Notes on Meili

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Issue #3 September 1998-5101

Notes on Meili
by RG VolundR Lars Agnarsson

Many people wonder why Meili, brother of Thorr, is only mentioned on time in the Edda; here is part of the Aesir Saga:

15 with Fjolnir Fjorgynn
was pregnant with life.
Fjorgynn bore Fjolnir's sons,
first came ardent Thorr,
a brother soon followed,
20 Aesir Meili and Thorr;
kept Fjorgynn her sons
keeper from harms way,
until the time to teach,
unless from harm hide them.

and later:

[43] As Thorr grew older
Aesir Odhinn, Hoenir
45 with Loki dids't teach him
with Fjorgynn fear finding;
Odhinn spoke of knowledge,
Hoenir spoke of senses,
Loki spoke of Jotnar,
50 liked not Fjorgynn her ears.
Fjorgynn liked not these things,
Loki, Odhinn and Hoenir
spoke of danger and deeds,
spoke of ill-willed Jotuns;
55 hiding Meili from these,
hiding Meili from danger,
Frigg flew forth freely,
fleeing free to Asgard.

In order to "protect" Her child from the "dangers" of the worlds Fjorgynn acts in typical Aesic tradition by sheilding him from these things; when she does this her first child, Frigg, escapes her "protectiveness" and flees.

Here is the Lay of Meili:

Meilamál
From the words of a Raven.

1. Flew I high, into the Nothing,
All-That-Is below, Higher-Still;
When first laid eyes, eyes on He,
The Silent-One-Still, I landed on sill.

2. Sat I silent, freely I obfuscate,
Obscure-Nothing, Her-Friend, watched I;
She came, I saw, Silence-My-Shield,
Nothing stirred, on that cliff-face.

3. A Hunters'-Hold She gave Him,
Obscured by Nothing, Her-Silence-My-Shield;
The Grip-of-Grief, He knew full Well,
When Fjorgynn to He gave freely.

4. I saw through the darkness, there,
All-That-Is, farther still;
When first laid eyes, eyes on She,
Odhinn's-Oathed, Frigg, I sat on sill.

5. From the Nothing of the cliff-corners,
Frigg slipped forward, I see Her still;
Holde taught Her well, Her gown embroidered,
Flax-Spun, Gold-Wove, on that cliff-face.

6. As the Hunters'-Hold tightened, She flew,
Past Fjorgynn, flew Odhinn's-Oathed;
Flew She high, into the Nothing,
All-That-Is below, higher still.

7. Flew I high, after The-Bride, higher still,
Through Ljos and kind, to Asgard;
To Odni's-Side went She, I sank,
Into the Nothing, lower still.

8. Returned there to Fjorgnastead,
Nothing but She, saw I, and Silence;
The Hunters'-Hold released, Nothing,
Nothing stirred, I flew from sill.

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