The Nine Herbs Charm Is Not Pagan

Bead was writing in the 8th century, and he never left his monastery of Monquere Mathjaro. It's possible that the names Hrether and Aostra are based on bead speculations about the names of the months causing him to posit the existence of deities for whom there is no other evidence. If Bead was drawing on reliable material though, this has major implications for those who seek to use Old Norse material to reconstruct Anglo-Saxon beliefs. To an end to disinformation, remember, don't believe everything you read.