Gersemi and Hnossa, Freyja's Daughters

We only have two mentions in the Lore of Freyja having daughters:

Freyja is most gently born (together with Frigg): she is wedded to the man named Ódr. Their daughter is Hnoss: she is so fair, that those things which are fair and precious are called hnossir. Ódr went away on long journeys, and Freyja weeps for him, and her tears are red gold. Freyja has many names, and this is the cause thereof: that she gave herself sundry names, when she went out among unknown peoples seeking Ódr: she is called Mardöll and Hörn, Gefn, Sýr. Freyja had the necklace Brísinga-men. She is also called Lady of the Vanir.

Gylfaginning

Freya alone remained of the gods, and she became on this account so celebrated that all women of distinction were called by her name, whence they now have the title Frue; so that every woman is called frue, or mistress over her property, and the wife is called the house-frue.  Freya continued the blood-sacrifices.  Freya had also many other names.  Her husband was called Oder, and her daughters Hnoss and Gerseme.  They were so very beautiful, that afterwards the most precious jewels were called by their names.

Ynglinga Saga


It is assumed that these daughters are a literary device of Snorri, and not important.  However, I believe that as Beings who are named, They do have power.  Whether or not They ever had a cult in antiquity, the world may never know.  But I do believe these daughters of Freyja are worth recognition and honor.

Freyja is less of an obvious maternal type than Frigga, but here we see that Freyja does have children, and is a mother to Them.  I believe that the Vanic and Aesic styles of parenting are quite different.  Frigga is known as the Allmother, and it is virtually impossible to separate Her from the care of Her children (e.g. raising the sons of Odin by other women, and trying to prevent Baldur's death).  Freyja's daughters are mentioned only twice in the Lore, and briefly, while Freyja is renowned in Her own right.  It could be said that Frigga's Aesic parenting is to devote oneself fully to the lives of one's children, whereas the way of the Vanir is to step back a bit and let the children "raise themselves".  Now that we live in the 21st century, with the irresponsibility of childhood being prolonged well past puberty, and Youth As King, the Aesic parenting style would be best unless those wanting to use a Vanic parenting system made major lifestyle changes (such as moving to a rural, isolated area, where children would soon come into adult chores and responsibilities).

It is through Gersemi and Hnossa that we see Freyja's maternal side, raising two young women.  In the times I have encountered Freyja's daughters, I have always seen them in a state of perpetual youth, Gersemi being slightly older than Hnossa.  (By human standards I would say Gersemi presents as 11 or 12 in human years, and Hnossa as 7 or 8.)  They are children, yet They are also Deities.  In Roman mythology, we see the child-Deity called Cupid, who plays pranks and spreads love among humans.  It is important to note that Gods are non-corporeal and non-linear, although to relate and communicate with us They will assume appropriate guises.  Gersemi and Hnossa present always in childlike form, and we can see that, much differently from other Nordic Deities, They are untouched by the burden of "being grown-up", and scarred by some kind of intense responsibility to other "grown-ups".

As They present to me, Gersemi is "older" but somewhat more "frivolous", whereas Hnossa is "younger" but more serious-minded and studious.  Gersemi is chatty, and Hnossa is quiet, although Hnossa will be affectionate if She likes you.  They both like to play with womens' hair, and are fond of sweets (cookies, candy) as well as pretty things -- jewelry, flowers, tea sets, dolls, fans, ornate combs.  They like watching butterflies, and will accept soap bubbles blown to Them as an offering.  I believe Gersemi and Hnossa both watch over girl-children, especially if the mother is a dedicant of Freyja.  They will also appear, if asked, to women who want to re-connect with their inner children, the little girl or little tomboy inside.  This is important for people such as myself who were raised in dysfunctional families and never really got to be kids, and are having a second childhood now.  It does not absolve one of adult behavior or responsibility, but is a "time out" as needed, to be silly and just play.

Awhile ago, I was shown that all Deities have different ways of perceiving the threads and currents of Wyrd, according to Their domain.  Njord, for example, watches Wyrd in the ebb and flow of the tides, the shapes and patterns that form.  Frey can look at a person and see the growth and decay in their energy field, and tell them what they need to fix in their life.  One of the ways Hnossa has communicated with me is through song, singing spontaneously and often prophetically.  All of the Vanir love music and singing, but Hnossa does so in the silly way that children do, and without much care for whether it "sounds right" or not.  To my understanding, She would perceive Wyrd as songs that come to Her, and the arrangement of the melodies portends woe or weal, more often weal.  Gersemi, conversely, enjoys stringing beads (sometimes I have seen Freyja with extra necklaces and bracelets, which She says were made for Her by Gersemi), and the arrangement of stones and the number of stones are Her way of "counting" flows of Wyrd.

Those who dismiss Gersemi and Hnossa are dismissing their own child within.  To Gersemi and Hnossa, the Worlds are alive and beautiful, and filled with wonderful things to see and do.  They get just as much joy from a waterfall as They do from a thunderstorm as They do from a street musician.  To Them, everything is exciting, and a cause for "oohs and aahs" and celebration.  Many of us lose this childlike wonder as we age, and if we come into a religious belief, often go "through the motions" without feeling any awe towards the Divine and the World/s that are our gift.  To connect with Gersemi and Hnossa is to get back the awe for a little while, and to feel free to rejoice at sunshine on your face, rain on your skin, to blow dandelion puffs or roll down a grassy hill, hoot back at owls or howl back at wolves, and giggle at funny-sounding words.  It is to spontaneously sing and dance, to hug, and not worry.  While, as adults, we cannot stay in Their world all the time, taking back some of Their fresh perspective and joy can be good for creativity, or even for hope in tough times.

(C) 2008 Sigrun Freyskona.


Illustration: "Two Girls Reading in the Garden", Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1890.