A number of gods were certainly known both in England and among many, if not all, the Teutonic peoples of the continent, as well as in the North. Among these were Odin (Woden), Thor (Thunor) and Tyr (Ti) ; so also Frigg (Frig), the wife of Odin. The evidence that Balder, the son of Odin, was once known in Germany, is doubtful. Heimdallr, the watchman of the gods and Ullr, the stepson of Thor, as well as Hoenir, Bragi and most of the other less prominent gods, were also probably peculiar to the North, though Ullr at least was known in Denmark. Some of these deities may originally have been local. Indeed, such may have been the case with Frey, the chief god of the North after Thor and Odin. Tradition uniformly points to Uppsala as the original home of his cult. But both he and his sister Freyia were probably specialized forms of a divinity which had once been more widely known. Their father, Nior6r, the god of wealth, a somewhat less important figure, corresponds in name to the goddess Nerthus (Hertha), worshipped by a number of tribes, including the Angli, round the coasts of the southern Baltic.
Tacitus describes her as "Mother Earth," and his account of her cult bears a remarkable resemblance to the ceremonies as sociated in later times with Frey. This family of deities were collectively known as Vanir, and are said to have once been hostile to the Aesir, to whom Odin belonged. Their worship was generally connected with peace and plenty, just as that of Odin was chiefly bound up with war. Gefion was another goddess who may represent a later form of Nerthus. In her case tradition points distinctly to a connection with Denmark (Sjaelland). On the other hand, the portraiture of Skabi, the wife of Niorl5r, seems to point to a Finnish or Lappish origin.
Some of the deities known to us from German and English sources seem also to have been of a local or tribal character.
Such doubtless was Fosite, to whom Heligoland was sacred.
Saxnot (Seaxneat), from whom the kings of Essex claimed descent, was probably a god of the Saxons. Holda, who is known only from the folklore of later times, appears to have been a German counterpart of Nerthus. Ing, connected with Denmark in Anglo-Saxon tradition, was in all probability the eponymous ancestor of the Inguaeones. (See above.) His name connects him, too, with the god Frey, who was also called Yngvifreyr and Ingunarfreyr, and he must at one time have been closely associated with Nerthus. The relationship of Ing to the In guaeones is paralleled by that of Irmin to the Hermiones. (See above.) He may be the deity whom Tacitus called "Hercules." Some of these eponymous ancestors may be regarded as heroes rather than gods, and classed with such persons, as Skiiildr, the eponymous ancestor of the Danish royal family, who is not generally included in the Northern pantheon. But the line of
division between the human and the divine is not very definite.
The royal family of Norway claimed descent from Frey, and many royal families, both English and Northern, from Woden (Odin). Indeed, several legendary kings are described as sons of the latter. Sometimes, again, the relationship is of a conjugal character. Rioldr, though hardly a god himself, is the husband of the goddess Gefion. So we find Freyia's priest described as her husband and Frey's priestess as his wife, and there is no reason for regarding such cases as exceptional.
It is seldom easy to distinguish between gods and heroes, but much more difficult to draw a line between the former and other classes of supernatural beings, such as the "giants" (0.N. iiitnar, A.S. eotenas). Here again we have intermarriage. Skabi, the wife of Niorbr, and Gerbr, the wife of Frey, were the daughters of the giants Thiazi and Gymir respectively, though Skabi is always reck oned as a goddess. Loki was of giant birth ; but he is always reck oned among the gods, and we find him constantly in their company, in spite of his malevolent disposition. In general the giants were regarded as hostile to both gods and men. Often they are repre sented as living a primitive life in caves and desolate places, and their character is usually ferocious. But there are exceptions even among the male giants, such as Aegir, whom we find on friendly terms with the gods. We may note that some of the leading fam ilies of Norway claimed descent from giants, especially from Thrymr, the chief opponent of Thor. In such cases there may be some connection between the giants and the semi-civilized (Finnish or Lappish) communities of the mountainous districts. This connection is more clear in the case of Holgabrar, who is known chiefly from the extreme veneration paid to her by Haakon, earl of Lade (+995). According to one story she was the daughter of Holgi, the eponymous king of Halogaland (northern Norway) ; according to another she was the wife of Holgi and daughter of Gusi, king of the Fins.
Another class of supernatural beings was that of the dwarfs. They were distinguished chiefly for their cunning and for skill in working metals. More important than these from a religious point of view were the elves (0.N. cigar, A.S. ylfe), who certainly received worship, at all events in the North. They are almost always spoken of collectively and generally represented as beneficent. In some respects, e.g., in the fact that they are often said to inhabit barrows, they seem to be connected with the souls of the dead. In other cases, however, they are hardly to be distinguished from spirits (the Icel. landvaettir, etc.) which may be regarded as genii locorum.