A Love Beyond Death
Nanna is a goddess of the Æsir and the beloved wife of the shining god Baldr. Together they are one of the great couples of Norse myth, and her story is bound tightly to the tragedy of her husband's death.
When Baldr is slain by a dart of mistletoe, Nanna is overcome with grief. As his body is carried to the great ship Hringhorni to be burned, her heart breaks, and she falls dead of sorrow. The gods place her upon the pyre beside her husband so that they might not be parted.
Nanna travels with Baldr to the realm of Hel. When the messenger Hermod rides down to plead for Baldr's return, Nanna sends gifts back up to the living, including fine linen for the goddess Frigg. She is remembered as the very image of devotion and love.
Nature and Role
Devotion
Her love for Baldr is so deep that she cannot outlive him
Gentleness
A goddess associated with tenderness, the moon, and quiet grace
The Shared Pyre
Joins Baldr on the burning ship so they need not be parted
Quick Facts
Residence
Asgard, then Hel
She follows Baldr into the realm of the dead
Family
- Group: Aesir
- Husband: Baldr
- Son: Forseti