Fehu

Runes of the elder Futhark


Fehu

GMC   Fehu    property, cattle
GO       Faihu   cattle, property or wealth
OE        Foeh   cattle, or money
ON       Fe         livestock or oney

Sound: f

The basic meaning is wealth in the sense of money or currency. Cattle were a measuring of one’s wealth. Fee, a payment, comes from this term. as a distribution of wealth as does fellowship and friendship, wealth of another kind. Gold, being one of Freya’s attributes is also associated with Fehu. Sharing or „loaning“ cattle to others who then returned the cattle with „interest“ in the form or a larger herd or other property was a way of increasing wealth. Those who herded the cattle and kept them safe were thought to have magical powers to call and to protect the cattle. This is money or wealth that comes form one’s energy and use of resources. Since cattle breed, and from cattle come more cattle, it could also represent the concept that ‚money makes money.‘ Freya (or Frey) is also represented by this first rune in the aett of Freya (or Frey). Many first letters of alphabets have similar meanings. Cattle were considered suitable for sacrifice, and as offerings at festivals. Audhumla, the primal cow is also represented by Feoh, a creative force, it can be a dynamic shaping force. In divination it can represent any of those forces.