Bestla

Bestla ( Old Norse ) is a giantess in Norse mythology ( jötunn ), which is considered the mother of Odin, both in the literature and in the eddischen Skaldik. Together with Borr Bestla has three sons, Vili and Ve next to Odin yet. She is the daughter of the giant Bölthorn and has a brother whose name is not given, but from the Odin learned his magic songs. Perhaps these are the giant Mimir, who has close ties to Odin that would fit the confidential position of a uncle ( mother's brother ).

The name Bestlas can not accurately translate it. For R. Simek thereby expresses the great antiquity of the name. It interprets the name as either " lover ", as " Bast ( donor ) " or something similar to this as a " bark ".

F. R. Schröder opened up Bestla as yew goddess. In his opinion, originally chthonic goddesses were worshiped in the Germanic tree cult, which were closely connected with fertility. Ask and Embla From, the first two people, it is called comparable, that they are descended from trees. However, it rejects W. Hunkes proposal to see in Bestla a tree that gave birth to Odin, as going too far off.