A How It Began Story

That narrative about Hadding's bad luck had to be going somewhere. I just had to keep reading.

Genesis tells us why there is:

a heaven and an earth;
a seven day week;
pain in childbirth;
an obligation to work for a living;
a legless beast;
a rainbow;
wine and drunkenness;
racial division and slavery;
a legend of ancient giants;
military conquest;
a multiplicity of languages.

The story of Thor's visit to Jotunheim explains the rise and fall of the tides. Hadding's elven bad luck explains why black cattle were offered to Freyr every year. It is an origin story.

Never daring to enter a home, Hadding, accompanied by troops and always battling against bad weather, traveled across Denmark, the islands and Jutland, collecting coal-black cattle. Before a painted, gilded, man-sized image of Freyr on his golden boar, Hadding slaughtered the cattle. Wisemen sprinkled the onlookers with blood. There was a mighty, mirthful feast of meat, mead and ale. Hadding sent gold and silver to all who had suffered because of him. When he has done all that he can, he has lifted the evil spell. He continues to offer black cattle to Freyr, others follow his example and the practice continues long after.