In Norse mythology, Vár or Vór (Old Norse, meaning either "pledge"^[1] or "beloved"^[2]) is a goddess associated with oaths and agreements. Vár is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources; the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson; and kennings found in skaldic poetry and a runic inscription. Scholars have proposed theories about the implications of the goddess.

Attestations[link]

In the Poetic Edda poem Þrymskviða, the blessed of Vár is invoked by the jötunn Þrymr after his "bride" (who is actually the god Thor disguised as the goddess Freyja) is hallowed with the stolen hammer of Thor, Mjöllnir, at their wedding:

Benjamin Thorpe translation: Then said Thrym, the Thursars's lord: Bring the hammer in, the bride to consecrate; lay Miöllnir on the maiden's knee; unite us each with other by the hand of Vör.[3]

Henry Adams Bellows translation: Then loud spake Thrym, the giants' leader: "Bring in the hammer to hallow the bride; On the maiden's knees let Mjollnir lie, That us both the hand of Vor may bless."[4]

In the chapter 35 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, High tells Gangleri (described as king Gylfi in disguise) about the ásynjur. High lists Vár ninth among the sixteen ásynjur he presents in the chapter and provides some information about her:

Ninth Var: she listens to people's oaths and private agreements that women and men make between each other. Thus these contracts are called varar. She also punishes those who break them.^[5]

In addition, Vár appears twice more in the Prose Edda. In chapter 75 of the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál Vár appears within a list of 27 ásynjur names.^[6] In chapter 87 the name Vár is employed in a kenning referring to the goddess Skaði ("bow-string-Vár") in the poem Haustlöng by the skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir.^[7] A runic inscription inscribed on a stick from Bergen, Norway around the year 1300 records a common mercantile transaction followed by a verse from a displeased scribe that mentions Vár (edits applied per the translator's notes):

'Wise Var of wire ["woman of filigree," meaning "wise bejeweled woman"] makes (me) sit unhappy.

Eir [woman] of mackerels' ground [likely gold] takes often and much sleep from me.'^[8]

Mindy Macleod and Bernard Mees posit that the first line of the inscription essentially means "women make me miserable" or potentially "marriage makes me miserable," whereas the second line means "women often take a lot of sleep from me."^[8]

Theories[link]

Regarding the ceremonial marital reference to Vár in Þrymskviða, Andy Orchard opines that "the antiquity of such a ritual is far from clear."^[1] Britt-Mari Näsström argues that, like many other minor goddesses, Vár was originally one of Freyja's names, "later apprehended as independent goddesses."^[9]

Rudolf Simek says that the goddesses Sága, Hlín, Sjöfn, Snotra, Vár, and Vör should be considered vaguely defined figures who "should be seen as female protective goddesses" that are all responsible for "specific areas of the private sphere, and yet clear differences were made between them so that they are in many ways similar to matrons."^[10]

Notes[link]

References[link]

v t e Norse mythology Deities, heroes, and figures Æsir Baldr Bragi Forseti Dellingr Freyr Heimdall Hermóðr Höðr Hœnir Kvasir Lóðurr Loki Meili Mímir Móði and Magni Njörðr Odin Óðr Thor Týr Ullr Váli Víðarr Vili and Vé Ásynjur Bil Eir Freyja Frigg Fulla Gerðr Gefjon Gná Hlín Ilmr Iðunn Irpa Jörð Lofn Nanna Njörun Rán Rindr Sága Sif Sigyn Sjöfn Skaði Snotra Sól Syn Þorgerðr Hölgabrúðr Þrúðr Vár Vör Others Ask and Embla Dís Norns Valkyries Dwarf Einherjar Elves Light elves Dark elves Black elves Fenrir Hel Jörmungandr Jötunn Níðhöggr Sigurd Völundr Vættir Locations Asgard Bifröst Fólkvangr Ginnungagap Hel Jötunheimr Midgard Múspellsheimr Niflheim Valhalla Vígríðr Wells Mímisbrunnr Hvergelmir Urðarbrunnr Yggdrasil Events Æsir–Vanir War‎ Fimbulvetr Ragnarök Sources Gesta Danorum Poetic Edda Prose Edda Runestones Sagas Tyrfing Cycle Völsung Cycle Old Norse language Orthography Later influence Society Blót Félag Germanic calendar Heiti Hörgr Kenning Mead hall Nīþ Norse pagan worship Numbers Seiðr Skald Viking Age Völva See also Norse gods Mythological Norse people, items and places Germanic paganism Ásatrú

Kati Wolf
Kati Wolf (2011)
Background information
Birth name	Katalin Wolf
Born	(1974-09-24) 24 September 1974 (age 37)
Origin	Szentendre, Hungary
Genres	Pop
Years active	1982 – present
Labels	Sony Music Hungary

Kati Wolf (born 24 September 1974, Szentendre) is a Hungarian singer and former airline purser. Wolf represented Hungary at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with the song "What About My Dreams?".^[1]

At the age of seven, Wolf sang the title track for the popular Hungarian cartoon Vuk. Besides singing she also took piano and jazz dance classes. After her graduation as solfege teacher - chorus master at the Hungarian Music Academy, she worked with numerous bands in different genres but her big breakthrough came in 2010 as a finalist of the Hungarian version of the talent show "X-Faktor".

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Wolf-áramlat (2009)
• Az első X — 10 dal az élő showból (2011)
• Vár a holnap (2011)

Singles[link]

• "Vuk dala" (1981)
• "Szerelem, miért múlsz?" (2011) (UK chart peak: #128, Sweden: #9, Hungary: #1)^[2]
• "Vár A Holnap" (2011)^[3]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kati Wolf

• Kati Wolf - Official website