Thorskegga has started a series of paintings depicting the gods worshipped by the Anglo-Saxon and Norse settlers in England.
Beyla is one of the two servants of Frey, the exact meaning of her name is not clear, the academics disagree, Simek suggests 'cow' while Dumezil suggests 'bee'. Her partner is Byggvir, his name means 'corn'.
Thorshof members regard Beyla as the bee goddess with influence over sweetness (of the culinary variety!, mead and wisdom). In Locasenna Loki insults Beyla (her sole appearance in the Eddas):
''Be quite Beyla! Byggvir's wife
Likes to brew baleful poisons;
No one saw among the Aesir
A servant so foul and filthy,''
The first two lines mirror Loki's attack against Freyja and it is possible that they are both aspects of the same goddess. His other comments are probably a slurr against her low rank among the gods. Beyla is shown here with her mead cauldron, bee skeps and red clover which is one of the best native English bee plants.
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