{"id":10850,"date":"2021-12-20T21:43:30","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T04:43:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/?page_id=10850"},"modified":"2022-02-01T22:16:10","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T05:16:10","slug":"the-runatal-or-odins-rune-poem","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/alchemy\/runology\/guido-von-lists-runic-ideas\/the-runatal-or-odins-rune-poem\/","title":{"rendered":"The Runatal or Odin’s Rune Poem"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fischbach, the Edda <\/em> and the Runes<\/h3>\n

In the section entitled “Runic-Lore of the Edda [Runenkunde der Edda ]<\/em> ” in his 1900 booklet on the runes<\/a>, Fischback says:<\/p>\n

The Runes indicate the Mystery\/Secret of the Essence of all Things<\/u>, they are (so to speak) Characters of the Soul-of-the-World [Weltseele <\/em>]<\/p>\n

\u201cThey stand on the Shield of the Sun; on the Ear and Hoof of the early-awakening [fr\u00fchwachen<\/em>], ever-quick Sun-Horse [Sonnenrosses <\/em>]; on the Bear\u2019s Paw; on the Wolf\u2019s Claw; on the Eagle\u2019s Beak and bloody Wings; on the Poet\u2019s Tongue\u201d etc. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Heinrich Heine calls the Rune-Sayings of the \u201cEdda\u201d defiantly-enigmatic [dunkeltrotzige <\/em>] and tremendously-magical Evocations. <\/p>\n

Gods, Humans, Elves, Elements, Sea, Earth, Trees, Stones etc., Everything has its Rune, its Origin-, Existence- and Destiny-Mystery\/Secret. <\/p>\n

Kant would call it \u201cthe Thing in itself\u201d. <\/p>\n

Odin knows the Mystery\/Secret of Things, but not the Future. This is what the Mother of the Norns (Wala) <\/em> reveals to him.<\/p>\n

He, who gave the Runes to Humans and thus is the highest Rune-God, went to the Norns <\/em>, when Disaster threatened the Aesir <\/em>. <\/strong><\/p>\n

At the Foot of the World-Tree these Norns <\/em> threw their Sticks\/Staffs [St\u00e4be <\/em>] and prophesied about the same Situation.<\/p>\n

When Baldur<\/em>\u2019s imminent Death was announced by the Norns <\/em>, Odin wanted an even more certain Message. <\/p>\n

He rode from Niflheim <\/em> to the H\u00eal <\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Rock-Structure of the Ground shook
\nDull Thunder sounded. Thus he reached Hela <\/em>\u2019s High Palace;
\nBut swiftly to the East-Gate Odin rode him through.
\nThere he knew was the Burial-Place
\nOf the knowing Old-Woman.<\/p>\n

He sounded the Wake-Song (for the dead),
\nFacing North, he drew the Runes
\nAnd then demanded with infallible Formulas
\nFull of Magic-Power [Zaubergewalt <\/em>] to be given the Future-Truth,
\nUntil the Reluctant one arose.<\/p>\n

          Wala: <\/em>
\nWho art Thou, Stranger?
\nWhy doth Thou waketh with Questions
\nFrom anxious worry
\nFor my Soul?<\/p>\n

Snowy under Snow,
\nSurrounded by Rain
\nAnd wet-with-dew I lay
\nSo lukewarm as if already dead.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

After Odin has learned everything and Wala has even greeted him as Odin, the Owner-of-All, he leaves with the Words:<\/p>\n

\n

Neither Soothsayer
\nAre You, nor Wala <\/em>;
\nYou are rather
\nThe Mother of the Norns <\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

She is therefore the Epitome of all Truth.<\/p>\n

In the Havamal <\/em> (Proverbs of the High) Odin gives his People [Volke <\/em>] Knowledge about the Importance of the Runes, which are partly used for the Gods- and the Altar-services, partly used for a prosperous Life. <\/p>\n

Enigmatic is his Narration, that he hung nine Days on the World-Tree, wounded by the Spear, until he, through runic Sayings which reached his Ear, fell to Earth.<\/p>\n

The Interpretation that Odin first descended onto the Altar in Fire, only when the right Words were spoken is probable, and that, having risen again in the Flame, he would come-back through it.<\/p>\n

\n

Thus the Thunderer carved them
\nBefore the Kingdom-of-the-People :
\nIn which he ascended,
\nHe will come-back.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

With these Runes, it is said in the Havamal <\/em>:<\/p>\n

The most famous Speaker lined them up,
\nStaffs [St\u00e4be <\/em>] so glorious for strengthening healing.
\nThey were shaped by mighty Gods
\nAnd chiseled into the Bark by supreme Masters.<\/p>\n

Odin himself did so with the Aesir <\/em>,
\nWith the Elves D\u00e4in <\/em>, the Dwarves Dwalin <\/em>,
\nFor the Evil-Giant race Aswid <\/em> he carved them. <\/p>\n

Do you Know: how to carve them,
\nHow to lay them out and arrange them,
\nHow to design them in order to find Guidance?
\nHow to pray properly in the process?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Konrad <\/em>, the son of Heimdall <\/em> (King Rig <\/em>)
\nLearned the Runes, which give right Advice\/Councel [Rath <\/em>]
\nFor long Life and to teach Sacredness<\/u>.
\nThus he soon knew how to blunt the threatening Steel
\nTo dull the Sharpness, to summon the Storm
\nAnd to save Humans from the Perils-of-the-Sea.
\nThe voices of the Birds were understandable to him,
\nBlazing Fires he soothed, he extinguished,
\nHe quieted the Worries and rendered the Strength
\nOf eight Men to be inherent in One.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The most comprehensive Description of various Runes we find in the first Brunhild <\/em>-Song. <\/p>\n

After Siegfried <\/em> has awakened the Valkyrie <\/em> from Sleep and betrothed himself to her, he asks her to educate him in Wisdom. <\/p>\n

Brunhild (Sigrdrifa) <\/em> begins :<\/p>\n

Force [Kraft <\/em>] and Krirgsruhm <\/em> drink from the Jug here,
\nWhich I mix for you, brave Hero.
\nWith Magic-Songs, healing Characters [Zauberliedern, heilsamen Zeichen<\/em>]
\nAnd Wisdom-Runes [Weisheitsrunen <\/em>], I spice it abundantly.<\/p>\n

The Runes, to win Glory and Victories
\nLearn and dig them into the Hilt of your Sword;
\nOn the Handle and on the Pole engrave them and put
\nTwice beside it the Names of Tyr <\/em>…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We’ll end our quote there, but clearly Fischbach is impressed by the way the runes were described in the various Nordic Poems.\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Guido von List and the R\u00fanatal <\/em> or “Odin’s Rune Song” in the Havamal <\/em><\/h3>\n

List went further and associated each of his Armanen Runes with specific verses of Nordic Poems. He explained that the 18 “original” runes or “Ur <\/em>-Runes” came from his analysis of a section of the epic poem Havamal <\/em> called the R\u00fanatal <\/em><\/u>, which has 18 stanzas (of about 2-7 verses each) referring to the different runes. <\/p>\n

Although the text itself does not say which runes are directly associated with which stanzas<\/u>, List makes those associations himself and others authors of the times echoed those associations as well.<\/p>\n

The R\u00fanatal<\/em> describes what happened after Wuotan\/Odin came down off of the “World Tree” and received the Runes:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
  #<\/strong>   <\/center> <\/td>\n
Stanza<\/strong><\/center> <\/td>\n
Comment<\/strong><\/center> <\/td>\n
List’s Associated Rune<\/strong><\/center> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  138   <\/td>\nI know that I hung,
\non a windy tree
\nfor all of nine nights,
\nwounded by a spear,
\nand given to Odin<\/em>,
\nmyself to myself,
\non that tree
\nof which nobody knows
\nfrom what root it arises.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  139   <\/td>\nThey dealt me no bread,
\nnor drinking horn.
\nI looked beneath,
\nI took up the runes,
\nyelling I took them up,
\nand fell back from there.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  140   <\/td>\nNine great songs
\nI got from the famous Son
\nof Bolthor<\/em>, the father of Bestla<\/em>.
\nand I had a drink of the dear mead
\nthat was drawn from Othroerir<\/em>.
\n <\/td>\n		{“mead” or ‘beer’ refers to an intoxicating substance, similar to how the term ‘wine’ is used in Christian symbolism}<\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  141   <\/td>\nThen I prospered
\nand was wise
\nand waxed & gained;
\nmy words from words
\nobtained words,
\nmy works from works
\nobtained works.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  142   <\/td>\nYou can find runes,
\nmeaningful staves,
\nvery strong staves,
\nvery powerful staves,
\nwhich the Great-Thule [Fimbulthulr]<\/em> stained,
\nand that the great rulers made,
\nthat Hropt<\/em> of the rulers carved.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  143   <\/td>\nOdin<\/em> among the Aesir<\/em>,
\nbut Dainn<\/em> for the elves,
\nDvalinn<\/em> for the dwarves,
\nand Asvith<\/em> for the ettins<\/em>.
\nI carved some myself.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  144   <\/td>\nDo you know how you must carve them?
\nDo you know how you must read them?
\nDo you know how you must stain them?
\nDo you know how you must wield them?
\nDo you know how you must ask them?
\nDo you know how you must sacrifice them?
\nDo you know how you must send them?
\nDo you know how you must immolate them?
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  145   <\/td>\nIt is better not to ask,
\nthan to over-sacrifice.
\nA yeild always looks for a gift.
\nIt is better unsent,
\nthan over-immolated.
\nSo Thund<\/em> carved
\nbefore the history of the tribes,
\nwhen he rose up
\nand came back after that.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  146   <\/td>\nI know those magical songs,
\nnot known to a king’s wife,
\nnor to any human.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nOne is called Help
\nand it will help you
\nwith disagreements & sorrows
\nand all afflictions.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nFA (1)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  147   <\/td>\nI know a second:
\nthat is needed by the sons of men,
\nthose who would live as healers.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nUR (2)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  148   <\/td>\nI know a third:
\nif there comes a great need for me
\nto bind against the opposition.
\nI dull the edges\/blades
\nof my opposition
\nso that their weapons and trickery
\ndo not bite.
\n <\/td>\n		{“bind” or ‘binding’ as well as ‘to bond’ (to tie or fasten something tightly) is an older way of describing magical effects}<\/td>\n

\nTHORN or DORN (3)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  149   <\/td>\nI know a fourth:
\nif warriors bear
\nbonds on my limbs.
\nThus I chant
\nso that I may go [free and]
\nthe bonds spring from my feet,
\nand the bonds [spring] from my hands.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nOS and OTHIL (4)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  150   <\/td>\nI know a fifth:
\nif I see a speedy shot,
\n[like] a spear flying into the folk;
\nit does not fly so boldy
\nthat I cannot stop it,
\nif I catch sight of it.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nRIT or RITA (5)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  151   <\/td>\nI know a sixth:
\nif some thane attacks me,
\nwith the roots of a wild tree,
\nhe who says he hates me
\nwill get hurt,
\nbut I will be unharmed.
\n <\/td>\n		{a “thane” is a man who held land granted by the king, ruler or chief}<\/td>\n

\nKA or KAUN (6)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  152   <\/td>\nI know a seventh:
\nif I see a fire high
\non the hall around my seated companions,
\nit does not burn so bright
\nthat I cannot protect it
\nwhen I know the chant to sing.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nHAGAL (7)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  153   <\/td>\nI know an eighth:
\nit is useful
\nfor all who know it,
\nwhenever hatred grows
\namong warriors\u2019 sons,
\nI am able to quickly remedy it.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nNAUTH or NOT (8)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  154   <\/td>\nI know a ninth:
\nif need arises during storms,
\nto protect my ship on the sea,
\nI can still the winds,
\nand calm the waves,
\nand put the entire sea to sleep.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nIS (9)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  155   <\/td>\nI know a tenth:
\nif I see hags [or witches]
\nplaying in the sky,
\nI can work it
\nthat the they fare away,
\nso their shapes shall fare home,
\nso their spirits fare home.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nAR (10)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  156   <\/td>\nI know an eleventh:
\nif to battle I must go,
\nleading long-time friends,
\nI sing under the shield
\nand they fare into battle powerfully
\nand they fare from battle wholely,
\nthey are whole wherever they go.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nSIG (11)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  157   <\/td>\nI know a twelfth:
\nif up in a tree I see
\na hanged man swinging high,
\nso I can carve
\nand stain runes,
\nso that the man comes [down]
\nand speaks with me.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nTIR or TYR (12)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  158   <\/td>\nI know a thirteenth:
\nif I sprinkle a young thane
\nwith water,
\n[then] he cannot fall,
\nthough he goes to battle,
\nhe will not be cut down by swords.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nBAR (13)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  159   <\/td>\nI know a fourteenth:
\nif I must [with] an army and the folk,
\ntell them of the gods,
\nof the Aesir<\/em> and elves,
\n[then] I know [these things] clearly,
\n[while] few of the unwise know so.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nLAF (14)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  160   <\/td>\nI know a fifteenth,
\nwhich was chanted by Thiodrorir<\/em>
\nthe dwarf before Delling<\/em>\u2019s door;
\nHe sang power for the Aesir<\/em>,
\nadvancement for the elves,
\nand understanding\/intelligence for Hroftatyr<\/em>.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nMAN (15)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  161   <\/td>\nI know a sixteenth:
\nif I want the heart and pleasure
\nof a wise maiden,
\nI turn the mind
\nof the white-armed woman,
\nand switch all her reasoning.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nYR or IR (16)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  162   <\/td>\nI know a seventeenth:
\n[I sing it]
\nso that the youthful maiden
\nwill not slowly forgo me.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nEH or EHE (17)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  <\/td>\nThese songs
\nyou will, Loddfafnir<\/em>,
\nbe lacking for a long while;
\nbut will be good for you, once you learn [them],
\nthey will be useful, once you understand them,
\nand needful once you accept [them].
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  163   <\/td>\nI know an eighteenth:
\nthat I let none know,
\nneither maiden, nor man\u2019s wife;
\n[yet] it is always better
\nwhen one knows about it;
\nit follows the last of the songs,
\nunless [it is known] to her alone
\nwho lies in my arms,
\nor is my sister.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n

\nGIBOR or GIBUR (18)<\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  164   <\/td>\nNow are Har<\/em>\u2019s sayings
\nspoken in Har<\/em>\u2019s hall,
\nall-needful for the sons of men
\nun-needed by ettins<\/em>\u2019 sons.
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
  <\/td>\nHail the one who speaks [them],
\nhail the one who knows [them]
\nuseful to the one who gets them
\nhallowed are those who heed [them].
\n <\/td>\n		 <\/td>\n <\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/Table><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2013 = Read the NEXT PART<\/strong><\/a> = \u2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fischbach, the Edda and the Runes In the section entitled “Runic-Lore of the Edda [Runenkunde der Edda ] ” in his 1900 booklet on the runes, Fischback says: The Runes indicate the Mystery\/Secret of the Essence of all Things, they are (so to speak) Characters of the Soul-of-the-World [Weltseele ] \u201cThey stand on the Shield […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":10845,"menu_order":515,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,43],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10850"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10850"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10850\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11939,"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10850\/revisions\/11939"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10845"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10850"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10850"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gnosticstudies.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10850"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}