The Wolves of Wóden

In Germanic, notably Norse, mythology we repeatedly encounter the wolf – that animal that, for much of Europe really defines the untameable wilderness. What is interesting, to me, is how it appears in the mythology. On the one hand, we have the wild wolves that are said to act in opposition to the gods. These are Fenrisúlfr, Garm, Hati Hróðvitnisson and Sköll. Conversely, we also have the servile wolves that attended the Norse gods. These are known as the companions of Óðinn: Freki and Geri. It is very clear that, by the time of the writing of the Norse Eddas in the thirteenth century, these lupine characters are seen as very much distinct entities. Yet, at the same time, there does seem to be some confusion as to whether or not they were actually just the same wolf in different roles.

 

What if the truth is somewhere in the middle? Rather than just one wolf, or six, there were four? Looking at the source material for the information we have about these wolves, I feel that there is reason to believe that the wolves of Óðinn, Freki and Geri, were/are also the ‘wild’ wolves, Fenrisúlfr and Garm. Hati and, most likely, Sköll are the offspring of Fenrisúlfr, it is safe to say. Too see how this is plausible, we must look at the evidence available to us. Unfortunately, we have very little in the way of written records from the time when Germanic pre-Christian spirituality was still widely practised. As such, we must rely on the writings of those from a later time. The Elder, or Poetic, Edda and the Younger, or Prose, Edda were both written down in thirteenth century Iceland. It is from these two sources that we find the majority of writing about the wolves.

 

We encounter Freki and Geri both in Grímnismál stanza 19 and Gylfaginning chapter38 where they are described as Óðinn’s wolves that he feeds his food.

 

Grímnismál 19.

Freki and Geri does Heerfather feed,

The far-famed fighter of old;

But on wine alone  does the weapon-decked god,

Othin, forever live.

 

Gylfaginning Chapter 38.

Then said Gangleri: "Has Odin the same fare as the champions?" Hárr answered: "That food which stands on his board he gives to two wolves which he has, called Geri and Freki; but no food does he need; wine is both food and drink to him; so it says here:

 

Geri and Freki | the war-mighty glutteth,

The glorious God of Hosts;

But on wine alone | the weapon-glorious

Odin aye liveth.

 

This allows us to concede that there are at least two wolves in the Germanic myths. In Vǫluspá stanza 44 (repeated as stanzas 49, 54 and 58) we see Garm barking a lot as the fetters of Freki ('the ravenous one') break.

 

Vǫluspá 44. 49. 54. 58. (Repeated)

Now Garmr barks a lot

in front of Gnipahellir,

the tether will break,

and the ravenous one escape;

Much I know of lore,

I see far ahead,

to the judgement of the powers,

bitter, of the victory-gods.

 

Again, we see two wolves but, this time, Freki is to be taken as a kenning for Fenrisúlfr. This supposition is reinforced in stanza 51 of Vǫluspá, when the term Freki (translated here as 'ravener') is once again used as an obvious allusion to Fenrisúlfr.

 

 

Vǫluspá  51.

The ship sails from the east,

will come Múspell's

people over water,

and Loki steers;

ogre-kin travel

all with the ravener,

in their group

is the brother of Býleistr.

 

In stanzas 13 and 14 of Fjölsvinnsmál, the eponymous Fjölsvinnr is asked the names of the hounds who bark more noisily than any other to which he gives the response of Gifur and Geri, calling them guard dogs.

 

Fjölsvinnsmál 14.

Fjolsvith said:

One is named Gifur,

the other Geri,

if you want to know;

the guardians' old-age remedy

they will ever keep safe

Until the gods perish.

 

I know of no other mention of Gifur, but the claim of loud barking does suit Garm in the repeated stanza of Vǫluspá. This is not the only time which Geri/Garm is referred to as a hound. In stanza 44 of Grímnismál, Garm is described as the best of hounds.

 

Grímnismál 44.

The best of trees

must Yggdrasil be,

Skithblathnir best of boats;

Of all the gods is Othin the greatest,

And Sleipnir the best of steeds;

Bifrost of bridges,

Bragi of skalds,

Hobrok of hawks,

and Garm of hounds.

 

There is also a kenning in Völsungakviða, Helgakviða Hundingsbana I, stanza 13 where both Geri and Freki are referred to as Viðrir’s hounds (Viðrir being one of the many appellations of Óðinn), clearly allowing for the word ‘hound’ to refer to wolves as well as domesticated dogs.

 

Völsungakviða, Helgakviða Hundingsbana I 13.

The warriors forth | to the battle went,

The field they chose | at Logafjoll;

Frothi's peace | midst foes they broke,

Through the isle went hungrily | Vithrir's hounds.

 

It can be shown, fairly reasonably, that Freki is cognate with Fenrisúlfr and Geri with Garm. This leaves only Hati and Sköll to discuss. These two are mentioned in Grímnismál stanza 39 as the wolves that will devour the sun and the moon.

 

Grímnismál 39.

Sköll is the wolf

that to Ironwood

Follows the glittering god,

And the son of Hrothvitnir,

Hati, awaits

The burning bride of heaven.

 

Hati, particularly, is mentioned as the son of Hroðvitnir (Fenrisúlfr). This claim is repeated in Gylfaginning chapters 11 and 12. The further elaboration in Gylfaginning allows for the possibility that Hati and Sköll to be seen as brothers (coming from the same dam).

 

Gylfaginning 11.

Then said Gangleri: "How does he govern the course of the sun or of the moon?" Hárr answered: "A certain man was named Mundilfari, who had two children; they were so fair and comely that he called his son Moon, and his daughter Sun, and wedded her to the man called Glenr. But the gods were incensed at that insolence, and took the brother and sister, and set them up in the heavens; they caused Sun to drive those horses that drew the chariot of the sun, which the gods had fashioned, for the world's illumination, from that glowing stuff which flew out of Múspellheim. Those horses are called thus: Early-Wake and All-Strong; and under the shoulders of the horses the gods set two wind-bags to cool them, but in some records that is called 'iron-coolness.' Moon steers the course of the moon, and determines its waxing and waning. He took from the earth-two children, called Bil and Hjúki, they that went from the well called Byrgir, bearing on their shoulders the cask called Sægr, and the pole Simul. Their father is named Vidfinnr. These children follow Moon, as may be seen from the earth."

 

12.

Then said Gangleri: "The sun fares swiftly, and almost as if she were afraid: she could not hasten her course any the more if she feared her destruction." Then Hárr made answer: "It is no marvel that she hastens furiously: close cometh he that seeks her, and she has no escape save to run away." Then said Gangleri: "Who is he that causes her this disquiet?" Hárr replied: "It is two wolves; and he that runs after her is called Skoll; she fears him, and he shall take her. But he that leaps before her is called Hati Hródvitnisson. He is eager to seize the moon; and so it must be." Then said Gangleri: "What is the race of the wolves?" Hárr answered: "A witch dwells to the east of Midgard, in the forest called Ironwood: in that wood dwell the troll-women, who are known as Ironwood-Women. The old witch bears many giants for sons, and all in the shape of wolves; and from this source are these wolves sprung. The saying runs thus: from this race shall come one that shall be mightiest of all, he that is named Moon-Hound; he shall be filled with the flesh of all those men that die, and he shall swallow the moon, and sprinkle with blood the heaven sand all the lair; thereof-shall the sun lose her shining, and the winds in that day shall be unquiet and roar on every side. So it says in Völuspá:

 

Eastward dwells the Old One

in Ironwood,

And there gives birth

to Fenrir's brethren;

There shall spring of them all

a certain one,

The moon's taker

in troll's likeness.

 

He is filled with flesh

of fey men.

Reddens the gods' seats

with ruddy blood-gouts;

Swart becomes sunshine

in summers after,

The weather all shifty.

Wit ye yet, or what?"

 

In conclusion, I think this shows that the available evidence points to four distinct wolves in the Eddaic lore. The potential ramifications of this are interesting as it would change the dynamic of characters and their actions quite a lot within the established legends.

 

With this in mind, I propose a new outline for the myth form surrounding the wolf figures of Germanic myth. This can be found here.