Mythology
Here Are The Top 10 Coolest Creatures From Norse Mythology
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If you are one of those people facinated by Nordic culture and mythical legends, then you should enjoy this quite a bit. Norse gods—like Thor, Loki, Frigga, and Odin—are cool, but some of the classic Norse mythological creatures can be even cooler. From legendary monsters, recognizable fairy-tale creatures, and some classic creatures you didn’t realize were Scandinavian, this list looks at them all. This list will be counting down the coolest creatures from Norse mythology.
The list goes as follows:
#10. Draugar: Draugar possess superhuman strength, can increase their size at will, and carry the unmistakable stench of decay. “The appearance of a draugr was that of a dead body: swollen, blackened and generally hideous to look at.” They are undead figures from Norse and Icelandic mythology that appear to retain some semblance of intelligence. They exist either to guard their treasure, wreak havoc on living beings, or torment those who had wronged them in life. The draugr’s ability to increase its size also increased its weight, and the body of the draugr was described as being extremely heavy. Thorolf of Eyrbyggja saga was “uncorrupted, and with an ugly look about him… swollen to the size of an ox,” and his body was so heavy that it could not be raised without levers They are also noted for the ability to rise from the grave as wisps of smoke and “swim” through solid rock, which would be useful as a means of exiting their graves.
#9. Fossegrimen: In Scandinavian folklore, the fossegrim, also known simply as the grim (Norwegian) or Strömkarlen (Swedish), is a water spirit or troll who plays the fiddle, especially the Hardanger fiddle, and can be induced to teach the skill.The fossegrim is related to the neck or nixie and is sometimes also called näcken in Sweden, but is associated with rivers (the Swedish name “Strömkarlen” means “The River Man”) and particularly with waterfalls (foss in Norwegian) and mill races. He has been associated with the kvernknurr, a mill spirit.
#8. Sleipnir: In Norse mythology, Sleipnir is an eight-legged horse ridden by Odin. Sleipnir is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Sleipnir is Odin’s steed, is the child of Loki and Svaðilfari, is described as the best of all horses, and is sometimes ridden to the location of Hel. The Prose Edda contains extended information regarding the circumstances of Sleipnir’s birth, and details that he is grey in color.
#7. Ratatoskr: In Norse mythology, Ratatoskr is a squirrel who runs up and down the world tree Yggdrasil to carry messages between the eagle Veðrfölnir, perched atop Yggdrasil, and the serpent Níðhöggr, who dwells beneath one of the three roots of the tree
#6. Jötnar: In Norse mythology, a jötunn is a type of entity contrasted with gods and other figures, such as dwarfs and elves. The entities are themselves ambiguously defined, variously referred to by several other terms, including risi, thurs, and troll.
#5. Dwarves: In Germanic mythology, a dwarf is a human-shaped entity that dwells in mountains and in the earth, and is variously associated with wisdom, smithing, mining, and crafting
#4. Trolls: A troll is a class of being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human beings.
#3. Kraken: The kraken is a legendary sea monster of giant size that is said to dwell off the coasts of Norway and Greenland. Authors over the years have postulated that the legend originated from sightings of giant squids that may grow to 40–50 feet in length
#2. Fenrir: Fenrir is a monstrous wolf in Norse mythology. Fenrir is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda and Heimskringla, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, Fenrir is the father of the wolves Sköll and Hati Hróðvitnisson, is a son of Loki, and is foretold to kill the god Odin during the events of Ragnarök, but will in turn be killed by Odin’s son Víðarr.
#1. Jörmungandr: In Norse mythology, Jörmungandr also known as the Midgard (World) Serpent (Old Norse: Miðgarðsormr), is a sea serpent, the middle child of the giantess Angrboða and Loki. According to the Prose Edda, Odin took Loki’s three children by Angrboða—the wolf Fenrir, Hel, and Jörmungandr—and tossed Jörmungandr into the great ocean that encircles Midgard. The serpent grew so large that it was able to surround the earth and grasp its own tail. As a result, it received the name of the Midgard Serpent or World Serpent. When it releases its tail, Ragnarök will begin. Jörmungandr’s arch-enemy is the thunder-god, Thor. It is an example of an ouroboros.
For this list, we’ll be ranking the most legendary and fearsome creatures of Norse mythology, which is a mythos deriving from the folk tales and legends of such Scandinavian countries as Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
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