Associated with fertility and prosperity, pleasure and peace.

Name(s): The word freyr is Old Norse/Old Icelandic for “lord.”

Parents: Frey’s father is Njord. According to Loki in Lokasenna, Frey’ mother is the sister of Njord, who is never named (some modern heathens identify her with Nerthus). In

Spouse: Gerd.

Children: Fjolnir (with Gerd), according to Ynglinga Saga.

Affiliations: Freyr is one of the Vanir.

Tales: In Ynglinga saga the Aesir-Vanir War is described, including it’s end with an exchange of hostages; Frey, his father Njord, and sister Freyja are then welcomed into the land of the Aesir.

In Skirnismal the tale is told of Frey’s wooing of the jotun/giant Gerd; in this story he has his servant Skirnir act as a go-between, and in the process must give up his sword (mentioned below), a decision that had major repercussions when, during Ragnarok, Frey is unable to defeat Surtr—another tale, told in the Voluspa.

Historic evidence: In Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum, Adam of Bremen states that Frey (Fricco) was worshipped in the temple at Uppsala, along with Thor and Odin (Woden). He describes the temple as decorated with gold, and that the statue of Frey there featured a large phallus.

In the Icelandic story Ögmundar þáttr dytts, some details of Frey’s worship are described in which his statue is carried in a wagon, accompanied by a priestess. The statue was said to have the ability to speak on behalf of the god.

In Gesta Danorum, Saxo Grammaticus describes worship of Frey as including men wearing women’s clothes, dancing, clapping and ringing bells.

Toponymic evidence for Frey’s worship exists in a number of place names translating to terms like “Frey’s temple,” “Frey’s field” and so forth.

Hall: Alfheim (“elf home”), given to him as a teething-gift by the gods.

Other details: Frey had several unusual possession: the boat Skidbladnir, which could be folded up small enough to fit in a small bag; and the boar Gullinbursti, made by the dwarves and ridden by Frey. He is also said to have owned and ridden the horse Blóðughófi (“bloody hoof”)

At one time Frey also owned a sword capable of fighting on its own, but he gave it up in his quest to meet and marry Gerd. In its place he arms himself with an antler, which is sufficient to defeat some foes but not Surtr, who he will be killed by during Ragnarok.