The Book of Viking Myths

by Peter Archer

  Fensalir

  Frigg’s hall in Asgard.

  Fjalar

  One of the two dwarves who killed Kvasir (see Galar; Kvasir).

  Forseti

  Son of Baldr and Nanna, he renders justice in his hall, Glitnir.

  Freyja

  Goddess of beauty and love. She drives a chariot pulled by cats and wears the necklace of the Brísingamen. She weeps tears of gold, mourning the loss of her husband Ódr. Her hall is Sessrúmnir at Folkvang in Asgard. She is one of the Vanir sent to the Æsir in the wake of the conflict between the Æsir and the Vanir.

  Freyr

  One of the Vanir, brother of Freyja, son of Njord. He is associated with virility and with sacral kingship. His beloved is the giantess Gerdr, but to wed her he must give away his magical sword. Lacking it, he will be killed by Surtr at Ragnarök.

  Frigg

  Goddess of peacemaking and the wife of Odin, she knows the fate of all folk but does not speak it aloud.

  Fulla

  One of the Æsir, the handmaiden of Frigg, who carries her mistress’s possessions in a box fashioned of ash

  G

  Galar

  One of the two dwarves who killed Kvasir (see Fjalar; Kvasir).

  Garm

  The hound that guards the entrance to Hel.

  Gefjun

  The goddess of virgins.

  Gjallarhorn

  The horn kept by Heimdall as he watches Bifrost. He will use it to warn the Æsir of Ragnarök.

  Gladsheim

  A part of Asgard in which Valhalla is located.

  Glasir

  The golden trees that stand just outside the doors of Valhalla.

  Gleipnir

  The chain by which the gods bound Fenriswolf.

  Grendel

  A monster who attacks Heorot, the hall built by Hrothgar, and slays many of Hrothgar’s followers. He later attacks Beowulf but is defeated when the latter wrenches off his arm. He retreats back to his lair where he dies in agony.

  Gudrun

  Daughter of Giuki, wife of Sigurd the Volsung.

  Gungnir

  The magical spear carried by Odin. It was brought to him by Loki, who obtained it from the dwarves. It always hits its mark; Odin will carry it with him into the final battle at Ragnarök where he will use it to attack Fenriswolf.

  Gunnar

  Son of Giuki, brother of Gudrun. He woos and marries Brynhild, although it is actually Sigurd in disguise who does the wooing.

  Gunnlöd

  Daughter of Suttungr and assigned by him to guard the Mead of Poetry. However, Odin in disguised seduced her and played a trick on her that allowed him to steal much of the mean and return to Asgard with it (see Mead of Poetry; Suttungr).

  Guthrum (d. 890)

  The Viking chief who negotiated a treaty with Alfred the Great of Wessex establishing the Danelaw. As a condition of the treaty, Guthrum converted to Christianity, taking the name Æthelstan.

  Gylfi

  The first king of Scandinavia and the principle figure in the Gylfaginning, a part of the Prose Edda. During the Gylfaginning, Gylfi, disguised as Gangleri, goes to Asgard and interviews three mysterious figures about the gods and the nine worlds.

  H

  Harald Fairhair (c. 850–c. 932)

  The first king of Norway, whose reign lasted from c. 872–930.

  Heimdall

  Guardian of the bridge Bifrost, from where he keeps watch for the coming of Ragnarök. He is the son of nine mothers and is sometimes referred to as the Gold Toothed.

  Hel

  Both a place and a person. The place is where souls go when they die, although the souls of heroic warriors are brought to Valhalla. Hel, located in the dark, cold world of Niflheim, is presided over by Hel, the youngest daughter of Loki, who is usually depicted as a hag.

  Helgi

  Son of Sigmund and a leader of the Volsungs.

  Heorot

  The hall built by Hrothgar that is attacked by Grendel and later defended by Beowulf.

  Hermódr

  The son of Odin, he travels to Hel to ask for the return of the slain Baldr’s soul to Asgard.

  Hlidskjalf

  The high seat where Odin sits, observing what is occurring in the nine worlds. It is also sometimes depicted as a dwelling, the site of Odin’s high seat.

  Hreidmar

  Father of Otter, Fafnir, and Regin. When Loki killed Otter, Hreidmar demanded compensation in the form of treasure.

  Hrothgar

  Chief of the Scyldings, builder of Heorot, he calls upon the help of Beowulf when the hall is attacked by the monster Grendel.

  Hrungnir

  A giant first encountered by Odin and then who fights and loses a duel with Thor. However, a piece of his whetstone is embedded in Thor’s skull.

  Hugi

  A giant whom Thor and Loki meet at Utgarda and who defeats Thor’s servant, Thjalfi, in a foot race. In reality, Hugi is the speed of the giant Utgarda’s thought.

  Huginn

  One of two ravens (see Muninn) that sit on Odin’s shoulders, he is also called Thought. Each day they fly about the nine worlds and bring him news of what is happening.

  Hvergelmir

  One of the locations of a root of Yggdrasil, it is found in Niflheim. The word can be translated as “bubbling stream.” It is the source of all waters in the world.

  Hymir

  A giant with whom Thor once went on a fishing expedition. Thor almost caught the World Serpent, but Hymir panicked and cut his line.

  Hyrrokkin

  A giantess, she pushes out the boat that contains Baldr’s funeral pyre. She is one of many giants who attend Baldr’s funeral.

  I

  Idunn

  Wife of Bragi and keeper of magical apples that keep the gods ever young. She and her apples were kidnapped by the giant Thiazi with the contrivance of Loki.

  J

  Jörmungandr

  The World Serpent, offspring of Loki and Angrboda. When Odin created Midgard, he threw the serpent into the sea surrounding the world. There the serpent curled around the world, biting its own tail.

  Jötunheim

  One of the nine worlds; home of the giants. It is dominated by the fortress of Utgard.

  K

  Kvasir

  A wise man created by the gods at the end of the war between the Æsir and the Vanir. In the course of his travels through the world to resolve disputes, he encountered two dwarves who killed him and brewed the Mead of Poetry from his body.

  L

  Leif Erikson

  Son of Erik the Red. He and his followers traveled west as far as Newfoundland and possibly the mouth of the St. Lawrence Seaway. They named the land they discovered Vinland.

  Logi

  Apparently a giant whom Thor and Loki meet at Utgard and who defeats Loki in an eating contest. In reality, Logi is wild fire.

  Loki

  A trickster who is either a god, according to some sources, or a giant according to others. He is the father, by the giantess Angrboda, of Jörmungandr, the World Serpent; Fenriswolf; and Hel. Disguised as a mare, Loki gave birth to Sleipnir, Odin’s eight-legged horse. For conniving the death of Baldr, most beloved of the gods, Loki is bound with a serpent above his face that continuously drips venom on him.

  M

  Magni

  Thor’s son by the giantess Jarnsaxa. Having inherited the strength of both his parents, he is capable of feats of prowess when he is only a baby.

  Mead of Poetry

  A marvelous mead brewed by the dwarves Fjalar and Galar from the body of Kvasir, a wise man created by the Æsir and Vanir. Through trickery, Odin obtained some of the mead and brought it to Asgard.

  Mengloth

  The object of the hero Svipdag’s love, she lives in Giant Land in a fortress guarded by the giant Fjolsvid. Svipdag succeeds in gaining her love.

  Midgard

  Middle-earth, one of the nine worlds. It is here that human beings live. The
gods often travel to Midgard either to seek adventure or to interact with its inhabitants. Midgard is surrounded by a vast sea, in which rests Jörmungandr, the World Serpent.

  Mímir

  A wise god, a member of the Æsir. In the wake of the conflict between the Æsir and the Vanir, Mímir was given to the latter as a hostage. However, feeling they had got the worst of the hostage exchange, the Vanir cut off his head. Odin retrieved it and preserved it so ever after he had the advice of the wise Mímir.

  Mjollnir

  The hammer of Thor, made by the dwarves. Its short handle is due to a mistake in its making. With it, Thor slays giants, the foes of the Æsir and Vanir. It was stolen by the giant Thrym but recovered by Thor with the assistance of Loki.

  Muninn

  One of two ravens (see Huginn) that sit on Odin’s shoulders, he is also called Memory. Each day they fly about the nine worlds and bring the god news of what is happening.

  Múspell

  Prior to the creation of the world, one of two realms. Múspell lay to the south and was fiery and hot. After the creation of the cosmos, it became Múspellsheimr, one of the nine worlds.

  Múspellsheimr

  One of the nine worlds, a place of fire. It is guarded by the giant Surtr, who at the end of the world will defeat the god Freyr (see Ragnarök).

  N

  Naglfar

  A ship built entirely of human nails, which will be launched at the beginning of Ragnarök. It will be captained by the giant Hrym.

  Nanna

  Wife of Baldr who dies of grief at his funeral and is thus burned on the same pyre as her husband. In Saxo Grammaticus’s Gesta Danorum she is a human being loved by both Baldr and Hödr.

  Narfi

  The son of Loki, who is killed by his brother, Váli, after the latter is transformed by Odin into a wolf. Narfi’s guts are used to bind Loki.

  Náströnd

  The hall to which the souls of murderers and oath-breakers are banished after Ragnarök.

  Nidavellir

  The home of the Dark Elves; see Svartalfheim.

  Nidhogg

  The dragon that perpetually gnaws on the roots of Yggdrasil. It also chews the corpses of those guilty of murder, rape, or oath-breaking.

  Niflheim

  One of the two realms before the creation of the world. It was in the north and was dark and cold and the source of eleven rivers, which poured their waters into the Ginnungagap (the Yawning Gap) between Múspellsheimr and Niflheim. After the creation of the cosmos, Niflheim became one of the nine worlds and the seat of Hel.Njord

  Father of Freyja and Freyr and god of boats and trading. He was one of the Vanir who was sent to live with the Æsir after the conflict between the two groups of gods.

  Noatun

  A hall, the home of the god Njord.

  O

  Odin

  The Allfather. Father and chief of the gods of Asgard. He is the god of ecstasy and poetry as well as the god of battle. He receives half of those who die in battle. The heroes he welcomes to the hall of Valhalla in Asgard. He possesses the Mead of Poetry and hung on the World Tree, Yggdrasil, for nine nights to gain the knowledge of runes. He will die at Ragnarök by being swallowed whole by the wolf Fenriswolf.

  Ódr

  The lost husband of Freyja, for whom she weeps golden tears.

  Oseberg ship

  A Viking ship discovered at Slagen, Norway, in 1903. It is one of the most well preserved and complete examples of a Viking ship extant. It dates from the ninth century.

  P

  Poetic Edda

  A compilation of poetry related to the doings of gods and heroes. For a complete list of the contents of the Poetic Edda, see Chapter 4. The poems are by different people and were written at different times, but the most important version, the Codex Regius, was compiled in the thirteenth century. It was used as a source by Snorri Sturluson in his Prose Edda.

  Prose Edda

  Written by Snorri Sturluson in the first part of the thirteenth century, this work contains a Prologue, the Gylfaginning, the Skáldskaparmál, and the Háttatal. The Prose Edda is one of the most important sources of information about Scandinavian mythology and literature.

  R

  Ragnarök

  The Scandinavian myth of the end of the world. During Ragnarök there will be battles between the gods and monsters such as the World Serpent and Fenriswolf. From the ruin of the earth that is caused by these struggles, there will arise a new world.

  Ratatoskr

  The squirrel that lives in the branches of Yggdrasil. It carries messages from the eagle, Vethirfölnir, which sits at the top of the tree, and Nidhogg, the dragon that gnaws at the tree’s roots.

  Regin

  The tutor of Sigurd, he sought to use the Volsung’s power selfishly toward his own ends. When Sigurd discovered this, he killed Regin.

  Ríg

  A god who sires the various social groups of men by sleeping with three different women. The first gives birth to the ancestors of thralls; the second to the ancestors of freemen; and the third to the ancestors of noble warriors.

  Rollo (c. 863–c. 940)

  Viking leader to whom the Frankish king Charles the Simple gave a large grant of land in what is now called Normandy (after the Northmen). In return, Rollo put his followers at the service of the Frankish state.

  Roskva

  A servant of Thor.

  Runes

  A form of writing often used for magical inscriptions, widespread throughout the Germanic world. The runic alphabet is known as the futhark from the first six letters in it (the “th” sound is represented by one of two alternate letters call the thorn and the eth). Odin learned the secret of runes by hanging for nine nights from the branches of Yggdrasil.

  Rus

  The name given to Vikings who crossed the Baltic and raided the east as far as Constantinople. They later established the Kievan state, which eventually evolved into Russia.

  S

  Saxo Grammaticus (c. 1150–c. 1220)

  A twelfth-century chronicler, author of Gesta Danorum. He provides an important source for the history and mythology of the Viking age.

  Sif

  Thor’s wife. Her pride is her beautiful golden hair, which Loki stole once as a joke.

  Siggeir

  King of Gothland and husband of Signy, daughter of Volsung and Ljod, the giant’s daughter. He later betrayed the Volsungs and was eventually killed by Volsung and Sigmund.

  Sigmund

  Son of Volsung and Ljod, the giant’s daughter. He was treacherously attacked by his brother-in-law but survived and sired Sigurd.

  Sigurd

  Son of Sigmund, beloved of Brynhild, husband of Gudrun. He is the hero of the Völusunga Saga.

  Sigyn

  The wife of Loki. After his binding, when a venomous serpent is suspended above him so its poison drips on his face, she catches the poison in a wooden bowl. When the bowl is full, she empties it into a rocky basin, and Loki writhes in agony beneath the still-dripping venom.

  Sinfjotli

  Signy’s son by her brother Sigmund.

  Sjofn

  Goddess of love and lovers.

  Skathi

  Wife of Njord. She is a giantess and the patroness of hunting. In some accounts Njord killed her father, Thiazi, and married her by way of compensation. (In the story of Idunn’s apples, it is Thor who kills Thiazi.) She later left Njord and married Odin, by whom she had many children. When the gods bind Loki, it is Skathi who places a snake above his face so that it perpetually drips venom upon him.

  Skidbladnir

  A ship fashioned for Freyr by the dwarves. When not in use it can be folded so it is no bigger than a piece of parchment.

  Skrymir

  See Utgard.

  Skuld

  One of the three norns who live at the Well of Urdr beneath one of the roots of Yggdrasil. Her name translates as “future.” She is also possibly a Valkyrie.

  Sleipnir


  The eight-legged horse ridden by Odin. Sleipnir was conceived by Loki while he was in the shape of the mare in order to distract that magical horse Svadilfari. Hermódr rides Sleipnir to Hel after Baldr’s death to beg for the return of the god.

  Snorri Sturluson (1179–1241)

  Poet and politician, author of the Prose Edda, Heimskringla, and probably Egil’s Saga. His work is one of the most important sources for our knowledge of Viking mythology.

  Suttungr

  In revenge for the murder of his father Gilling by the two dwarves Fjalar and Galar, Suttungr obtained from them the Mead of Poetry. Much of the mead was stolen from him by Odin in disguise (see Mead of Poetry; Fjalar; Galar).

  Svadilfari

  A magical horse that helps a giant to build the wall around Asgard. Because the horse works all night as well as all day, the giant comes close to completing the wall, which would have required the gods to give him Freyja, the sun, and the moon. However, Loki, disguised as a mare, distracted Svadilfari, and the wall was not completed.

  Svartalfheim

  One of the nine worlds; home of the dwarves.

  Svipdag

  Son of the seeress Groa, he was destined to seek out the beautiful woman Mengloth and declare his love for her. Despite her being guarded by a giant, he succeeded, and they were united in love.

  T

  Thiazi

  A giant, father of Skathi, who is the wife of the Vanir Njord. Thiazi is behind the theft of Idunn’s apples, which he manages with the help of Loki.

  Thjalfi

  A servant of Thor. He was defeated at a race (through trickery) during a visit by Thor and Loki to the fortress of Utgarda-Loki in Giant Land.

  Thökk

  A giantess, the one being in all the nine worlds who refuses to weep for the slain Baldr, thus condemning him to remain in Hel. Some of the gods suspect that Thökk is really Loki in disguise, bent on frustrating the wishes of Odin and Frigg.