rful is and pleasant;
Who goes empty-handed
Down to sea-blue Ran,
Cold her kisses strike, and
Fleeting her embrace is--
But we ocean's bride be-
Troth with purest gold."

Viking Tales of the North (R. B. Anderson).

The Waves

AEgir and Ran had nine beautiful daughters, the Waves, or
billow-maidens, whose snowy arms and bosoms, long golden hair,
deep-blue eyes, and willowy, sensuous forms were fascinating in
the extreme. These maidens delighted in sporting over the surface
of their father's vast domain, clad lightly in transparent blue,
white, or green veils. They were very moody and capricious, however,
varying from playful to sullen and apathetic moods, and at times
exciting one another almost to madness, tearing their hair and veils,
flinging themselves recklessly upon their hard beds, the rocks,
chasing one another with frantic haste, and shrieking aloud with joy
or despair. But they seldom came out to play unless their brother,
the Wind, were abroad, and according to his mood they were gentle
and playful, or rough and boisterous.

The Waves were generally supposed to go about in triplets, and were
often said to play around the ships of vikings whom they favoured,
smoothing away every obstacle from their course, and helping them to
reach speedily their goals.

"And AEger's daughters, in blue veils dight,
The helm leap round, and urge it on its flight."

Viking Tales of the North (R. B. Anderson).

AEgir's Brewing Kettle

To the Anglo-Saxons the sea-god AEgir was known by the name of Eagor,
and whenever an unusually large wave came thundering towards the shore,
the sailors were wont to cry, as the Trent boatmen still do, "Look out,
Eagor is coming!" He was also known by the name of Hler (the shelterer)
among the Northern nations, and of Gymir (the concealer), because he
was always ready to hide things in the depths of his realm, and could
be depended upon not to reveal the secrets entrusted to his care. And,
because the waters of the sea were frequently said to seethe and hiss,
the ocean was often called AEgir's brewing kettle or vat.

The god's two principal servants were Elde and Funfeng, emblems of
the phosphorescence of the sea; they were noted for their quickness
and they invariably waited upon the guests whom he invited to his
banquets in the depths of the sea. AEgir sometimes left his realm to
visit the AEsir in Asgard, where he w