Mannus
by Swain Wodening
Mannus is only mentioned in Tacitus' Germania as
progenitor of the tribal groupings of the Germanic peoples. Yet it
seems apparent that his tale is authentic by comparasion with other
Indo-European myths. Mannus is the father of Ing, Irmin, and Istaev.
Some have theorized that he may be Neorð (Njord) based on the
idea that he is the father of Ing and Ing is another name for Freyr.
Others link him with Bor of the Eddic myths and have him the father of
Woden, WIlli, and Wéoh (Odin, Villi, and Vé). Mannus may correnspond to an Indo-Iranian deity
by the name of Manu. According to Hindu myth Manu had two sons and
three daughters, amnd saved Mankind from a great flood.Whether similar myths existed about Mannus is unknown.