desire 2lessin.% there>ore it will sta3 >ar awa3 >ro/ hi/. And as he clothed hi/sel> with c1rsin.% H1st as with a .ar/ent% so it will r1n into his 2owels li$e water and into his 2ones li$en to 21tter. Ma3 it 2e to hi/ li$e a .ar/ent in which he is clothed% and li$en to a 2elt with which he is .irded all the ti/e% as is >ittin.. Ma3 that happen to those who are /3 ene/ies and who spea$ /alicio1sl3 a.ainst /3 so1l."* B1t tho1% lord% will 2e with /e >or th3 na/e6s sa$e 2eca1se th3 /erc3 is /3 consolation% deli5er tho1 /e% 2eca1se I a/ poor and helpless-/3 heart is 2ro$en in two within /e.

I .o awa3 >ro/ here as a shadow0 as it >ades awa3% and I a/ dri5en awa3 as a swar/ o> loc1st. M3 $nees are wea$ >ro/ >astin. and /3 >lesh is lean and does not ha5e an3 >at. And I /1st ha5e 2eco/e a dis.race >or the/F when the3 saw /e% the3 shoo$ their heads. Show /e aid% /3 lord .od% and help /e accordin. to th3 /erc3. So that the3 /a3 $now that this is th3 hand% and that tho1% lord% acted th1sl3. The3 /a3 c1rse% 21t tho1 wilt 2lessF i> the3 sho1ld rise a.ainst /e% then ha5e the/ co/e to sha/e% 21t th3
servant re; ice.

Ma3 /3 ene/ies 2e at the sa/e ti/e clothed in dis.race% and /a3 the3 co5er the/sel5es with sha/e as with a $irtle. Greatl3% I want to than$ the lord with /3 /o1th and to praise hi/ a/on. the crowd. Beca1se he will stand at the ri.ht hand o> the poor /an% so that he /i.ht deli5er hi/ >ro/ those who want to pass H1d./ent on his li>e."(
*& THE GALDRAB6K

"+. A 1as'ing @erse

I wash /3sel> in the dew and in th3 da3-2achF6G and in the 2ri.htness o> th3 >ire% /3 lord. I wash awa3 all the power o> /3 ene/ies% and the wrath o> /i.ht3 /en and o> all those who ha5e e5il intentions toward /e.6A Ma3 wrath r1n awa3 and /a3 stri>e 2e ste//ed% so that the3 will .reet /e .ladl3 and /a3 the3 la1.hin.l3 loo$ into /3 e3es% and the .reatest .ood deeds will 2e on /3 ton.1e. Ma3 .od 2ehold /e% and /a3 .ood /en% as well as e5er3 other /an% 2ehold /e with e3es that 2rin. nothin. 21t 2lessin.sit is the hel/ o> awe0 that I 2ear 2etween /3 2rows/a3 the world and the land 2e .racio1s to /e. Ma3 /3 ene/ies 2eco/e as deli.hted with /e as /1ch as the child who ta$es /il$ >ro/ its /other6s 2reast% and H1st as the Saint Maria was deli.hted with her son when she so1.ht hi/ >or three da3s and >o1nd hi/ in the /inster a/on. his teachers.'' Ma3 their wrath r1n awa3 and their stri>e 2e ste//ed% /a3 their 2reasts cool down and /a3 the 2otto/s Qo> their heartsJ 2e thawed 2e>ore the /i.ht and cra>t o> the /i.ht3 shaper-?hes1 ;hristi. Ma3 their wrath r1n awa3 >ro/ /e H1st as the s1n r1/ down into the sea% /a3 .od release their wrath and hate >ro/ /e as he released S1sanna >ro/ her lon. dis.race anRi Daniel >ro/ the pit o> >ierce 2easts% Moses >ro/ the power o> the pa.an people. Read this while 3o1 wash 3o1rsel> and loo$ three ti/es into the 2owl o> 3o1r hands. ',

H6. 5or t'e 1rat' o0 mig't= men

I wash all o> /3 ene/ies awa3% and the power and wrath '1 /i.ht3 /en% so that the3 will .reet /e with .ood cheer and loo$ 1pon /e with la1.hin. e3es. M3 e3es proHect lo5e and I car settle disp1tes o> li>e% I can settle cases concernin. the /i.htiesl o> /en. God will 2ehold /e% e5er3 /an will .aBe 1pon /e witl4
T'e Gaklrab6k *!

e3es that 2rin. .ood >ort1ne-I 2ear the hel/ o> awe 2etween

/3 2rows-/a3 the world and land 2e .racio1s as >riends. Read this three ti/es down into the 2owl o> 3o1r hand% while ha5in. water in 3o1r hands% and also read a 9ater 7oster each ti/e.

"*. To 4la= a ;oke on someone, so t'at 'e cannot 'old 'is 0ood do1n th' 1'ole da= long
;ar5e these sta5es into cheese or >ish and ha5e whoe5er 3o1 want to /a$e >1n o> eat it% and whate5er he eats that da3 will 2e o> no 1se to hi/. ?+

"). An antidote 0or t'e 4re@ious enc'antment

I> he does not .et an3 2etter 23 hi/sel>% then .i5e hi/ war/ /il$% with 2leached and dried al21/in scraped o>> into itF this can also 2e done a.ainst cholera and it won6t .o wron..

"(. To 'inder a 4erson 0rom coming to =our 'ouse

I> 3o1 don6t want a /an to co/e to 3o1r dwellin.% then car5e this sta5e into rowan wood0 when the s1n is in her hi.hest stead% and .o three ti/es with the s1n Driett s2,lisE and three ti/es widdershins Dranga-s2,lisE aro1nd 3o1r >ar/ and hold onto the wand o> rowan wood onto which the sta5e has 2een car5ed% and
*" THE GAWRAB6K

onto so/e sharp thorn .rass QthistleJ0 and then la3 2oth o> the/ to.ether 1p o5er 3o1r door.

7,. To kill anot'er's animal

One sho1ld inscri2e these sta5es onto a lea> and cast it into the >ootprint o> another6s horseF then the ani/al will die% i> he has o>>ended 3o1 witho1t ca1se. ;onceal the sta5e in the horse6s hoo>print.

7.. gainst troll-s'ot7*

I> an3 $ind o> shot >lies toward 3o1% then read this 5erse ri.ht awa34 BSME7 SITTIMSS ;ALE;TIMSS ME TASSS ELI ELOI SIEBA:OT ELEM @E A & 7A? T'e Galdrab6k *'

'". To 4ut someone to slee4

I> 3o1 want to p1t so/eone to sleep% then car5e these sta5es in alder wood0 and la3 it 1nder his head% and he will s1rel3 sleep 1ntil 3o1 ta$e it awa3.

''. To 0ind out a t'ie0

In case o> the>t 3o1 sho1ld car5e these sta5es on the 2otto/ o> a dish o> ash wood% p1t water in it% and strew mille0oliumJ, into the water Qand sa3J4 0This I as$ accordin. to the nat1re o> the her2 and .reat /i.ht o> the sta5es% that the shade Dsku1.J. o> the one who has ta$en it appear in the water% and that the na/e o> this person 2e car5ed on a >ish .ill with etiri6s 2ewilder/ents Diotun @illumE, ," and carr3 these on 3o1rsel> Qand sa3J4 Odhinn0 Lo$i% Fro% Bald1r% 7Hordhr% T5r% Bir.1r% :cenir% Fre3Ha% GetHon% G1sta% and all those .ods and .oddesses who dwell and ha5e *, THE GAWRAB6K dwelt in @alholl >ro/ the 2e.innin.s o> hea5en% the3 /1st help /e so that I will ha5e s1ccess in this /atter.

7J. To be1itc' a 1oman and 1in 'er lo@e

I> 3o1 want to 2ewitch a wo/an so she will ca/e to no one except 3o1% /a$e a hole in the >loor in a place where she will .o o5er it% and po1r in so/e etin-spear 2lood Diotun geira blodE2 and draw a rin. o> water aro1nd it% as well as her na/e and these sta5es4 and three>old di5ln.> 9olldt'urs-J3 and Madhr-r1nes% blad', naud', komia, and ga4alldur26 and then read this conH1rationr0 I loo$ 1pon thee and tho1 .i5est /e the l1st and lo5e '1 all th3 heart D'ugurE. Tho1 canst nowhere sit% tho1 canst 2e nowhere at ho/e% 1nless tho1 lo5est /e. This I 2id o> Odhinr and o> all those who can read0 0wo/en-r1nes040 that tho1 will nowhere in the world 2e at ho/e nor thri5e% 1nless tho1 lo5esi /e with all th3 heart. This shalt tho1 >eel in th3 2ones as i
T'e Galdrab6k *+

tho1 21rnest all o5er% and in th3 >lesh hal> as 2adl3. Tho1 wilt /eet with r1in 1nless tho1 lo5est /e-tho1 shalt >reeBe on th3 >eet and tho1 wilt ne5er /eet with honor or happiness. Sittest tho1 as i> 21rnin.% with th3 hair rottin. o1tF rent are th3 clothes-1nless tho1 wilt ha5e /e o> thine own >ree will.

'+. To 0ind out a t'ie0

;ar5e these on a /an6s le. 2one and then he will co/e and spit o1t whosoe5er stole >ro/ 3o14

' . To 0ind a t'ie0

;ar5e these on an oa$ twi.SO and la3 it 1nder the t1r> o5er a .ra5e and let it lie there4 * THE GALDRABOK '*. A 1a= to get satis0action in a legal case If 3o1 want to ha5e >1l>ill/ent in a le.al case% read this 5erse three ti/es >orwardand three ti/es 2ac$ward4@IE7IAT MI;:l M#SERA;IO7IS T@E @I@AM LSIA LE8 TSA MEDI TASIO MEA ES9 Bac$ward4 EST MEA TASIO MEDI TSA LE8 LSIA @I@AM TSE MISERA;IO7IS MI;:l @IE7IAT.

'). For t'e 4rotection o0 =our 'orse

Read this 5erse o5er 3o1r horse when 3o1 co/e to 1nsa>e placesF then no har/ will co/e to it4 ;OG7O@I DOMI7E ;SIA E;SITAS ?SDI?SIA TSA ET I7 @IRI TATES TSE :SMIT :ASTE MIE.+"

'(. A.ainst troll-s'ot

I> an3 $ind o> shot co/es >l3in. toward 3o1% read this 5erse at once4 BSME7 SITTIMSS ;ALE;TIMSS ME TASSS ELI ECE SIEBA:AT ELEM @E A & 7A?.0

,&. To >ind out a t'ie0

A.ainst the>t ta$e Fri..6s .rass0 and la3 it in water so that it /i.ht lie there >or three ni.hts at a stretchF then .o 2ac$ then and 3o1 will 2e a2le to see the one who stole >ro/ 3o1. T'e GaldrabOk **

J.. gainst 1rat'

To still all $inds o> wrath /a$e rhis sta5e on 3o1r >orehead with 3o1r le>t index Iin.er% and sa34 It is the hel/ o> awe that I 2ear

2etween /3e3es-wrath r1ns awa3% stri>e isste//ed. Ma3 e5er3 /other 2e deli.hted with /e as Maria was deli.hted with her 2lessed son when she >o1nd hi/ on the roc$ o> 5ictor3% ++ in the na/e o> the Father and the Son% and the :ol3 Spirit4 And read4 &l5ir% Odhinn% E5il One0 All will 3o1 2ewitchA Ma3 God hi/sel>% with s$ill Send lo5e 2etween 1s twoA0

JH. gainst 'ate

I> an3one har2ors hate a.ainst 3o1% si.n 3o1rsel>0 at once with these words4 Trepa tetra Gra//aton X4 Alpha X Et X4 & X A.eos X4 a.ios X otheos X4 adonaiH ,'. To make a 1oman kee4 Guiet I> 3o1 do not want Qa wo/anJ to tell a2o1t what 3o1 did Qwith her!J% then ta$e this sta5e% :o/a%0 and p1t it in her drin$% and *) THE GAWRAB6K then she will not 2e a2le to co/e o1t with an3thin.. And 3o1 sho1ld ha5e this sta5e next to 3o1r 2reast. And sa34 :elp in this all 3e .ods4 Th rr% Odhinn% Fri..% Freia% Satan% BeelBe212% and all those .ods and .oddesses that dwell in @alhOll. In th3 /i.htiest na/e% OdhinnA <<. To 0ind out a t'ie0 If 3o1 want to learn% thro1.h /a.ical $nowled.e% who stole >ro/ 3o1% then ta$e a little thorn 21sh0 and wear it so that 3o1 are ne5er separated >ro/ it. Th~n ta$e a little copper pin% to.ether with a copper ha//er. Then /a$e the >ollowin. sta5e on the cross-2ea/ o> the ho1se >ro/ which the thin. was srolenF then stic$ the pin in the ri.ht e3e% ! and sa3 at the sa/e ti/e4 I7 BSSKA7 LS;A7SS the sta5e And sa34 FORTSM ATSM EST.

f@

1+ :

A
T'e Galdrab6k *(

Crite this sta5e on the cross-2ea/ with chal$% and the ha//er shall 2e cast 23 the sha>t when rhe s1n is the stron.est.5 and that Qsho1ldJ 2e Q/ade o>J /aterial which has ne5er 2een 1sed% 1nsta/ped copper or 2rass. ' J3. not'er +ay to unco@er a t'ie0 I> an3one wants another wa3 to learn who stole >ro/ hi/% then he sho1ld /a$e this sta5e on the 2otto/ o> a 2owl with a woodenhandled $ni>e. Ma$e the 2lood >low >ro/ 1nder 3o1r 2i. toe and >ro/ 3o1r ri.ht hand% and drip the 2lood aro1nd the sta5e. Then

ta$e p1re water% with !"ll'foUu!, which is spread o1t on it. The watersho1ld >/ ta$en /ids1//er ni.ht a>ter /idni.ht% and sho1ld 2e ta$en with .lo5es% so that none o> it .ets on the hands. The wort sho1ld 2e s/eared with 2lood% as well as these three sta5es4 And then as$ on acco1nt o> the .lorio1sl3 .reat /i.ht o> the her2 and the ne5er-endin. wor$in. o> its power% that the .ods will send as a help% Ra>ael% their /i.htiest ser5ant% and he will show hi/sel> here in the3 /i.htiest na/e% Th rr% Fri..% BeelBe212% dhinn. Read three O1r Fathers a>terward.

J6. 5art runes

Crite these sta5es on white cal>s$in with 3o1r own 2loodF ta$e the 2lood >ro/ 3o1r thi.h and sa34 I write 3o1 ei.ht ass-r1nes% )& THE GALDRABOK nine na1dh-r1nes% thirteen t'urs-runes6J- t'at will pla.1e th3 2ell3 with 2ad shit and .as% and all o> these will pla.1e th3 2ell3 with .reat >artin.. Ma3 it loosen thee >ro/ th3 place and 21rst th3 .1tsF /a3 th3 >artin. ne5er stop% neither da3 or ni.htF tho1 wilt 2e as wea$ as the >iend Lo$i% who was 2o1nd 23 all the .ods4 in th3 /i.htiest na/e Lord% God% SpiritF0 Shaper% Odhinn% Thorr% Sa5io1r% Fre3% Fre3Ha% Oper% Satan% BeelBe212% helpers% /i.ht3 .od% wardin. with the co/panions o> Oteos% Mars% 7ot$e% @itales.
~~

~~% ~ ~J\~ 6t r- " --#).

4-E'lJ;
J+. Ho1 one can get t'e 'elm o0 'iding
I> 3o1 want to /a$e a hel/ o> hidin.% then .et a hen6s e..% and po1r 2lood >ro/ 1nder 3o1r 2i. toe on 3o1r le>t >oot onto it. Then the e.. .oes 2ac$ 1nder the 2ird% and let it sit 1pon it. A>terward% ta$e the chic$ and 21/ it on oa$-wood. Then p1t the 21rned chic$ in a linen sac$ and wear it on 3o1r head.

R6! T6& S(6!!S I% G6R9 %IC 9 GIC

A99E7DI8 A
't%er Icelandic *ources
5rom t'e Huld 9anuscri4t

e :1ld Man1script was collected 23 Geir @i.>1sson o>

A$1re3ri% who died in !))&. The /aterial contained in these spells is% howe5er% /1ch older% as can 2e seen when co/pared to the contents o> the Galdrab6k. As presented here% each o> the galdrasta0ir or galdram=ndir is na/ed% and the instr1ctions >or /a$in. it are .i5en% occasionall3 alon. with its e>>ects. .. Galdra'oll <hall o> /a.ical incantations=4 ;ar5e on the s$in o> the water-rail. <R1nes read Araton :el.a Adona% etc.=
), THE GAWRABOK

". A galdra1luski4 <ship o> /a.ical n1/2ers=4 To r1in ships. <Si.ns na/ed Ginnir and Ga4i, c>. ngurga4i./ 7. #au4aloki <deal-closer0=4 ;1t this si.n on a sta5e o> 2eechwood and wear it in the /iddle o> 3o1r 2reast when 3o1 want to ha5e s1ccess Q5ictor3J at 213in. and sellin..

J. not'er kau4alokiF
;1t on a piece o> 2eechwood and 3o1 will ha5e s1ccess.
44endiC A

3. "r=nslusta0ir <whet si.n=4

;ar5e the 1pper si.n on 3o1r whetstone% the other one 2elo5 then la3 a 2it o> .rasso5er itF then whet 1nder the s1n and don loo$ at the ed.e. 6$ &raumsta0ur <drea/ sta5e=4 ;ar5e rhis si.n on >ir wood and sleep 1pon &t: then 3o1 wil . drea/ what 3o1 want. ) THE GALDRABOK

+. &raumsta0urF
;ar5e this si.n on so-called /an-$illin. oa$ )manndre4seik/ and la3 it 1nder the head o> the one who sho1ld% accordin. to 3o1r will% recei5e drea/s% witho1t hi/ $nowin. it.

*. &raumsta0urF
;ar5e this si.n on St. ?ohn6s 7i.ht on sil5er or on white leather% and i> an3one sleeps on it% he will drea/ what he wants when the s1n is at the deepest. K. S@e0nt'om <sleep thorn=4 This si.n wo1ld 2e car5ed on oa$ and laid 1nder the head o> the one who is s1pposed to sleep so that he can not awa$en 1ntil it is ta$en awa3.
44endiC A )*

.,. !ukkusta0ir <l1c$ sta5es=4

Choe5er carries these si.ns with hi/ will /eet no 2ad l1c$% neither 6on sea nor on land.

!!. Solomon's innsigliF

This one is carried >or protection.
K

.H. Rod'ukross <cr1ci>ix=4

Insi.nia o> St. Ola>1r% which one carries >ot protection. )) THE GALDRAB6K .7. Veg@isir <si.npost=4 I> this si.n is carried% one will ne5er lose one6s wa3 in stor/s ': 2ad weather% e5en when the wa3 is not $nown. .J. Her:lusta0ir <stren.thenin. sta5es=4 Cear this on 3o1r le>t 2reast to stren.then 3o1r co1ra.e. .3. Ottasta0ur <terror sta5e=4 ;ar5e these si.ns on a s/all oa$ plate and throw it at the >eet o> 3o1r >oe to >ri.hten hi/. *
44endiC A )6

.6. &re4run <$illin. r1ne=4

If 3o1 want 3o1r >oe to lose his li5estoc$ and possessions% ther la3 this si.n in the hoo>print o> his horse. ) .+. 5eingur <catch or 2oot3G=4 ( If 3o1 want a .irl to 2eco/e pre.nant 23 3o1% c1t this si.n in 4 piece o> cheese and .i5e &t to her to eat. .*. !dsa'r;6tur <loc$ 2rea$er=4 La3 this si.n on the loc$ and 2low into it. QThe r1nes read Troll all taki )mellu, taki < d;o0uDllE so braki, which translates4 Al (& T:E GALDRABOK trolls reach into the loc$% the De5il reach into it% so that it will 2rea$.J
l"~"tt tt

+,An I i'+t~1I

'tAYI I 11HHttJ ~H~yr

.K. T'6rs'amarF
This si.n is 1sed 23 /a.icians to call o1t thie5es and other
witcheries.GG

H,. T';60asta0ur <thie>6s sta5e=4

91t this si.n 1nder the threshhold o> 3o1r ene/3 and he will collapse when he steps o5er it i> he has co//itted an act o> thie5er3 a.ainst 3o1.
44eruliC A (!

H.. T';60asta0urF
I> 3o1 want so/eone to steal% then car5e this si.n on the 2otto/ o> the QwoodenJ plate that he eats >ro/.

HH. T';60asta0irF
To see a thie>% car5e these si.ns in so-called /an-$illin. oa$ and ha5e it 1nder 3o1r ar/. *!

H7. T';60asta0irF
;ar5e these si.ns in /aple D@alb;iirkE wood and la3 the/ 1nder 3o1r head% and 3o1 will see the thie> in 3o1r sleep. *"
(" T:E GALDRABOK

HJ. T';60asta0urF
This si.n is to 2e car5ed at the >1ll /oon at hi.h tide on the inside and o1tside o> the 2otto/ o> a wash2asin.0

5rom t'e #reddur 9anuscri4t

This /an1script% >o1nd in E5Ha>Hodh1r% was written or copied in the late nineteenth cent1r3% 21t lin.1istic e5idence shows it to

2e copied >ro/ a se5enteenth-cent1r3 ori.inal.

.. Ha@e t'is sign on gra= 4a4er under =our le0t arm 1'en =ou are talking to somebod=.
44endiC A ('

". To 'a@e @ictor= in business 1it' all 4eo4leF

Drawthis si.n on 2lotrin. paper and wear &t 1nder 3o1r le>t ar/ and let no one $now that 3o1 ha5e it.

7. <'en =ou carr= t'ese sta@es 1it' =ou, =ou 1ill surel= o@ercome =our 0oes.

X
J. &un0aCiF
I> 3o1 want to win a law case% carr3 this si.n with 3o1 i> 3o1 2elie5e in it. It is cal!ed dun 0aCi Qthe /an1script is de>ecti5e hereJ 2e>ore 3o1 .o to where the trial is to 2e held. It sho1ld 2e on a piece o> new oa$.
(, THE GALDRAB6K

+. So that =ou 1ill not die in the 1aterF Cear this si.n 1nder 3o1r le>t ar/.

6. gainst slee4lessness and bad dreamsF

;ar5e this si.n with a /a.netiBed iron on a piece o> coal. +. 5or t'e 2ite Do0 a 0oCEF ;ar5e these si.ns on oa$ and p1t the/ o5er the ho1se doo
44endiC A

*. Carr= t'is sign 1it' =ou? it 4rotects 0rom all sorcer=. := K. Ha@e t'is sign in =our rig't 'and against all 0ear o0 1itc'er=. r .LfB Y-6 0 e ;?6-..e r 3r3 r3 r 3 .,. Ha@e t'is sign in cal0skin in 0ront o0 =our breast i0 =ou 1ant to send back to 'im t'at 1'ic' 'e ha& sent to =ou *"$ e.M an= 'arm0ul sendingE.
( THE GALDRAB6K

!!. So t'at =ou 1on't get an= s'ame, 1'ate@er comes u4 against =ou, make t'is sign 1it' t'e rin. 0inger o0 =our rig't 'and 1it' s4ittle on =our 0ore'ead.

) ))) ~
.H. gainst 0oreboding 1'en =ou .o into t'e darknessF ;ar5e this si.n on the rice-oa$ QIce. 'riseikiE and wear it 1nde

#OSt le>t at/.

<ffXf
!'. To 4ut someone in a bad moodF
;ar5e this si.n on lead and stic$ it in the person6s clothes at tho s/all o> the 2ac$.
44endiC A (*

!,. To disco@er a t'ie0F

;1t one o> these si.ns on a 2ronBe plate and ha5e 1nder it the hair o> a 2lac$ 1ncastrated to/cat and ha5e it 1nder 3o1r head on the three ni.hts o> the old /oon 1ntil the thie> appears to 3o1 in a drea/.

!+. To disco@er a t'ie0F

Draw 2lood >ro/ a2o5e the nail o> 3o1r le>t /iddle >in.er and therewith draw this si.n on paper. :a5e a cat hair 2ehind it. Stic$ it 1nder 3o1r cap and sleep with it 23 the old /oon 1ntil 3o1 drea/ o> hi/. Tried o1t. .6. .0 =ou 1ant to get a good and true 0riendF :a5e two sil5er rin.s /ade and lea5e the/ l3in. >or nine ni.hts in the nest o> a water wa.tail or a sparrow ItitlingurF ant'us 4ratensis or 4lectro4'anes ni@alis8. Then ta$e one rin. and wear it and .i5e the other one to 3o1r >riend and sa3 in Hest to hi/ that this is 3o1r rin. o> >riendship and that 3o1 wish that it ne5er part >ro/
() T:E GALDRAB6K

hi/. Ta$e care% howe5er% that he does not >ind o1t a2o1t thi proced1re with the rin.s. One /1st wor$ in a si/ilar wa3 to .e the lo5e o> a .ood wo/an. !*. To disco@er a t'ie0F Ta$e 0rigg;argras Qan orchid% 'abonaria '=4erborea! let it lie >c three ni.hts in water% and la3 it 1nder 3o1r head when 3o1 ar sleepin.F then 3o1 will see hi/. !). To make a 'elm o0 'iding QIce. 'ulins';almurlF Get a co/pletel3 2lac$ do. that has not one white hairF $ill i and ta$e o1t its heart. Ta$e a piece o> spr1ce wood and split i at the end and stic$ the heart in the split and 21r3 it in th earth where the >ield and 1n>ertiliBed land co/e to.ether% an% let it lie there >or the nine ni.hts 2e>ore St. ?ohn6s Da3. Ther will ha5e 2een created a stone there in that place. ;arr3 it witA 3o1. !(. So t'at a 1oman 1ill lo@e a /an @er= muc'F Gi5e her >inel3 chopped do5e heart in her >ood or in her drin$ Or ha5e the ton.1e o> a water wa.tail 1nder the root o> 3o1 ton.1e% and the one who/ 3o1 $iss >irst will lo5e 3o1 a2o5e al others. Or ta$e two .old or sil5er rin.s and la3 the/ in th nest o> a water wa.tail or a sparrow QIce. titlingurE so that the

are there >or nine ni.hts. Ta$e the/ o1t a.ain and .i5e he one o> the/ and $eep the other one 3o1rsel>. Then she wiJ lo5e 3o1. H,. I0 so/eone 1is'es to still t'e anger o0 'is 0oeF :e sho1ld .o to so/e water and 2e>ore a ra5en >lies o5er it h sho1ld hold his hands in the water and /a$e the >ollowin. r1ne
44endiC A (

on his >orehead with the >o1rth >in.er o> the ri.ht hand an a>terward not wash hi/sel> o>>4

,(o! S@end

Grundt@ig's Collection

This collection was /ade in the /iddle o> the nineteenth cen t1r3. It is now in the Ro3al ;ollection in ;openha.en. Then are >o1r recorded si.ns>ro/ this collection% all 5er3 co/plex an% o> an o25io1sl3 late date. :ere we .i5e one exa/ple4 strosF The protecti5e si.n that co/es now is called Astros. I protects >ro/ all r1nes and car5in.s o> all sorts that can 2e 1sed Accordin. to Snorri. *+

,(o! t'e Collection

!&& THE GAWRABOK

o0 >on mason

A/ason p12lished a .reat collection o> Icelandic >ol$tales ir the nineteenth cent1r3 that contained /an3 2its and pieceA o> /a.ical lore. The >ollowin. are three o> the /ost inter estin.4 .. T'e use o0 t1o magical signs named .apald1r and .in>axi can be used in .l>rna.ald1r )1restling magic/. The ga4aldur is placed 1nder the heel o> the ri.ht >oot and th gin0aCi is placed 1nder the toe o> the le>t. Then a 5erse is to 2 spo$en% >or which >o1r 5ariants are .i5en. The3 all 2e.in Ga4aldur 1nder /3 heel gin0aCi 1nder /3 toe% and concl1de4 stand 23 /e% >iend now l3in. 1pon /eA QLe.% possessin. /eJ or stand 23 /e% /3 o.reA Qlee. skrattiE or stren.then /e now% Ad5ersar3A Qlee. andskotiE or De5il% s1pport /eA!

H. T'ere is a sim4le 'elm o0 a1e 1orkingF

Ma$e a hel/ o> awe in lead% press the lead si.n 2etween th e3e2rows% and spea$ the >or/1la4 (egis';alm er e. ber I 2ear the hel/ o> awe !"ll" -.(U#a !'(- 2etween /3 2rowsA Th1s a /an co1ld /eet his ene/ies and 2e s1re o> 5ictor3.

'. A 1as'ing sta@eF 5;6n t'@rer e. a0 /er

f a#da !"##a, rann o. reid'i

rikra !a##aI wash the hate >ro/ /e

o> /3 >oes% and the ro22er3 and wrath o> rich Qpower>1lJ /enA
44endiC A 1'1

One other intrestin. and detailed set o> instr1ctions >or 1sin. the Thorr6s ha//er is .i5en 23 A/ason and has 2een translatec 23 ?acE1eline Si/pson. **

5rom Various 9anuscri4ts Collected b= Old0ur &a@0d'sson

A >ew other /an1scripts were 1sed in Da5>dhsson6s collection p12lished in 6(&'6 Three in5ol5e /a.ical si.ns% and >o1r are kreddur instr1ctions. .. "r=nslusta0ir <whet si.n=4 ;ar5e on a whetstone with steel.

; C s 2# S
!!. .D
.~

c :t 2#

S , 11\ , S !- e S It #C ( s ;#C. !! H. Sdttg;a0ar <reconciler=4

I> so/eone else hates 3o1% write these si.ns on parch/ent and p1t the/ 1nder his head witho1t his $nowin. it.
!&" T:E GALDRAB6K

7. Varnasta0ur Vladimars <Calde/ar6s protecti5e sta5e=4

It increases pop1larit3 and l1c$ >or e5er3one who can wor$ it. It ca/e here >ro/ Ger/an3 and is there>ore the 2est o> these ancient si.ns. It sho1ld not 2e car5ed or written on an3thin. except when so/eone is 2ein. tor/ented 23 so/ethin. e5il% and then it sho1ld 2e written with >ish .1ts on the s$in o> a hen6s e.. and p1t in the headdress o> the person.

.% % => 8?> G
J. 5or 2g'ost s4ots2 <Ice. draugablettir/F
If a .host that has 2een sent to attac$ so/eone0 is s1ccess>1l in to1chin. hi/% then its >in.ers will lea5e 2ehind 2lac$ spots. The= will 2eco/e sores that will eat awa3 at the person and e5ent1all3 $ill hi/ i> nothin. is done to stop the/. The /eans to 1se a.ainst this is explained here4 One sho1ld draw aro1nd the spot% with an ed'alstlil or segulstal Q!. e.% a steel /a.netJ and sin. the 9ater 7oster three ti/esF then the3 will not spread o1t an= >arther. Then one sho1ld .o to l1$ewar/ water prepared >&! washin. and hold the spots in it. Then hac$ three% six% or nine wo1nds in it and po1r the l1$ewar/ water o5er it. If all this i% done ri.ht% it will 2e eno1.h.
44endiC A !&'

+. To bring 0ort' dece4tions o0 t'e e=e+K

and to kno1 'o1 to 5o t'emF

Ta$e ea.le claws% sparrow claws% ra5en claws% >alcon claw% do. paw% cat paw% /o1se paw% and >ox paw. Ta$e the claws and paws o> all these ani/als and 2oil the/ in water that Qwasdrawn >ro/ a strea/ thatJ >lows to the east. Then ta$e the s12stance and p1t it in an 1n1sed linen 2a. ~nd drin$ the extract. Then hold the 2a. o5er 3o1r head and co//and what $ind o> deception o> the e3es 3o1 ha5e tho1.ht 1p >or hi/.

6. Slee4 t'ornF
Ta$e the heart sac Qpericardi1/J o> a do.F po1r pic$lin. 2roth into it. Then dr3 it >or thirteen da3s lon.% in a place where the s1n does not shine on it% and when the one to who/ 3o1 wish to do this is asleep% han. this in the ho1se o5er hi/ co/pletel3 witho1t his $nowin. it.

+. Take t'e needle 1it' 1'ic' one 'as se1n a dead man into 'is s'roudF
Stic$ it >ro/ 1nderneath into the ta2le at which the people eat and% i> the3 $now nothin. o> 3o1r actions% the3 will not 2e a2le to .et their >ood down-e5en i> it has 2een 5er3 well prepared1ntil the needle is ta$en awa3.

A99E7DI8 ?B Heat%en Magic In 'ld -nglis% Manuscri.ts

n excellent collection o> /a.ical spells >ro/ /an3 Old

En.lish /an1scripts has 2een pro5ided 23 G. Stor/s in his nglo-SaCon 9agic. )& The two /ain /an1scripts that contain /a.ical char/s are the so-called !eec'book <MS Re.i1s!"& 8@II% >ro/ the /id-tenth cent1r3= and the !acnunga <MS :arle3 +)+% >ro/ the ele5enth cent1r3=. Both o> these texts are pri/aril3 >illed with /edical char/s% and /1ch o> what the3 contain is directl3 translated >ro/ Gree$ or Latin so1rce wor$s. The !acnunga, especiall3% contains a .ood deal o> 2asicall3 Ger/anic /a.ical practice. There are so/e twent3 or so other /an1scripts in which Old En.lish /a.ical spells ha5e 2een >o1nd. Beca1se o> the 5ast >orei.n in>l1ence present in these /an1scripts% explicit re>erence to the Ger/anic heathen pantheon is rare. :ere we present as an exa/ple o> Old En.lish /a.ical proced1re what is perhaps the /ost interestin. spell >ro/ a co/parati5e point o> 5iewthe 7ine Cort Spell0 >or sna$e2ite >ro/ the !acnungaF Remember t'ou, mug1ort, 1'at t'ou madest kno1n, 1'at t'ou 'ast adorned at t'e 2Great (roclamation2 DRegenmeldeE
!& T:E GALDRAB6K

$na t'ou 1ast 'ig't-oldest o0 1orts,

t'ou 'ast mig't against t'ree and against t'irt=, t'ou 'ast mig't against @enom and 0l=ing s'ots, t'ou 'ast mig't'gainst t'e loat'some one t'at 0ares t'roug' t'e land. And t'ou, 1a=bread, mot'er o0 1orts, o4en 0rom t'e east, mig't= inside. O@er t'ee creaked carts, o@er t'ee rode Gueens, o@er t'ee 2rides sobbed, o@er t'ee bulls snorted. ll t'ou 1it'stoodest and 'ast rus'ed against t'em. T'us ma=est t'ou 1it'stand @enom and 0l=ing s'ots, and t'e loat'some one t'at 0ares t'roug' t'e land. 2Stune2 'ig't t'is 1ort, it 1aCed on stone, it stands u4- against 4oison, it strikes against 4ain. 2Stead=2 it is 'ig't, it strikes against @enom, it dri@es out t'e 'ostile one, it 'urls out @enom. T'is is t'e 1ort, t'at 0oug't 1it' t'e 1orm, it 'as mig't against @enom, and against 0l=ing s'ots, it &D mig't= against t'e loat'some one t'at 0ares t'roug' t'e land. 9ake 0l= no1, t'ou, @enom-'ater, t'e greater @enoms, t'ou t'e greater conGuer t'e lesser @enoms so t'at 'e is cured o0 bot'. Remember t'ou, ma=1eed, 1'at t'ou madest kno1n, 1'at t'ou soug't at lor0ord, so t'at ne@er a man s'ould lose 'is li0e, a0ter ma=1eed 1as !ad' read= 0or 'is meat. T'is is t'at 1ort 'ig't 21ergulu.2 It 1as sent b= a seal across t'e sea-ridge, a @eCing to @enom, a boon to ot'ers.
44endiC B

It stands against 4ain and strikes against 4oison, it 'as mig't against t'ree and t'irt=, against t'e 'and o0 t'e 0iend and against great 0ear against t'e 1itc'ing o0 mean 1ig'ts. T'ere t'e a44le did it against @enom, so t'at Dt'e loat'some ser4entE 1ould not li@e in t'e 'ouse. C'er@il and 0ennel, t1o @er= mig't= 1orts 1ere 1roug't b= the 1ise !ord, 'ol= in 'ea@en as 'e did 'ang? 'e set and sent t'em to t'e se@en 1orlds to t'e 1retc'ed and ric', as a 'el4 to all.
!!

T'ese nine are mig't= against nine @enoms. A 1orm came slit'ering, but not'ing 'e sla=ed. 5or <oden took u4 nine 1onderous t1igs, 'e struck t'e adder so t'at it 0le1 into nine 4ieces. %o1 t'ese nine 1orts 'a@e mig't against nine 1onder-1ig'ts. against nine @enoms and against nine 0l=ing s'ots against t'e red @enom, against t'e 1retc'ed @enom against t'e 1'ite @enom, against t'e 4ur4le @enom,

against t'e =ello1 @enom, against t'e green @enom, against t'e black @enom, against t'e blue @enom, against t'e bro1n @enom, against t'e cri/son @enom, against 1orm-blister, against 1ater-blister, against t'orn-blister, against t'istle-blister, against ice-blister, against @enom-blister. I0 an= @enom comes 0l=ing 0rom t'e east, or an= 0rom t'e nort', or an= >ro/ t'e sout', or an= >ro/ the 1est o@er t'e 4eo4le.
1'E THE GALDRABOK

#rist stood o@er all sicknesses. r alone 1ot a running stream and t'e nine adders be1are! 9a=all 1eeds s4ring u4 /y t'eir roots, t'e seas sli( a4art, all salt 1ater, .,?'en r blo1 t'is @enom 0rom i=ou.
M1.wort% wa32read% open >ro/ the east% la/26s cress% 5eno/leather% /a3weed% nettle% cra2-apple% cher5il% and >ennel.5 old soapF wor$ the worts to a powder% /ix the/ with soap and the H1ice o> an apple. Then wor$ 1p a paste o> water and ashes% ta$e >ennel and 2oil it with the paste and wash it with a 2eaten e.. when 3o1 p1t on the sal5e% 2oth 2e>ore and a>ter. Sin. this spell three ti/es o5er each o> the worts Qher2sJ 2e>ore 3o1 prepare the/% and on the apple as well. And sin. the spell into the /o1th and into 2oth ears% and on the wo1nd 2e>ore 3o1 p1t on the sal5e.

A99E7DI8 ; Heat%en Magic In 'ld Hig% (erman *.ells

T0

is no ancient Ger/an collection o> spells as there

is >or En.land or Iceland. :owe5er% whar are perhaps the /osr ancienr >or/1las o> all s1r5i5in. Indo-E1ropean >or/1lasare preser5ed in two Old :i.h Ger/an spells-the Second Merse21r. ;har/ >ro/ the earl3 tenth cent1r3 and the Contra Vermes spell >ro/ a2o1t the sa/e ti/e. ;orrespondences 2etween these char/s and two @edic >or/1las >ro/ India% which are perhaps as /1ch as a /illenni1/ older than the Old :i.h Ger/an /an1scripts% were >irst noticed 23 A. K1hn in !) ,.)' Another re/ar$a2le historical aspect o> the Second Merse21r. ;har/ is the a2sol1tel3 transparent wa3 in which it was ;hristianiBed 23 /erel3 s12stit1tin. >i.1res >ro/ ;hristian /3tholo.3 >or the ori.inal Ger/anic ones. The >act that these ;hristianiBed 5ersions appear o1tside the Ger/an re.ion also points to the pro2a2ilit3 o> lost heathen 5ersions

thro1.ho1t the Ger/anic world. The o5erall historical pattern de/onstrated 23 this >or/1la also stron.l3 s1..ests that /an3% i> not /ost% o> the 0;hristian0 char/s >irst written down in later cent1ries act1all3 .o 2ac$ to now lost heathen ori.inals. The First Merse21r. ;har/ shows close a>>inities to /a.ical stanBas
!!& THE GAWRABOK

in the (oetic Edda1fo( exa/ple% in the 0:a5a/al%0 stanBa !,( and in the 0Gr .aldr%0 stanBa !&% where /a.ic to 2rea$ >etter is /entioned.

Contra Vermes
Go out, 1orm, 1it' nine 1ormlings,

out o0 t'e marro1 into t'e bone, 0rom t'at bone into t'e 0les' out 0rom t'e 0les' into t'e skin, out 0rom t'at skin into t'is arro1. ), Lor50 so 1ill it be! The @edic correspondence is >ro/ the Rig-Veda, 8% ! '% whicl
catalo.s the 5ario1s parts o> the 2od3 >ro/ which the disease & re/o5ed in a 5er3 si/ilar wa3.)+

T'e 9erseburg C'arms

I

Once t'ere 1ere sitting lo0t= ladies2 sittin. 'ere ?n5 t'ere some bound bonds, some 'emmed t'e 1arrior bands, some 4icked at t'e 0etters, so t'e 'as4-bonds break, ?n5 t'e 1arriors esca4e. II ('ol2 ?n5 <odan 1ere riding in t'e 1ood 1'en t'e lord's Qor "aldr'sE 0oal
44eruliC ;

s4rained its 0oot. T'en Sint'gunt enc'anted, and 'er sister Sunna? t'en 5rigga enc'anted, and 'er sister Valla? then enc'anted <oden, as 'e could so 1ellF 0or bone-s4rain as 1ell as ;oint-s4rain? bone to bone, blood to blood, limb to limb, so t'at t'e= are linked again!
!!

T'e @edic passa.e correspondin. to this is >o1nd in the t'ar@a Veda I@% !"% >ro/ a2o1t +&& B.;.E. which can in part 2e trans

lated4 0Let th3 /arrow co/e to.ether with /arrow% and th3 Hoin to.ether with HointF to.ether let what o> th3 >lesh has >allen apart to.ether let th3 2one .row o5er.0)) B1t the >or/1la also s1r5i5ed in a 5ariet3 o> >or/s thro1.h o1t the Ger/anic world. In these ?es1s replaces Coden% perhap @oll or Balder is replaced 23 saints% and so on. One o> the /os recent recordin.s o> this ancient >or/1la is >ro/ !)," in Scot land4

T'e Lord rade, and t'e 0oal slade? 'e lig'ted, and 'e rig'ted, set ;oint to ;oint, bone to bone, and sine1 to sinew. Heal in t'e Hol= G'ost's name!S'
Intr ducti n !. Edition 237at. LindE5ist% En isliinsk S@artkonstbokf(a# .3,,talet <Sppsala4 Appel2er.% !("!=. ". Icelandic >ol$tales were collected and p12lished 23 ? n Arnason% islen:kar T';6d'sogur o. I60int=ri, "d ed.% 5ols.% ed. A. Bodh5arsson and B. @ilHal/sson <Re3$Ha5i$4 ThH dhsa.a 9rents/idhHan :olar% !(+,-!( !=. A/ason6s edition was >irst p12lished in !) '-!) ,. ;on5enient translations o> so/e o> these tales are pro5ided 23 ?acE1eline Si/pson in two 2oo$s% Icelandic 5olktales and Le.ends <Ber$ele34 Sni5ersit3

o> ;ali>ornia 9ress% !(*"= and Le.ends o> Icelandic 9agicians <;a/2rid.e4 Brewer% !(*+=. ;hapter ! !. For a s1r5e3 o> the le.al s3ste/ in Iceland% see Gw3n ?ones% A Histor= o> t'e Vikings <London4 Ox>ord Sni5ersit3 9ress% !(*'=% p. ")">>. ". The 2est s1r5e3 o> 7orthern reli.ion and /3tholo.3 a5ail !!,
THE GAWRAB6K

a2le in En.lish is that o> E. O. G. T1r5ille-9etre% 9=t' aru> Religion o0 t'e %ort' <7ew #or$4 :olt% Rinehart and CinT ston% !( ,=. :owe5er% the /ost co/prehensi5e is that oi ?an de @ries% ltgermanisc'e Religionsgesc'ic'te, "d ed.% " 5ols. <Berlin4 de Gr13ter% !(+ -!(+*=. '. 9ro2a2l3 the /ost con5enient histor3 o> Iceland is that oi Kn1t GHerset% Histor= o0 Icelaru> <7ew #or$4 Mac/illan% !(",=. ,. An excellent histor3 o> Icelandic literat1re is.i5en 23 Ste>an Einarsson% A Histor= o0 Icelandic !iterature <7ew #or$4 Hohns :op$ins 9ress% !(+*=. ;hapter " !. See Einarsson% A Histor= o0 Icelandic !iterature, p. !"">>. ". Se5eral s1r5e3s o> /a.ic in the Icelandic sa.as exist% 21t 1n>ort1natel3% none is in En.lish. 9erhaps the 2est recent treat/ent in En.lish is that o> :. R. EllisDa5idson% 0:ostile

Ma.ic in the Icelandic Sa.as%0 in T'e <itc' 5igure, ed. @. 7ewell <London4 Ro1tled.e and Ke.an 9a1l% !(*'=% pp. "&,!. '. This ter/ is 5irt1all3 1ni5ersall3 1sed in the Ger/anic dialects >or 0/a.ic%0 >or exa/ple% in Old En.lish gealdor and in Old :i.h Ger/an galstar. ,. This is the so1nd a ra5en is said to /a$e. +. 7o clear et3/olo.3 o> seid')r/ has 2een de5eloped% and it /a3 indeed 2e a 2orrowin. >ro/ so/e >orei.n ter/inolo.3. 6$ Seid'r has 2een co/pared to sha/anis/ 23 Da. Stro/2ac$% Se;d <Stoc$hol/4 Ge2er% !('+=. *. Snorri Str1l1son% Heimskringla, trans. Lee M. :ollander <A1stin4 Sni5ersit3 o> Texas 9ress=% pp. )% !!. ). The onl3 co/prehensi5e st1d3 o> acade/ic r1nolo.3 in En /otes
for Part 0

.lish is that o> Ralph Elliott% RunesF An Introduction <Man. chester4 Manchester Sni5ersit3 9ress% !(+(=. A /ore i/a.inati5e approach is that o> Edred Thorsson% Runelor6 <#or$ Beach% ME4 Sa/1el Ceiser% !()*=. Records o> r1ne% 2ein. 1sed in the nineteenth cent1r3 areI>o1nd in Col>.an. Kra1se6s wor$% Runen <Berlin4 de Gr13ter% !(*&=% pp. !""/. (. A co/plete% i> old% edition and translation o> the /aHor r1ne poe/s is pro5ided 23 Br1ce Dic$ens% Runic and Heroic (oems o> t'e Old Teutonic (eo4les <;a/2rid.e4 ;a/2rid.e Sni5ersit3 9ress% !(!+=F see also Thorsson% Runelore, pp. ('-!&,. !&. For con5enient interpretations o> the .od Odhinn% see T1r5ille9etre% 9=t' and Religion o> t'e %ort', pp. '+-*,% and Geor.es D1/eBil% Gods o> t'e Ancient %ort'men, ed. Einar :a1.en <Ber$ele34 Sni5ersit3 o> ;ali>ornia 9ress% !(*'=% pp. "*-,". Fora /ore i/a.inati5e loo$% seeThorsson% Runelore, pp. !*)-!)"% !)(-!((. !!. For an acade/ic treat/ent o> this /a.ical process% see Stephen E. Flowers% Runes and9agic <7ew #or$4 Lan.% !() =% pp. !+'-! . !". See also the translation o> Lee M. :ollander in T'e (oetic 6dda, "d ed. <A1stin4 Sni5ersit3 o> Texas 9ress% !( "=%

p.*".
!'. See also the translation o> :er/ann 9alsson and 9a1l Edwards% 6gil's Saga <:ar/ondsworth% SK4 9en.1in% !(* =% p. !&!. !,. The /ost >a/o1s depiction in the sa.as o> the 2lood 2ein. sprin$led in the te/ple is>o1nd in the 6=rb=gg;a Saga, chap. ,. See the translation o> :er/ann 9alsson and 9a1l Edwards <Toronto4 Sni5ersit3 o> Toronto 9ress% !(*'=% p. ,&. !+. See Flowers% Runes and 9agic, p. ",(>>. ! . See Si/pson% !egends o> Icelandic 9agicians, p. ''>>. !*. See GHerset% Histor= o> Iceland, pp. "*&-"*".
!! T:E GAWRABOK

!). See Si/pson% !egends o0 Icelandic 9agicians, pp. '*-,,. !(. See Si/pson% !egends o0 Icelandic 9agicians, p. + .

"&. See Si/pson% !egends o0 Icelandic 9agicians, pp. *'-*(. "!. For statistics on Icelandic witchcra>t trials% see Zla>1r Da5>dhsson% 0Islandische Da12erBeichen 1nd Da12er2iicher%0 Leitsc'ri0t des Vereins 0ur Volkskunde !' <!(&'=4 !+&-!+!. "". For a pop1lar 5iew o> /odern Icelandic attit1des toward occ1lt pheno/ena% see Erlend1r :araldsson% 0Are Ce Sensiti5e or S1perstititio1sG0 Atlantica and Icelandic Re@ie1 .+FJ <!(*"=% '&-',. "'. The /ost dra/atic aspect o> this is the o>>icialre5i5al o> the 7orse reli.ion in Iceland 23 S5ein2Horn Beinteinsson% who is the leader o> what are called the Asatr1arrnenn-those who 2elie5e in the >Esir. ;hapter ' I. See Si/pson% !egends o0 Icelandic 9agicians, p. !(. ". See Da5idhsson% 0Islandische Da12erBeichen%0 p. !+*. '. See Si/pson% !egends o0 Icelandic 9agicians, pp. *'-*(. ,. See Da5idhsson% 0Islandische Da12erBeichen%0 pp. !+*-!+). +. For a s1r5e3 o> the histor3 o> the /an1script% see 7at. LindE1ist% En isliinsk S@artkonstbok, pp. "!-"'. . See Da5idhsson% 0Islandtsche Da12erBeichen%0 pp. ! &-! *. *. See Fi.1re " on pa.e ,(. ). This is certainl3 a >orced interpretation. (. See Da5idhsson% 0Islandische Da12erBeichen%0 pp. " *-"*&. !&. An edition o> this 2oo$ was done 23 Kristian Kal1nd% &e2 islandske lregebog <;openha.en4 L1no% !(&*=. !!. See Ir/.ard :a/pp% "esc'1Orung-Segen-Gebet <St1tt.art4 Sil2er21r.% !( !=% p. !!O>>.
%otes 0or (ort . !!

;hapter , !. :a/pp% "esc'1iirung-Segen-Gebet, p. !!O>>. ". The classic text on this topic is 23 Erich Q1n.% Germanisc' Giitter und Heiden in c'ristlic'er Leit, "d ed. (M ~i!h: Leh /ann% !('(=. '. See A/ason% islen:kar T';6d'siigur, 5ol. !% p. ,'". ,. See :Hal/ar Fal$% Odens'eite <Kristiana4 D32wad% !(",= pp. )% (% "(% '!. +. Details o> this were .i5en 23 A/ason% islen:kar T';6d'siigur, 5ol. !% pp. ,'!-,'"% con5enientl3 translated 23 Si/psor in Icelandic 5olktales, pp. !)!-!)". 6. See also :. R. Ellis Da5idson% Gods and 9=t's o0 %ort'err 6uro4e <:ar/ondsworth% SK4 9en.1in% !( ,=% p. !)&. *. See Lee R. Gandee% Strange 6C4erience <En.lewood ;li>>s% 7?4 9rentice-:all% !(*!=% p. !!(. ). A >1ll acco1nt o> this /3th is .i5en 23 Snorri St1rl1son i> T'e (rose 6dda, trans. ?ean !. #o1n. <Ber$ele34 Sni5ersit3 o> ;ali>ornia 9ress% !(+,=% pp. )+-) . (. For the ori.inal Old :i.h Ger/an o> this text% see Cilhel/ Bra1ne and Ernst E22in.ha1s% lt'cc'deutsc'es !esebue', !+th ed. <T12in.en4 7ie/e3er% !( (=% p. '(.

;hapter + !. In this set o> de>initions I a/ .enerall3 >ollowin. those .i5en23 Da5idhsson% 0Islandische Da12erBelchen%0 pp. !+"!+,. ". See the prose >ollowin. st. !, in the 0Re.ins/al66 and st. ! and >ollowin.in the 0Fa>nls/al0 in the (oetic 6dda <trans. Lee M. :ollander= and in the (rose 6dda <trans. ?ean !. #o1n.=% p. !!". It is speci>icall3 /entioned that Si.1rdhr
!!) T:E GALDRAB6K

ta$es the hel/ in chap. !( o> the Viilsunga Saga? see th translation o> Cillia/ Morris and Eiri$1r Ma.n1sson <7e5 #or$4 ;ollier% !( "=% p. !,). There are se5eral editions a the Morris and Ma.n1sson translation% as well as /an3 othe translations. '. See% >or exa/ple% the prose >ollowin. st. , in the 0Si.ridrt >1rnal0 in the (oetic 6dda, trans. Lee M. :ollander% p. "', ,. The sator-sE1are has 2een /1ch written a2o1t. For its ori.in and histor3% see the >airl3 recent st1d3 23 Calter O. Moeller T'e 9it'raic Origin and 9eanings o> t'e Rotas-Sator SGuar, <Leiden4 Brill% !(*'=. +. See :. G1sta5son and T. S. Brin$% 0R1n>3nd !(*)%0 Fo/ @iinnen <!(*(=4 "''>>. ;hapter !. A 5ariet3 o> Q1deo-;hristian .ri/oires ha5e 2een p12lisher or rep12lished in recent 3ears. A/on. the 2est $nown & these are T'e "ook o> t'e Sacred 9agic o> bI-a-9e!in th 9age, trans. S. L. MacGre.or Mathers <;hica.o4 de La1 renee% !('"=F T'e Greater #e= o> Solomon, trans. S. L MacGre.or Mathers <;hica.o4 de La1rence% !(!,=F TtN "ook o> t'e Goetiao0Solomon t'e #ing, trans. S. L. MacGre.o Mathers% ed. Aleister ;rowle3 <7ew #or$4 Ra/% !(*&=. ". For so/e interestin. insi.hts on the power o> the na/e it 7orse /a.ical thin$in.% see :. R. Ellis <Da5idson=% T"l$ Road to :eA <;a/2rid.e4 ;a/2rid.e Sni5ersir3 9ress% !(,'= pp. !'*-!,). '. See 0Fa>nis/al0 prose >ollowin. st. ! in the 9oetic 6dda trans. Lee M. :ollander% p. ""'. A whole st1d3 has 2eer de5oted to the /a.ical power o> the speech o> the d3inl
/otes for Part 0 !!

/an4 Fal$e Stro/% &en doendes makt oc' Odin & tradet ),2 te2or.4 Elander% !(,*=. ,. 9ro2a2l3 the /ost co/prehensi5e treat/ent o> the 7ors conception o> the so1l readil3 a5aila2le in En.lish is :. Ellis <Da5idson=% T'e Road to Hel, pp. !"!>>. For a /ar i/a.inati5e 5iew% see Thorsson% Runelore, pp. ! *-!*'. !. This list o> di5ine na/es perhaps represents an encoded /essa.e o> so/e sort. The n1/2ers o> na/es in each o> the three lists see/ si.ni>icant. The latter two consist o> twent3>o1r and twel5e na/es% respecti5el3F the >irst one is pro2a2l3 s1pposed to contain se5ent3-two. ". The 1se o> /a.ic in helpin. wo/en in child2irth .oes 2ac$ into the Eddic traditionF >or exa/ple% we >ind it in the

0Si.rd>>1/al%0 st. !&4 0Also learn help-r1nes I i> 3o1 wish to help I a wo/an 2rin. >orth her 2a23.0 The ter/ 1sed in this context is O7 b;argrunar <help Qin 2earin. childrenJ t1nes=. '. To 2e a2le to stanch 2lood was a pop1lar healin. art in old Ger/anic ti/es. It is well $nown in the Lac#u#ga and other Old En.lish leech2oo$s. ,. These last two words are o25io1s /isspellin.s or alterations o> the na/e >e'o@a Sebaot' )Oa'1e' T:abaot'/, the ancient :e2rew war .od. +. The hel/ o> awe <O7 aegis';almr/ is the /ost interestin. sin.le >eat1re o> this /an1script. Both the word and its 1nderl3in. /eanin.s are intri.1in.. It occ1rs >o1r ti/es in !"" THE GAWRABOK the (oetic 6dda, all in connection with Fa>nir% the etinserpent .1ardin. the 7i>l1n. hoard. Cith the power o> this hel/ he co1ld stri$e terror into the heart o> an3one who /i.ht atte/pt to win the treas1re. It is said that Si.1rdhr too$ it with hi/ as a part o> the hoard a>ter he $illed the serpent. :ere it see/s to ha5e 2een s3/2oliBed as an act1al hel/etF howe5er% it ori.inall3 /eant si/pl3 0co5erin.%0 which is the oldest sense o> the ter/ 0hel/.0 There>ore% the whole >or/1la wo1ld si.ni>3 a 0co5erin. o> awe or terror.0 The >irst part o> the word% re.is- <possessi5e >or/ >ro/ re.ir% 0terror0= is deri5ed >ro/ 9roto-Indo-E1ropean 6 ag'-esN 9roto-Ger/anic 'egis- N Gothic ai.is N Old En.lish egesa and ege <hence% o1r /ode/ 0awe0=% and N O7 ?F&0 all /eanin. terror. The spellin. re.ir is explica2le as an ablaut, ll.ir P'6gir N6re.ir <in later 9roto-Ger/anic=. This hel/ o> awe was ori.inall3 a $ind o> sphere o> /a.ical power to stri$e >ear into the ene/3. It was associated with the power o> serpents to paral3Be their pre3 2e>ore stri$in. <hence% the connection with Fa>nir=. In o1r ti/e this /eanin. is a.ain clear. The hel/ o> awe as descri2ed in the /an1script is a power% centered in the pineal .land and e/anatin. >ro/ it and the e3es. It is s3/2oliBed 23 a crossli$e con>i.1ration% which in its si/plest >or/ is /ade 1p o> what appear to 2e either >o1r 3o1n.er M5r1nes or older D-r1nes. These >i.1res can% howe5er% 2eco/e 5er3 co/plex. . This /an1script is 5al1a2le >or the hints it .i5es concernin. the Scandina5ian lore o> trees and their /a.ical correspondences. The oa$ has 2een associated with the power o> the t'urs-rune < ~ = and with the .od Thorr% :ere it see/s to 2e actin. as a terri>3in. apotropaic talis/an. *. This see/in.l3 /acaronic 5erse has not 3et 2een satis>actoril3 interpreted. ). 7either has the second line% 21t it has 2een said to contain a /ne/onic de5ice >or the Danish r1nic alpha2et. %otes 0or (art H !"' (. The last two words here represent the GnosticlKa22alistic >or/1la Tetra.ra//aron% the >o1r-letter na/e o> the :e2rew

.od <#:@:=% also >o1nd in Spell ,". !&. This series o> sta5es% which contains none that are o25io1sl3 r1ne sta5es% ne5ertheless see/s to 2e an expression o> the s3ste/ o> the 3o1n.er r1nes% since it contains the n1/erical >or/1la " X ! G '". !!. In the /edical theories o> the ancient Ger/anic peoples% diseases were so/eti/es tho1.ht to 2e ca1sed 23 tin3% in5isi2le 0wor/s0 <serpents= in the >ood or drin$. !". These sta5es are sixteen in n1/2er% pl1s the solar cross% a.ain an expression o> the contin1in. potenc3 o> the n1/2er s3ste/ o> the 3o1n.er >1thar$. The >irst sta5e is perhaps the elder Q-r1ne% which contin1ed to 2e 1sed as a galdrasta0ur? the tenth sta5e appears to 2e a 3o1n.er A-r1ne < 2# )0 which was perhaps intended as a4 t :- and the row ends with two elder :-r1nes. !'. :ere ei.ht sta5es are represented% which co1ld 2e part o> either a sixteen- or a twent3->o1r-2ased s3ste/. The twent3>o1r2ased s3ste/ contin1ed to 2e 1sed in the contr1ction o> /a.ical >o/1las in the 3o1n.er period. !,. A.ain the n1/2er ) co1ld 2e the $e3 to this sta5e <n1/2er o> sta5es radiatin. >ro/ the rin.=. The shape o> the sta5es co1ld 2e intended as t'urs-runes < ~ =% andIor the whole co1ld 2e a r1nic code4 '4+ <read4 third eu, >i>th sta5e=either4 !K4 <in the special cr3ptic reorderin.= or 4 %H..%F in the nor/al order. For a con5enient disc1ssion o> r1nic codes% see Edred Thorsson% Runelore, pp. )*-(!. !+. This row o> twent3->o1r sta5es contains /an3 reco.niBa2le r1ne sta5es% >or exa/ple% :3 <
2

t6 <st3liBed M5r1nes=% ~

later 0dotted0 T-r1ne @d or dh?=% Z <S-r1ne=% R <R5r1ne=% <:5r1ne=% t3 <A-r1ne=% H<older :-

r1ne=. ! . These ele5en sta5es also contain se5eral r1nic >or/s >o1nd in Spell !)% pl1s 3<s=% >0 <$=%
!", THE GALDRAB6K

<<>inal -R or 3=.

!*. 0Th3 dew and dales0 has 2een interpreted as ;hristian s3/2ols >or the 2lood and wo1nds o> Hes1s% :owe5er% this see/s to 2e a ;hristianiBation o> older pa.an /aterial rele5ant to the Earth /3steries. !). The techniE1e o> this 0pra3er0 is p1re conta.io1s /a.ic 2ased on the trans>erence o> ne.ati5e >orce >ro/ the 2od3 to the water% which is washed awa3. !(. A 23rnie is a 2reastplate or 2attle sar$ 1sed 23 Ger/anic peoples-here the s3/2olis/ is o25io1s. "& This >or/1laic protection >ro/ all sides% 2ased on polar opposites% is 5er3 ancient and pro2a2l3 co//on to all peoples. "!. Another o> the co//on old Ger/anic ideas concernin. the ori.in o> disease and /is>ort1ne in people and ani/als is

that o> proHectiles shot 23 either trolls or el5es. "". This is onl3 one o> /an3 indications o> the wide 5ariet3 o> traditions s3nthesiBed in this /an1script. "'. 7o >1rther instr1ction is .i5en in this 2oo$ to this /3sterio1s spell. ",. 9sal/s and other portions o> the Bi2le were o>ten 1sed in /a.ical rites o> all $inds% which is onl3 >ittin. since /an3 o> the 9sal/s are act1all3 adaptations o> ;anaanite /3tho/a.ical son.s. This is >ro/ the Icelandic translation o> the Bi2le /ade in !+),. "+. The >iend% or ene/3% wo1ld appear to 2e Satan% who wo1ld help God prosec1te the ene/3. The Icelandic word 1sed here is andskotin <ad5ersar3=% which is a nor/al translation o> the :e2rew SaTa%. " . Ice. s=nd <sin= ori.inall3 2orrowed >ro/ Old En.lish s=nn <sin=. Most patentl3 ;hristian ter/inolo.3 co/es into Icelandic >ro/ Old En.lish. "*. Another exa/ple o> Old En.lish ;hristian ter/inolo.3 is pro5ided 23 0so1l0 <Ice. sill < OE sil1el/. This ter/ was ori.inall3 part o> the co//on Ger/anic storeho1se o> ps3%otes
0or (art H !"+

cholo.ical conceptions% pro2a2l3 with the /eanin. o> 0shadow% shade0 in the 5oca21lar3 o> li>e and deathF howe5er% it was ;hristianiBed at an earl3 date. "). The word skuggi 1s1all3 /ore properl3 re>lects the concrete idea 0shadow%0 21t it has clearl3 /o5ed into the >ield o> /eanin. o> 0so1l0 here. "(. Ice. li0 <li>e=% the li5in. essence o> a h1/an 2ein.. '&. See also Spell "&F 0da3 2ath0 <Ice. daglaug/ is perhaps a /etaphor >or 02lood.0 '!. Literall3% 0who ha5e an e5il /ind QIce. hug() toward /e.0 The hug(was ori.inall3 the seat o> the intellect and will <see dhinn6s ra5en :1.inn% Master o> the Mind=% 21t it later too$ on /ore /a.ical connotations and co1ld 2e sent o1t to do deeds >or its owner. '". :ere a.ain we see the ('g"&h al!u(, as it >orces all to >ear it and 2e $ind to its possessor. ''. 9erhaps this indicates so/e $nowled.e o> Arian ;hristianir3% the >or/ o> ;hristianit3 that se5eral Ger/anic tri2es con5erted to in the >o1rth and >i>th cent1ries. ',. Ice. gau4nir, the 2owl>or/ed 23 c1ppin. the hands to.ether. '+. These sixteen sta5es see/ to 2e all hi.hl3 st3liBed r1nic s3/2ols arran.ed in two rows o> ei.ht. Their >1ll /eanin. has 3et to 2e decoded. It is not hard to see wh3 the galdramenn in possession o> this 2oo$ were in need o> spells a.ainst their ene/iesA ' . Rowan wood has a li>e-.i5in. power and can control otherworldl3 thin.s. It is also 1sed in a contrar3 sense as a 2rin.er o> death. The 1se here either /eans that it was intended to protect the ho1se >ro/ e5il 5isitations or that it was /eant

ne.ati5el3 as a /ethod o> terri>3in. those who wo1ld co/e to the ho1se. '*. :ere thistle is pro2a2l3 /eant. This is an her2al correspondence to the F-r1ne.
!" T:E GALDRAB6K

'). A.ain we see the 1se o> the concept o> so/ethin. >l3in. toward a person <a shot= to 2rin. /is>ort1ne. '(. Alder is 1s1all3 associated with >ire and wa$e>1lnessF it corresponds to the S-r1ne. :ere we a.ain see the 1se o> innate polarit3 to e5o$e the opposite e>>ect. ,&. The her2olo.ical ele/ent in this spell is two>old4 <l= ash wood and <"= mi$e0olium <3arrow=. Ash is o> well-$nown properties in Ger/anic /3th and /a.ic. :ere it si.ni>ies the a2ilit3 to /a$e contact with other worlds. #arrow% which was either .ro1nd 1p or its >lowers /ade into an essential oil to 2e /ixed with water% also has tre/endo1s powers >or /a$in. contact with 0the other side%0 the 1nconscio1s. 7ot onl3 did the ancient ;hinese $now o> this <see the I C'ing literat1re=% 21t it was also well $nown a/on. the IndoE1ropeans as a di5inator3 tool. In later ti/es it wasdedicated to 0the E5il One0 <see Spell ,!= and was pop1larl3 called the De5il6s 7ettle and Bad Man6s 9la3thin.F it was 1sed in /a.ical rites. ,!. A.ain we see the 1se o> the ter/ skuggi in the sense o> h1/an so1l% or shade% and here its 1se is /ore o25io1sl3 a part o> the ps3chic ter/inolo.3 with re>erences to li5in. persons-s-a $ind o> ps3chic do12le. ,". The /an1script ter/ iotun @i$um <standard no/inati5e >or/ Hiitna @illur/ literall3 /eans the 2ewilder/ents o> the etins <.iants= and re>ers to so/e as 3et 1n$nown >or/1la o> /1r$ sta5es 1sed 23 the etins to del1de and con>1se. :1/an /a.icians can also control s1ch thin.s. ,'. :ere the /an1script reads iotun geira blod <standard no/inati5e >or/ ;iitungeira b.6d'/, literall3 0the 2lood o> etinspears.0 Eiitungeir <etin-.ar= is a $ennin. >or a wor/ andIor serpent. This >or/s a /a.ical lin$ with tell1ric powers. ,,. The pro2le/atical word 1sed in the /an1script is t'ri;stei4ta, literall3 0three-di5in.0 <in5ersed% or in5erted=. This O;;SI6l
/otes for Part 1 !"*

,+.

, . ,*. ,). ,(. +&.

+1. also in another Icelandic /an1script where the galdrasta0ur appears. See also note ,+. ~ The word moldt'urs clearl3 /eans earth-th1rs <-.iant=% which perhaps indicates a re5ersed <i.e.% /1r$= Tl-l-r1ne < ~

or0@0=% which is a power>1l c1rsin. si.n <see 0Si.rdr>>1/al%0 st. ' =. The mold- co1ld also re>er to 2oth the T:- and M5r1nes and rein>orce the i/a.e o> the sta5es connected to the .ro1nd as seen in note ,, and in the sta5es in Spell ',. The shape o> the ga4al)l/dur is identi>ied in the galdrasta0ir co/plex. Its na/e also occ1rs in other /an1scripts. The word )ga4-aldur/ co1ld /ean 0the a.e or eternit3 o> space <5oid=.0 The /eanin. o> the pri/ar3 str1ct1re o> the sta5e isopen to spec1lation% altho1.h it is hi.hl3 s1..esti5eF howe5er% the lines extendin. >ro/ the /ain >or/ are perhaps coded r1nic re>erences <i.e.% on the le>t side '4 G Vand on the ri.ht '4'I' G p 4 p =. The /an1script 1ses the ter/ srering, and &t is .lossed in the /ar.in as eCorcismus. This ter/ is .enerall3 1sed onl3 in ;hristian contexts. The word that is translated 0read0 in the text is Icelandic r9'a, which% in the technical ter/inolo.3 o> the r1nes% has the deeper /eanin. o> 0to interpret% >atho/0 in the whole
sense.

#@ennrnnar were ori.inall3 >or/1las 1sed to win the lo5e o> wo/en <and were there>ore s3/pathetic to the/=F the3 /a3 ha5e 2een attached to certain speci>ic r1nes and r1ne sta5es. A.ain we see the oa$ <see Spell ( and note a2o5e=. :ere it is 1sed to /a$e contact with the real/ o> the deadF this is done not 23 drawin. the dead o1t o> their .ra5es 21t 23 >orcin. the/ o1t thro1.h the place/ent o> the oa$ in their real/% th1s dri5in. the dead to the s1r>ace. Altered 5ersion o> the @1l.ate translation o> 9sal/ !!(4*.
!") T:E GAWRAB6K

+". A 5ersion o> the @1l.ate translation o> 9sal/ !!(4*+. +'. Sa/e as in Spell '!. +,. The /an1script reads 0riggiar gras, 0the her2 o> Fri...0 This has 2een attached to 5ario1s t3pes o> her2s. One is the orc'is odoratissima, or sat=rium slbidium, >ro/ which lo5e potions were 2rewed. This plant is also $nown in Icelandic as ';unagras )'erba con;ugalis/ % the her2 o> /arria.e. :owe5er% it /a3 2e connected to the /andra$e. ++. :ere the /an1script reads a sigur 'ellunne, 0on the 5ictor3 roc$.0 The si.ni>icance o> this is still 1nclear. It is perhaps a heathen re>erence applied to a ;hristian context or an otherwise 1n$nown :e2raic /3th that the Icelanders preser5ed >ro/ so/e heretical text. + . This three>old Codenic in5ocation incl1des the na/e Odhinn 2eside 4l"', 0the E5il One%0 which /a3 ha5e 2een an old na/e >or Odhinn since he was called Bol5er$r% 0E5ilCor$er%0 and was called 0the >ather o> all e5il0 in pa.an ti/es. &l5ir is interestin.. It is o1r na/e Oli5er and co/es >ro/ 9roto-Ger/anic6 la1i'-a:, 0the All-:ol3 One.0 This

is si/ilar in /eanin. to the na/e ClhaB <O7 @el. the third na/e in the pri/al three>old Codenic >or/1lation. +*. In the /an1script this whole 5erse reads4 ,.@ir Odenn Ille II llt t'i;tt @ilid @i;lle II Sial00ur Gud med sni;lle II Sendi ockur ast i m=lli. +). The si.n o> the hel/ o> awe% later the si.n o> the cross. +(. 9ro2a2l3 the na/e o> a /a.ical si.n. It is 1nclear whether the two sta5es re>erred to here correspond to the sta5e represented in the /an1script. Homa perhaps re>ers to an i/a.e o> the Iranian tree o> li>e <and the ancient sacred drin$ 'aoma, co.nate to the Sans$rit soma/. It is certainl3 possi2le that the galdrasta0ur represented here is a hi.hl3 st3liBed 5ersion o> s1ch a treeli$e si.n. &. 9ro2a2l3 hawthorn or sloe.
%otes ior (art H !"(

!. As represented in the sta5e. ". Chen it stands at the hi.hest point in the s$3. '. :ere a new handwritin. st3le 2e.ins% a se5enteenth-cent1r3 c1rsi5e hand. The lan.1a.e o> the ori.inal is in the Danish dialect. ,. The representations o> the galdrasta0ir do not see/ to correspond to the n1/erical >or/1las. :owe5er% the n1/erical >or/1las contained in the text o> the spell are 5er3 potent4 ) I , < ~ = Y '" Y ! I " 9 I E ( #f. ) G :. G .= I * !' x ' < ~ = G '( G !' x ' !,' !' I !! +. The /an1script reads nde, 02reath% spirit.0 . The /an1script reads Hulenn 'ialmur, 0a co5erin. o> conceal/ent. 0 See the Middle :i.h Ger/an tamka44e, 0a cape Qnot capJ o> conceal/ent%0 and tam'iit, 0a hide or s$in Qnot hatAJ o> conceal/ent%0 2oth o> which occ1r in the %ibelungenlied. *. I> a spec1lation o>>ered 23 9ro>. Dr. Kla1s D1wel is correct% this >or/1la /a3 2e the ancestor o> one .oin. all the wa3 2ac$ to a2o1t "&& c. E.% where we >ind a spearhead with the r1nic inscription 0oHin.ar%0 which /i.ht ha5e 2eco/e 6tti in icelandic. See Flowers% Runes and 9agic, p. "++. ). ;o/pare this >i.1re to that >o1nd in Spell '& in the Galdrab6k! It is rare% other than with the regis';dlmur, to >ind this close correspondence in di>>erent /an1scripts. (. Fein.1r /a3 2e a nic$na/e o> Odhinn </iswritten >or Fen.1rG=F see Fal$% Odens'eite, p. ). Or it /a3 2e related to icelandic 0eigur, 02o1nd to die% >e3.0 *&. This is a /ost 1n1s1al Thor6s ha//erA It /a3 2e a depiction o> how the ha//er is s1pposed to wor$.
!'& THE GALDRABOK

*A. The exact /eanin. o> mandre4eik is 1n$nown. *". The @alb;ork, 02irch o> the slain%0 is a $ind o> 2irch or /aple tree 1n$nown in Iceland.

*'. Bowls are 5er3 t3pical o2Hects on which r1nes are car5edF see the Galdrab6k. *,. The >or/1la /a3 2e the ;hristian I:S4 in hoc signum. *+. The in5ocation o> Snorri6s na/e /a3 re>er to Snorri o> :1sa>ell or Snorri St1rl1son% a1thor o> the (rose 6dda. This $ind o> extre/el3 co/plex /a.ical si.n is 5er3 rare in the corp1s o> si.ns in Iceland and is a clear indication o> a late date and >orei.n ori.in. * . The 0De5il0 <here the Icelandic word d"o# l~ o> co1rse 2orrowed >ro/ the LatinIGree$ diabolus/ is 1sed. It /1st 2e re/e/2ered that% especiall3 in the /a.ician6s world 5iew% the old .ods and the de/ons o> the ;hristian hell had 2een 1ni>ied. :ence% this /a3 1lti/atel3 re>er ro so/e heathen deit3. **. See Si/pson% Icelandic 5olktales and Le.ends% pp. !)!-!)". *). An ani/ated corpse% or draugur, co1ld 2e /a.icall3 acti5ated and sent to do the /ale5olent will o> a sorcerer% in which case it is re>erred to as a daud'ingur. See S5ale Solhei/% 0Dra1.%0 #ultur'istorisk !eksikon 0or %ordisk 9iddelalder 7 <!(+)=4 "(). *(. This $ind o> /a.ic is $nown in Icelandic as s;6n'@er0ing, 0si.ht twistin.%0 a wa3 o> distortin. the perceptions and ca1sin. ill1sions. See Ellis Da5idson% 0:ostile Ma.ic in the Icelandic Sa.as%0 p. "!>>. )&. The :a.1e4 7iHho>>% !(,). )A. See Stor/s% nglo-SaCon 9agic, pp. !) -!(*. )". The 2otanical desi.nations o> the nine her2s are <!= /1.wort% artemisia @ulgaris? <"= wa32read or plantain% 4lantago ma;or? <'= 0st1ne0<G=% la/26s cress% cardamine 'irsuta? )J/ 5eno/-leather% coc$6s sp1r .rass% 4anicum crus Galli? )3/
%otes 0or (art H 1*1

/a3weed% ca/o/ile% ant'emis cotula? < = 0wer.1l10<G=% nettle% urtica dioica? <*= <cra2i-apple% an3 o> se5eral trees o> the .en1s (=rus? <)= cher5il% ant'riscus cere0olium? <(= >ennel% 0oeniculum @ulgare. )'. See A. K1hn% 0Indische 1nd .er/anische Se.enspr1che%6 Leitsc'ri0t 0ur @ergleic'ende S4rac'0orsc'ung !' <!) ,=4 ,(-*'. ),. Then the in>ectin. 0wor/0 wo1ld 2e shot awa3% /a.icall3 2o1nd to the arrow. )+. For the parallels to the @edic tradition% see the passa.es translated 23 :. :. Cilson% Rig-Veda San'ita <7ew Delhi4 ;os/o% !(**=% 5oL *% pp. '("-'('F and 23 Ralph T. :. Gri>>ith% T'e H=mns o0 t'e t'ar@a-Veda, 'd ed. <@aransi% India4 Master Khelari Sons% !( "=% 5oL "% p. ,!". ) . :ere the Old :i.h Ger/an word idisi is 1sed% which /a3 2e related to Old 7orse dis, pl. disir, a .ro1p o> di5ine /other-.oddesses or protecti5e spirits. )*. 9hol is pro2a2l3 an alternati5e spellin. o> @ol<l=% the /as6 c1line co1nrerpart to the >ertilit3 .oddess @alla <O7 F3lla=% sister o> Fri..a% also /entioned in th~ text.

)). Cillia/ Dwi.ht Chitne3% t'ar@a-Veda Samita <Delhi4 Motilal Banarsidass% !( "=% 5oL !% pp. ! -! ). )(. Other parallels are disc1ssed 23?aco2 Gri//% Teutonic 9=2 t'olog= <7ew #or$4 Do5er% !( =% 5ol% '% pp. !"'!-!"''F T1r5ille-9etre% 9=t' and Religion o0 t'e %ort', pp. !""-!",F Stor/s% nglo-SaCon Ma.ic% pp. !&(-!!'.

$ibliogra.%y
A/ason% ? n. islen:kar T';6d'sogur o. !0int=ri. "d ed. Ed. A. Bodh5arsson and B. @ilHal/sson. 5ols. Re3$Ha5i$4 ThH dhsa.a 9rents/idhHan : lar% !(+,-!( !. Bra1ne% Cilhel/% and Ernst E22in.ha1s% eds% lt'oc'deutsc'es !esebuc'. !+th ed. T12in.en4 7ie/e3er% !( (. ;rowle3% Aleister% ed. T'e "ook o0 t'e Goetia o0 Solomon t'e #ing. Trans. S. L. Mathers. 7ew #or$4 Ra/% !(*&. Da5idhsson% la>1r. 0Islandische Da12erBeichen 1nd Da12er21cher.0 Leitsc'ri0t des Vereins 0$r Volkskunde !' <!(&'=4 !+&-! *. Dic$ens% Br1ce% ed. Runic and Heroic (oems o0 t'e Old Teutonic (eo4les. ;a/2rid.e4 ;a/2rid.e Sni5ersit3 9ress% !(!+. D1/eBil% Geor.es. Gods o0 th' ncient%ort'men. Ed. Einar :a1.en. Ber$ele34 Sni5ersit3 o> ;ali>ornia 9ress% !(*'. Einarsson% Ste>an. A Histor= o0 Icelandic !iterature. 7ew #or$4 ?ohns :op$ins 9ress% !(+*. Elliott% Ralph. Runes? An Introduction. Manchester4 Manchester Sni5ersit3 9ress% !(+(. Ellis <Da5idson=% :. R. T'e Road to :ei% ;a/2rid.e4 ;a/2rid.e Sni5ersit3 9ress% !(,'.
!', T:E GALDRABOK

Ellis Da5idson% :. R. Gods and 9=t's o0 %ort'ern 6uro4e. :ar/ondsworth% SK4 9en.1in% !( ,. --. 0:ostile Ma.ic in the lcelandic Sa.as.0 In T'e <itc' 5igure, ed. @. 7ewell% "&-,!. London4 Ro1tled.e and Ke.an 9a1l% !(*'. Fal$% :Hal/ar. Odens'eite. Kristiana4 D52wad% !(",. Flowers% Stephen E. Runes and 9agic. 7ew #or$4 Lan.% !() . Gandee% Lee R. Strange 6C4erience. En.lewood ;li>>s% 7?4 9rentice :all% !(*!. GHerset% Kn4t0 Histor= o0 Iceland. 7ew #or$4 Mac/illan% !(",. Gri>>ith% Ralph T. :. T'e H=mns o0 t'e t'ar@a-Veda. 'd ed. " 5ols% @aransi% India4 Master Khelari Sons% !( ". Gri//% ?aco2. Teutonic 9=t'olog=. , 5ols. 7ew #or$4 Do5er% !( . G1sta5son% :.% and T. S. Brin$. 0R1n>3nd !(*).0 5om@iinnen <!(*(=4 "")-"+&. :a/pp% lr/.ard. "esc'1Orung-Segen-Gebet St1tt.art4 Sil2er21r.% !( !. :araldsson% Erlend1r. 0Are Ce Sensiti5e or S1perstitio1sG0 Atlantica Icelandic Re@ie1 !*4, <!(*"=4 '&-',. :ollander% Lee M.% trans. T'e (oetic 6dda. "d ed. A1stin4 Sni5ersit3

o> Texas 9ress% !( ". ?ones% Gw3n. A Histor= o0 t'e @i$in.s. London4 Ox>ord Sni5ersit3 9ress% !(*'. Q1n.% Erich. Gennanisc'e Glitter und :eiden in c'ristlic'er Deit "d ed. M1nich4 Leh/an% !('(. Kal1nd% Kristian. Den islandskelregebog. ;openha.en4 L1no% !(&*. Kra1se% Col>.an.. Runen. Berlin4 de Gr13ter% !(*&. K1hn% A. 0Indische 1nd .er/anische Se.enspr1che.0 Leitsc'ri0l 0ur @ergleic'ende S4rac'0orsc'ung !' <!) ,=4 ,(-*'. LindE5ist% 7at. En isliinsk S@artknostbok0ran .3,,-ta$et Sppsala4 Appel2er.% !("!. MacGre.or-Mathers% S. L.% trans. T'e "ook o0 t'e Sacred 9agic o0 bra-9elin t'e 9age. ;hica.o4 de La1rence% !('".
"ibliogra4'= !'+

---% trans. T'e Greater #e= o0 Solomon. ;hica.o4 de La1rence% !(!,. Moeller% Calter O. T'e 9it'raic Ori.in and 9eanings o0 t'e RotasSator SGuare. Leiden4 Brill% !(*'. Morris% Cillia/% and Eiri$1r Ma.n1sson% trans. T'e Volsunga Saga. 7ew #or$4 ;ollier% !( ". 9alsson% :er/ann% and 9a1l Edwards% trans. 6=rb=gg;a Saga. Toronto4 Sni5ersit3 o> Toronto 9ress% !(*'. ---% trans. 6gil's Saga. :ar/ondsworth% SK4 9en.1in% !(* . Si/pson% ?acE1eline. Icelandic 5olktales and !egends. Ber$ele34 Sni5ersit3 o> ;ali>ornia 9ress% !(*". ---. !egends o0lcelandic 9agicians. ;a/2rid.e4 Brewer% !(*+. Solhei/% S5ale. 0Dra1..0 #ultur'istorisk !eksikon 0or %ordisk 9iddelalder ' <!(+)=4 "(*-"((. Stor/s% G. nglo-SaCon 9agic. The :a.1e4 7iHho>>% !(,). Stro/% Fal$e. &en doendes makt oc' Odin i triidet. Gote2or.4 Elander% !(,*. Stro/2ac$% Da.. Se;d. Stoc$hol/4 Ge2er% !('+. St1rl1son% Snorri. T'e (rose 6dda. Trans. ?ean K. #o1n.. Ber$ele34 Sni5ersit3 o> ;ali>ornia 9ress% !(+,. --. Heimskringla. Trans. Lee M. :ollander. A1stin4 Sni5ersit3 o> Texas 9ress% !( ". Thorsson% Edred. Runelore. #or$ Beach% ME4 Sa/1el Ceiser% !()*. T1r5ille-9etre% E. O. G. 9=t' and Religion o0 t'e %ort'. 7ew #or$4 :olt% Rinehart and Cinston% !( ,. @ries% ?an de. ltgermanisc'e Religionsgesc'ic'te. "d ed. " 5ols. Berlin4 de Gr13ter% !(+ -!(+*. Chitne3% Cillia/ Dwi.ht. t'ar@a-Veda Samita. " 5ols. Delhi4 Motilal Banarsidass% !( ". Cilson% :. :. Rig-Veda San'ita. * 5ols. 7ew Delhi4 ;os/o% !(**.