Description: This illustration is from the 1903 edition of Ernest
Edwin
Speight's Children of Odin that was first published
in 1901. The text of "The Wooing of Hilda" is a retelling of a
Germanic legend concerning the never-ending battle Hjaðningavíg that
is documented in Skáldskaparmál, Sörla þáttr, Ragnarsdrápa, and Gesta Danorum. The
illustration depicts Hilda, the daughter of Hagen, being wooed
by Horant on behalf of Hettel. The
illustration is not signed but contains a monogram in the lower
right-hand corner for an artist whose name is not known.
Source: Children of Odin
Folio or Page: 87
Medium: Not Known
Date: 1901
Dimensions (mm): 95 x 140
Provenance:
This illustration is from The
Children of Odin from the collection of P. A. Baer.
Rights:
This illustration from Children of
Odin is in the public domain.
Research notes, early print reviews, etc.:
Early Print Review of The Children of Odin:
"The book is copiously illustrated, but we cannot regard this as a merit, for
the artist, whose name is not given, has evidently little acquaintance with
Northern literature, and has read the letterpress very hurriedly and
carelessly." Review by A.F.M in Saga-Book III of the Viking Club. (London:
Private Printing of the Viking Society. 1903), 491. Accessed through
http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/ on 12 January 2022.
Bibliography:
Editions
Speight, E
E. Children of Odin.
London: H. Marshall ,
1903.
Secondary Sources
M., A.
F..
"Review of The Children of Odin by E. E. Speight" in
Saga-Book III of the Viking Club
London: Private Printing of the Viking
Society, 1903.
Laliberte,
Camille (en.)
b. 19th December 1998
Occupation: Research Assistant
Artist Not Known
Artist Not
Known
Artist not known for this illustration in Children of
Odin.
Historical Persons, i.e. from Heimskringla, Saxo, sagas etc.
Heðinn (non.)
Hetel (gmh.)
Hettel (en.)
King Heðinn abducted Hildr, who was the daughter of King Hǫgni.
Hildr (non.)
Hilde (mhg.)
Hild (en.)
Hilda (non.)
Hildr, the daughter of Hǫgni, was abducted by Heðinn. Hǫgni pursued
them and caught up with them. However, Hildr wanted to stay with Heðinn
and a battle ensued that is known as the eternal battle Hjaðningavíg.
Hildr resurrected the slain every night with the intention that the
battle would not end until Ragnarök.
Horant (gmh.)
The minstrel who wooed Hildr on behalf of King Hettel in the the
Middle High German epic poem Kudrun. Horant lured Hildr and her ladies down to the
harbour where they were abducted by King Hettel's men.
Hǫgni (non.)
Hagen (gmh.)
King Hǫgni was the father of Hildr and became embroiled in a
never-ending battle when he tried to rescue her after she was
kidnapped.
Mythological Events
Hjaðningavíg (non.)
The legend of Heðinn and Hǫgni (en.)
The Saga of Hild (en.)
In Skáldskaparmál and Ragnarsdrápa,the eternal battle
Hjaðningavíg was set in motion by a pagan curse that ended at Ragnarök.
However, according to the version in Sörla þáttr, the battle ended due to the coming of
Christianity. The details of Hjaðningavíg are also documented in Gesta Danorum, Skíðaríma and Háttalykill inn forni.
Nouns
Edwardian (en.)The
Edwardian era began with the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910
(January 22, 1901 - 28 July, 1914). However, the era's end date is
sometimes extended to the beginning of World War 1 (28 July
1914).
Source Materials:
Children of Odin (en.)
Children's book by Ernest Edwin Speight published in 1901. The
illustrations in MyNDIR are from the second edition that was published
in 1903. Disambiguation: This book should not be confused with The Children of Odin by Padriac
Colum published in 1920 that was illustrated by Willy Pogany.
Danmarks Kronike (da.)
Gesta Danorum (la.)
This edition of Saxo's Gesta Danorum was
translated and published by Fr. Winkel Horn and illustrated by Louis
Moe. Moe recycled some of his illustrations from Winkel Horn's edition
of Noreges konge-sagaer.
Ragnarsdrápa (non.)
Ragnar's Poem (en.)
A skaldic poem that relates legendary and mythical events, i.e.,
Hamdir and Sorli's attack against King Jörmunrekkr; the never-ending
battle known as Hjaðningavíg; Þórr's fishing trip to catch Miðgarðsormr;
and Gefjon ploughing up a piece of Sweden and dragging it off to create
the Danish island of Zealand.
Skáldskaparmál (non.)
Skaldskaparmal (en.)
The section of the Poetic Edda that discusses Norse mythology and
poetical terms such as kennings and heiti.
Sörla þáttr (non.)
Heðins saga ok HögnaSörla þáttr is a
short post-pagan tale that was commited to velum in 14 century Iceland.
It is a continuation of Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en
mestaextant in the Flateyjarbók manuscript, and is also
known as Heðins saga ok Högna
Source Persons
Speight, Ernest
Edwin (en.)
b. 6 December 1871
d. 17 September 1949
Nationality: English
Occupation: Author, Professor of English
Residence: Yorkshire, England
Ernest Edwin Speight, better known as E. E. Speight, was an English
professor who worked in India and Japan. He authored Children of Odin,
as well as numerous English textbooks. He was awarded the Fifth Class of
the Order of the Rising Sun by the Emperor of Japan for his services as
a teacher.
