Mulling Over Apple Myths – A Vital fruit Across All Seasons
When summer turns to fall many delight in the return of pumpkin spice lattes. As the leaves begin to show brassy hues, heralding the changing seasons it is apples and apple cider that call to me. Apples are a magical fruit across cultures and seasons.
In Norse mythology the mention of apples brings to mind the lovely goddess Idunn. She is the gardener and keep are the apples of youth. Unlike most other goddesses of the Æsir and Vanir, Idunn is neither a warrior nor a sovereign queen of a realm. She is literally youth personified keeping the gods young by sharing her apples.
NORSE GODS: IÐUNN1 – ÝDALIR
Edgeongan Bede
Edgeongan æpples gyden ••• geifre geoguða goda,
réad ond gold wstmas ••• æpplas eallgeonges,
sceinde bléd ••• healf swa scír swa þu,
on þin ortgeard wæxð ••• æpplas goda ond hæledas,
swa eald næfre weaxð ••• græg næfre wend.
Aweg tó Þrymham ••• þyrsas bæron,
hwonne Puca mid wrenc ••• getihtde tó weald,
Godas þéagon ••• Puca wes þéowon ,
Fréon hafoces hama ••• Puca fléag tó þyrslond,
hnut macode þe ••• swa wes þin hlot,
hwonne Ésageard fléag ••• Ésegyden on hond
ham to Ésageard ••• hwær æpplas weaxð.
Ortgeardes gyden ••• giefre hæl gódes
Wesað hal þin tréowas ••• wes hal þin tréowð,
Wes hal æpplas ••• æpllas eallgeonges!
Idunna Prayer
Idunna apple goddess ••• giver of youth to the gods,
red and gold fruit ••• apples of everlasting youth,
Shining fruit ••• half as beautiful as you,
Grows in your orchard ••• given to gods and heroes,
so they never grow old ••• so gray they never go.
Away to Thrymheim ••• Thurses did carry,
When Loki with a trick ••• lured you to the woods,
The Gods interrogated ••• tortured Loki,
So with Freya's falcon coat ••• Loki flew to Thursland,
Into a nut he made you ••• So was your lot,
When to Asgard he flew ••• Aesir goddess in hand,
Home to Asgard ••• where apples grow.
Orchard goddess ••• giver of good health,
I wassail your trees ••• I wassail your troth,
I wassail apples ••• fruit of everlasting youth!
Anglo-Saxon & English version by Swain Wodening Canote2
When summer finds winter
and meets betwixt and between,
sunshine meets frost,
green meets red,
death meets life
in trees and harvest.There is born the apple,
that sacred fruit
with a star inside,
red skin, white flesh,
opposite of man.……
The first lines from Idun in an Eden by Sarah Wassberg3
Wassail Wassail
There are a few stories of the star of seeds found in the center of an apple.
Family Wassail -Apple & Cranberry (Non-alcoholic)
Ingredients
- 4 cups cranberry juice
- 6 cinnamon sticks
- 5 cups apple juice or cider
- 2 large oranges
- 1 cup water
- 1 apple
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Handful of whole cloves
Instructions
- Slice the orange in even slices 1/8-1/4 of an inch thick.
- Then chop up the apple into chunks or slices.
- In a big cooking pot, (or a Crockpot) stir together all the juices and water.
- Then add in all the cinnamon, orange slices, pieces of apple and the brown sugar.
- Put it on the stove and simmer the whole mix for a few hours. Give it an occasional stir so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- When you're ready to serve, strain out all the pieces and bits, and serve in a mug with an orange slice or cinnamon stick for a little garnish.
- Not only will your house smell wonderful, you'll have some delicious warm wassail by the end of the day.
Notes
- 1.Ydalir. NORSE GODS: IÐUNN. Ydalir. Published July 2017. Accessed December 13, 2022. http://ydalir.ca/norsegods/idunn/
- 2.Wodening Canote S. Edgeongan Bede. Odin’s Gift – Multilingual International Asatru Poetry . Accessed December 14, 2022. http://www.odins-gift.com/poth/3multi/edgeonganbede.htm
- 3.Wassberg S. Idun in an Eden. Odin’s Gift. Published 2005. http://www.odins-gift.com/poth/I/iduninaneden.htm
