[[sacred-marriage]] *** - Between a male ruler of the sky and the fruitful earth. It causes fertility (ripening fruit, growing grain) and peace. See: [(j-vries1956v2p191,350)]((j-vries1956).md), [(g-turville1964)]((g-turville1964).md), (Olsen 1909) - Some traditions of the countryside could be interpreted as vestiges of a ritual copulation which had been enacted in pagan times (w-mannhardt 1875-1877: 480ff.) - (l-motz 1988) sees the marriage as pertaining to "the structure of society rather than to the feduncity of the soil." > (l-motz 1988p456, 450) > > We may summarize that a union, in which at least one partner is superhuman, serves in our texts to engender a family, race, or class (3.1, 5.1); the alliance may help in the calming of hostility or in the gaining of revenge (3.3, 3.4); it may lead to an exchange of gifts (3.5, 5.2), to the stteling in a home (3.6, 4.2), or to the establishment of a dominion (3.6); it may help a young man in gaining wisdom, wealth, guidance, or protection (3.7, 3.8, 4.2, 5.3). The union may function, possibly in the social hierarchy, either by bestoal of sovereignty (pp. 9, 10) or through the assertion of superior strength (4.1.1). All the effects noted pertain to human interation in society. > >     **Only three unelaborated instances show the creation of a cosmic feature though marriage**: the origin of 'earth', 'day', and 'waves' (3.2) [see below]. Only the gaining of the mead by Óðinn and of the magic runes by Sigurðr through a woman's love (3.7) may be regarded as transcending the working of the social order. We must repeat that no mythical marriage is associated with agricultural fertility. > > --- > > [3.2] A marriage might create an aspect of society and of the cosmic order: *Nótt*, a giantess, married *Naglfari* and gave birth to *Auðr* 'weath'; when she married *Ánnar*, her child was *Jörð* 'earth, domain' and when she was the wife of *Dellingr*, she had *Dagr* 'day' (*gyl* 6). The waves are the daughters of *Rán* and *Ægir*, the gods or giants of the sea (*sk* 34). --- # Biblio [[motz1988]]p449 [[vries1956]]