Friday, February 10, 2012

Horses of the AEsir


  • Blóðughófi: "Bloody-hoof";
  • Falhófnir: "Hairy-hoof" or "Hidden-hoof", i.e. whoses hoofs are covered with hair, or "Pale-hoof";
  • Gulltoppr: "Gold-tuft";
  • Gísl: related to "beam", "ray";
  • Glaðr: "Glad" or "Bright";
  • Glær[4]: "Clear", "Glassy";
  • Gullfaxi: "Golden-mane"
  • Gyllir[5]: "Golden";
  • Hófvarpnir : "Hoof-thrower";
  • Léttfeti: "Light-foot";
  • Silfrintoppr: "Silver-tuft";
  • Sinir: "Sinewy";
  • Skeiðbrimir: "the one which snorts as he runs";
  • Sleipnir: "trickster";


Snorri Sturluson paraphrases this stanza in his Gylfaginning:

Each day the Æsir ride thither up over Bifröst, which is also called the Æsir's Bridge. These are the names of the Æsir's steeds: Sleipnir is best, which Odin has; he has eight feet. The second is Gladr, the third Gyllir, the fourth Glenr, the fifth Skeidbrimir, the sixth Silfrintoppr, the seventh Sinir, the eighth Gisl, the ninth Falhófnir, the tenth Gulltoppr, the eleventh Léttfeti. Baldr's horse was burnt with him; and Thor walks to the judgment.
Gylfaginning (15), Brodeur's translation[2]


The viking standing stone shows Slepnier, the one with the eight legs. In fact you see a whole bunch of folk on that stone!


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