What does the Old Norse name Veðrfölnir translate to?
The Old Norse name Veðrfölnir translates to storm pale, wind bleached, or wind-witherer. These three definitions appear in scholarly works from 2001, 2005, and 1997 respectively.
Questions about Veðrfölnir and eagle
Short answers, pulled from the story.
In which text does Veðrfölnir exist according to Norse mythology sources?
Veðrfölnir exists only within the Prose Edda written by Snorri Sturluson during the thirteenth century. The unnamed eagle appears in both texts while this specific name is absent from the Poetic Edda compiled during the same period.
How does Ratatoskr interact with Veðrfölnir and Nidhöggr in the world tree myth?
Ratatoskr runs up and down the ash tree carrying messages between creatures above and below. The squirrel tells slanderous gossip that provokes both the eagle and Nidhöggr who resides beneath the roots of the world tree.
Where exactly is the hawk positioned relative to the eagle at the top of Yggdrasil?
The hawk sits between the eyes of an unnamed eagle perched at the top of the ash tree. This positioning places the bird directly in the path of the squirrel's journey from root to crown.
What theory did Hilda Ellis Davidson propose about Norse cosmologies in 1993?
Hilda Ellis Davidson proposed links between Norse cosmologies and Asian traditions via a northern route in her book The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe published in 1993. She noted parallels involving an eagle atop a tree and a dragon coiled around its roots among Germanic peoples.