Byggvir is a figure in Norse mythology

Norse mythology

Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...

. The only surviving mention of Byggvir appears in the prose beginning of Lokasenna

Lokasenna

Lokasenna is one of the poems of the Poetic Edda. The poem presents flyting between the gods and Loki....

, and stanzas 55 through 56 of the same poem, where he is referred to as one of Freyr

Freyr

Freyr is one of the most important gods of Norse paganism. Freyr was highly associated with farming, weather and, as a phallic fertility god, Freyr "bestows peace and pleasure on mortals"...

's servants and as the husband of Beyla

Beyla

Beyla is one of Freyr's servants along with her husband, Byggvir, in Norse mythology. Beyla is mentioned in stanzas 55, 66, and the prose introduction to the Poetic Edda poem Lokasenna. Since this is the only mention of Beyla, scholars have turned to the etymology of Beyla's name for additional...

.

Bygg is the Old Norse

Old Norse

Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....

 word for barley

Barley

Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...

. Subsequently, Byggvir is often identified with this etymology

Etymology

Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...

 of his name and connections have been placed with the mentioning of Byggvir's described involvement with mill-grinding as being potential references to barley processing. Comparisons to the Anglo-Saxon figure of Beowa

Beowa

Beowa, Beaw, Beow, Beo or Bedwig is a figure in Anglo-Saxon paganism associated with barley and agriculture. The figure is attested in the Anglo-Saxon royal genealogies as they were extended in the age of Alfred, where Beowa is inserted as the son of Scyld and the grandson of Sceafa, in lineages...

 (Old English "barley") have been put forth.

Lokasenna

In Lokasenna, Loki is depicted as degrading Byggvir for being of slight statue and as a gossiper:

Stanza 43:

Byggvir qvaþ: «Veiztv, ef ec øþli ettac sem Ingvnar-Freyr oc sva selict setr, mergi smera ma/lþa ec þa meíncráco oc lemþa alla i liþo.»

Byggvir spake: Had I birth so famous as Ingunar-Freyr Freyr Freyr is one of the most important gods of Norse paganism. Freyr was highly associated with farming, weather and, as a phallic fertility god, Freyr "bestows peace and pleasure on mortals"... , And sat in so lofty a seat, I would crush to marrow this croaker of ill, And beat all his body to bits."

Stanza 44:

Loci qvaþ: «Hvat er þat iþ litla, er ec þat la/ggra sec oc snapvist snapir; at eyrom Freys mvnðv e vera oc vnd kvernom klaca.»

Loki spake: "What little creature goes crawling there, Snuffling and snapping about? At Freyr's ears ever wilt thou be found, Or muttering hard at the mill."

Stanza 45:

Beyggvir qvaþ: «Beyggvir ec heíti, enn mic braþan qveþa goð a/ll oc gvmar: þvi em ec her hroðvgr, at drecca Hroptz megir allir a/l saman.»

Byggvir spake: "Byggvir my name, and nimble am I, As gods and men do grant; And here am I proud that the children of Hropt Together all drink ale."

Stanza 46:

Loci qvaþ: «Þegi þv, Byggvir! þv kvnnir aldregi deila meþ monnom mat; oc þic i fletz strá finna ne mattv, þa er vago verar.»

Loki spake: "Be silent, Byggvir! thou never couldst set Their shares of the meat for men; Hid in straw on the floor, they found thee not When heroes were fain to fight."

In relation to Loki's comments in Lokasenna, proposals have been made that Beyla and her husband are personifications of agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 associated with Freyr: Beyla as the manure that softens the earth and develops the seed, Byggvir as the refuse of the mill, chaff

Chaff

Chaff is the dry, scaly protective casings of the seeds of cereal grain, or similar fine, dry, scaly plant material such as scaly parts of flowers, or finely chopped straw...

.