Galdr

Old Norse

A practical galder for women was one that made childbirth easier, but they were also notably used for bringing madness onto another person, whence modern Swedishgalen meaning "mad", derived from the verb gala ('to sing, perform a galder'). Moreover, a master of the craft was also said to be able to raise storms, make distant ships sink, make swords blunt, make armour soft and decide victory or defeat in battles. Examples of this can be found in Grógaldr and in Frithiof's Saga. In Grógaldr, Gróa chants nine (a significant number in Norse mythology) galders to aid her son, and in Buslubœn, the schemes of king Ring of Östergötland are averted.