Hrímnir

Norse mythical character

Hrímnir (Old Norse: [ˈhriːmnez̠]) is a jǫtunn in Norse mythology. He is the father of Hljód.^[1]

Name

The Old Norse name Hrímnir has been translated as 'frosty',^[1] 'the one covered with hoarfrost', or 'the sooty one.' Probably intended to evoke the frost giants or hrímþursar (jǫtunn).^[2]^[3]

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.^[4] Hrímnir himself sends his daughter Hljóð to be the wife of one of the children, Völsung.^[3]

Hrímnir is listed among the jǫtnar in the þulur section of the Prose Edda.^[5]^[6]

In Hyndluljóð (32), Hrímnir is the father of Heiðr and Hrossþjófr,^[5] but that may be just for the purpose of alliteration.^[2] He is also mentioned in Skírnismál (28),^[2] probably as a typical jötunn.^[7]

In Gríms saga loðinkinna, Hrímnir is the father of the giantesses Feima and Kleima; his wife's name is Hyrja.^[8]

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."^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b Orchard 1997, p. 90.
^ ^a ^b ^c Simek 1996, p. 159.
^ ^a ^b Quinn, p. 134.
^ Quinn, p. 131.
^ ^a ^b Siân Duke, "Kristni saga and its Sources: Some Revaluations," Saga-Book 25 (2001) 345–450, p. 396 (pdf).
^ Giants I, verse 6: online parallel edition at voluspa.org; and also among the names for a hog, verse 97, parallel edition.
^ Judy Quinn, "The Realisation of Mythological Design: The Early Generations of the Völsung Dynasty," in Ney, Agneta; Jakobsson, Ármann; Lassen, Annette (2009). Fornaldarsagaerne. Museum Tusculanum Press. pp. 134, note 11. ISBN 978-87-635-2579-4.
^ Heusler, Andreas; Ranisch, Wilhelm (1903). Eddica minora: Dichtungen eddischer Art aus den Fornaldarsögur und nderen Prosawerken (in German). W. Ruhfus. pp. lxxv. interprets this episode as an imitation of one in the Örvar-Oddr saga.
^ Paton, Lucy Allen (1903). Studies in the Fairy Mythology of Arthurian Romance. Ginn. pp. 174–75, note 2.

Bibliography

Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell. ISBN 978-0-304-34520-5.
Simek, Rudolf (1996). Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer. ISBN 978-0-85991-513-7.

Old Norse religion and mythology

Mythological Norse people, items and places

Deities,
dwarfs, jötnar,
and other figures

Æsir	Almáttki áss Baldr Bragi Dellingr Forseti Heimdall Hermóðr Höðr Hœnir Ítreksjóð Lóðurr Loki Máni Meili Mímir Móði and Magni Odin Óðr Thor Týr Ullr Váli Víðarr Vili and Vé
Ásynjur	Bil Eir (valkyrie) Frigg Fulla Gefjon Gerðr Gná Hlín Iðunn Ilmr Irpa Lofn Nanna Njörun Rán Rindr Sága Sif Sigyn Sjöfn Skaði Snotra Sól Syn Þorgerðr Hölgabrúðr Þrúðr Vár Vör
Vanir	Freyja Freyr Ingunar-Freyr Yngvi Gersemi Gullveig Hnoss Kvasir Njörðr Sister-wife of Njörðr
Jötnar	Ægir Alvaldi Angrboða Aurboða Baugi Beli Bergelmir Bestla Bölþorn Býleistr Eggþér Fárbauti Fjölvar Fornjót Gangr Geirröðr Gillingr Gjálp and Greip Gríðr Gunnlöð Gymir Harðgreipr Helblindi Helreginn Hljod Hræsvelgr Hrímgerðr Hrímgrímnir Hrímnir Hroðr Hrungnir Hrymr Hymir Hyrrokkin Iði Ím Járnsaxa Laufey Leikn Litr Logi Mögþrasir Narfi Sökkmímir Surtr Suttungr Þjazi Þökk Þrívaldi Þrúðgelmir Þrymr Útgarða-Loki Vafþrúðnir Váli Víðblindi Vosud Vörnir Ymir
Dwarfs	Alvíss Andvari Austri, Vestri, Norðri and Suðri Billingr Brokkr Dáinn Durinn Dúrnir Dvalinn Eitri Fáfnir Fjalar and Galar Gandalf Hreiðmarr Litr Mótsognir Ótr Regin Sons of Ivaldi
Heroes	List of figures in Germanic heroic legend A B–C D–E F–G H–He Hi–Hy I–O P–S T–Y people, clan, and place names in Germanic heroic legend named animals and plants named weapons, armour and treasures
Others	Ask and Embla Auðr Auðumbla Aurvandill Beyla Borr Búri Byggvir Dísir (Landdísir) Dragons Draugs Einherjar Eldir Elves Dark elves (Dökkálfar) Light elves (Ljósálfar) Black elves (Svartálfar) Fimafeng Fjalar (rooster) Fenrir Fjörgyn and Fjörgynn Fylgja Garmr Gullinbursti Hati Hróðvitnisson Hel Hildisvíni Hjúki Horses of the Æsir Árvakr and Alsviðr Blóðughófi Falhófnir Gísl Glaðr Glær Glenr Grani Gullfaxi Gulltoppr Gyllir Hamskerpir and Garðrofa Hófvarpnir Skinfaxi and Hrímfaxi Sleipnir Svaðilfari Jörð Jörmungandr Líf and Lífthrasir Loddfáfnir Móðguðr Nine Daughters of Ægir and Rán Nine Mothers of Heimdallr Narfi/Nari Níðhöggr Norns Personifications Dagr Elli Nótt Sumarr and Vetr Skírnir Sköll Shield-maiden Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr Troll Þjálfi and Röskva Vættir (Landvættir) Valkyries Völundr Vörðr

Locations

Underworld	Hel Éljúðnir Gjallarbrú Náströnd Niflhel Niðafjöll
Rivers	Élivágar Gjöll Ífingr Kerlaugar Körmt and Örmt Slidr River Vadgelmir Vimur River
Other locations	Asgard Amsvartnir Andlang Barri Bifröst Bilskirnir Brávellir Brimir Fensalir Fólkvangr Fornsigtuna Fyrisvellir Gálgviðr Gandvik Gastropnir Gimlé Ginnungagap Glaðsheimr Glæsisvellir Glitnir Gnipahellir Grove of fetters Heiðr Himinbjörg Hindarfjall Hlidskjalf Hnitbjorg Hoddmímis holt Iðavöllr Járnviðr Jötunheimr Mímameiðr Myrkviðr Munarvágr Nóatún Okolnir Sessrúmnir Sindri Singasteinn Þrúðheimr Þrúðvangr Þrymheimr Uppsala Útgarðar Valaskjálf Valhalla Vanaheimr Víðbláinn Vígríðr Vingólf Wells Hvergelmir Mímisbrunnr Urðarbrunnr Ýdalir Yggdrasil

Events

Sources

Society

Religious practice	Anthropomorphic wooden cult figurines of Central and Northern Europe Blót Hof Heitstrenging Horses Hörgr Worship Öndvegissúlur Reginnaglar Sacred trees and groves Sonargöltr Temple at Uppsala Vé Wetlands and islands
Festivals and holy periods	Álfablót Dísablót Germanic calendar Þorrablót Vetrnætr Yule
Other	Death Ergi Félag Galdr Goði Hamingja Heiti Kenning Mead hall Nīþ Norse cosmology Numbers Philosophy Rings Runes Seiðr Skald Viking Age Völva