The Story of Norway by Hjalmar Hjorth Boysen

The Icelander Snorre Sturlasson wrote in the thirteenth century a very remarkable book, called the Heimskringla, or the Sagas of the Kings of Norway. In this book he says that Odin, the highest god of the Norsemen, was the chief who first led the Germanic tribes into Europe. He was a great warrior and was always victorious. Therefore, when he was dead, the people made sacrifices to him and prayed to him for victory. They did not believe, however, that he was actually dead, but that he had returned to his old home in Asia, whence he still watched their fortunes and occasionally visited them in person. Many tales are told in the sagas of people who had seen Odin, particularly when a great battle was to be fought. He was represented as a tall, bearded man with one eye, and clad as a warrior. He had two brothers, Vile and Ve, and many sons and daughters who were worshipped like him and became gods and goddesses.

Odin and his children were called _Aesir_, which Snorre says means Asia-men; and their home _Asgard_, or _Asaheim_, likewise indicates their Asiatic origin. During their migrations the _Aesir_ came in contact with another people, called the _Vanir_, with whom, after an indecisive battle, they formed an alliance. The _Vanir_ then made common cause with the _Aesir_ and were worshipped like them.