Fulla

Fulla is a goddess of Norse mythology, one of the ásynjur and the trusted handmaid of Frigg. She belongs to the small circle of divine women whom Snorri Sturluson names in his Gylfaginning, and almost everything we know of her comes from that single list.

Who is Fulla?

Snorri describes Fulla as a virgin (mær) who wears her hair flowing loose, bound by a golden band. She carries Frigg's eski — the ashen casket that holds the goddess's possessions — looks after her footwear, and shares in her secret counsel. In other words, Fulla is Frigg's closest attendant, the one who keeps what the queen of Asgard most values and knows what she most guards. Her name may mean something like "bountiful" or "fullness," a fitting note for a figure kept in the household of the foremost goddess.

The attestation is thin. Beyond Snorri's list she appears mainly in skaldic kennings, where gold is called "Fulla's headband" or "Fulla's snood" after that golden band in her hair. The Old High German Second Merseburg Charm names a goddess Volla, sister of Frija, whom many scholars identify with Fulla — a hint that her cult once reached beyond the Norse sources, though the details are lost.

Symbols and legacy

Fulla stands for trust, discretion, and quiet service near the seat of power. Her golden headband ties her to the imagery of the rune Berkano, the sign of the nurturing feminine and the sheltering household. Where the great myths pass her by, she endures as an emblem of the loyal keeper — the one who holds another's treasures and secrets, and can be relied upon to guard both.