NOW, MIND YOU, AT THIS POINT OF THE STORY, ODIN HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE WAS ACTUALLY A GODDESS OF ANOTHER RACE OF GODS...OR PERHAPS HE WOULDN'T HAVE STRUCK HER DOWN SO CRUELLY. THEY HURLED HER INTO A GREAT FIRE. AND, ALTHOUGH SHE BURNED TO DEATH, SHE STEPPED OUT FROM THE FLAMES UNSCATHED. THREE TIMES SHE WAS BURNED, AND ALL THREE TIMES SHE WAS REBORN.
NOW, WHEN GULLVEIG RETURNED TO HER HOME AND TOLD OF HOW CRUELY SHE HAD BEEN TREATED, THE VANIR BECAME INCENSED WITH ANGER AND DEMANDED REPARATION IN THE FORM OF THE SAME STATUS AND PRIVILEGE OF THE AESIR, BUT THE AESIR REFUSED. HENCE IT WAS THAT THE VANIR SWORE VENGEANCE AND BEGAN TO PREPARE FOR WAR. WHEN THE AESIR HEARD ABOUT THIS, THEY MOVED AGAINST THE VANIR IN THE FIRST WAR THAT THE WORLD HAD EVER KNOWN. THE BATTLE RAGED FOR A LONG TIME, NO ONE KNOWS HOW LONG FOR SURE, WITH NEITHER SIDE GAINING MUCH GROUND. EVENTUALLY THE GODS BECAME WEARY OF WAR AND BEGAN TO TALK OF PEACE. BOTH SIDES SWORE TO LIVE SIDE BY SIDE IN PEACE.
THE TALE OF GULLVEIG AND HER VISIT WITH ODIN IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW POORLY WOMEN WERE TREATED IN THE PAST. IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONSIDER THE VANIR'S RESPONSE FOR IT SHOWS THEY HELD THEIR GODDESS IN HIGH ESTEEM... REPRESENTING A MATRIARCHAL SOCIETY WHEREAS ODIN AND HIS CREW WERE MORE MALE-ORIENTED...REPRESENTING A PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY.
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