Yes, christianity adapted a lot => take Eastern <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
Ostara => origin was the Germanic goddess of spring and morning. She was celebrated during that season. "Ostern" is the German word for Eastern - see the origin?
I guess, christianisation wouldn't have worked in Europe if old Germanic traditions wouldn't have been assimilated into the new religion...
and a totally different adaption of old Norse stuff occured in fantasy literature, specially the heroic one => LOTR by Tolkien, surprised? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> - Gandalf (name => "magic Elf") with the appearance of... Odin (Wodan)... with his long cloak, large hat and the staff. This was the pic North Germanics (specially the Scandinavian tribes) had of the allmighty father of gods.
Adaption goes the other way round, too => clues point out the fact that Ragnarök (end of the world in a grand long... bloody fight) visions were developed during the Viking (800-1100 a.c.) era, presumably under Christian influence of the Apocalypse - interesting, hm?
I think it will be impossible to figure out which Germanic myths were really pre-christian and which were additional fiction due to christian influence - cause the Edda was written down in the 13th century and the author was... errhm... a christian <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />
Last edited by kiya; 26/03/04 07:49 PM.