Thor was usually portrayed as a large, powerful man with a red beard and eyes of lightning. Despite his ferocious appearance, he was very popular as the protector of both gods and humans against the forces of evil. He even surpassed his father Odin in popularity because, contrary to Odin, he did not require human sacrifices. In his temple at Uppsala he was shown standing with Odin at his right side. This temple was replaced by a Christian church in 1080.
The Norse believed that during a thunderstorm, Thor rode through the heavens on his chariot pulled by the goats Tanngrisni ("gap-tooth") and Tanngnost ("tooth grinder"). Lightning flashed whenever he threw his hammer Mjollnir. Thor wears the belt Megingjard which doubles his already considerable strength. His hall is Bilskirnir, which is located in the region Thrudheim ("place of might"). His greatest enemy is Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent. At the day of Ragnarok, Thor will kill this serpent but will die from its poison. His sons will inherit his hammer after his death.
Donar is his Teutonic equivalent, while the Romans see in him their god Jupiter. Thursday is named after him.
From: Pantheon.org
God of thunder and lightning. Thor was the son of Odin and the giantess Jörd (Jord), Fjörgyn (Fjorgyn) or Hlódyn (goddess of the earth). In the Harbaardzljod from the Poetic Edda, Thor told Harbard (Odin in disguise as a ferryman) that he had brother named Meili.
Thor married Sif, the golden-haired goddess. He was the father of a daughter, named Thrud. By his mistress, Jarnsaxa (Iarnsaxa, "iron-sax"), a giantess, he was the father of two sons, Magni and Modi.
His domain was Thrudvangar with 540 apartments. Thor has a hall which he resided, called Bilskirnir. His symbol was the device known as the swastika. Thor had a chariot drawn by two goats – Tanngniost and Tanngrisnir, Thor became known as Oku-Thor.
Thor also had two servants, Thialfi and Roskva, son and daughter of a farmer, named Egil, who had given hospitality to Thor and Loki. See Fighting Illusions. Thialfi appeared frequently, including in the myth about Hrungnir; see Giant of Clay.
Thor was always depicted as a massive and strong, bearded man with his mighty war-hammer Mjollnir that he can used to create thunderbolts. The Mjollnir was powerful weapon, which was used by throwing the hammer at his enemy, the hammer would always return magically to his hands, probably because he worn magical iron gloves, known as the Járngreipr. The twin dwarfs, Brokk and Eiti, created the Mjollnir.
What made Thor seemingly invincible was that he also wears the Megingjarpar (girdle of might), that adds him his already enormous strength. This girdle was given to Thor by the giantess Grid, when the giant Gerrod stole Mjollnir. Grid also gave Thor a pair of iron gloves (Járngreipr) and an unbreakable staff, known as Grídarvöl.
Thor was the mightiest of the gods, and he was their greatest champion. His chief enemies were the giants from Jötunheim (Jotunheim). Often the stories of Thor were concern with the god killing one giant or another in various adventure.
Thor was also renown for his great appetite. (See Thrym, for the amusing story, when he lost Mjollnir and disguised himself as the goddess Freyja, to retrieve the hammer from the giants).
You will find many of Thor's adventures in the page titled Of Thor and Giants.
His greatest enemy was called Jörmungand (Jormungand) or Jörmungandr, commonly known as the Midgard Serpent (World Serpent). He failed to kill Jörmungand, in an early encounter (See Fishing Expedition in Of Thor and Giants). During the final battle of the gods (Ragnarök), Thor and Jörmungand would kill one another.
Thor enjoys greater popularity than Odin does, particularly in the rural area. And since he was god of thunderstorm he was similar to the Roman god, Jupiter or Jove (Zeus). Thursday was named after Thor or Thunor, matching Jove's day.
Snorri made a strange comparison, identifying Thor with Hector, the Trojan hero. Just as Hector was the champion of the Trojans, Thor was the champion of the Aesir.
From: here
Thor married Sif, the golden-haired goddess. He was the father of a daughter, named Thrud. By his mistress, Jarnsaxa (Iarnsaxa, "iron-sax"), a giantess, he was the father of two sons, Magni and Modi.
His domain was Thrudvangar with 540 apartments. Thor has a hall which he resided, called Bilskirnir. His symbol was the device known as the swastika. Thor had a chariot drawn by two goats – Tanngniost and Tanngrisnir, Thor became known as Oku-Thor.
Thor also had two servants, Thialfi and Roskva, son and daughter of a farmer, named Egil, who had given hospitality to Thor and Loki. See Fighting Illusions. Thialfi appeared frequently, including in the myth about Hrungnir; see Giant of Clay.
Thor was always depicted as a massive and strong, bearded man with his mighty war-hammer Mjollnir that he can used to create thunderbolts. The Mjollnir was powerful weapon, which was used by throwing the hammer at his enemy, the hammer would always return magically to his hands, probably because he worn magical iron gloves, known as the Járngreipr. The twin dwarfs, Brokk and Eiti, created the Mjollnir.
What made Thor seemingly invincible was that he also wears the Megingjarpar (girdle of might), that adds him his already enormous strength. This girdle was given to Thor by the giantess Grid, when the giant Gerrod stole Mjollnir. Grid also gave Thor a pair of iron gloves (Járngreipr) and an unbreakable staff, known as Grídarvöl.
Thor was the mightiest of the gods, and he was their greatest champion. His chief enemies were the giants from Jötunheim (Jotunheim). Often the stories of Thor were concern with the god killing one giant or another in various adventure.
Thor was also renown for his great appetite. (See Thrym, for the amusing story, when he lost Mjollnir and disguised himself as the goddess Freyja, to retrieve the hammer from the giants).
You will find many of Thor's adventures in the page titled Of Thor and Giants.
His greatest enemy was called Jörmungand (Jormungand) or Jörmungandr, commonly known as the Midgard Serpent (World Serpent). He failed to kill Jörmungand, in an early encounter (See Fishing Expedition in Of Thor and Giants). During the final battle of the gods (Ragnarök), Thor and Jörmungand would kill one another.
Thor enjoys greater popularity than Odin does, particularly in the rural area. And since he was god of thunderstorm he was similar to the Roman god, Jupiter or Jove (Zeus). Thursday was named after Thor or Thunor, matching Jove's day.
Snorri made a strange comparison, identifying Thor with Hector, the Trojan hero. Just as Hector was the champion of the Trojans, Thor was the champion of the Aesir.
From: here
In Norse polytheism, Thor (from Old Norse Þórr) is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, destruction, fertility, healing, and the protection of mankind. The cognate deity in wider Germanic mythology was known in Old English as Þunor and in Old High German Donar (runic þonar ᚦᛟᚾᚨᚱ), from a Common Germanic *Þunraz "thunder".
Ultimately stemming from Proto-Indo-European religion, Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of the Germanic peoples, from the Roman occupation of regions of Germania, to the tribal expansions of the Migration Period, to his extreme popularity during the Viking Age, where, in the face of the process of the Christianization of Scandinavia, emblems of his hammer, Mjöllnir, were worn in defiance and Norse pagans personal names containing the name of the god bear witness to his flourishing popularity. After the Christianization of Scandinavia and into the modern period, Thor continued to be acknowledged in rural folklore throughout Germanic regions. Thor is frequently referenced in place names, the day of the week Thursday ("Thor's day") bears his name, and names stemming from the pagan period containing his own continue to be used today.
In Norse mythology, largely recorded in Iceland from traditional material stemming from Scandinavia, numerous tales and information about Thor is provided. In these sources, Thor bears at least fourteen names, is the husband of the golden-haired goddess Sif, is the lover of the jötunn Járnsaxa, and is described as fierce-eyed, red-haired and red-bearded. With Sif, Thor fathered the goddess (and possible valkyrie) Þrúðr; with Járnsaxa, he fathered Magni; with a mother whose name is not recorded, he fathered Móði, and he is the stepfather of the god Ullr. The same sources list Thor as the son of the god Odin and the personified earth, Fjörgyn, and by way of Odin, Thor has numerous brothers. Thor has two servants, Þjálfi and Röskva, rides in a chariot led by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr (that he eats and resurrects), and is ascribed three dwellings (Bilskirnir, Þrúðheimr, and Þrúðvangr). Thor wields the mountain-crushing hammer, Mjöllnir, wears the belt Megingjörð and the iron gloves Járngreipr, and owns the staff Gríðarvölr. Thor's exploits, including his relentless slaughter of his foes and fierce battles with the monstrous serpent Jörmungandr—and their foretold mutual deaths during the events of Ragnarök—are recorded throughout sources for Norse mythology.
(...)
Old Norse Þórr, Old English Þunor and Old High German Donar are cognates within Germanic, descending from a Common Germanic *þonaroz[1] or *þunraz, meaning "thunder".[2] The name of the Gaulish god of thunder, Toran or Taran is also related.[3]
Thor is the namesake of the weekday name Thursday. By employing a practice known as interpretatio germanica during the Roman Empire period, the Germanic peoples adopted the Roman weekly calendar, and replaced the names of Roman gods with their own. Latin dies Iovi ("day of Jupiter") was converted into Proto-Germanic *Þonares dagaz ("Thor's day"), from which stems modern English "Thursday" and all other Germanic weekday cognates.[4]
Beginning in the Viking Age, personal names containing the theonym Thōrr are recorded with great frequency. Prior to the Viking Age, no known examples are recorded. Thórr-based names may have flourished during the Viking Age as a defiant response to attempts at Christianization, similar to the widescale Viking Age practice of wearing Thor's hammer pendants.[5]
In 19th century Iceland, a specific breed of fox was known as holtaþórr ("Thor of the holt"), likely due to the red coat of the breed.[6]
The modern spelling Thor is an anglicization of the Old Norse name. The name of the Norse deity is attested already in Old English, as Þór. The modern spelling was introduced with the beginning of antiquarian interest in the Viking Age, in the 17th century.[7]
(...)
Poetic Edda
In the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from traditional source material reaching into the pagan period, Thor appears (or is mentioned) in the poems Völuspá, Grímnismál, Skírnismál, Hárbarðsljóð, Hymiskviða, Lokasenna, Þrymskviða, Alvíssmál, and Hyndluljóð.[20]
The foretold death of Thor as depicted (1895) by Lorenz Frølich
In the poem Völuspá, a dead völva recounts the history of the universe and foretells the future to the disguised god Odin, including the death of Thor. Thor, she foretells, will do battle with the great serpent during the immense mythical war waged at Ragnarök, and there he will slay the monstrous snake, yet after he will only be able to take nine steps before succumbing to the venom of the beast:
Benjamin Thorpe translation:
Then comes the mighty son of Hlôdyn:
(Odin's son goes with the monster to fight);
Midgârd's Veor in his rage will slay the worm.
Nine feet will go Fiörgyn's son,
bowed by the serpent, who feared no fore.
All men will their homes forsake.[21]
Henry Adams Bellows translation:
Hither there comes the son of Hlothyn,
The bright snake gapes to heaven above;
. . . . . . . .
Against the serpent goes Othin's son.
In anger smites the warder of earth,—
Forth from their homes must all men flee;—
Nine paces fares the son of Fjorgyn,
And, slain by the serpent, fearless he sinks.[22]
After, says the völva, the sky will turn black before fire engulfs the world, the stars will disappear, flames will dance before the sky, steam will rise, the world will be covered in water, and then it will be raise again; green and fertile (see Prose Edda section below for the survival of the sons of Thor, who return after these events with Thor's hammer).[23]
Thor wades through a river while the Æsir ride across the bridge Bifröst (1895) by Lorenz Frølich
In the poem Grímnismál, the god Odin, in disguise as Grímnir, and tortured, starved and thirsty, imparts in the young Agnar cosmological lore, including that Thor resides in Þrúðheimr, and that, every day, Thor wades through the rivers Körmt and Örmt, and the two Kerlaugar. There, Grímnir says, Thor sits as judge at the immense cosmological world tree, Yggdrasil.[24]
In Skírnismál, the god Freyr's messenger, Skírnir, threatens the fair Gerðr, who Freyr is smitten with, with numerous threats and curses, including that Thor, Freyr, and Odin will be angry with her, and that she risks their "potent wrath".[25]
Thor is the main character of Hárbarðsljóð, where, after traveling "from the east", Thor encounters a ferryman at an inlet by the name of Hárbarðr (Odin, again in disguise), who he attempts to hail a ride from. The ferryman, shouting from the inlet, is immediately rude and obnoxious to Thor and refuses to ferry him. At first, Thor holds his tongue, but Hárbarðr only becomes more aggressive, and the poem soon becomes a flyting match between Thor and Hárbarðr, all the while revealing lore about the two, including Thor's killing of several jötnar in "the east" and berzerk women on Hlesey (now the Danish island of Læsø). In the end, Thor ends up walking instead.[26]
Týr looks on as Thor discovers that one of his goats is lame in the leg (1895) by Lorenz Frølich
Thor is again the main character in the poem Hymiskviða, where, after the gods have been hunting and have eaten their prey, they have an urge to drink. They "sh[ake] the twigs" and interpret what they say. The gods decide that they would find suitable cauldrons at Ægir's home. Thor arrives at Ægir's home and finds him to be cheerful, looks into his eyes, and tells him that he must prepare feasts for the gods. Annoyed, Ægir tells Thor that the gods must first bring to him a suitable cauldron to brew ale in. The gods search but find no such cauldron anywhere. However, Týr tells Thor that he may have a solution; east of Élivágar lives Hymir, and he owns such a deep kettle.[27]
So, after Thor secures his goats at Egil's home, Thor and Týr go to Hymir's hall in search of a cauldron large enough to brew ale for them all. They arrive, and Týr sees his nine-hundred-headed grandmother and his gold-clad mother, the latter of which welcomes them with a horn. After Hymir—who is not happy to see Thor—comes in from the cold outdoors, Týr's mother helps them find a properly strong cauldron. Thor eats a big meal of two oxen (all the rest eat but one), and then goes to sleep. In the morning, he awakes and informs Hymir that he wants to go fishing the following evening, and that he will catch plenty of food, but that he needs bait. Hymir tells him to go get some bait from his pasture, which he expects should not be a problem for Thor. Thor goes out, finds Hymir's best ox, and rips its head off.[28]
After a lacuna in the manuscript of the poem,Hymiskviða abruptly picks up again with Thor and Hymir in a boat, out at sea. Hymir catches a few whales at once, and Thor baits his line with the head of the ox. Thor casts his line and the monstrous serpent Jörmungandr bites. Thor pulls the serpent on board, and violently slams him in the head with his hammer. Jörmungandr shrieks, and a noisy commotion is heard from underwater before another lacuna appears in the manuscript.[29]
After the second lacuna, Hymir is sitting in the boat, unhappy and totally silent, as they row back to shore. On shore, Hymir suggests that Thor should help him carry a whale back to his farm. Thor picks both the boat and the whales up, and carries it all back to Hymir's farm. After Thor successfully smashes a crystal goblet by throwing it at Hymir's head on Týr's mother's suggestion, Thor and Týr are given the cauldron. Týr cannot lift it, but Thor manages to roll it, and so with it they leave. Some distance from Hymir's home, an army of many-headed beings led by Hymir attacks the two, but are killed by the hammer of Thor. And although one of his goats is lame in the leg, the two manage to bring the cauldron back, have plenty of ale, and so, from then on, return to Ægir's for more every winter.[30]
Thor raises his hammer as Loki leaves Ægir's hall (1895) by Lorenz Frølich
In the poem Lokasenna, the half-god Loki angrily flyts with the gods in the sea entity Ægir's hall. Thor does not attend the event, however, as he is away in the east for unspecified purposes. Towards the end of the poem, the flyting turns to Sif, Thor's wife, who Loki then claims to have slept with. The god Freyr's servant Beyla interjects, and says that, since all of the mountains are shaking, she thinks that Thor is on his way home. Beyla adds that Thor will bring peace to the quarrel, to which Loki responds with insults.[31]
Thor arrives and tells Loki to be silent, and threatens to rip Loki's head from his body with his hammer. Loki asks Thor why he's so angry, and comments that Thor won't be so daring to fight "the wolf" (Fenrir) when it eats Odin (a reference to the foretold events of Ragnarök). Thor again tells him to be silent, and threatens to throw him into the sky, where he will never be seen again. Loki says that Thor should not brag of his time in the east, as he once crouched in fear in the thumb of a glove (a story involving deception by the magic of Útgarða-Loki, recounted in the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning)—which, he comments, "was hardly like Thor". Thor again tells him to be silent, threatening to break every bone in Loki's body. Loki responds that he intends to live a while yet, and again insults Thor with references to his encounter with Útgarða-Loki. Thor responds with a fourth call to be silent, and threatens to send Loki to Hel. At Thor's final threat, Loki gives in, commenting that only for Thor will he leave the hall, for "I know alone that you do strike", and the poem continues.[32]
In the comedic poem Þrymskviða, Thor again plays a central role. In the poem, Thor wakes and finds that his powerful hammer, Mjöllnir, is missing. Thor turns to Loki, and tells him that nobody knows that the hammer has been stolen. The two go to the dwelling of the goddess Freyja, and so that he may attempt to find Mjöllnir, Thor asks her if he may borrow her feather cloak. Freyja agrees, and says she'd lend it even to Thor if it were made of silver or gold, and Loki flies off, the feather cloak whistling.[33]
In Jötunheimr, the jötunn Þrymr sits on a barrow, plaiting golden collars for his female dogs, and trimming the manes of his horses. Þrymr sees Loki, and asks what could be amiss among the Æsir and the elves; why is Loki alone in Jötunheimr? Loki responds that that he has bad news for both the elves and the Æsir—that Thor's hammer, Mjöllnir, is gone. Þrymr says that he has hidden Mjöllnir eight leagues beneath the earth, from which it will be retrieved, but only if Freyja is brought to him as his wife. Loki flies off, the feather cloak whistling, away from Jötunheimr and back to the court of the gods.[34]
Thor asks Loki if his efforts were successful, and that Loki should tell him while he's still in the air as "tales often escape a sitting man, and the man lying down often barks out lies." Loki states that it was indeed an effort, and also a success, for he has discovered that Þrymr has the hammer, but that it cannot be retrieved unless Freyja is brought to Þrymr as his wife. The two return to Freyja and tell her to put on a bridal head dress, as they will drive her to Jötunheimr. Freyja, indignant and angry, goes into a rage, causing all of the halls of the Æsir to tremble in her anger, and her necklace, the famed Brísingamen, falls from her. Freyja pointedly refuses.[35]
As a result, the gods and goddesses meet and hold a thing to discuss and debate the matter. At the thing, the god Heimdallr puts forth the suggestion that, in place of Freyja, Thor should be dressed as the bride, complete with jewels, women's clothing down to his knees, a bridal head-dress, and the necklace Brísingamen. Thor rejects the idea, and Loki interjects that this will be the only way to get back Mjöllnir. Loki points out that, without Mjöllnir, the jötnar will be able to invade and settle in Asgard. The gods dress Thor as a bride, and Loki states that he will go with Thor as his maid, and that the two shall drive to Jötunheimr together.[36]
After riding together in Thor's goat-driven chariot, the two, disguised, arrive in Jötunheimr. Þrymr commands the jötnar in his hall to spread straw on the benches, for Freyja has arrived to be his wife. Þrymr recounts his treasured animals and objects, stating that Freyja was all that he was missing in his wealth.[37]
Early in the evening, the disguised Loki and Thor meet in the with the Þrymr and the assembled jötnar. Thor eats and drinks ferociously, consuming entire animals and three casks of mead. Þrymr finds the behaviour at odds with his impression of Freyja, and Loki, sitting before Þrymr and appearing as a "very shrewd maid", makes the excuse that "Freyja's" behaviour is due to her having not consumed anything for eight entire days before arriving due to her eagerness to arrive. Þrymr then lifts "Freyja's" veil and wants to kiss "her" until catching the terrifying eyes staring back at him, seemingly burning with fire. Loki states that this is because "Freyja" had not slept for eight nights in her eagerness.[37]
The "wretched sister" of the jötnar appears, asks for a bridal gift from "Freyja", and the jötnar bring out Mjöllnir to "sanctify the bride", to lay it on her lap, and marry the two by "the hand" of the goddess Vár. Thor laughs internally when he sees the hammer, takes hold of it, strikes Þrymr, beats all of the jötnar, kills their "older sister", and so gets his hammer back.[38]
In the poem Alvíssmál, tricks a dwarf, Alvíss, to his doom upon finding that he seeks to wed his daughter (unnamed, possibly Þrúðr). As the poem starts, Thor meets a dwarf who talks about getting married. Thor finds the dwarf repulsive and, apparently, then realizes that the bride is his daughter. Thor comments that the wedding agreement was made among the gods while Thor was gone, and that the dwarf must seek his consent. To do so, Thor says, Alvíss must tell him what he wants to know about all of the worlds that the dwarf has visited. In a long question and answer session, Alvíss does so; he describes natural features as they are known in the languages of various races of beings in the world, and gives an amount of cosmological lore.[39]
However, the question and answer session turns out to be a ploy by Thor, as, although Thor comments that he has truly never seen anyone with more wisdom in their breast, Thor has managed to delay the dwarf enough for the Sun to turn him to stone; "day dawns on you now, dwarf, now sun shines on the hall".[40]
In the poem Hyndluljóð, Freyja offers to the jötunn woman Hyndla to blót (sacrifice) to Thor so that she may be protected, and comments that Thor doesn't care much for jötunn women.[41]
From: Wiki
Ultimately stemming from Proto-Indo-European religion, Thor is a prominently mentioned god throughout the recorded history of the Germanic peoples, from the Roman occupation of regions of Germania, to the tribal expansions of the Migration Period, to his extreme popularity during the Viking Age, where, in the face of the process of the Christianization of Scandinavia, emblems of his hammer, Mjöllnir, were worn in defiance and Norse pagans personal names containing the name of the god bear witness to his flourishing popularity. After the Christianization of Scandinavia and into the modern period, Thor continued to be acknowledged in rural folklore throughout Germanic regions. Thor is frequently referenced in place names, the day of the week Thursday ("Thor's day") bears his name, and names stemming from the pagan period containing his own continue to be used today.
In Norse mythology, largely recorded in Iceland from traditional material stemming from Scandinavia, numerous tales and information about Thor is provided. In these sources, Thor bears at least fourteen names, is the husband of the golden-haired goddess Sif, is the lover of the jötunn Járnsaxa, and is described as fierce-eyed, red-haired and red-bearded. With Sif, Thor fathered the goddess (and possible valkyrie) Þrúðr; with Járnsaxa, he fathered Magni; with a mother whose name is not recorded, he fathered Móði, and he is the stepfather of the god Ullr. The same sources list Thor as the son of the god Odin and the personified earth, Fjörgyn, and by way of Odin, Thor has numerous brothers. Thor has two servants, Þjálfi and Röskva, rides in a chariot led by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr (that he eats and resurrects), and is ascribed three dwellings (Bilskirnir, Þrúðheimr, and Þrúðvangr). Thor wields the mountain-crushing hammer, Mjöllnir, wears the belt Megingjörð and the iron gloves Járngreipr, and owns the staff Gríðarvölr. Thor's exploits, including his relentless slaughter of his foes and fierce battles with the monstrous serpent Jörmungandr—and their foretold mutual deaths during the events of Ragnarök—are recorded throughout sources for Norse mythology.
(...)
Old Norse Þórr, Old English Þunor and Old High German Donar are cognates within Germanic, descending from a Common Germanic *þonaroz[1] or *þunraz, meaning "thunder".[2] The name of the Gaulish god of thunder, Toran or Taran is also related.[3]
Thor is the namesake of the weekday name Thursday. By employing a practice known as interpretatio germanica during the Roman Empire period, the Germanic peoples adopted the Roman weekly calendar, and replaced the names of Roman gods with their own. Latin dies Iovi ("day of Jupiter") was converted into Proto-Germanic *Þonares dagaz ("Thor's day"), from which stems modern English "Thursday" and all other Germanic weekday cognates.[4]
Beginning in the Viking Age, personal names containing the theonym Thōrr are recorded with great frequency. Prior to the Viking Age, no known examples are recorded. Thórr-based names may have flourished during the Viking Age as a defiant response to attempts at Christianization, similar to the widescale Viking Age practice of wearing Thor's hammer pendants.[5]
In 19th century Iceland, a specific breed of fox was known as holtaþórr ("Thor of the holt"), likely due to the red coat of the breed.[6]
The modern spelling Thor is an anglicization of the Old Norse name. The name of the Norse deity is attested already in Old English, as Þór. The modern spelling was introduced with the beginning of antiquarian interest in the Viking Age, in the 17th century.[7]
(...)
Poetic Edda
In the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from traditional source material reaching into the pagan period, Thor appears (or is mentioned) in the poems Völuspá, Grímnismál, Skírnismál, Hárbarðsljóð, Hymiskviða, Lokasenna, Þrymskviða, Alvíssmál, and Hyndluljóð.[20]
The foretold death of Thor as depicted (1895) by Lorenz Frølich
In the poem Völuspá, a dead völva recounts the history of the universe and foretells the future to the disguised god Odin, including the death of Thor. Thor, she foretells, will do battle with the great serpent during the immense mythical war waged at Ragnarök, and there he will slay the monstrous snake, yet after he will only be able to take nine steps before succumbing to the venom of the beast:
Benjamin Thorpe translation:
Then comes the mighty son of Hlôdyn:
(Odin's son goes with the monster to fight);
Midgârd's Veor in his rage will slay the worm.
Nine feet will go Fiörgyn's son,
bowed by the serpent, who feared no fore.
All men will their homes forsake.[21]
Henry Adams Bellows translation:
Hither there comes the son of Hlothyn,
The bright snake gapes to heaven above;
. . . . . . . .
Against the serpent goes Othin's son.
In anger smites the warder of earth,—
Forth from their homes must all men flee;—
Nine paces fares the son of Fjorgyn,
And, slain by the serpent, fearless he sinks.[22]
After, says the völva, the sky will turn black before fire engulfs the world, the stars will disappear, flames will dance before the sky, steam will rise, the world will be covered in water, and then it will be raise again; green and fertile (see Prose Edda section below for the survival of the sons of Thor, who return after these events with Thor's hammer).[23]
Thor wades through a river while the Æsir ride across the bridge Bifröst (1895) by Lorenz Frølich
In the poem Grímnismál, the god Odin, in disguise as Grímnir, and tortured, starved and thirsty, imparts in the young Agnar cosmological lore, including that Thor resides in Þrúðheimr, and that, every day, Thor wades through the rivers Körmt and Örmt, and the two Kerlaugar. There, Grímnir says, Thor sits as judge at the immense cosmological world tree, Yggdrasil.[24]
In Skírnismál, the god Freyr's messenger, Skírnir, threatens the fair Gerðr, who Freyr is smitten with, with numerous threats and curses, including that Thor, Freyr, and Odin will be angry with her, and that she risks their "potent wrath".[25]
Thor is the main character of Hárbarðsljóð, where, after traveling "from the east", Thor encounters a ferryman at an inlet by the name of Hárbarðr (Odin, again in disguise), who he attempts to hail a ride from. The ferryman, shouting from the inlet, is immediately rude and obnoxious to Thor and refuses to ferry him. At first, Thor holds his tongue, but Hárbarðr only becomes more aggressive, and the poem soon becomes a flyting match between Thor and Hárbarðr, all the while revealing lore about the two, including Thor's killing of several jötnar in "the east" and berzerk women on Hlesey (now the Danish island of Læsø). In the end, Thor ends up walking instead.[26]
Týr looks on as Thor discovers that one of his goats is lame in the leg (1895) by Lorenz Frølich
Thor is again the main character in the poem Hymiskviða, where, after the gods have been hunting and have eaten their prey, they have an urge to drink. They "sh[ake] the twigs" and interpret what they say. The gods decide that they would find suitable cauldrons at Ægir's home. Thor arrives at Ægir's home and finds him to be cheerful, looks into his eyes, and tells him that he must prepare feasts for the gods. Annoyed, Ægir tells Thor that the gods must first bring to him a suitable cauldron to brew ale in. The gods search but find no such cauldron anywhere. However, Týr tells Thor that he may have a solution; east of Élivágar lives Hymir, and he owns such a deep kettle.[27]
So, after Thor secures his goats at Egil's home, Thor and Týr go to Hymir's hall in search of a cauldron large enough to brew ale for them all. They arrive, and Týr sees his nine-hundred-headed grandmother and his gold-clad mother, the latter of which welcomes them with a horn. After Hymir—who is not happy to see Thor—comes in from the cold outdoors, Týr's mother helps them find a properly strong cauldron. Thor eats a big meal of two oxen (all the rest eat but one), and then goes to sleep. In the morning, he awakes and informs Hymir that he wants to go fishing the following evening, and that he will catch plenty of food, but that he needs bait. Hymir tells him to go get some bait from his pasture, which he expects should not be a problem for Thor. Thor goes out, finds Hymir's best ox, and rips its head off.[28]
After a lacuna in the manuscript of the poem,Hymiskviða abruptly picks up again with Thor and Hymir in a boat, out at sea. Hymir catches a few whales at once, and Thor baits his line with the head of the ox. Thor casts his line and the monstrous serpent Jörmungandr bites. Thor pulls the serpent on board, and violently slams him in the head with his hammer. Jörmungandr shrieks, and a noisy commotion is heard from underwater before another lacuna appears in the manuscript.[29]
After the second lacuna, Hymir is sitting in the boat, unhappy and totally silent, as they row back to shore. On shore, Hymir suggests that Thor should help him carry a whale back to his farm. Thor picks both the boat and the whales up, and carries it all back to Hymir's farm. After Thor successfully smashes a crystal goblet by throwing it at Hymir's head on Týr's mother's suggestion, Thor and Týr are given the cauldron. Týr cannot lift it, but Thor manages to roll it, and so with it they leave. Some distance from Hymir's home, an army of many-headed beings led by Hymir attacks the two, but are killed by the hammer of Thor. And although one of his goats is lame in the leg, the two manage to bring the cauldron back, have plenty of ale, and so, from then on, return to Ægir's for more every winter.[30]
Thor raises his hammer as Loki leaves Ægir's hall (1895) by Lorenz Frølich
In the poem Lokasenna, the half-god Loki angrily flyts with the gods in the sea entity Ægir's hall. Thor does not attend the event, however, as he is away in the east for unspecified purposes. Towards the end of the poem, the flyting turns to Sif, Thor's wife, who Loki then claims to have slept with. The god Freyr's servant Beyla interjects, and says that, since all of the mountains are shaking, she thinks that Thor is on his way home. Beyla adds that Thor will bring peace to the quarrel, to which Loki responds with insults.[31]
Thor arrives and tells Loki to be silent, and threatens to rip Loki's head from his body with his hammer. Loki asks Thor why he's so angry, and comments that Thor won't be so daring to fight "the wolf" (Fenrir) when it eats Odin (a reference to the foretold events of Ragnarök). Thor again tells him to be silent, and threatens to throw him into the sky, where he will never be seen again. Loki says that Thor should not brag of his time in the east, as he once crouched in fear in the thumb of a glove (a story involving deception by the magic of Útgarða-Loki, recounted in the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning)—which, he comments, "was hardly like Thor". Thor again tells him to be silent, threatening to break every bone in Loki's body. Loki responds that he intends to live a while yet, and again insults Thor with references to his encounter with Útgarða-Loki. Thor responds with a fourth call to be silent, and threatens to send Loki to Hel. At Thor's final threat, Loki gives in, commenting that only for Thor will he leave the hall, for "I know alone that you do strike", and the poem continues.[32]
In the comedic poem Þrymskviða, Thor again plays a central role. In the poem, Thor wakes and finds that his powerful hammer, Mjöllnir, is missing. Thor turns to Loki, and tells him that nobody knows that the hammer has been stolen. The two go to the dwelling of the goddess Freyja, and so that he may attempt to find Mjöllnir, Thor asks her if he may borrow her feather cloak. Freyja agrees, and says she'd lend it even to Thor if it were made of silver or gold, and Loki flies off, the feather cloak whistling.[33]
In Jötunheimr, the jötunn Þrymr sits on a barrow, plaiting golden collars for his female dogs, and trimming the manes of his horses. Þrymr sees Loki, and asks what could be amiss among the Æsir and the elves; why is Loki alone in Jötunheimr? Loki responds that that he has bad news for both the elves and the Æsir—that Thor's hammer, Mjöllnir, is gone. Þrymr says that he has hidden Mjöllnir eight leagues beneath the earth, from which it will be retrieved, but only if Freyja is brought to him as his wife. Loki flies off, the feather cloak whistling, away from Jötunheimr and back to the court of the gods.[34]
Thor asks Loki if his efforts were successful, and that Loki should tell him while he's still in the air as "tales often escape a sitting man, and the man lying down often barks out lies." Loki states that it was indeed an effort, and also a success, for he has discovered that Þrymr has the hammer, but that it cannot be retrieved unless Freyja is brought to Þrymr as his wife. The two return to Freyja and tell her to put on a bridal head dress, as they will drive her to Jötunheimr. Freyja, indignant and angry, goes into a rage, causing all of the halls of the Æsir to tremble in her anger, and her necklace, the famed Brísingamen, falls from her. Freyja pointedly refuses.[35]
As a result, the gods and goddesses meet and hold a thing to discuss and debate the matter. At the thing, the god Heimdallr puts forth the suggestion that, in place of Freyja, Thor should be dressed as the bride, complete with jewels, women's clothing down to his knees, a bridal head-dress, and the necklace Brísingamen. Thor rejects the idea, and Loki interjects that this will be the only way to get back Mjöllnir. Loki points out that, without Mjöllnir, the jötnar will be able to invade and settle in Asgard. The gods dress Thor as a bride, and Loki states that he will go with Thor as his maid, and that the two shall drive to Jötunheimr together.[36]
After riding together in Thor's goat-driven chariot, the two, disguised, arrive in Jötunheimr. Þrymr commands the jötnar in his hall to spread straw on the benches, for Freyja has arrived to be his wife. Þrymr recounts his treasured animals and objects, stating that Freyja was all that he was missing in his wealth.[37]
Early in the evening, the disguised Loki and Thor meet in the with the Þrymr and the assembled jötnar. Thor eats and drinks ferociously, consuming entire animals and three casks of mead. Þrymr finds the behaviour at odds with his impression of Freyja, and Loki, sitting before Þrymr and appearing as a "very shrewd maid", makes the excuse that "Freyja's" behaviour is due to her having not consumed anything for eight entire days before arriving due to her eagerness to arrive. Þrymr then lifts "Freyja's" veil and wants to kiss "her" until catching the terrifying eyes staring back at him, seemingly burning with fire. Loki states that this is because "Freyja" had not slept for eight nights in her eagerness.[37]
The "wretched sister" of the jötnar appears, asks for a bridal gift from "Freyja", and the jötnar bring out Mjöllnir to "sanctify the bride", to lay it on her lap, and marry the two by "the hand" of the goddess Vár. Thor laughs internally when he sees the hammer, takes hold of it, strikes Þrymr, beats all of the jötnar, kills their "older sister", and so gets his hammer back.[38]
In the poem Alvíssmál, tricks a dwarf, Alvíss, to his doom upon finding that he seeks to wed his daughter (unnamed, possibly Þrúðr). As the poem starts, Thor meets a dwarf who talks about getting married. Thor finds the dwarf repulsive and, apparently, then realizes that the bride is his daughter. Thor comments that the wedding agreement was made among the gods while Thor was gone, and that the dwarf must seek his consent. To do so, Thor says, Alvíss must tell him what he wants to know about all of the worlds that the dwarf has visited. In a long question and answer session, Alvíss does so; he describes natural features as they are known in the languages of various races of beings in the world, and gives an amount of cosmological lore.[39]
However, the question and answer session turns out to be a ploy by Thor, as, although Thor comments that he has truly never seen anyone with more wisdom in their breast, Thor has managed to delay the dwarf enough for the Sun to turn him to stone; "day dawns on you now, dwarf, now sun shines on the hall".[40]
In the poem Hyndluljóð, Freyja offers to the jötunn woman Hyndla to blót (sacrifice) to Thor so that she may be protected, and comments that Thor doesn't care much for jötunn women.[41]
From: Wiki
*Þunraz.........*Proto-Germanic
Thunaer......... Old Low German
Donar.........Old High German "Thunder"
Thunar.........Anglo-Saxon "Thunder"
Donner.........Modern German "Thunder"
Thor.........Modern English "Thunder"
Tor.........Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Þórr.........Old Norse (Old Icelandic) "Thunder"
Ása-Thór........."Thor of the Aesir"
Vingthór........."Consecration Thor"
Lorride.........Old Norse"?"
Hlórriþi.........Old Norse "?"
Óku-Thór.........Old Norse "Driver Thor"
Gofar.........Swedish "The Good Father"
Atli
Ásabrag
Ennilang
Eindridi
Bjorn
Hardveur
Sonnung
Veud
Rym
"Deep Thinker"
"Man's Well-Wisher"
"Reiner of Goats"
"Mjollnir's Lord"
"Bilskirnir's Lord"
"The Thunderer"
"The Son of Odin and Jord"
"Father of Magni, Modi, and Thrudr"
"Husband of Sif"
"Sif's Beloved"
"Stepfather to Ullr"
"Owner of the Girdle of Might"
"Defender of Asgard and Midgard"
"Slayer of Giants"
"Killer of Hrungnir, Geirrod, and Thrivaldi"
"Lord of Thialfi and Roskva"
"Enemy of the Midgard Serpent"
"Foster Son of Vingnir and Hlora"
"Oflugbardi's Terrifier"
"Midgard's Buckler or Shield"
From: here
Thunaer......... Old Low German
Donar.........Old High German "Thunder"
Thunar.........Anglo-Saxon "Thunder"
Donner.........Modern German "Thunder"
Thor.........Modern English "Thunder"
Tor.........Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Þórr.........Old Norse (Old Icelandic) "Thunder"
Ása-Thór........."Thor of the Aesir"
Vingthór........."Consecration Thor"
Lorride.........Old Norse"?"
Hlórriþi.........Old Norse "?"
Óku-Thór.........Old Norse "Driver Thor"
Gofar.........Swedish "The Good Father"
Atli
Ásabrag
Ennilang
Eindridi
Bjorn
Hardveur
Sonnung
Veud
Rym
"Deep Thinker"
"Man's Well-Wisher"
"Reiner of Goats"
"Mjollnir's Lord"
"Bilskirnir's Lord"
"The Thunderer"
"The Son of Odin and Jord"
"Father of Magni, Modi, and Thrudr"
"Husband of Sif"
"Sif's Beloved"
"Stepfather to Ullr"
"Owner of the Girdle of Might"
"Defender of Asgard and Midgard"
"Slayer of Giants"
"Killer of Hrungnir, Geirrod, and Thrivaldi"
"Lord of Thialfi and Roskva"
"Enemy of the Midgard Serpent"
"Foster Son of Vingnir and Hlora"
"Oflugbardi's Terrifier"
"Midgard's Buckler or Shield"
From: here
Old Norse: Þórr
Meaning: "Courage", "Boldness"
Thor was the nordic god of thunder.
He was the son of Odin and Jörd, husband of Sif and with her, father of Thrud and Lorride and Stepfather of Ull. His mistress was the giantess Jarnsaxa and their sons were Magni and Modi.
Thor was the strongest of the Aesir and, with his hammer, Mjöllnir, always at war with the giants.
The two goats, that drew his chariot were called Tanngniost ("The Snarling") and Tanngrisni ("Who grinds his teeth"). His servant's name was Thjalfi and Röskva, Thjalfi's sister, was Thor's handmaid.
He lived in Thrudvang ("Field of Might") or Thrudheim ("Home of Might"). There stood his palace, "Bilskirnir".
POETIC EDDA:
There are many many adventures of Thor in the eddic poems.
- In the Hárbarðsljóð of the Poetic Edda, he's wrangling with Harbard (Odin in disguise).
- The Alvíssmál tells about the knowledge-contest between the god Thor and the dwarf Alvis. It all began, when Thor was on a journey.
Alvis forged weapons for the gods and as payment they promised him Thor’s daughter, Thrud as his wife.
Thor came home and heared that, but didn’t want to gave him his daughter. So the day came, when Alvis went to Thor’s hall. Thor, who wanted to trick the dwarf started a knowledge-contest. He asked Alvis for the names of different things in the language of all races of the worlds.
Alvis didn’t recognized, that the day was rising and was turned to stone when the fist sun rays fell upon him. (Click Here to read the Alvíssmál in english or Here to read it in Old Norse)
- Another story of Thor's told in the Þrymskviða: the giant Thrym stole Thor's hammer Mjöllnir and wishes as payment for the hammer Freyja as his bride. But instead of sending Freyja to the giants, the Aesir dressed Thor as bride and Loki as his bridesmaid. The two gods came to Jötunheim, and Thrym gave Thor the hammer, who then immediately killed the giant and returned home.
- In the Hymiskviða, Thor went to the giant Hymir (maybe father of Tyr) to lend the latters enormous kettle. The kettle was for Aegir, to warm the mead for all the gods. In this story there's also a short encounter between Thor and the Midgard-Serpent.
At Ragnarok he'll kill the midgard-serpent, Jörmungand, but will be killed by the poison of the snake.
PROSE EDDA:
Once, Thor fought the giant Hrungnir. After being killed by the god, Hrungnir fell forward upon Thor. No one of the Aesir was strong enough to remove the giant from Thor’s neck, all except Magni, Thor’s and Jarnsaxa’s son.
After that, Thor went home to Thrudvangr, where Groa sung her spells over Thor and tried to remove the hone inside Thor’s head. But then Thor told her that he brought her husband Aurvandil, in a basket on his back, out of Jötunheim and that one of Aurvandil’s toes freeced ‘couse it stucked out of the basket. Thor broke the toe off and threw it up the sky.
(Prose Edda: Skáldskaparmál XXV)
Another famous story of Thor is his encounter with Utgard-Loki and his loose against Elli (the personified Old Age) in a wrestling match. And his gight against the giant Geirröd and his daughters Gjalp and Greip.
According to the damn fat chaos, coused by Snorri, when he said that Thor was the grandson of King Priam (greek myth, I really don't know why the hell he said that), he killed his foster-father and ruled his land Thrace (Thrudheim). Then he found Sibil (Sif), a faire prophetess and married her, their son's name was Loridi.
"And thus sang Eysteinn Valdason:
With glowing eyes Thrúdr's Father
Glared at the sea-road's circler,
Ere the fishes' watery dwelling
Flowed in, the boat confounding."
(That's a piece of the Skáldskaparmál: Þórskenningar, click Here to read all)
"Their son was Lóridi, who resembled his father; his son was Einridi, his son Vingethor, his son Vingener, his son Móda, his son Magi, his son Seskef, his son Bedvig, his son Athra (whom we call Annarr), his son Ítermann, his son Heremód, his son Skjaldun (whom we call Skjöld), his son Bjáf (whom we call Bjárr), his son Ját, his son Gudólfr, his son Finn, his son Fríallaf (whom we call Fridleifr); his son was he who is named Vóden, whom we call Odin: he was a man far-famed for wisdom and every accomplishment. His wife was Frígídá, whom we call Frigg."
(That's a neck from the Prose Edda's prologue)
Thor's names:
* Asabrag ("King of the Aesir")
* Asathor ("Thor of the Gods")
* Atli
* Björn ("Bear")
* Donar (Germanic)
* Eindridi (or Einridi)
* Ennilang
* Hardveur
* Hlorridi
* Jupiter (Thor's roman equivalent)
* Öku-Thor ("Driving-Thor")
* Rym
* Sonnung
* Thunor (Anglo-Saxon)
* Veud
* Veur
* Vingnir ("The Hurler")
* Vingthor ("Thor the Hurler")
* Zeus (Thor's greek equivalent)
Thursday ("Thor's Day") was called after him.
From: here
Meaning: "Courage", "Boldness"
Thor was the nordic god of thunder.
He was the son of Odin and Jörd, husband of Sif and with her, father of Thrud and Lorride and Stepfather of Ull. His mistress was the giantess Jarnsaxa and their sons were Magni and Modi.
Thor was the strongest of the Aesir and, with his hammer, Mjöllnir, always at war with the giants.
The two goats, that drew his chariot were called Tanngniost ("The Snarling") and Tanngrisni ("Who grinds his teeth"). His servant's name was Thjalfi and Röskva, Thjalfi's sister, was Thor's handmaid.
He lived in Thrudvang ("Field of Might") or Thrudheim ("Home of Might"). There stood his palace, "Bilskirnir".
POETIC EDDA:
There are many many adventures of Thor in the eddic poems.
- In the Hárbarðsljóð of the Poetic Edda, he's wrangling with Harbard (Odin in disguise).
- The Alvíssmál tells about the knowledge-contest between the god Thor and the dwarf Alvis. It all began, when Thor was on a journey.
Alvis forged weapons for the gods and as payment they promised him Thor’s daughter, Thrud as his wife.
Thor came home and heared that, but didn’t want to gave him his daughter. So the day came, when Alvis went to Thor’s hall. Thor, who wanted to trick the dwarf started a knowledge-contest. He asked Alvis for the names of different things in the language of all races of the worlds.
Alvis didn’t recognized, that the day was rising and was turned to stone when the fist sun rays fell upon him. (Click Here to read the Alvíssmál in english or Here to read it in Old Norse)
- Another story of Thor's told in the Þrymskviða: the giant Thrym stole Thor's hammer Mjöllnir and wishes as payment for the hammer Freyja as his bride. But instead of sending Freyja to the giants, the Aesir dressed Thor as bride and Loki as his bridesmaid. The two gods came to Jötunheim, and Thrym gave Thor the hammer, who then immediately killed the giant and returned home.
- In the Hymiskviða, Thor went to the giant Hymir (maybe father of Tyr) to lend the latters enormous kettle. The kettle was for Aegir, to warm the mead for all the gods. In this story there's also a short encounter between Thor and the Midgard-Serpent.
At Ragnarok he'll kill the midgard-serpent, Jörmungand, but will be killed by the poison of the snake.
PROSE EDDA:
Once, Thor fought the giant Hrungnir. After being killed by the god, Hrungnir fell forward upon Thor. No one of the Aesir was strong enough to remove the giant from Thor’s neck, all except Magni, Thor’s and Jarnsaxa’s son.
After that, Thor went home to Thrudvangr, where Groa sung her spells over Thor and tried to remove the hone inside Thor’s head. But then Thor told her that he brought her husband Aurvandil, in a basket on his back, out of Jötunheim and that one of Aurvandil’s toes freeced ‘couse it stucked out of the basket. Thor broke the toe off and threw it up the sky.
(Prose Edda: Skáldskaparmál XXV)
Another famous story of Thor is his encounter with Utgard-Loki and his loose against Elli (the personified Old Age) in a wrestling match. And his gight against the giant Geirröd and his daughters Gjalp and Greip.
According to the damn fat chaos, coused by Snorri, when he said that Thor was the grandson of King Priam (greek myth, I really don't know why the hell he said that), he killed his foster-father and ruled his land Thrace (Thrudheim). Then he found Sibil (Sif), a faire prophetess and married her, their son's name was Loridi.
"And thus sang Eysteinn Valdason:
With glowing eyes Thrúdr's Father
Glared at the sea-road's circler,
Ere the fishes' watery dwelling
Flowed in, the boat confounding."
(That's a piece of the Skáldskaparmál: Þórskenningar, click Here to read all)
"Their son was Lóridi, who resembled his father; his son was Einridi, his son Vingethor, his son Vingener, his son Móda, his son Magi, his son Seskef, his son Bedvig, his son Athra (whom we call Annarr), his son Ítermann, his son Heremód, his son Skjaldun (whom we call Skjöld), his son Bjáf (whom we call Bjárr), his son Ját, his son Gudólfr, his son Finn, his son Fríallaf (whom we call Fridleifr); his son was he who is named Vóden, whom we call Odin: he was a man far-famed for wisdom and every accomplishment. His wife was Frígídá, whom we call Frigg."
(That's a neck from the Prose Edda's prologue)
Thor's names:
* Asabrag ("King of the Aesir")
* Asathor ("Thor of the Gods")
* Atli
* Björn ("Bear")
* Donar (Germanic)
* Eindridi (or Einridi)
* Ennilang
* Hardveur
* Hlorridi
* Jupiter (Thor's roman equivalent)
* Öku-Thor ("Driving-Thor")
* Rym
* Sonnung
* Thunor (Anglo-Saxon)
* Veud
* Veur
* Vingnir ("The Hurler")
* Vingthor ("Thor the Hurler")
* Zeus (Thor's greek equivalent)
Thursday ("Thor's Day") was called after him.
From: here
Thundrune: Dedicated to Thor
Thor -- poems, chants, prayers
General article
Prayers/hymns written to Thor
Þunor/Thor
IV: Thor
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