ament (Brisinga-men). Heimdall is a
personification of the gentle rain and dew, which after struggling
for a while with his foe, the drought, eventually conquers him and
forces him to relinquish his prize.

Heimdall's Names

Heimdall has several other names, among which we find those of
Hallinskide and Irmin, for at times he takes Odin's place and is
identified with that god, as well as with the other sword-gods, Er,
Heru, Cheru and Tyr, who are all noted for their shining weapons. He,
however, is most generally known as warder of the rainbow, and god
of heaven, and of the fruitful rains and dews which bring refreshment
to the earth.

Heimdall also shared with Bragi the honour of welcoming heroes to
Valhalla, and, under the name of Riger, was considered the divine
sire of the various classes which compose the human race, as appears
in the following story:

The Story of Riger

"Sacred children,
Great and small,
Sons of Heimdall!"

Saemund's Edda (Thorpe's tr.).

Heimdall left his place in Asgard one day to wander upon the earth,
as the gods were wont to do. He had not gone far ere he came to a poor
hut on the seashore, where he found Ai (great grandfather) and Edda
(great grandmother), a poor but worthy couple, who hospitably invited
him to share their meagre meal of porridge. Heimdall, who gave his
name as Riger, gladly accepted this invitation, and remained with
the couple three whole days, teaching them many things. At the end of
that time he left to resume his journey. Some time after his visit,
Edda bore a dark-skinned thick-set boy, whom she called Thrall.

Thrall soon showed uncommon physical strength and a great aptitude
for all heavy work; and when he had grown up he took to wife Thyr,
a heavily built girl with sunburnt hands and flat feet, who, like
her husband, laboured early and late. Many children were born to
this couple and from them all the serfs or thralls of the Northland
were descended.

"They had children
Lived and were happy;

They laid fences,
Enriched the plow-land,
Tended swine,
Herded goats,
Dug peat."

Rigsmal (Du Chaillu's version).

After leaving the poor hut on the barren seacoast Riger had
pushed inland, where ere long he came to cultivated fields and a
thrifty farmhouse. Entering this comfortable dwelling, he found Afi
(grandfather) and Amma (grandmother), who hospitably invited him to
si