ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Wetlands and islands in Germanic paganism

Okay, so let's start with wetlands. Wetlands are like really soggy, muddy areas where the ground is all wet and squishy. It's like a big puddle that never goes away. They usually have lots of plants like reeds and cattails, and maybe even some cool animals like frogs and ducks.

Now, in Germanic paganism, wetlands were very special and important. They were seen as a place where humans could connect with the spiritual world. People believed that the spirits and gods lived in these wetlands, so they treated them with a lot of respect.

People would sometimes make offerings to the spirits in wetlands. They might leave things like food, flowers, or even little statues to show their respect. They believed that by doing this, the spirits would be happy and bring them good luck.

Now let's talk about islands. You know what islands are, right? They are like pieces of land that are surrounded by water. They can be big or small, and they can be found in oceans, lakes, or even rivers.

In Germanic paganism, islands also had a special meaning. They were seen as a sort of bridge between the human world and the spiritual world. People believed that the gods and spirits would sometimes visit these islands, so they were considered very holy.

Sometimes, groups of people would even build special places on these islands, like temples or sacred groves. They would use these places to worship and connect with the gods and spirits.

So, in a nutshell, wetlands and islands were very important in Germanic paganism because they were seen as places where people could connect with the spirits and gods. People would treat these places with respect and even build special places to worship on the islands.