Ottar’s Ancestry Wager
The wager that makes Ottar’s ancestry and inherited wealth a claim requiring proof.
Overview
Hyndluljoth places a wager between Angantyr and Ottar at the centre of its night ride. Freyja says Ottar must preserve his father’s wealth and his descent, so she asks Hyndla to recite his line. The poem gives neither procedure nor verdict; it shows descent as evidence that can be contested and must be remembered.
Key facts
The wager is stated
In stanza 9, Freyja says the wager concerns Ottar’s father’s wealth and lineage.
Requires recalled ancestry
In stanza 11, Freyja asks Hyndla to name old names and descents.
Relationships
- Ottarstakes ancestry in
Freyja says Ottar wagers over his father’s wealth and ancestry.
- Hyndlawidens the heroic kin list
Hyndla names many heroic lines as Ottar’s kin without proving each link individually.
- Ottarsupports the wager with lineage
The poem treats recalled descent as proof Ottar must provide.
Story appearances
- Hyndluljoth: Ottar’s Ancestry WagerFigure, mount, or wager in Hyndluljoth
The wager that makes Ottar’s ancestry and inherited wealth a claim requiring proof.
Ancient sources
MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.