About Nótt
Nótt is a bit of a mystery, as Night should be. Over time, many have tried to shed some light on the origins of Night. Snorri Sturluson’s Gylfaginning tells us that she’s the daughter of Nörfi or Narfi, a jötunn from Jötunheim. Described as “black and swarthy,” she is nonetheless thrice married. With her first husband, Naglfari, she had a son, Auðr. Aside from a brief mention of his existence and relationship with Nótt, Naglfari’s fate is unknown. Nótt’s second marriage to a fellow by the name of Annar or Ónar produced Jörð. Jörð, the personification of Earth, was also a concubine of Odin’s and the mother of Thor, thereby making Nótt the thunder god’s grandmother. As with Naglfari, no one knows what happened to Annar. Nótt’s third and final marriage is to Dellingr, one of the Aesir. Together, they produce Dagr, fair and bright like his father. Dagr becomes Day to his mother’s Night.
Odin put Nótt and Dagr into the sky with a horse and chariot each. It is mentioned specifically that Nótt rides before her son and that the foam from around the bit of her horse Hrímfaxi produces the morning dew. Dagr’s horse, Skinfaxi, has such a bright main that it lights up the whole sky. It should be noted that in the Middle Earth written by J.R.R. Tolkien, the magical horse, Shadowfax, ridden by the wizard, Gandalf, was inspired by Hrímfaxi and Skinfaxi.
There are a number of other mentions of Nótt in other texts like the Alvíssmal where Alvíss, the dwarf, tells Thor the number of names that Nótt, called Nórr, goes by. Alvíss says that she is called “night” by mankind, “darkness” by the gods, “the masker by the mighty Powers”, “unlight” by the jötunn, “joy-of-sleep” by the elves, while dwarves call her “dream-Njörun (dream-goddess.” Other than naming her, the other texts are not as illuminating as to her origins or tales and Night remains just a bit mysterious.
The Blót
Hammer Right
Gothi takes the hammer to one side of the ritual space and says:
“We come here to honor Nótt and ask that the gods hallow this space as we laud the Night.”
Gythija takes the hammer to the opposite side of the ritual space and says:
“We ask the gods for their protection and companionship as we celebrate the Darkness.”
“Dream Goddess”
Dream Goddess,
Nótt, mother of Earth and Day,
Night you became,
And Night you remain.
Dream Goddess,
Daughter of Jötunn,
And Wife of Aesir,
Star-studded when clear.
Dream Goddess,
Cloaked in black and mist,
Beautiful in your darkness,
May we always find you wondrous.
Gothi Says:
“Nótt, daughter of Nörfi,
Mother of Earth,
Grandmother of Thor,
the Night is your gift,
and Darkness is oft your name.
Hail Nótt!”
All Say: “Hail Nótt!”
Gythija Says:
“Thrice-wedded,
A mother thrice as well,
Given to one man,
Chosen by two,
Yours is the name we recall.
Hail Nótt!”
All Say: “Hail Nótt!”
Gothi Says:
“Known by dwarves,
Spoken of by elves,
Chosen of the gods,
A Jötunn taken to the Aesir’s bosom
and revered by man.
Hail Nótt!”
All Say: “Hail Nótt!”
Gythija Says:
“Darkness hides our secrets.
During the night, we dream.
In your name, we thank you
for the tales you do not tell
and the comfort you bring us.
Hail Nótt!”
All Say: “Hail Nótt!”
Toasts
The Gothi/Gythija pass the horn and each person makes a toast before passing it on.
Libation
Gothi Says:
“From us to the earth to the gods.”
Gothi pours some of the mead from the horn into the earth.
Gythia Says:
“From the gods to the earth to us.”
Gythija pours the remaining mead on to the earth.