Mythology
Norse Mythology
You may never had heard of the gods and goddesses from Norse mythology, but you use their names all the time, in a way. Tuesday is named after the Norse god Tyr (later known as Tiw), Wednesday after Wodan (usually spelled Odin), Thursday after Thor, and Friday after Frigg and Freya. (Saturday is another story--you can look up the Roman god it was named after.)
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World Almanac for Kids
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Odin's warriors wear horned "viking" helmets, like this one.
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Norse mythology was developed by peoples in far Northern Europe (Scandinavia). They sailed far from their homelands and carried their legends to Iceland, England, Germany, and the Netherlands.
The Norse myths tell us that the gods and goddesses live in the heavens in a place called Asgard, which is reached by a rainbow bridge. Other beings, such as giants, elves, and humans, have their own homes. The goddess Hel rules over Niflheim, the underworld or home of the dead. Humans live in Midgard, or Middle Earth. The end of the world, the myths say, will come in a great battle called Ragnaroek (doomsday). In Asgard there is a great hall with a roof of shields, called Valhalla, where warriors killed in battle go. There they wait for the time when they will fight with Odin against the giants at the end of the world.
Major Norse Gods
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Name
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Description
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Odin
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One-eyed king of the gods. God of war, death, poetry, wisdom, and magic.
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Thor
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Son of Odin. God of thunder, lightning, and rain.
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Frigg
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Wife of Odin. Goddess of marriage, motherhood, and the home.
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Freya
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Goddess of birth and of crops.
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Tyr
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Sky god and god of war and justice. His hand was bitten off by the wolf Fenrir.
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Baldur
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Son of Odin. God of light, purity, and beauty. Best loved of the gods.
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Loki
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Son of giants and father of Hel. Clever trickster who sometimes helped Thor and Odin and was sometimes their enemy.
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Hel
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Goddess of death. Daughter of Loki.
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Heimdall
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Son of nine giantesses. Watchman of the rainbow bridge. Known for his keen eyes and ears, he could hear grass growing.
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