Репост из: Æhtemen
The Yggdrasil Tree as Woden's Steed.
A common view is that the Yggdrasil is an Ash. This may be a very old word play as there are examples of the word 'Ash' being used as a name for horse. The (grand)son of Hengest was called Oeric. He used the title Oisc which was the same as Aesc, and means Ash. The names Hengest and Horsa (Stallion and Horse) were more likely war-titles and not real names, and it seems that Oeric (Ash) continued this tradition. The Horse gods of the Baltic lands are viewed as twins called the Ašvieniai, in Aryan-Hindu lore they are called the Ashwins. Both names derive from the word Ashva which means Horse. The word Ashva also cognates with the Germanic word Ehwaz (horse).
To some folk, the World Tree is seen as the Yew, however this can still means 'Horse'. The Anglo-Saxon word for horse was Eoh, whilst Ēoh meant Yew. Further to this the word 'yggia' comes from the root *igwja which means Yew-Tree. So it would seem regardless of whether the tree is an Ash or Yew - both can mean Horse.
A common view is that the Yggdrasil is an Ash. This may be a very old word play as there are examples of the word 'Ash' being used as a name for horse. The (grand)son of Hengest was called Oeric. He used the title Oisc which was the same as Aesc, and means Ash. The names Hengest and Horsa (Stallion and Horse) were more likely war-titles and not real names, and it seems that Oeric (Ash) continued this tradition. The Horse gods of the Baltic lands are viewed as twins called the Ašvieniai, in Aryan-Hindu lore they are called the Ashwins. Both names derive from the word Ashva which means Horse. The word Ashva also cognates with the Germanic word Ehwaz (horse).
To some folk, the World Tree is seen as the Yew, however this can still means 'Horse'. The Anglo-Saxon word for horse was Eoh, whilst Ēoh meant Yew. Further to this the word 'yggia' comes from the root *igwja which means Yew-Tree. So it would seem regardless of whether the tree is an Ash or Yew - both can mean Horse.