7. Breidablik, the Baldur abode of 8. Himmelbierg, the Heimdal abode of 9. Folkvangur, the Freya abode of 10. Glitner, the abode Forsete of 11. Noatun, the abode Niord of 12. Landvide, the Vidar. abode of With Thrudheim, the house of Thor. At the first glance every reader must perceive that by these twelve palaces are meant the twelve signs of the zodiac; and by Thrudheim the region of the sun. It could scarcely be expected, indeed, that the Scandinavians should be ignorant of a system which prevailed over the whole earth. Like the Egyptians and Assyrians, and Persians and Hindoos, they divided their year into twelve parts or months, and placed over each a god. The best description of these abodes is in the Edda, in the poem of Grimnis-mâl. It is Odin himself, while between the two fires[24], that describes them to Geirrod and Agner. The mere enumeration of these palaces, and of the divine inhabitants, would be useless unaccompanied by astronomical explanations. To the critical antiquaries of the north, especially to Finn Magnussen, must be conceded the honour of having first penetrated the hidden mysteries of their mythology. From him chiefly we condense the following account. THRUDHEIM. Thrudheim, or Thrudvangur, the residence of Thor, the god of thunder, is the atmosphere between Asgard and the earth. The palace in which the god dwelt was called _Bilskirner_, which Ohlenschlager, the modern Danish poet, thus justly describes:— In wide Thrudvangur’s land (So ancient Scalds indite), A palace vast doth stand, Unmatched in breadth and height. Its halls with burnish’d gold Are richly fretted o’er; Their number rightly told, Five hundred and two score. Blue lakes and verdant fields Smiling around are spread; Studded with copper shields, The palace glares in red. From distant earth its walls Some radiant meteor seem: Far off the warrior halls In purple splendour gleam.[25] 1. YDALE.