Freyr Uses Hlidskialf

‘There was someone called Gymir, and his wife Aurboda. She
was of the race of mountain-giants. Gerd is their daughter, the
most beautiful of all women. It happened one day that Freyr had
gone into Hlidskialf and was looking over all worlds, and when he
looked to the north he saw on a certain homestead a large and
beautiful building, and to this building went a woman, and when
she lifted her arms and opened the door for herself, light was shed
from her arms over both sky and sea, and all worlds were made
bright by her. And his punishment for his great presumption in
having sat in that holy seat was that he went away full of grief.
And when he got home he said nothing, he neither slept nor
drank; no one dared to try to speak with him. Then Niord sent for
Freyr’s servant Skirnir, and bade him go to Freyr and try to get
him to talk and ask who he was so angry with that he would not
speak to anyone. Skirnir said he would go though he was not
keen, and said unpleasant answers were to be expected from him.
And when he got to Freyr he asked why Freyr was so downcast
and would not speak to anyone. Then Freyr replied and said he
had seen a beautiful woman and for her sake he was so full of grief
that he would not live long if he were not to have her.


- Prose Edda, Gylfaginning