The Binding of Fenrir

The Norse pseudo-god Loki, who is by turns the friend and the enemy of the other gods, had three fearfully hideous and strong children with the giantess Angrboda (“She Who Bodes Anguish”). The first was the serpent Jormungand, and the second was the death-goddess Hel. The third was the wolf Fenrir. The gods had terrible … Continue reading The Binding of Fenrir

Fenrir

Fenrir (pronounced “FEN-rir;” Old Norse Fenrir, “He Who Dwells in the Marshes”[1]) is the most infamous of the many wolves in Norse mythology. His importance for the pre-Christian Scandinavians is demonstrated by his being depicted on numerous surviving runestones, not to mention his ubiquity in Old Norse literary sources. He’s the son of the god … Continue reading Fenrir

What is a Kenning?

A kenning (Old Norse kenning, plural kenningar) is a stylistic device that was commonly used in Old Norse poetry. It’s a form of periphrasis (referring to something indirectly) that uses images from a body of traditional lore to designate something rather than calling it by its everyday name.[1] A simple example would be “man of … Continue reading What is a Kenning?

The Einherjar

The einherjar (pronounced “ane-HAIR-yar,” with the first syllable like “sane” without the “s”; Old Norse einherjar, literally “those who fight alone”[1]) are the band of the spirits of deceased elite warriors who dwell in Valhalla, the magnificent hall of the god Odin. Noble Viking warriors aspired to become one of the einherjar after they died. … Continue reading The Einherjar

Vidar

Vidar (pronounced “VIH-dar”; from Old Norse Víðarr, which might mean “The Wide-Ruling One”[1]) is one of the younger generation of gods who survive Ragnarok, the cataclysmic end of the cosmos in Norse mythology. (In some accounts of that event, that is; in other accounts, the universe just ends, and no one survives.) Virtually all of … Continue reading Vidar

Garm

Garm (Old Norse Garmr, whose meaning/etymology is unknown) is a dog or wolf associated with the underworld and the forces of destruction. Little is known about him, since the references to him are sparse and vague. There’s just barely enough material in the surviving Old Norse sources to get a general idea about the kind … Continue reading Garm

Skoll and Hati

Skoll (pronounced roughly “SKOHL”; Old Norse Sköll, “One Who Mocks”) and Hati (pronounced “HAHT-ee”; Old Norse Hati, “One Who Hates”) are two wolves who are only mentioned in passing references that have to do with their pursuing Sol and Mani, the sun and moon, through the sky in hopes of devouring them. At Ragnarok, the … Continue reading Skoll and Hati

Ragnarok

Ragnarok is the cataclysmic destruction of the cosmos and everything in it – even the gods. When Norse mythology is considered as a chronological set of tales, the story of Ragnarok naturally comes at the very end. For the Vikings, the myth of Ragnarok was a prophecy of what was to come at some unspecified … Continue reading Ragnarok

Valhalla

Valhalla (pronounced “val-HALL-uh”; Old Norse Valhöll, “the hall of the fallen”[1]) is the hall where the god Odin houses the dead whom he deems worthy of dwelling with him. According to the Old Norse poem Grímnismál (“The Song of the Hooded One”), the roof of the “gold-bright” Valhalla is made of shields, and has spears … Continue reading Valhalla