Rather than caging them, the Vikings tamed their cats by developing a mutual relationship with them. Unlike with dogs, the Vikings did not initially domesticate cats. Freyja raised the two kittens until they were old enough to pull her chariot. When cat Bayun was freed from the responsibility of raising the kittens, he transformed into a bird. When Thor encountered the cat, he thought of taking the kittens to Freyja. The male cat was a single father trying to raise Bygul and Trjegul alone after their mother took off. Thor got the two cats from a cat that was called Bayun. She took some of the fallen warriors to Folkvang and the other half to the Norse god called Odin that was associated with war and wisdom. Since Freyja was associated with death, she led the Valkyries to pick the fallen warriors after a battle. Though Bygul and Trjegul were male cats, they symbolized the combination of both male and female sexuality. A certain Russian tale suggested that Freyja got the two cats as a present from Thor. The Norse goddess chose cats over other animals since cats symbolized fertility and femininity. Two male cats, referred to as Bygul and Trjegul, pulled Freyja’s chariot. According to these people, the goddess also had magic power, and they also associated her with death and war. The Norse people believed that Freyja was the goddess of luck and fertility. We mentioned that the Norse goddess Freyja had a chariot and two cats. When the Vikings migrated to Greenland, they sailed with their cats. Though this was their favorite pet, they sometimes used the cat’s skin to make clothes. The Vikings viewed cats as unpredictable animals. The Vikings valued cats and brought them with them in their ships since they helped control rodents. After this, they started spreading to the rural areas and offered assistance to the Norse people. The first cats that began showing up in Scandinavia settled in urban areas. It is believed that cats got to Scandinavia around 200 B.C.E. Thanks to the invention of boats, the Vikings managed to acquire cats during the second migration that began in 1700 BCE. The Vikings started migrating from the Middle East 8,000 years ago. These cats were believed to have lived between the 17th and 18 centuries when humans were transitioning from hunting to farming. According to a certain study, the remains of numerous cats were discovered in various sites in Eurasia. The Vikings had a major role in the spread of these animals to other parts of the world. Modern cats are believed to have descended from a cat subspecies called Felis Silvestris Lybica, which still exists in the Middle East. They transported cats from Egypt though this was not allowed. The Vikings got most of their cats from this country. Egypt was one of the countries where most cats came from. Viking catsĬats were common in the Middle East. Thor tried to lift the cat but could only lift a paw. There was also another myth of a Midgard serpent that disguised itself as a cat. The two got married and resided in the castle. The cat persuaded the poor man to chop off its head. The cat managed to trick a troll and won a castle that was full of gold and silver. There was also another famous folk tale of a man who assisted a poor guy. We will talk about Freyja’s cats more later.Īpart from this tale, the Vikings also believed that a bride must have fed her cat well if a couple married when the weather was fine. These cats were colored, and they were known as the gib cats. Freyja, the Norse goddess, drove a certain chariot that two cats pulled. According to the Scandinavian tales, Thor gifted Freyja two cats. Thor was the god of storms, while Freyja was the Norse goddess of love. The Vikings believed in different gods such as Thor and Freyja. During the Viking age, different tales related to the cat existed. They even came up with myths surrounding their furry friend, the cat. The North Germanic people had a lot of myths that they believed in.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |