Mothers of Heimdallr

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In Norse mythology, Heimdallr is said to have nine mothers. Snorri Sturluson relates in the Prose Edda.

''Heimdallr heitir einn, hann er kallaðr hvíti áss, hann er mikill ok heilagr. Hann báru at syni meyjar níu ok allar systr. ... Ok enn segir hann sjálfr í Heimdalargaldri:
Níu em ek mœðra mögr,

níu em ek systra sonr. '' - Text of [R]

"Heimdallr is the name of one: he is called the White God. He is great and holy; nine maids, all sisters, bore him for a son. ... And furthermore, he himself says in Heimdalar-galðr:
I am of nine mothers the offspring,

Of sisters nine am I the son." - Brodeur's translation

Apart from those two lines the poem Heimdalargaldr is lost.

The same myth seems to be referred to in Hyndluljóð.

''Vard einn borin

''i ardaga

''rammaukin miok

''raugna kindar;

''niu baru þann

''naddgaufgann mann

''iotna meyiar

''vid iardar þraum.

...

''Hann Gialp vm bar,

''hann Greip vm bar,

''bar hann Eistla

''ok Eyrgiafa,

''hann bar Vlfrun

''ok Angeyia,

''Imdr ok Atla

''ok Iarnsaxa. - Bugge's edition.

"One was born

in bygone days,

with enormous power

of the sons of men;

then nine women gave birth to him,

to the spear-magnificent man,

daughters of giants,

at the edge of the Earth.

...

Gialp bore him,

Greip bore him,

Eistla bore him

and Eyrgiafa;

Ulfrun

and Angeyja,

Imd and Atla

and Iarnsaxa. - Larrington's translation

One theory associates the nine mothers of Heimdallr with the nine daughters of Rán and Ægir.

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