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Frigg

In Norse* mythology, Frigg was the wife of Odin, father of the gods. She was associated with marriage and the birth of children. In earlier Germanic mythology, Frigg was called Frija, from which the word Friday comes. For many years, Germans considered Friday a lucky day to be married.

* See Names and Places at the end of this volume for further information.

Even though her main role was guardian of marriage, Frigg did not live with Odin. Instead, she made her home in a place called Fensalir and was attended by several maids. One of the best-known stories about Frigg concerns her attempt to make her son Balder immortal. She obtained promises from every thing under the sky, except one, not to harm him. The one thing she neglected to ask was the mistletoe plant, which she considered too small and weak to be of any danger. However, the trickster god Loki found this out and tricked Balder's blind brother into throwing mistletoe at Balder to kill him.

See also BALDER; LOKI; ODIN.