Thor, the son of Odin, is the strongest of all the gods.  His dwelling is called Thrudvang.  He rides across the heavens in a cart drawn by two rams.  He is always at war with the Yotuns or evil giants, and in battle with them he uses his great hammer, Mjolner, which he hurls at the heads of his enemies.  The earth trembles under the wheels of his cart, and men call the noise thunder.  Thor’s wife is Sif, whose hair is of gold.

Balder is a son of Odin and Frigg.  He is so fair that his countenance emits beams of brightness.  He is wise and gentle, and is therefore loved by all.  His dwelling is Breidablik, where nothing impure exists.  Nanna is his wife.

Njord comes from the race of the wise Vanir.  He rules the wind, can calm the seas and stop fire, and he distributes wealth among men.  His aid is invoked for success in navigation and fishing.  His wife is Skade, daughter of a Yotun, and his dwelling is Noatun by the sea.

Frey, the son of Njord, rules rain and sunshine and the productiveness of the soil, and his aid is needed to get good crops, peace and wealth.  His dwelling is Alfheim.  He sails in the magnificent ship Skibladner, which was built for him by the dwarfs.  His wife is the Yotun daughter Gerd, but in order to get her he had to give away his good sword, so that he will be unarmed in the coming final battle of the gods.

Tyr, Odin’s son, is the god of courage and victory, whom brave men call upon in battle.  He has only one hand, for the Fenris-Wolf bit off his right hand.

Brage, the long-bearded, is the god of eloquence and poetry.  His wife is Idun, who has in her keeping the apples of which the gods eat to preserve their eternal youth.  Heimdal, the white god with teeth of gold, was in the beginning of time born by nine Yotun maidens, all sisters.  He is the watchman of the gods.  He is more wakeful than birds.  He can see a hundred miles off, and he can hear the grass grow.  His dwelling is Himinbjorg, which is situated where the Bifrost bridge reaches heaven.  When he blows his Gjallar-horn, it is heard throughout the world.  Among the other gods were Haad, son of Odin, blind but strong; the silent and strong Vidar; Vale, the archer; Ull, the fast ski-runner, and Forsete, the son of Balder, who settles disputes between gods and men.  Among the goddesses (or asynier), Frigg, Odin’s wife, is the foremost.  She knows the fate of everybody and shields many from danger.  Her dwelling is Fensal.  Next comes Freya, the goddess of love.  She is the daughter of Njord and sister of Frey.  She is also called Vanadis, or the goddess of the Vanir.  She was married to Odd, and by him had a daughter Noss.  But Odd left her, and Freya weeps in her longing for him, and her tears are red gold.  When she travels, her wagon is drawn by two cats.  The name of her dwelling is Folkvang.  There were also a number of other goddesses, who were in the service of either Frigg or Freya.