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Indo-European origins of The Contest of The Artists - by William Reaves

,This is a brief synopsis of the myth, which can be gleaned from the Rigveda in regard to the Ribhus and their competition with the artist Tvashtar, found in Viktor Rydberg's Undersökingar i Germanisk Mythologi, volume one (1886) chapter 111. At once it reminds us of the Eddic myth in which Loki provokes a contest between the Sons of Ivaldi and the dwarf smith Sindri. This is rather lengthy, so I will let it stand on its own for now, and provide detailed evidence in a future post.

>From Viktor Rydberg , translated by Rasmus Anderson, Teutonic Mythology (1906), with liberties in translation taken and commentary by William Reaves

" Clothed with divine rank, there lives among Rigveda's gods an extraordinary artist Tvashtar (Tvashtri), often mentioned and addressed in Rigveda's hymns. The word means "the master-workman," "the handi-workman" (Bergaigne, Relig. Ved., iii, 45; Darmesteter, Ormazd, 63, 100). ...Among the wonderful things made from his hands are mentioned a goblet, which the
gods drink from and which fills itself with blessings (Rigv. 3, 55, 20; 10, 53, 9), and Indra's, the Hinduic Thor's, thunderbolt, corresponding to Thor's Mjollnir. (Rigv. 1, 85, 9; 1, 61, 6) But among mortals, brothers have been reared, themselves mortals and not of divine rank, but who have educated themselves into artists whose skill fills the world with astonishment. They are three in number, usually called the Ribhus, but also Anus and Ayus, names which may possibly have some connection with the Volund names Anund and Ajo. Most clever and enterprising in successful artistic efforts is the youngest of the three (Rigv, 4, 34), one of them, like Volund's brother Orvandel-Egil is an unsurpassed archer (Rigv, 4, 36, 6). On account of their handiwork, these mortals come in contact with the gods ( Rv. 4, 35) and as Volund and Egil
become Thor's friends, allies, war-comrades, and servants, so the Ribhus become Indra's (Rg. 1, 51, 2; 7, 37); "with Indra the helpful, allied themselves with helpers; with Indra, the nimble, the Ribhus."

<<The following is best illuminated in Rigveda Book 4, Hymns 33, 34, 35, 36 & 37; but definiately mentioned elsewhere>>...But some evil tongue persuaded the gods that the Ribhus had said something derogatory of the goblet made by Tvastar. This made Tvashtar angry and he demanded their death. The gods then sent the fire-god Agni to the Ribhus. The Ribhus asked
"why has the most excellent, the most youthful one come to us? On what errand does he come?" Agni told them that they had found fault with Tvashtar's goblet; they declarded that they said nothing derogotory, but only talked about the material from which it was made. Agni meanwhile stated the resolution of the gods, to the effect that they were to make from Tvashtar's goblet, four others of the same kind. If they were unable to do this then the gods would doubtless satisfy Tvashtar's request and take their lives; but, if they were able to make the goblets then they would share with the gods the right to receive offerings. Moreover, they
are to give the following proof of workmanship. They are to smithy a living horse, a living chariot, a living cow, and are to create a means of rejuvenation and demonstrate its efficacy on two aged and enfeebled beings. The Ribhus informed the gods they would do what was demanded of them.

So they made the wonderful chariot-ship which they gave to the Asvins-- the beautiful twin-gods (cp. Skidbladnir, Frey's ship) ...Of one horse they made two and presented them to Indra. Out of an empty cows hide they smithied a cow (cp. Sindri's work where he creates the boar Gullinbursti out of an empty pig's skin). They made the remedy of rejuvenation and tested it sucessfully on their aged parents. Finally, they do the master-work of producing four goblets of equal excellence from Tvashtar's. Thereupon they appear before the gods who "with insight" test their works. Tvashtar himself could not help being astounded when he saw the goblets.
But the result of the test by the gods and the judgement passed on the artworks is frought with danger for the future. Both Tvashtar and the Ribhus become dissatisfied. Tvashtar abandoned the gods and betook himself to the mountains with dises of vegetation, in whose company he is so often mentioned. The Ribhus refused to accept from the gods the proffered share in the morning and noon sacrifices <<<the evening sacrifice is not offerred to them>>> and went away cursing their adversaries. They proceeded on long journeys and the gods knew not where to find them (Rg 1, 161; 4, 33, etc)

...Here we find remarkable points of contact or rather contact surfaces between the Asiatic-Aryan (Hindu) groups of myths and the Germanic. The question is NOT as to similarity in special details. Those kinds of similarities may be pointed out in nearly all mythic groups in the world, and, as a rule, altogether too bold hypothesises are built on the feeble foundations they offer. The question here is in regard to great, central, connected collections of myths. Such are: the myths concerning an original harmony between a divine clan on the one hand and artists subordinate to, and in the service of the divine clan, on the other hand. Artists who produce fertility, ornaments, and weapons for the gods, know how to brew the strength and inspiration-giving mead and are closely connected with the dises of vegetation who appear as swan-maids, not only in the Germanic but also in the Hinduic mythology; the myths telling how this harmony was frustrated by a judgement in a competition, the contending parties on the one hand being he who in the Hinduic mythology made Indra's thunderbolt and in the Germanic Thor's thundering Mjolnir; and on the other hand three brothers, of whom one is an excellent archer; the myths concerning the consequences of the judgement, the destruction of nature by the powers of
frost. ...Common to the Hinduic and the Teutonic mythology is also the idea of a cunning, spying being, in the Rigveda Dadhyak, in the Icelandic Loki, has lost his head to an artist, who smithied the bolt for Indra and the hammer for Thor, but saves his wager through cunning.

An important observation should here be pointed out. A comparsion between the different passages of the Rigveda shows, that of all the remarkable works of art which were exhibited to the gods for their examination, there was not originally one made of metal. Tvashtar's goblet was not made of gold, but of fire and water and a third element. Indra's thunderbolt was made of the bones of the head of Dadhyak's horse, and it is in a later tradition that it becomes bronze. Common to the Asiatic-Aryan and the Germanic mythology is the ability of the primeval artists to make animals out of the empty skins of beasts and of making from one work of art several
similar ones (the goblet of the Ribhus, Sindri's Draupnir). In the Teutonic mythology, Thor's hammer was not orginally made of metal, but of stone <<cp. "hamar" stone. Also the refereces to Vingnir show Thor recieved his first hammer from his foster-father the giant Vingnir>>, and the other works produced by Sindri and the Sons of Ivaldi may have undergone similar changes in the course of centuries. It should also be noted that not a single trace is to be found in the Asiatic group of myths (The Rigveda and the Avesta) concerning Svipdag and the Sword of Victory. ...The myth of the Sword of Victory <<forged by Volund>> seems to be purely Teutonic and to have sprung into existence during one of the bronze or iron ages, while the myths concerning the judgement on the primeval artists and the resulting fumbul-winter, must hail from a time when metals were not yet used by the Indo-Europeans. Otherwise, it would be incredible to think that the judgement should concern works of art of which not a single one originally suggested a product of metal."

End Quote

To the best of my understanding here is a synopsis of the Indian and Germanic versions of this myth:

The Rigveda:

Someone persuades Tvashtar that the Ribhus have insulted a cup that Tvashtar forged for the gods. He goes to the gods and demands the Ribhus' lives.

The god Agni goes to the Ribhus and, after they plead their innocence, requests they make trasures for the gods, including four duplicate cups, identical to Tvashtar's or else forfiet their lives. If they succeed they can partake of sacrifices with the gods.

The Ribhus succeed, but are denied part of the evening sacrifice thus they leave the company of the gods in anger and travel on long journeys.

Tvashtar is angry and leaves the company of the gods in asscoiation with Swan-maids. He takes the Soma-mead with him.

Tvashtar makes some sort of wager with Dadhyak, and instead of receiving Dadhyak's head, he receives the head of his horse.

Of the horse head, Tvashtar creates a "thousand-beamed wedge" with which he intends to kill Indra. But he misses and Indra takes up the weapon.

One of the gods, probably Vata discovers the hidden mead and recovers it. In Tvashtar's company we find Kutsa, one of the Ribhus. Thus the competing artists seem to have united against the gods. (Rigv. 4, 26; 4, 27)

In time, the gods and the artists are reconciled.

The Edda:

Loki instigates a contest between the Sons of Ivaldi and the dwarf-smith Sindri. The gods are called upon to judge the works.He wagers his head with the dwarf Sindri.

The gods prefer Sindri's work, a lightning hammer presented to Thor.

The sons of Ivaldi are gravely insulted and leave the company of the gods with their sisters the swan-maids, among whom is Idunn keeper of the gods means of rejuvenation.

Sindri and his brother Brokk win Loki's head, but are tricked out of it through cunning.

One of the Ivaldi sons, Volund, creates a dangerous sword, more powerful than Mjollnir with which he intends to slay the gods, but the rival smith clan led by Mimir (father of Sindri) captures him and secures the sword.

The dwarves also withdraw their favors from the gods, angry at the outcome of the contest.

Previously, the father of the smiths, the Sons of Ivaldi (i.e. Ivaldi himself) has gotten a quantity of mead from Mimir's well and taken it to a rival group of smiths ruled by Surt. Odin himself recovers the mead.

Points of contact:

Two rival smith clans are tricked into forging treasures for the gods by a cunning individual.

A cunning individual, possibly the same one who caused the disention between the artists loses his head in a wager with the smith who forged a weapon for the Thundergod.

They make similar treasures for the gods, including reduplicated works, animals from empty hides, and a weapon for the Thundergod.

Both groups leave the company of the gods in anger.

One group of artists (Tvashtar in the Rigveda, and the Sons of Ivaldi in the Germanic) who are said to be in the company of swan-maids forges a weapon dangerous to the gods, which they later come into possession of (Volund's sword, Tvashtar's "thousand-beamed wedge").

During the time they are enemies of the gods, the two rival smith-clans are found in association with one another.

One of the smith-clans is associated with the mead of the gods. The mead is removed from the gods' reach for a time, and the highest god must recover it .

Eventually, the smith-clans are reconciled with the gods.

Wassail~William Reaves

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