Hræsvelgr

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Norse mythology, Hræsvelgr, (Corpse Swallower), is a giant. According to Vafþrúðnismál the wind is a product of Hræsvelgr sitting at the end of the skies in eagle shape beating his wings, repeated by Snorri in Gylfaginning. Hræsvelgr is believed by some to be identical to the eagle that sits in the crown of Yggdrasill, but the primary sources do not confirm this.

Hræsvelgr's name is sometimes anglicized as "Hræsvelg", "Hraesvelgr" or "Hraesvelg". The common Danish form is "Ræsvelg" and the common Swedish form is "Räsvelg".

Norse mythology
List of Norse gods | Æsir | Vanir | Giants | Elves | Dwarves | Valkyries | Einherjar | Norns | Odin | Thor | Freyr | Freyja | Loki | Balder | Tyr | Yggdrasil | Ginnungagap | Ragnarök
Sources: Poetic Edda | Prose Edda | The Sagas | Volsung Cycle | Tyrfing Cycle | Rune stones | Old Norse language | Orthography | Later influence
Society: Viking Age | Skald | Kenning | Blót | Seid | Numbers
The nine worlds of Norse mythology | People, places and things