Norse Mythology Flashcards
Asgard
Home of the Norse gods
Balder
Most beloved of the gods; Odin and Frigga’s son.
Dwarves
Beings living in Svartalfheim, master craftsmen who lived under the surface and to whom all jewels belonged.
Freya
Goddess of love, passion, and human fertility, her possessions include a cloak that allows her to turn into a falcon, and the necklace Brisingamen. She travels in a chariot drawn by two cats.
Frigg
The wife of Odin, and mother by him of Balder, Hoder, Hermod, and Tyr. She is the goddess of the sky, marriage, and motherhood, and often works at her loom spinning clouds
Giants
great enemies of the gods
Heimdall
Guardian of the Gods and the Bifrost Bridge
Loki
Norse god of mischief, and a half-giant
Midgard
Earth
Norns
The goddesses of destiny, represented as the three sisters. The counterparts of the Greek Fates, tend the Well of Fate at the roots of Yggdrasil.
Odin
The All-Father, the god of war, death, wisdom, poetry, and knowledge, rides the eight-legged horse Sleipnir
Ragnarok
The final battle of Norse mythology, including the great battle with the deaths of major gods
Thor
Norse god of thunder
Tyr
god of war
Valkyrie
In Norse mythology, the maidens who conduct the souls of heroes slain in battle to Valhalla, the great hall of fallen warriors
What were some of the customs and beliefs of the Norse people?
Believed in the Norse gods and value honor, bravery, and strength. They strive to die valiantly and are fishing people and craftsman
For what gods and characters are the days of the week named?
SUNday
MOONday
TYRSday
ODINSday
THORSday
FRIGGday
BATHday
According to the Norse account of creation, what were the first two elements in existence?
Fire and ice
Who or what is Yggdrasil?
The tree that holds the nine realms of the cosmos
Who or what is Bifrost?
Rainbow bridge
What is the name of the home of the frost giants?
Jotunheim
What is the name of the frozen Land of the Dead?
Niflheim
From what material is the world created?
The corpse of Ymir (the first giant/Odin’s father)
Heaven= skull
Sea= blood
Earth= flesh
Mountains= bones
Clouds= brain
What gives Odin knowledge of events from around the world?
Two ravens that represent Thought (Hugin) and Memory (Munin)
What is the greatest tragedy of Norse mythology?
Death of Balder
For what is the goddess Sif renowned?
Wife of Thor and her golden hair
What is the name of Odin’s hall where valiant warriors wait for the end of time?
Valhalla
What do the gods build with the help of a treacherous giant?
The wall around Asgard
What price does the giant ask in return for his help?
He asks for the sun and moon- Sol and Mani
Who or what assists the giant in his task?
Svadilfari, the giant’s stallion
How is the giant kept from completing his construction project on time?
Loki distracts his horse from working
What word derives from the goddess Hela?
Hell
What function do the apples of Iduna serve?
They provide youth to the gods
What causes Iduna’s extended absence?
She’s being kept with Thiazi
What does Loki do to humiliate the goddess Sif?
Cuts her hair as a prank
Where does Loki go looking for new treasures for the gods?
Svartalfheim, land of the dwarves
What treasure does Loki retrieve for the gods?
Sif’s hair, Freyr’s boat, Odin’s spear, Thor’s hammer, golden boar, and arm rings
What does Brokk the blacksmith wager with Loki?
If the god’s find Brokk’s creations superior, Brokk will cut off Loki’s head
What do the waters of Mimir’s well give to the drinker?
Infinite knowledge
Which character may never pass over the Rainbow Bridge?
Thor
What question does Odin use to defeat a crafty giant in a riddle contest?
What are the last words that Odin will speak into the ears of his dying son Balder?
What disguise does Odin use when he is traveling?
Vegtam the wanderer
What does Odin sacrifice to gain knowledge of the future?
His eye
What treasure do the dwarves use to trick Freya into marrying them?
A necklace, Brísingamen
What item does Thrym the giant steal from the gods?
Thor’s hammer
Which character, disguised as Freya, is almost married to Thrym the giant?
Thor
While journeying to the Land of the Giants, in what odd place do Thor and his friends spend the night?
In a glove
In the Land of the Giants what three tasks are given to Thor?
Drink from a horn, lift up a giant cat, and wrestle an old woman
What lesson did Thor learn from his time in the Land of the Giants?
Not all Giants are fools and he learned more about them
Who are the children of Loki?
Fenrir, Hela, Jormungandr
Who is the mother of Loki’s children?
A giantess, Angrboda
Which god or goddess makes a sacrifice for Fenrir to be bound by a magical chain?
Tyr
How does Frigga try to prevent the death of Balder?
By making everything and everyone swear an oath to never hurt him
What item is used to kill Balder?
A mistletoe spear
Who murders Balder?
Hodur, tricked by Loki
Why must Balder stay in Niflheim?
Loki won’t shed a tear for him
How is Loki punished for the death of Balder?
By being chained to a rock and having snake venom drop on him
What is predicted to happen after Ragnarok?
A new world will be born, a man and woman were preserved, and Balder will rise and rule the new world
What is Otter’s Ransom?
The gold and jewels to fill Otter’s pelt and cover his body
Fafnir is what type of creature?
A dragon
Out of what did Sigmund draw the enchanted Sword of the Volsungs?
An oak tree that Odin placed it in
The warrior Sigurd is raised by what type of person?
A blacksmith
What allows Sigurd to understand the speech of animals and birds?
Tasting the dragon/Fafnir’s heart
What does Sigurd’s helmet allow him to do?
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