In judging mythology there are several orders and criteria by which heroes and gods can be judged. For if the god appears in many fables, what Loki appears to be in almost every gentile fable. Sometimes the gods are often not mentioned, such as Vidar, the god of silence, who is only mentioned in the story of Baldur’s death and the story of Ragnarok (in the Norwegian version ‘Armageddon’). Anyway, the Norse god of winter can be judged by both of these factors if you read enough Viking sagas.
Uller is mentioned as the son of the goddess Sif and the step-son of the thunder god Thor. Here he made him the half-brother of the gods Modi and Magni, and placed Uller in the most powerful and glorious pagan company in this pantheon. Uller is also considered to be the god of winter according to the legends of the skalds, and this should not be taken lightly, since 9 months of the year are usually considered to be winter in the north. Herus lason, duelist, god of battle and inventor of such sports as skiing and skating, Uller was an artist and the image of one who could conquer with skill and desire and overcome the constant threat of winter.
On the other side of things, Uller is also often introduced in prominent stories. For example, one myth says that all Father Odin leaves the mortal realms and wanders during the winter. It was not unusual for the Nordmanns among the gods, since even the ever-watchful guardian god Heimdall would leave his mortal station with the name Rig from time to time. When Odin was gone, it may be said that Uller took his place in Valhalla; The house of Odin, the house of the Einherjar, and a place of feasting accompanied by valkyries. In some stories Uller also took Odin as his wife Frigga. Uller, though powerful, was also harsh and relentless. He gave no gifts, darker and brooding than Odin. So when spring and summer came, it was said that Odin returned and Uller took refuge in the high peaks, where snow and cold seemed to reign all year round.
Of course, this is not the only story where Uller is filming. In another Asatru story, the frost giant Skadi comes to Asgard armed for battle and in a rage kills his father, killed by Thor with the Norsemen’s great treasure war hammer Mjollnir. To appease the gods, Skadi told her that she could have any god as her husband since she could only see his feet. He chose the cleanest feet, believing them to be Baldur’s, but they belonged to Njordan. Njord was the Vanir, the father of the god Frey and his sister goddess Freya, and as a god of the sea his feet were washed daily by the tide. The end of the story states that the marriage did not last as neither could tolerate the other’s country, and eventually married Skadi Uller who was linked to the cold, possibly the son of the cold giant himself.
All together, we have a picture of the god who weaved the legendary Norse way. Uller is a master of archery and fighting, and he shares the rules of dueling and honor with the traditional god Tyr. Uller was able to rule in Odin’s turn, although the barren spirit and coldness of the demanor drove him out more than his weakness every year. In the course of many stories it has been mentioned that winter is a constant force in the northern lands, Uller is always seen as a god there and who can depend on his return. And even when the gods face the Giants, Loki and his sons the goddess Hel, the Wolf and Fenris the Midgard Serpent Jormundgand Uller remains , as Winter will always be part of the cycle of the seasons and the gods.
Chapter 9
“Runes Asatru Uller Dele” by Regnerus in Runes for Health, Wealth, and Love
“Ull,” by Anonymous at God
