tfulness, peace, and prosperity, Frey was considered the patron
of horses and horsemen, and the deliverer of all captives.

"Frey is the best
Of all the chiefs
Among the gods.
He causes not tears
To maids or mothers:
His desire is to loosen the fetters
Of those enchained."

Norse Mythology (R. B. Anderson).

The Yule Feast

One month of every year, the Yule month, or Thor's month, was
considered sacred to Frey as well as to Thor, and began on the longest
night of the year, which bore the name of Mother Night. This month
was a time of feasting and rejoicing, for it heralded the return of
the sun. The festival was called Yule (wheel) because the sun was
supposed to resemble a wheel rapidly revolving across the sky. This
resemblance gave rise to a singular custom in England, Germany, and
along the banks of the Moselle. Until within late years, the people
were wont to assemble yearly upon a mountain, to set fire to a huge
wooden wheel, twined with straw, which, all ablaze, was then sent
rolling down the hill, to plunge with a hiss into the water.

"Some others get a rotten Wheele, all worn and cast aside,
Which, covered round about with strawe and tow, they closely hide;
And caryed to some mountaines top, being all with fire light,
They hurle it down with violence, when darke appears the night;
Resembling much the sunne, that from the Heavens down should fal,
A strange and monstrous sight it seemes, and fearful to them all;
But they suppose their mischiefs are all likewise throwne to hell,
And that, from harmes and dangers now, in safetie here they dwell."

Naogeorgus.

All the Northern races considered the Yule feast the greatest of
the year, and were wont to celebrate it with dancing, feasting,
and drinking, each god being pledged by name. The first Christian
missionaries, perceiving the extreme popularity of this feast, thought
it best to encourage drinking to the health of the Lord and his twelve
apostles when they first began to convert the Northern heathens. In
honour of Frey, boar's flesh was eaten on this occasion. Crowned
with laurel and rosemary, the animal's head was brought into the
banqueting-hall with much ceremony--a custom long after observed,
as the following lines will show:

"Caput Apri defero
Reddens laudes Domino.
The boar's head in hand bring I,
With garlands gay and ro