HEL IS THE NORSE GODDESS OF THE UNDERWORLD KINGDOM OF HELHEIM. SHE IS THE DARK HAG WHO WALKS THE LINE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH AND THINS THE VEIL BETWEEN THE WORLDS. SHE PRESIDED OVER THE DEAD, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO WERE KILLED IN BATTLE. THOSE WHO DIED HEROICALLY IN BATTLE ENDED UP IN VALHALLA, THE HALL OF HEROES. THE LEGEND GOES THAT WITH A SIMPLE WAVE OF HER HAND SHE COULD CAUSE DISEASE, DECAY, AND DEATH. SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER YOUNGEST CHILD OF THE THE TRICKSTER GOD, LOKI AND THE EVIL GIANTESS WHO WAS CALLED ANGERBODA. HER BROTHERS WERE FERRIS (THE EVIL GIANT WOLF) AND JORMUNGARD (THE MIDGARD SERPENT). IT WAS HEL WHO GIFTED ODIN WITH HIS TWIN RAVENS OF PROPHESY AND WISDOM.
HEL HAD QUITE A DISTURBING APPEARANCE, AN UGLY HALF-DEAD HAG WITH GANGRENE LEGS AND A HIDEOUS FACE. IT IS SAID THAT SHE IS BOTH BLACK AND WHITE AND HER BODY WAS SAID THAT HER BODY REPRESENTED BOTH SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM. THE OTHER GODS WERE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH HEL'S APPEARANCE AND AVOIDED HER. THIS MADE HEL VERY UNHAPPY AND LONELY, AND SHE ASKED ODIN IF SHE COULD LEAVE ASGARD. IT WAS THEN THAT ODIN GAVE HER THE WORLD OF HELHEIM TO RULE OVER. SHE WOULD JUDGE OVER THOSE WHO WERE GOOD AND EVIL AND GIVE THEM THEIR JUST REWARDS...THE LEVELS OF 'HEAVEN' OR HELL'.
Origin: thelema-and-faith.blogspot.com
