In
Norse mythology
Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern per ...
, the Horses of the Æsir are ridden by the gods. They are mentioned in the ''
Poetic Edda
The ''Poetic Edda'' is the modern name for an untitled collection of Old Norse anonymous narrative poems, which is distinct from the ''Prose Edda'' written by Snorri Sturluson. Several versions exist, all primarily of text from the Icelandic med ...
'' and the ''
Prose Edda
The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' ( is, Snorra Edda) or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland during the early 13th century. The work is often assumed to have been ...
''.
Listing
The horses of the Æsir are listed twice.
The
Eddic poem ''
Grímnismál'' gives the following names:
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson ( ; ; 1179 – 22 September 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of th ...
paraphrases this stanza in his ''
Gylfaginning
''Gylfaginning'' (Old Norse: 'The Beguiling of Gylfi' or 'The Deluding of Gylfi'; c. 20,000 words; 13th century Old Norse pronunciation ) is the first part of the 13th century ''Prose Edda'' after the Prologue. The ''Gylfaginning'' deals with t ...
'':
Apart from
Sleipnir
In Norse mythology, Sleipnir (Old Norse: ; "slippy"Orchard (1997:151). or "the slipper"Kermode (1904:6).) is an eight-legged horse ridden by Odin. Sleipnir is attested in the '' Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier tradition ...
, Odin's eight-legged horse, and
Gulltoppr
In Norse mythology, Gulltoppr (Old Norse: , "golden mane"Simek (2007:122).) is one of the horses of the gods. Gulltoppr is mentioned in a list of horses in the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''Grímnismál'' and in ''Nafnaþulur'' section of the ''Prose Edd ...
, who belongs to
Heimdallr
In Norse mythology, Heimdall (from Old Norse Heimdallr) is a god who keeps watch for invaders and the onset of Ragnarök from his dwelling Himinbjörg, where the burning rainbow bridge Bifröst meets the sky. He is attested as possessing for ...
according to the ''
Prose Edda
The ''Prose Edda'', also known as the ''Younger Edda'', ''Snorri's Edda'' ( is, Snorra Edda) or, historically, simply as ''Edda'', is an Old Norse textbook written in Iceland during the early 13th century. The work is often assumed to have been ...
'', nothing is known about these horses, especially their owner. These names are yet listed in the ''
þulur''.
Other horses are mentioned elsewhere:
Gullfaxi, which originally belonged to
Hrungnir
Hrungnir (Old Norse: , 'brawler') is a jötunn in Norse mythology. He is described as made of stone and is ultimately killed in a duel with the thunder god Thor.
Prior to his demise, Hrungnir engaged in a wager with Odin in which Odin stakes his ...
, but who was given by
Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...
to his son
Magni after he killed the
giant
In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...
(''Skáldskaparmál'',
17),
Blóðughófi, which belongs to
Freyr (''
Kálfsvísa'') and
Hófvarpnir, which is ridden by
Gná (''Gylfaginning'',
35).
Meanings
*
Blóðughófi: "Bloody-hoof";
*
Falhófnir: "Hairy-hoof" or "Hidden-hoof", i.e. whose hoofs are covered with hair, or "Pale-hoof";
*
Gulltoppr
In Norse mythology, Gulltoppr (Old Norse: , "golden mane"Simek (2007:122).) is one of the horses of the gods. Gulltoppr is mentioned in a list of horses in the ''Poetic Edda'' poem ''Grímnismál'' and in ''Nafnaþulur'' section of the ''Prose Edd ...
: "Gold-tuft";
* Gísl: related to "beam", "ray";
*
Glaðr: "Glad" or "Bright";
*
Glær: "Clear", "Glassy";
*
Gullfaxi: "Golden-mane"
*
Gyllir:
[Gyllir is also the name of a giant in the '' þulur'', whose name means "Yeller".] "Golden";
*
Hófvarpnir : "Hoof-thrower";
* Léttfeti: "Light-foot";
* Silfrintoppr: "Silver-tuft";
* Sinir: "Sinewy";
* Skeiðbrimir: "the one which snorts as he runs";
*
Sleipnir
In Norse mythology, Sleipnir (Old Norse: ; "slippy"Orchard (1997:151). or "the slipper"Kermode (1904:6).) is an eight-legged horse ridden by Odin. Sleipnir is attested in the '' Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier tradition ...
: "trickster";
See also
*
Second Merseburg Charm
The Merseburg charms or Merseburg incantations (german: die Merseburger Zaubersprüche) are two medieval magic spells, charms or incantations, written in Old High German. They are the only known examples of Germanic pagan belief preserved in t ...
, in which the gods heal a hurt horse
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Horses of the Aesir
Aesir
Æsir