Geirröd

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Norse mythology, Geirröd was one of the Jotuns and father of Gjálp and Greip.

Loki was flying as a hawk one day and was captured by Geirröd. Geirröd, who hated Thor, demanded that Loki bring his enemy (without his magic belt and hammer) to Geirröd's castle. Loki agreed to lead Thor to the trap. On the way to Geirröd's, Loki and Thor stopped at the home of Grid, a giantess. She waited until Loki left the room, then told Thor what was happening and gave him her iron gloves and magical belt and staff. Thor killed Geirröd, followed by all other frost giants he could find (including Geirrod's daughters, Gjalp and Greip). This story is told in Þórsdrápa.

In Grímnismál, Geirröd is also the name of a human king who was killed by Odin as punishment for his cruelty. See the linked Grímnismál article for a synopsis of this tale.

Norse mythology
List of Norse gods | Æsir | Vanir | Giants | Elves | Dwarves | Troll | Valkyries | Einherjar | Norns | Odin | Thor | Freyr | Freyja | Loki | Balder | Týr | 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
People, places and things