The Norse Gods

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 Aegir who dragged drowning men down with her net.
• Rig – Pseudonym of Heimdall and the creator of three races of men.
• Rind – Goddess and lover of Odin. Mother of Vali.
• Saga – Goddess and drinking companion of Odin.
• Sif – Wife of Thor whose golden hair was cut off by Loki.
• Sigyn – Wife of Loki.
• Sjofn – Goddess of human passion.
• Skadi – Goddess of Winter and of the Hunt
• Sun – Daughter of Mundilfari and guide of the sun.
• Syn – Goddess of the accused at trial.
• Thor – God of Sky, thunder and fertility. Associated with law and order in Asgard and guardian of the Norse gods. Son of Odin and Earth and husband of Sif. Also known as the “thunder god” and “charioteer”.
• Thrud – Daughter of Thor. Promised to the dwarf Alvis.
• Tyr – War god. Son of Odin who sacrificed his hand in the binding of Fenrir.
• Ull – God of archery and skiing.
• Vali – Son of Odin and the giantess Rind. Conceived to avenge the death of Balder.
• Valkyries – Beautiful women who carried dying warriors to Valhalla.
• Vanir – Fertility gods.
• Var – Goddess of marriage oaths.
• Ve – Son of Bor and brother of Odin and Vili.
• Vidar – Son of Odin and the giantess Grid who will avenge Odin’s death after Ragnarok.
• Vili – Son of Bor and brother of Odin and Ve.
• Vor – Goddess who knows all.

Mythological Realms of The Norse Gods

• Alfheim – The land of the light elves in Asgard
• Algron – Island where Odin (Harbard) stayed for five years
• Asgard – Land of the Aesir
• Bilskirnir – Thor’s hall in Asgard
• Bifrost – The flaming rainbow bridge between Asgard and Midgard
• Breidablik – Balder’s hall in Asgard
• Elivagar – The eleven rivers that flow from the spring of Hvergelmir in Niflheim.
• Eljudnir – Hel’s hall in Nifleheim
• Fensalir – Frigg’s hall in Asgard
• Folkvang – Site of Freyja’s hall in Asgard
• Franang’s Falls – Waterfall in Midgard where Loki, disguised as a salmon, was caught by the gods.
• Gimli – Hall of the gods after Ragnarok
• Ginnungagap – The void between Muspell and Nifleheim before the creation.
• Gladsheim – Sanctuary of the Norse gods on the plain of Ida.
• Glitnir – Silver and gold hall of Forseti, son of Balder, in Asgard.
• Gnipahellir – Cave in front of Niflheim where the hound Garm is chained up.
• Helheim – The realm of the dead in Niflheim, ruled over by the monster Hel.
• Himinbjorg – Heimdall’s hall in Asgard
• Hlesey – Island near the undersea hall of Aegir and Ran.
• Hlidskjalf – Odin’s high thrown in Valaskjalf.
• Hnitbjorg – Stronghold of the giant Suttung.
• Hvergelmir – Spring in Niflheim under the root of Yggdrasill.
• Idavoll – The central plain of Asgard. Contains the halls of Gladsheim and Vingolf.
• Iving – River dividing Asgard from Jotunheim
• Jotunheim – Land of the giants
• Lyfjaberg – Mountain beside Menglad’s hall in Jotunheim.
• Lyngvi – Island on lake Armsvartnir where Fenrir is bound.
• Lyr – Menglad’s hall in Jotunheim
• Midgard – The realm of mankind.
• Mimir’s Well – Well of wisdom under the root of Yggdrasill in Asgard which is guarded by the head of Mimir.
• Muspell – Southern land of fire guarded by the giant Surt.
• Nastrond – Site of the hall of evil-does in Hel. The dragon Nidhogg gnaws at corpses here.
• Niflheim – Land of freezing mist and darkness and home of Hel.
• Okolnir – Land of warmth created after Ragnarok. Site of the hall of Brimnir.
• Sessrumnir – Freyja’s hall in Asgard.
• Sindri – Red gold roofed hall which will appear after Ragnarok.
• Sokkvabekk – Saga’s hall in Asgard
• Svartalfheim – Realm of the dark elves.
• Thrudheim – Thor’s realm in Asgard and site of his hall Bilskirnir.
• Thrymheim – Stronghold of the giant Thiazi which was passed on to his daughter Skadi.
• Utgard – Realm in Jotunheim ruled by Utgard-Loki.
• Valaskjalf – Odin’s hall in Asgard.
• Valhalla – Hall presided over by Odin where the Einherjar await Ragnarok.
• Vanaheim – Land of the Vanir in Asgard.
• Vigrid – Plain in Asgard where the final battle will occur.
• Vingolf – Hall of the goddesses in Asgard.
• Ydalir – Ull’s hall in Asgard.
• Yggdrasill – The world tree (Hodmimir’s wood)

The Norse Myths

1. The Creation
2. The War of the Aesir and Vanir
3. The Building of Asgard’s Wall
4. Lord of the Gallows
5. The Song of Rig
6. The Mead of Poetry
7. Loki’s Children and the Binding of Fenrir
8. The Theft of Idun’s Apples
9. The Marriage of Njord and Skadi
10. The Treasures of the Gods
11. Skirnir’s Journey
12. The Lay of Grimnir
13. The Necklace of the Brisings
14. The Lay of Thrym
15. The Lay of Vafthrudnir
16. Thor’s Journey to Utgard
17. The Lay of Hymir
18. Hyndla’s Poem
19. Thor’s Duel with Hrungnir
20. Odin and Billing’s Daughter
21. Gylfi and Gefion
22. The Lay of Harbard
23. The Ballad of Svidpag
24. Thor and Geirrod
25. The Lay of Loddfafnir
26. Otter’s Ransom
27. The Lay of Alvis
28. Balder’s Dreams
29. The Death of Balder
30. Loki’s Flyting
31. The Binding of Loki
32. Ragnarok

Many believe the Norse gods and the other mythological beings of ancient Scandanavia represent aspects of the self, our emotions and the many qualities that make up the psyche of the human self.