Freya the ethreal Norse Goddess of the heavens. She was known to have a dress of falcon feathers that allowed her to fly between worlds. Re-imagining her as leaving her heavenly realm in order to visit her friend Níðhöggr. Níðhöggr is the Norse dragon who forever gnaws at the root of the world's tree. It's sometimes said the roots are trapping him below. He is the dragon of the underworld--but who knows if he necessarily wants to be there. Perhaps one of Freya's adventures was going down into the seas to befriend and learn the language of those creatures that lived below, perhaps helping Níðhöggr on his quest to break free. Or like my drawing above, maybe she fell asleep in a small boat on one of her adventures,and Níðhöggr awoke her by gnawing gently at her finger, before Hel could come up and steal her away from the world.
(illustration in iceland manuscript: 17th century)
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