Fenrir
The Fenris-wolf in Anderson’s Younger Edda
The rapidly growing wolf whom the gods bind with the impossible ribbon Gleipnir, at the cost of Tyr’s hand, until he breaks free at Ragnarök and kills Odin.
Quick answer
Fenrir is the monster wolf born to Loki and Angrboda in the Prose Edda. After he breaks two fetters, the gods deceive him into testing Gleipnir. He bites off Tyr’s hand when the ribbon holds, remains bound until Ragnarök, then escapes, swallows Odin, and is killed by Vidar.
Quick facts
| Tradition | Old Norse mythology |
|---|---|
| Book | Prose Edda, Gylfaginning 34–35 and the Ragnarök account |
| Source realm | Jotunheim, Asgard, Lyngve, and Vigrid |
| Creature type | Monster wolf |
| Parents | Loki and the giantess Angrboda [1] |
| Siblings | Jormungand and Hel |
| Final fetter | Gleipnir, a soft ribbon made from six impossible things |
| Fate | Kills Odin at Ragnarök and is then killed by Odin’s son Vidar |
What the source book says
The gods bring Loki and Angrboda’s three children from Jotunheim. They keep Fenrir among themselves, but only Tyr dares to feed him. As the wolf grows and prophecies identify him as a future danger, the gods test him with Lading and then Drome. Fenrir breaks both fetters through his strength.[1]
Dwarfs make Gleipnir from the sound of a cat’s footfall, a woman’s beard, a mountain’s roots, a bear’s sinews, a fish’s breath, and a bird’s spittle. Suspicious of the slender band, Fenrir demands a god’s hand as a pledge. Tyr places his right hand in the wolf’s mouth and loses it when Gleipnir holds. The gods gag Fenrir with a sword and bind him until Ragnarök, when he breaks free, swallows Odin, and is killed by Vidar.[1]
Description and abilities
The source identifies Fenrir as a wolf and emphasises growth, strength, jaws, and voice rather than colour or exact measurements. He snaps two great restraints, senses deceit in Gleipnir, bites through Tyr’s hand, and howls so fiercely that his saliva forms the river Von. At Ragnarök his lower jaw reaches the earth and his upper jaw heaven, while fire flashes from his eyes and nostrils.[1]
- Grows rapidly while fostered by the gods
- Breaks Lading and Drome
- Cannot break the magical ribbon Gleipnir
- Is gagged with a sword after taking Tyr’s hand
- Escapes at Ragnarök and kills Odin
Source realm: Lyngve and Vigrid
The binding takes place on the rocky island Lyngve in Lake Amsvartner. This isolated site holds Fenrir apart from the gods’ ordinary halls until the world’s bonds break. He then advances to Vigrid, the field where the powers of Ragnarök meet.
Major themes
Fear creates the betrayal
The gods act because prophecy and Fenrir’s growth frighten them. Their solution depends on a false promise that they will release him after the test.
Tyr’s costly pledge
Tyr is the only god willing both to feed Fenrir and to place a hand in his mouth. The binding succeeds because he accepts the certain personal cost.
Fate delayed, not prevented
Gleipnir confines Fenrir for an age but does not erase the foretold encounter. At Ragnarök both Odin’s death and Vidar’s vengeance arrive.
Book and reference
- 1The Younger Edda: Also Called Snorre’s Edda, or the Prose Edda
English version, introduction, notes, vocabulary, and index by Rasmus B. Anderson. Scott, Foresman & Co., Chicago, 1901. See The Fooling of Gylfe, chapters 34–35 and 51.
Project Gutenberg edition ↗