Also called Ran, the Robber.
Their story
Rán is Ægir's wife, and she casts her net to catch sailors who fall into the sea; the drowned are said to go to her. In Friðþjófs saga, sailors in a great storm shared out gold among themselves so that they would not come to her hall empty-handed. She once lent her net to Loki to catch the dwarf Andvari, who swam as a pike.
Best times to give to them
- before a sea journey
- high tide
- after a loss at sea
- stormy nights
What they like being given
- a small gold-coloured coin cast into the sea
- bread or honey given to the waves
- a little rum or mead, or fresh water
- a sea-worn stone returned to the tide
How to honour them
- Toss a coin into the sea before a boat trip and ask for safe passage.
- Remember those lost at sea, and speak their names to her.
- Treat the sea with respect when swimming or sailing.
- Keep a piece of net or a sea-worn stone on your altar.
How they can help you
- safe passage at sea
- grief for those who drowned
- respecting the power of nature
- recovering what is lost
Symbols
- her net
- gold
- nine wave-daughters
- shipwrecks
Rán is powerful and not a gentle figure; she is approached with respect for the real dangers of the sea.