Living at a waterfall named Sokkvabekkr, Saga drinks every day from its refreshing waters that contain memory and wisdom. She is the goddess of prophecy and history and knows everything about the past.
Short Facts
Tribe: Aesir
Goddess of: divination, history, information, memory, poetry, prophecy, records, sagas, and wisdom
Sister of: Wayland
Other names: Sagja, Sagu
Saga responsibilities
History, information, inspiring poets and storytellers, keeping records, memory, observation, prophecies, and wisdom
Associated Animals with Saga
An eastern chipmunk
weapon/domain of power
Foresight, inspiration, knowledge, power of prophecy and memory, the sacred waters of Sokkvabekkr, tradition, and wisdom
Keeper of memory and knowledge
Saga is the goddess of prophecy and memory. She is also related to history, tales and poems, and wisdom. She is sister to Wayland the Smith and she is a good friend of Odin and Frigga. Her name means ‘seeress’ in Old Norse. She lives at Sokkvabekkr (‘sunken bank’), a waterfall with cool waters that hold memory, knowledge, and wisdom.
Although Saga is one of the twelve major Asynjur (Aesir goddesses) not much is known about her. She is the keeper of history and knowledge. Those who drink from her sacred waters are inspired and write great tales and poems. Even Odin Allfather receives this blessing; he sits with Saga and they both sip Sokkvabekkr’s waters from golden chalices.
Saga is a kind and benevolent deity. She helps chroniclers and poets by offering them golden cups with water from Sokkvabekkr. The epic stories (sagas) were derived directly from her. It is also said that she was the first to foresee Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods.
In the old texts
Saga is mentioned in the Poetic Edda, in the poems Grimnismal and Helgakviða Hundingsbana I.
In the Prose Edda, Saga appears in the books Gylfaginning and Skaldskaparmal.
FAQs
Odin Allfather is the wisest living being in the Nine Realms. It seems a little unnecessary for him to visit Saga every day. Yet, the tales mention that the king of the gods frequently sits with her by the cool waters of Sokkvabekkr. Saga is so gracious as to offer him a golden cup and Odin never refuses. Whether Odin is being polite or the waters of Sokkvabekkr hold great wisdom remains a mystery. Yet, Odin chooses this place more than others. This means that Sokkvabekkr is a place full of knowledge and wisdom, probably more than the renowned well of Mimir.
She is said to be an attendant of Frigga. Some scholars go further and suggest that Saga is another name for Frigga. This idea however is unsupported at best. She is quite different from Frigga. While the queen of the gods knows all about the present, Saga knows everything about the past. Memory is her strength and she is rightly called a goddess of history.
Featured Image Credit: Lorenz Frølich, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
