Norse mythology is the body of myths of the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Norse paganism

and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Scandinavian folklore of the
modern period. The northernmost extension of Germanic mythology, Norse mythology consists of tales
of various deities, beings, and heroes derived from numerous sources from both before and after the
pagan period, including medieval manuscripts, archaeological representations, and folk tradition.
Numerous gods are mentioned in the source texts such as the hammer-wielding, humanity-protecting
thunder-god Thor, who relentlessly fights his foes; the one-eyed, raven-flanked god Odin, who craftily
pursues knowledge throughout the worlds and bestowed among humanity the runic alphabet; the
beautiful, seiðr-working, feathered cloak-clad goddess Freya who rides to battle to choose among the
slain; the vengeful, skiing goddess Skaði, who prefers the wolf howls of the winter mountains to the
seashore; the powerful god Njörð, who may calm both sea and fire and grant wealth and land; the god
Frey, whose weather and farming associations bring peace and pleasure to humanity; the goddess
Iðunn, who keeps apples that grant eternal youthfulness; the mysterious god Heimdall, who is born of
nine mothers, can hear grass grow, has gold teeth, and possesses a resounding horn; the jötunn Loki,
who brings tragedy to the gods by engineering the death of the goddess Frigg's beautiful son Baldr; and
numerous other deities. Most of the surviving mythology centres on the plights of the gods and their
interaction with various other beings, such as humanity and the jötnar, beings who may be friends,
lovers, foes or family members of the gods. The cosmos in Norse mythology consists of Nine Worlds that
flank a central cosmological tree, Yggdrasil. Units of time and elements of the cosmology are personified
as deities or beings. Various forms of a creation myth are recounted, where the world is created from
the flesh of the primordial being Ymir, and the first two humans are Ask and Embla. These worlds are
foretold to be reborn after the events of Ragnarök when an immense battle occurs between the gods
and their enemies, and the world is enveloped in flames, only to be reborn anew. There the surviving
gods will meet, and the land will be fertile and green, and two humans will repopulate the world. Norse
mythology has been the subject of scholarly discourse since the 17th century when key texts were
brought to the attention of the intellectual circles of Europe. By way of comparative mythology and
historical linguistics, scholars have identified elements of Germanic mythology reaching as far back as
Proto-Indo-European mythology. In the modern period, the Romanticist Viking revival re-awoke an
interest in the subject matter, and references to Norse mythology may now be found throughout
modern popular culture. The myths have further been revived in a religious context among adherents of
Germanic Neopaganism.

What Is Norse mythology? Before the Norse (a.k.a. the Vikings) were converted to Christianity during
the Middle Ages, they had their own vibrant native pagan religion that was as harshly beautiful as the
Nordic landscape to which it was intimately connected. The centerpiece of that religion was what we
today call “Norse mythology:” the set of religious stories that gave meaning to the Vikings’ lives. These
myths revolved around gods and goddesses with fascinating and highly complex characters, such as
Odin, Thor, Freya, and Loki. The Norse religion that contained these myths never had a true name –
those who practiced it just called it “tradition.” However, people who continued to follow the old ways
after the arrival of Christianity were sometimes called “heathens,” which originally meant simply
“people who live on the heaths” or elsewhere in the countryside, and the name has stuck. Religions are
attempts by mankind to reach the numinous, and the Norse religion was of course no exception. It
provided a means of doing this that was fitting for the Vikings’ time and place. Even though some
aspects of it may strike the modern reader as bizarre, if we approach it with the open mind it deserves,
we can recognize within it the common human quest to live life in the presence of the transcendent
majesty and joy of the sacred. And even though it’s been a thousand years since the last Vikings laid
down their swords, people today continue to be inspired by the vitality and wonder of the Norse myths
and the gods who inhabit them. For the Vikings, the world as they found it was enchanted – that is, they
didn’t feel the need to seek salvation from the world, but instead delighted in, and marveled at, “the
way things are,” including what we today would call both “nature” and “culture.” Their religion and
myths didn’t sugarcoat the sordidness, strife, and unfairness of earthly life, but instead acknowledged it
and praised the attempt to master it through the accomplishment of great deeds for the benefit of
oneself and one’s people. A life full of such deeds was what “the good life” was for the Vikings.

Who Were the Vikings? The Vikings were seafaring raiders, conquerors, explorers, settlers, and traders
from modern-day Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland who ventured throughout much of the world
during the Viking Age (roughly 793-1066 CE). They traveled as far east as Baghdad and as far west as
North America, which they discovered some five hundred years before Christopher Columbus. They
spoke the Old Norse language, wrote in runes, and practiced their ancestral religion. The Vikings were
motivated to sail from their homelands by timeless, universal human desires: wealth, prestige, and
power. As in most human societies, those aims were intertwined for the Vikings; those who had more
wealth typically had more prestige and power, and vice versa. The Vikings sought wealth in both its
portable form – gold, silver, gemstones, and the like – and in the form of land. We have the Vikings to
thank for our present understanding not only of their own pre-Christian religion and mythology, but of
that of the other Germanic peoples as well. Thanks to the Old Norse poems, treatises, and sagas that
were written during or relatively soon after the Viking Age, we have a much, much fuller picture of what
the Vikings’ religion was like (despite the many unfortunate holes that nevertheless remain in that
picture) than we do for the religions of any of the other pre-Christian Germanic peoples. But from the
little that we do know about those religions directly, they seem to have been variations on common
themes that were also shared by the Norse, so we can use the Norse sources to help us reconstruct
those hoary religions, too
Who Are the Germanic peoples? The Germanic peoples are one of the indigenous peoples of northern
Europe, along with the Celts, Sami, Finns, and others. Historically, they’ve occupied much of
Scandinavia, Iceland, the British Isles, and continental Europe north of the Alps. Their best-known
representatives are the Vikings, the Anglo-Saxons, and the continental Germanic tribes, but they
included many other groups as well. In the modern era, they – we – are spread out across the world.
While there were certainly regional and temporal variations in the pre-Christian religion of the Germanic
peoples, there was nevertheless a common core worldview, cosmology, and, to a large extent, a
common pantheon as well. If you’re a person of northern European descent (including English, Scottish,
German, and northern French descent), it’s a safe bet that you’ve got some Germanic blood in you. That
means, in turn, that it’s a safe bet that some of your ancestors practiced something very close to the
religion represented by Norse mythology. Of course, you very well may still find Norse/Germanic
mythology to be fascinating and illuminating if you don’t have any Germanic in your ancestry.
Mythologies are certainly expressions of a particular person or people, but they’re far from only that;
there tends to be a spark of something more timeless and universal in them as well.

Differences between Greek and Norse Mythology Posted on September 17, 2015 by emmalou1212 After
reading both Greek and Norse mythology, it is clear that there are similarities but there are also glaring
differences. A big difference between Greek and Norse mythology is that the gods in Norse mythology
are a lot closer to mankind. They get hungry, they get hurt, they die; whereas Greek gods have very little
physical connections to mankind. Norse gods also interact with humans a lot more than Greek gods.
Zeus would pretty much only head down the mountain to sleep with human women. While In order to
get around the nine worlds of the Norse, the gods had to interact with humans and even rely on them
(thor leaving his chariot at a farm). Zeus and Odin are a great comparison for some of the differences
between Greek and Norse mythology. Both are leading “all father” gods. Zeus is a lot moodier and
definitely more promiscuous. Zeus also likes to “puff out his chest” and assert his power a lot more than
Odin. Odin is also arrogant in his own ways. For example when Odin is disguised as Harbard, a ferryman,
(in The Lay of Harbard), he goes back and forth with his son Thor about his many accomplishments and
why ‘Harbard’ is so much better than the hero Thor. The timeline for Norse mythology ends While Greek
Mythology doesn’t have a definite end. All throughout the Norse readings there were many references
to Ragnarok– the final battle. And there isn’t much talk about what happened after Ragnarok since its
seen as a sort of end. There is a grand battle in Greek mythology where Zeus and his brothers succeed in
overthrowing his father but its shown as a beginning rather than an end. Zeus’ battle is towards the
beginning of the Greek mythological world and is an extremely important part. Because without that
battle, Zeus and his siblings wouldn’t have any power. Both Greek and Norse mythology describe how
the world came to be. The Norse creation story was a lot more gruesome since its described as the earth
being made from a fallen giant. Every part of him was transformed to be a part of the earth and even
the sky. His death caused a great flood of his blood where only two humans survive and the oceans were
created. (The Creation). The concept of a great flood has been explored by many many religions
including the Greeks. But with the greeks, the great flood was a punishment to Prometheus and his
creations– man and woman.
The Norse Gods are the mythological characters that, as far as we know, came from the Northern
Germanic tribes of the 9th century AD. These stories were passed down in the form of poetry until the
11th – 18th centuries when the Eddas and other texts were written. Norse mythology comprises the
pre-Christian beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland
where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. Many of these sources
however are said to be tainted by the Christian bias of the writers. The myths presented on this website
were derived from the works of Snorri Sturluson an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician (1179 –
1241). They are “said” to be the least biased writings of the lot. Sturluson’s works have been translated
many times over and in many languages. The Myths on this site are largely based on the translations of
Snorri Sturluson’s work by Kevin Crossley-Holland an English translator, children’s author and poet.
Norse mythology not only has it’s gods, goddesses and immortals but also a myriad of other characters
and creatures that populate the stories including giants, dwarfs, monsters, magical animals and objects.
A List of The Norse Gods Mythological Realms of The Norse Gods The Norse Myths A List of The Norse
Gods Aegir – Norse God of the sea. Married to Ran and lives under the waves near the island of Hlesey.
Aesir – A group of warrior gods led by Odin who inhabit Asgard. Balder – Son of Odin and Frigg. Known
as a gentle and wise god. Killed accidentally by his brother Hod. Will return after Ragnarok. Bolverk –
The alias Odin adopted when disguised as a giant to win the mead of poetry. Bor – Son of Buri and
father of Odin, Vili and Ve. Bragi – The Norse God of poetry and eloquence. Son of Odin and husband of
Idun. Buri – Ancestor of the Norse gods. Created by the cow Audmula licking him from ice. Day – Son of
Night and Delling. Said to ride around the earth on his horse Skinfaxi. Earth – Daughter of Night and
Annar. Einherjar – Band of dead warriors in Valhalla who await Ragnarok. Eir – Goddess of healing
Fjorgyn – Lover of Odin and mother of Thor. Also referred to as Earth. Forseti – God of Justice. Son of
Balder and Nanna. Freyja – Main goddess of the Vanir (fertility gods). Daughter of Njord and sister of
Freyr. Freyr – Important god of the Vanir. Son of Njord and brother of Freyja. Frigga – Main goddess.
Wife of Odin and mother of Balder. Fulla – Goddess servant of Frigga. Gangnrad – Pseudonym of Odin
when he visits Vafthrudnir. Gefion – Fertility goddess. Associated with the plow. Tricked the king of
Sweden out of a tract of his land. Grimnir – Pseudonym of Odin when he visits his foster son Geirrod,
King of the Goths. Gullveig – A Vanir goddess (probably Freyja) who is burned three times by the Aesir.
Harbard – Odin disguised as a ferryman when he wrangles with Thor. Heimdall – Watchman of the
Norse gods and owner of the horn Gjall. Son of nine mothers. Often identified with Rig, the creator of
three races of men. Hel – ruler of Helheim, the realm of the dead Hermod – Son of Odin. Rode to Hel to
try and rescue his brother Balder. Hod – Son of Odin. A blind god who accidentally killed his brother
Balder. he will return after Ragnarok. Honir – A long-legged, indecisive god. Sent to the Vanir to seal the
truce between them and the Aesir. He will survive Ragnarok. Idun – Guardian of the golden apples of
youth and wife of Bragi. Kvasir – the wisest. Created from the spittle of the gods. Lofn – Goddess of ilicit
unions. Loki – The sly, trickster of the Norse gods. Son of two giants. Also known as the Sly One, the
Trickster, the Shape Changer and the Sky Traveller. Becomes increasingly more evil. He is responsible for
the death of Balder. Bound until Ragnarok. Magni – Son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa. Will inherit
Thor’s hammer Mjollnir with his brother Modi after Ragnarok. Mimir – Wise Aesir god. Sent to the Vanir
to seal the truce between the two groups of the Norse gods. Killed by the Vanir, his head is kept by Odin.
Modgud – Maiden guardian of the bridge over the river Gjoll in Jotenheim. Modi – Son of Thor and the
giantess Jarnsaxa. Will inherit Thor’s hammer Mjollnir with his brother Magni after Ragnarok. Moon –
Son of Mundilfari. Guides the moon on it’s course. Nanna – Wife of Balder and daughter of Nep. Narvi –
Also known as Nari. Son of Loki and Sigyn who was killed by his brother Vali. Night – Daughter of Narvi
and mother of Day. Rides around the earth on her horse Hrimfaxi. Njord – A Vanir god associated with
wind and sea. Husband of Skadi and father of Freyja and Freyr. Norns – Urd “fate”, Skuld “being” and
Verandi “necessity”. Three goddesses of destiny. Od – Missing husband of Freyja who she constantly
mourns for. Odin – King of the Norse Gods, God of poetry, battle and death. Chief god of the Aesir. Also
known as the “all-father”, the “terrible one”, “one-eyed” and “father of battle”. Ran – Wife of Aeg

\According to Norse mythology, the beginning of life was fire and ice, with the existence of only two
worlds: Muspelheim and Niflheim. When the warm air of Muspelheim hit the cold ice of Niflheim, the
jötunn Ymir and the icy cow Audhumla were created. Ymir’s foot bred a son and a man and a woman
emerged from his armpits, making Ymir the progenitor of the Jotun. Whilst Ymir slept, the intense heat
from Muspelheim made him sweat, and he sweated out Surtr, a jötunn of fire. Later Ymir woke and
drank Audhumbla’s milk. Whilst he drank, the cow Audhumbla licked on a salt stone. On the first day
after this a man’s hair appeared on the stone, on the second day a head and on the third day an entire
man emerged from the stone. His name was Búri and with an unknown jötunn female he fathered Bor,
the father of the three gods Odin, Vili and Ve. When the gods felt strong enough they killed Ymir. His
blood flooded the world and drowned all of the jötunn, except two. But jötnar grew again in numbers
and soon there were as many as before Ymir’s death. Then the gods created seven more worlds using
Ymir’s flesh for dirt, his blood for the Oceans, rivers and lakes, his bones for stone, his brain as the
clouds, his skull for the heaven. Sparks from Muspelheim flew up and became stars. One day when the
gods were walking they found two tree trunks. They transformed them into the shape of humans. Odin
gave them life, Vili gave them mind and Ve gave them the ability to hear, see, and speak. The gods
named them Ask and Embla and built the kingdom of Middle-earth for them; and, to keep out the
jötnar, the gods placed a gigantic fence made of Ymir’s eyelashes around Middle-earth. The völva goes
on to describe Yggdrasil and three norns, Urðr (Wyrd), Verðandi and Skuld. She then describes the war
between the Aesir and Vanir and the murder of Baldr, Odin’s handsome son whom everyone but Loki
loved. (The story is that everything in existence promised not to hurt him except mistletoe. Taking
advantage of this weakness, Loki made a projectile of mistletoe and tricked Höðr, Odin’s blind son and
Balder’s brother, into using it to kill Balder. Hel said she would revive him if everyone in the nine worlds
wept. A female jötunn – Thokk, who may have been Loki in shape-shifted form – did not weep.) After
that she turns her attention to the future. Ragnarök Ragnarök refers to a series of major events,
including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures (including
the gods Odin, Thor, Freya, Heimdall, and the jötunn Loki), the occurrence of various natural disasters,
and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. Afterwards, the world resurfaces anew and
fertile, the surviving gods meet, and the world is repopulated by two human survivors.