Hrímnir Explained

Hrímnir (Old Norse: in Norse, Old pronounced as /ˈhriːmnez̠/) is a jǫtunn in Norse mythology. He is the father of Hljód.

Name

The Old Norse name Hrímnir has been translated as 'frosty', 'the one covered with hoarfrost', or 'the sooty one.' Probably intended to evoke the frost giants or hrímþursar (jǫtunn).[1]

Attestations

In the Völsunga saga, Hrímnir is mentioned as the father of Hljóð, who is sent by Frigg as a "wish-maid" to Rerir with the apple of fertility that will provide his wife offspring.[2] Hrímnir himself sends his daughter Hljóð to be the wife of one of the children, Völsung.

Hrímnir is listed among the jǫtnar in the þulur section of the Prose Edda.[3] [4]

In Hyndluljóð (32), Hrímnir is the father of Heiðr and Hrossþjófr, but that may be just for the purpose of alliteration. He is also mentioned in Skírnismál (28), probably as a typical jötunn.[5]

In Gríms saga loðinkinna, Hrímnir is the father of the giantesses Feima and Kleima; his wife's name is Hyrja.[6]

Theories

Scholars have argued that the story of Hrímnir in the Völsunga saga resembles that of Peredur in the Matter of Britain, and the modern folktale "The Sea-Maiden."[7]

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Quinn, p. 134.
  2. Quinn, p. 131.
  3. Siân Duke, "Kristni saga and its Sources: Some Revaluations," Saga-Book 25 (2001) 345–450, p. 396 (pdf).
  4. Giants I, verse 6: online parallel edition at voluspa.org; and also among the names for a hog, verse 97, parallel edition.
  5. Judy Quinn, "The Realisation of Mythological Design: The Early Generations of the Völsung Dynasty," in Book: Ney. Agneta. Fornaldarsagaerne. Jakobsson. Ármann. Lassen. Annette. Museum Tusculanum Press. 2009. 978-87-635-2579-4. 134, note 11. Agneta Ney. Annette Lassen.
  6. Book: Heusler. Andreas. Eddica minora: Dichtungen eddischer Art aus den Fornaldarsögur und nderen Prosawerken. Ranisch. Wilhelm. W. Ruhfus. 1903. lxxv. de. Andreas Heusler. interprets this episode as an imitation of one in the Örvar-Oddr saga.
  7. Book: Paton, Lucy Allen. Studies in the Fairy Mythology of Arthurian Romance. Ginn. 1903. 174 - 75, note 2. Lucy Allen Paton.