Hug (folklore)

The Old Norse form hugr (compare Old Swedish: hugher, hogher) stems from a Proto-Germanic root, with cognates in various Germanic languages: , , , , , , hugi, all with similar meaning, partially also "peace, joy", etc. In Swedish, compounds like farhåga (), räddhåga (), mean "fear, concern" and thereof. == Senses ==

Rather philosophical in description, hug, encompasses that in man that thinks, feels and wants; if the soul is understood as the seat of ideas, thoughts and memories, will and emotions. It can be specific emotions, moods, desires, wishes and the like. Compare the Swedish expressions sorgsen håg (), sorgsen i hågen (). It can also refer to things that moves through someone's mind of thoughts and emotions, such as wishes, hopes, fears, doubts and so on. In particular, in its original meaning, it referred to understanding, reason, thinking and thought. Such occurs, among other things, in the Swedish compound förhåg (, "assumption, hope"), i förhåg (, "in advance, in assumption, in hope"). It is sometimes used in a transitive sense of memory, such as in the Swedish common expression komma ihåg (, "to remember"), but also expressions such as gå ur hågen (, "to be forgotten, to fall into oblivion, to be erased from someone's memory"). It has also been used about personality and similar senses: disposition, mood, aptitude, inner essence, characterization, psyche, mindset, nature, temperament, spirit (animating force), also personality traits and qualities, etc. Furthermore, it has been used for tendency, desire, interest, also affection; likewise about self-esteem and bravery. In Swedish, one could say that someone has glatt håg ("a happy mind") or sitter högt på hågen ("is sitting high on the mind"). == In Norse mythology ==

In Norse mythology, the hug is an individual's mental life, in some contrast to the soul, a term which carries more spiritual connotations. The hug is no simple concept and shows great variation, with different accounts and characteristics given in the literature from medieval literature to more recent folklore. It is central to the conception of magic, and can influence animate and inanimate objects. It is said that it, in a dream-like state, could leave the body and pass into a hamr, a manifested shape (a sort of shapeshifting). It can manifest itself externally in a variety of possible forms; that of witches, for instance, sometimes took the shape of a cat. In the story where Thor meets the giant Útgarða-Loki, they let their two servants compete against each other in speed. Thor's servant was called Þjálfi and Útgarða-Loki's was called "Hugi". When the start went off, Hugi stood still, but when Þjálfi was about to cross the finish line, Hugi suddenly rushed past, fast as lightning. Hugi was said to be the giant's thought (hug) and no one can run faster than thought. == See also ==