Woden's wooing is the best part of this story, half spoilt, however,
by euhemeristic tone and lack of epic dignity. He woos as a victorious
warrior, and receives a cuff; as a generous goldsmith, and gets a
buffet; as a handsome soldier, earning a heavy knock-down blow; but in
the garb of a women as Wecha (Wakr), skilled in leechcraft, he won his
way by trickery; and ("Wale") "Bous" was born, who, after some years,
slew Hother in battle, and died himself of his wounds. Bous' barrow
in Bohusland, Balder's haven, Balder's well, are named as local
attestations of the legend, which is in a late form, as it seems.

The story of Woden's being banished for misbehaviour, and especially
for sorcery and for having worn woman's attire to trick Wrinda, his
replacement by "Wuldor" ("Oller"), a high priest who assumed Woden's
name and flourished for ten years, but was ultimately expelled by the
returning Woden, and killed by the Danes in Sweden, is in the same
style. But Wuldor's bone vessel is an old bit of genuine tradition
mangled. It would cross the sea as well as a ship could, by virtue of
certain spells marked on it.

Of "Frey", who appears as "satrapa" of the gods at Upsala, and as the
originator of human sacrifice, and as appeased by black victims, at a
sacrifice called Froblod (Freys-blot) instituted by Hadding, who began
it as an atonement for having slain a sea-monster, a deed for which he
had incurred a curse. The priapic and generative influences of Frey are
only indicated by a curious tradition mentioned. It almost looks as
if there had once been such an institution at Upsala as adorned the
Phoenician temples, under Frey's patronage and for a symbolic means of
worship.