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father of slaughter; the God that carrieth desolation and fire; the active and roaring deity; he who giveth victory, and reviveth courage in the conflict; who nameth those that are to be slain.” The warriors who went to battle, made a vow to send him a certain number of souls, which they consecrated to him; these souls were Odin’s right, he received them in Valhall, his ordinary place of residence, where he rewarded all such as died sword in hand. There it was that he distributed to them praises and delight; there he received them at his table, where in a continual feast, as we shall see hereafter, the pleasures of these heroes consisted. The assistance of this Deity was implored in every war that was undertaken; to him the vows of both parties were addressed; and it was believed that he often descended to intermix in the conflict himself, to inflame the fury of the combatants, to strike those who were to perish, and to carry their fouls to his celestial abodes.
This terrible Deity, who took such pleasure in shedding the blood of men, was at the same time, according to the Icelandic mythology, their father and creator. So easily do gross and prejudiced minds reconcile the most glaring contradictions: this same God, whom they served under a
