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Haegl can be literally interpreted as hail, a miraculous and terrifying phenomenon of nature. It must have seemed to the Teutons that the gods were venting their wrath on the earth when they threw down white stones to blight crops and kill fowl. Hail was thought to be one of the weapons of the frost giants.

In the abstract, Haegl means hardship. Involuntary suffering without reason. The afflictions of Job. Any injustice thrust upon a man by the fates. The loss of a loved one, An inexplicable sickness. The sinking of a ship or the laming of a horse. Disaster of a violent nature. Haegl is an active and masculine destroyer. It beats down a field of grain with hammer strokes. Its action is visible and physical.

This rune begins the second aett which bears its name. It has been speculated that Haegl is the name of unknown god since the runes that begin the other two aettir can be connected with two gods: Feoh is a natural symbol for Frey, and Tyr is another name for Tiw. Since no reference to a god Haegl has ever been found, this is only speculation. If Haegl is a god he may have filled a role similar to the Hindu goddess Kali, the Destroyer. Tiw is a god of judicial mediation, Frey is a god of generation. The trinity would be rounded by a god of destruction.

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MEANINGS:

UPRIGHT:

Disaster, storm, drought, fury of nature, loss of possessions, injury, destruction of property, earthquake, tornado, hurricane, avalanche, tidal wave, shipwreck, train wreck, plane crash, car accident, sports injury, any hardship involving violence.

REVERSED:

Trial weathered, tempering, testing of metal, dealing with adversity, strengthening hardship, character-forming experience, triumph over loss, turning adverse circumstances to advantage, rebuilding, starting over, rising from the ashes.

KEY: HARDSHIP