Fehu Rune Deep Dive: Norse Mythology & Symbolism

BY NICOLE LAU

Introduction: Beyond the Surface of Fehu

To truly master Fehu (ᚠ), we must journey beyond its practical applications into the rich tapestry of Norse mythology, historical context, and symbolic depth. This deep dive explores the ancestral wisdom encoded in the first rune of the Elder Futhark—revealing how ancient Germanic peoples understood wealth, the divine forces that govern abundance, and the profound philosophical teachings hidden within this deceptively simple symbol.

Historical Context: Fehu in Ancient Germanic Society

The Cattle Economy of the North

In pre-Christian Scandinavian and Germanic societies (roughly 100-800 CE), cattle represented the primary form of mobile wealth. Unlike land, which was fixed, or grain, which could spoil, cattle were:

• Self-reproducing: A cow could birth calves, multiplying wealth organically
• Mobile: Herds could be moved, traded, or used as bride-price and wergild (blood-price)
• Multi-functional: Providing milk, meat, leather, and labor
• Status symbols: Herd size directly indicated a family's prosperity and power

The Old Norse word fé (from which Fehu derives) meant both "cattle" and "money"—a linguistic fusion that reveals how deeply intertwined these concepts were. Even today, English words like "fee," "fellow" (one who shares cattle/wealth), and "pecuniary" (from Latin pecus, cattle) echo this ancient understanding.

Archaeological Evidence

Fehu appears on numerous runic inscriptions from the Migration Period (400-800 CE):

• The Kylver Stone (c. 400 CE, Gotland): Contains the complete Elder Futhark with Fehu in the first position
• Bracteates (gold medallions): Often feature Fehu in prosperity and protection formulas
• Weapon inscriptions: Fehu combined with other runes for victory and spoils of war
• Boundary markers: Indicating ownership and wealth claims

These artifacts demonstrate that Fehu was not merely a letter but an active magical symbol used to attract, protect, and sanctify wealth.

Fehu in Norse Mythology

Freya: Goddess of Wealth and Magic

Fehu's primary divine association is with Freya (Old Norse: Freyja, "The Lady"), the most prominent goddess in Norse mythology and leader of the first aett of runes.

Freya's Domains:

• Wealth and Abundance: She owns the necklace Brísingamen, symbol of beauty and value
• Seiðr Magic: Freya taught the gods the art of seiðr (Norse shamanic magic)
• Love and Fertility: Goddess of sexual power, attraction, and generative force
• War and Death: She claims half of the slain warriors, bringing them to her hall Fólkvangr
• Sovereignty: Associated with rulership, power, and noble lineage

The Mythological Connection:

In the Prose Edda, Freya is described as weeping tears of red gold when her husband Óðr wanders away. This myth encodes a profound teaching: true wealth (gold) flows from love and longing—from the heart's desire. Freya's tears are not of sorrow but of alchemical transformation, turning emotion into material abundance.

Freya rides a chariot pulled by cats (symbols of independence and magic) and owns the boar Hildisvíni ("battle-swine," connecting wealth to courage). She wears a cloak of falcon feathers, allowing her to fly between worlds—teaching that abundance requires the ability to move between material and spiritual realms.

Freyr: The Fertile Twin

Freya's twin brother Freyr ("The Lord") also governs Fehu's domain:

• God of Fertility: Ensures bountiful harvests and livestock reproduction
• Prosperity and Peace: His reign brings the "Frith of Freyr"—peaceful abundance
• Sacred Kingship: Swedish kings claimed descent from Freyr
• The Golden Boar: Freyr rides Gullinbursti, a boar with golden bristles that shine like the sun

The twins Freya and Freyr represent the dual nature of Fehu: feminine receptive abundance (Freya) and masculine generative power (Freyr). Together, they embody the complete cycle of wealth creation.

Njörðr: God of Wealth from the Sea

Njörðr (Njord), father of Freya and Freyr, rules:

• Sea trade and maritime wealth
• Fishing and coastal abundance
• Fair winds for merchant ships
• Peaceful exchange between peoples

The Prose Edda states: "Njörðr is so wealthy and prosperous that he can grant abundance of land and possessions to those who call on him." This lineage—Njörðr to Freya/Freyr to Fehu—creates a divine genealogy of prosperity magic.

The Myth of Gullveig: The First War

A crucial but often overlooked myth connects Fehu to the Aesir-Vanir war:

A mysterious woman named Gullveig ("Gold-Drink" or "Gold-Power") visits the Aesir gods. She speaks of wealth, gold, and desire. The Aesir, disturbed by her power, attempt to kill her three times by burning, but she is reborn each time. This triggers the war between the Aesir (gods of order) and Vanir (gods of fertility and wealth).

Many scholars identify Gullveig as Freya herself. This myth teaches:

• Wealth cannot be destroyed, only transformed
• The power of gold/abundance is immortal and regenerative
• Desire for wealth can cause conflict if not balanced with wisdom
• The integration of wealth (Vanir) with order (Aesir) is necessary for cosmic harmony

The war ends with a peace treaty and exchange of hostages—Freya and Freyr join the Aesir, bringing their wealth magic with them. This mythic pattern mirrors Fehu's teaching: abundance flows through exchange, not hoarding.

Symbolic & Philosophical Depth

Fehu as Primordial Fire

In esoteric rune interpretation, Fehu represents the primordial fire of creation—the first spark that ignites manifestation. This connects to:

• Muspelheim: The realm of fire in Norse cosmology, source of creative heat
• The Fire-Ice Dynamic: Fehu's fire meeting Isa's ice creates the conditions for life (as in the creation myth where fire and ice meet to birth Ymir)
• Kundalini/Life Force: The serpent fire that rises through the body, activating potential

This interpretation elevates Fehu from mere "money rune" to the fundamental creative force of the universe.

The Paradox of Mobile Wealth

Fehu encodes a profound economic and spiritual teaching: true wealth must move.

Cattle that stand still sicken and die. Wealth that is hoarded stagnates and loses value. Energy that doesn't circulate becomes toxic. This ancient wisdom predates modern economic theory but contains the same insight: prosperity requires flow, exchange, and circulation.

The Norse concept of gift economy (as described in the Hávamál) reflects this:

"A gift always looks for recompense."
"Better not to ask than to overpledge."

Gifts create bonds. Wealth shared creates community. Fehu teaches that abundance is relational, not transactional.

Fehu and the Concept of Hamingja

In Norse thought, hamingja ("luck" or "personal power") was a tangible spiritual force that could be inherited, increased, or depleted. Fehu directly relates to hamingja:

• Wealth was seen as evidence of strong hamingja
• Generous gift-giving increased one's hamingja
• Hoarding or greed depleted hamingja
• Hamingja could be passed down through bloodlines (ancestral wealth)

This explains why Fehu appears in both prosperity magic AND ancestral veneration—wealth is not just material but spiritual inheritance.

Fehu in the Rune Poems

Three medieval rune poems preserve ancient wisdom about Fehu:

Old Norwegian Rune Poem (13th century)

"Fé vældr frænda róge;
føðesk ulfr í skóge."

"Wealth is a source of discord among kinsmen;
the wolf lives in the forest."

Interpretation: This verse warns that wealth can divide families if not handled with wisdom. The wolf (symbol of greed and isolation) lurks when wealth is pursued selfishly. True prosperity requires maintaining kinship bonds.

Old Icelandic Rune Poem (15th century)

"Fé er frænda róg
ok flæðar viti
ok grafseiðs gata."

"Wealth is kinsmen's quarrel
and fire of the flood-tide
and path of the serpent."

Interpretation: "Fire of the flood-tide" = gold (kenning). "Path of the serpent" = gold arm-rings. This poem emphasizes both the danger (quarrels) and the beauty (gold as fire and serpent) of wealth.

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem (8th-9th century)

"Feoh byþ frofur fira gehwylcum;
sceal ðeah manna gehwylc miclun hyt dælan
gif he wile for drihtne domes hleotan."

"Wealth is a comfort to all;
yet must everyone bestow it freely,
if they wish to gain honor before the Lord."

Interpretation: This Christianized version preserves the pagan teaching: wealth brings comfort, but honor comes from generosity. The "Lord" may be Christ or the old gods—the principle remains the same.

Fehu in Runic Magic Traditions

Seiðr and Galdr

In Norse magical practice:

• Seiðr practitioners (often women, associated with Freya) used Fehu in trance work to "see" future prosperity or curse enemies' wealth
• Galdr masters chanted Fehu to activate its power in talismans, weapons, and boundary stones
• Rune-carvers inscribed Fehu on ships, tools, and jewelry to attract success

Historical Magical Formulas

Archaeological finds reveal Fehu in combination formulas:

• ᚠᚢ (fu): "Wealth-power" - found on bracteates
• ᚠᚨᚺᚢ (fahu): Extended Fehu formula for prosperity
• ᚠᛖᚺᚢ (fehu): Full spelling for maximum power

Fehu Across Cultures: Comparative Symbolism

Indo-European Connections

Fehu's cattle symbolism connects to broader Indo-European traditions:

• Vedic India: Go (cow) as sacred wealth; Krishna as cowherd god
• Ancient Greece: Cattle as bride-price and sacrifice to gods
• Rome: Pecunia (money) from pecus (cattle)
• Celtic: Cattle raids as heroic quests (Táin Bó Cúailnge)

This suggests Fehu preserves a Proto-Indo-European understanding of wealth dating back 5,000+ years.

Alchemical Parallels

Fehu's symbolism mirrors alchemical concepts:

• Prima Materia: The first matter from which all is created (Fehu as first rune)
• Solve et Coagula: Dissolve and coagulate (wealth must flow and solidify)
• Gold as Spiritual Perfection: Material wealth as symbol of spiritual attainment

Modern Applications & Relevance

Fehu in Contemporary Economics

Ancient Fehu wisdom speaks to modern economic challenges:

• Cryptocurrency: Digital "mobile wealth" echoing cattle's portability
• Universal Basic Income: Ensuring wealth circulation, not hoarding
• Gift Economy Revival: Platforms like Patreon embody reciprocal exchange
• Wealth Inequality: Fehu warns against stagnant accumulation

Psychological & Spiritual Dimensions

Modern practitioners work with Fehu for:

• Abundance Mindset: Shifting from scarcity to flow consciousness
• Creative Manifestation: Bringing ideas into material form
• Energy Healing: Activating life force and vitality
• Shadow Work: Examining greed, poverty consciousness, and worthiness issues

Advanced Fehu Combinations

Three-Rune Formulas

Traditional and modern combinations:

• Fehu + Uruz + Thurisaz (ᚠᚢᚦ): "Futhark" - the complete system's power
• Fehu + Ansuz + Laguz (ᚠᚨᛚ): Wealth through divine wisdom and intuition
• Fehu + Gebo + Wunjo (ᚠᚷᚹ): Joyful prosperity through balanced exchange

Fehu in the Nine Worlds

Esoteric interpretation places Fehu in different realms:

• Midgard: Material wealth and physical resources
• Vanaheim: Fertility, natural abundance, earth magic
• Asgard: Divine blessing, spiritual wealth
• Muspelheim: Creative fire, primordial energy

The Shadow Side of Fehu

Every rune contains both light and shadow. Fehu's shadow aspects include:

• Greed: Obsessive accumulation without purpose
• Materialism: Valuing possessions over relationships
• Entitlement: Expecting wealth without effort
• Wastefulness: Squandering resources carelessly
• Poverty Consciousness: Blocking abundance through unworthiness

Working with Fehu requires honest self-examination of our relationship with wealth, power, and value.

Fehu's Teaching for Our Time

In an age of:

• Extreme wealth inequality
• Environmental resource depletion
• Digital transformation of money
• Spiritual seeking amid material excess

Fehu offers ancient wisdom:

True wealth flows. It circulates. It serves life. It connects rather than divides. It is both material and spiritual. It requires both receiving and giving. It is earned through skill and blessed by the divine. It is mobile, not fixed. It reproduces when tended wisely. It is a responsibility, not just a right.

Conclusion: The Eternal Flow

Fehu, the first rune, contains the seed of all that follows. It is the spark of creation, the flow of abundance, the gift of the gods, and the responsibility of mortals. From ancient cattle herds to modern cryptocurrency, from Freya's golden tears to your daily manifestation practice, Fehu's teaching remains constant:

Wealth is alive. Let it flow.

Further Exploration

Continue your Fehu mastery with:

• Fehu Rune: Complete Guide to Meaning & Magic - Foundational correspondences and meanings
• Fehu Rune in Practice: Wealth, Abundance & Manifestation - Hands-on rituals and techniques

May the wisdom of the ancestors guide your path to prosperity.