オスロ市庁舎の彫刻説明文

FRIGG

Frigg (love) is one of Odin's wives and the mother of Balder (lord, prince), the god of innocence and piety. Balder is haunted by evil dreams, and Odin rides to Nivlheim (the underworld, kingdom of the dead), where he awakens a dead mystic. Through her he gets to know that Balder is going to die, the halls of Nivlheim are adorned and await him. As a result Frigg makes all elements swear on oath that they will not hurt Balder: fire and water, iron and iron-ore, rocks, earth, trees, animals and plants - except the mistletoe, "because she felt it was too young".

THE DEATH OF BALDER

The giants are constantly battling with the gods, Loke is of giant descent and is Odin's foster brother. He is evil and cunning, and the one who indirectly causes the death of the god Balder. The other gods amuse themselves by shooting at Balder, safe in the belief that nothing can hurt him. Balder's half brother, the blind and strong Hód (battle), is deluded by Loke into "showing Balder the same honour". Loke gives Hód an arrow of mistleltoe and assists him in aiming at Balder. Thus Hód becomes his brother's killer.

NIDHOGG

Nidhogg (the one who cuts with malice or evil) is a dragon-like serpent beast who gnaws and tears at the third root of the ash Yggdrasil, the world tree. Yggdrasil has roots that spread in three directions: One leads to the giant Mime's (memory's) well, the source of recollection. Here everything that has ever happened is reflected, and Mime's well is therefore full of wisdom.
There rests Odin's eye pawned so that he may drink of the fountatin of Mime. Another root leads to the Well of Urd, whilst the third goes down to Kvergjelmir in Nivlheim (the underworld, kingdom of the dead), where Nidhogg commits his fearful deed.

FRØY AND GERD MEET

FrØy is a popular god who rules over the fruits of the earth and protects domestic animals. One day he sits on Lidskjalv, Odin's throne is Valhall. From there he contemplates the view of the world and sees the female giant Gerd (of the earth) in Jotunheimen. FrØy is so moved by his love of her that he can neither eat, drink nor sleep. He uses his servant Skirne to woo Gerd, and finally meets her in the Barre (barley) grove.

THE NORNS POUR WATER ON YGGDRASIL

The norns Urd (the past), Verdande (the present) and Skuld (the future) are three powerful goddesses of destiny. They live by the Well of Urd where one of the roots of Yggdrasil ends. Here the gods ride over Bifrost (the bridge that connects heaven and earth, the rainbow bridge) on their way to council. The norns water the world tree's leaves each day with spray water from the flood. From this comes the dew that falls in the valleys, and this is why the holy tree remains evergreen above the Well of Urd.

FRØY AND SKIRNE

FrØy confides his powerful love of Gerd to his household servant Skirne, and asks him to travel to Jotunheimen to woo her on his behalf. Skirne does so on one condition; that he may take FrØy's magical sword - the one that can strike of its own volition - with him on the dangerous journey. Gerd refuses all fair promises of gifts, but when Skirne employs conjurations and threatens to carve out magical runes, Gerd is forced to submit and meet FrØy "in nine night's time in the Barre grove".

TOR IS DRIVEN BY HIS GOATS

After Odin, Tor is the next most distinguished god. He is the god of strength and often battles with the giants. The chariot he drives is drawn by the two goats Tanngnjost and Tanngrisne. Tor owns three valuable things: The hammer Mjolne that always strikes when thrown and returns of its own volition, a pair of magnificent iron gloves, and a belt which increases his strength.
The little farm rests under threatening skies. When Tor travels in his chariot across the sky and strikes his hammer, thunder crashes and lightning blazes. And when the storm clears, Tor's beautiful hall Bilskirne (fair weather) is revealed.

EMBLA

The gods Odin, Høne and Lodur are out wandering. At the beach they find two trees "without destiny". Fate is granted by the gods who empower them: Odin gives them spirit, Høne gives the gift of vitality and Lodur gives them blood and colour. Ask (ash) and Embla (elm) step forward through the myth of creation as the two first human beings.

ODIN ON SLEIPNER

Odin, the most powerful of gods, is riding his eightlegged Sleipner, the fastest stallion in the world. Odin's spear Gungne strikes everything he hurls it at. On his arm he has the valuable ring Draupne, whichs drips eight equally beautiful rings ever ninth night. Odin's two ravens Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory) fly out every day into the wide world and bring news back to their master. Here they guide Odin in the twilight of the forest.

VIDAR CONQUERS THE WOLF FENRIS

Vidar (the silent god), son of Odin, takes revenge for the entire family of gods by conquering the wolf Fenris. On his foot he wears an amazing shoe made from the leather cobblers cut off at the toe and heel. Vidar puts his foot in the wolf's lower jaw and takes hold of the upper jaw in his hand. The wolf is unable to bite through and Vidar thrusts his sword into its heart.

DEER GRAZING ON YGGDRASIL

Four deer are grazing on the world tree Yggdrasil's green shoots: Dåin, Dvalin, Dunøy and duratro. Three of them are here portrayed as symbols of "peace, cautiousness and timidity".

WARNING OF RAGNAROK

The formidable dog Garm guards the entrance to the underworld (kingdom of the dead) and warns of the destruction of the old world- Ragnarok (supremacy's destiny, the twilight of the gods). Three cocks crow and warn of the pending battle: the Aesir's golden crested cock Gullinkambi who wakes Odin's heroes, the soot-red cok down in the underworld, and the red cock Fjalar in the world of the giants. A flock of gods, giants and evil spirits are to fill the entire battlefield Vigrid (the largest in the world) or Oskopne (the one which is not yet created). The sun will be extinguished, the wolf Fenris is to devour Odin, and Tor and Frøy will die in battle.

THE EAGLE IN YGGDRASIL

High up in Yggdrasil's branches a powerful eagle is sitting looking far around him and flapping his large wings. The small squirrel Ratatosk is running down the trunk carrying the eagle's words to the beast Nidhogg (the one who cuts with malice or evil), who is gnawing at the world tree's root.

VOLUND THE SMITH HAS VENGEFUL THOUGHTS

The evil and greedy King Nidud (evil) captures Volund, severs his hamstrings and orders him to forge costly jewellery on a deserted island. The king has stolen a ring from Volund and given it to his own daughter Bodvil. Now the ring is broken in two, and Bodvil secretly travels to meet Volund in order to have it forged into one whole ring again. The king's two sons are tempted to the island by all the gold the smith has.
Volund cuts off the boys' heads mounts their skulls in silver and sends them to king Nidud as drinking vessels. From their teeth he makes a brooch to Bodvil, and he mounts their eyeballs as precious stones in a piece of jewellery for the Queen. Finally he rapes Bodvil and she becomes pregnant with his child.

THE SWAN MAIDENS

Three valkyries (those who choose the warriors destined to die in battle), half spiritual, half earthly, come flying as swans and change into three beautiful maidens Alrund, Svankit and Alvit. Three brothers discover them at the beach, carry them off and marry them. The smith Volund marries Alvit.
After seven years the swan maidens depart again. Volund remains at home awaiting his wife's return, whilst his brothers leave to search for theirs.