Frey

in Scandinavian mythology, the god of rain and sunshine, of the fruitfulness of the earth, of peace and prosperity. Frey climbed one day into Odin's seat. While there he beheld in Jotunheim a beautiful maiden, Gerd, with whom he fell deeply in love. He sends Skirner, his messenger, to see if she may be won. Now Jotunheim is the home of the Frost Giants. Gerd is cold and proud. She is protected in her home by fierce dogs. She will not go. Skirner offers her eleven beautiful apples and a wonderful ring that every ninth night drops eight other rings. Finally he uses magic. At last Gerd is won. The wooing of Gerd is one of the beautiful stories of the northern mythology. The legend is thought to be symbolic. Gerd is the seed; Skirner, the air; Frey the sunshine and rain. Jotunheim is the cold earth from which the seed must be brought out into the light. "And in Frey and Gerd the whole earth was happy, for while they stood with clasped hands the skies grew soft, the trees put on a tender green, the flowers blossomed along the mountain side, the ripening grain swayed in the fields, and summer lay warm and fragrant over the land."