7 MAGICAL creatures from Norse mythology

The norse mythology is one of the more interesting and complete in the history of humanity, as it shows that much of the fantasy literature has been based on it to create their worlds. Among all the elements that can be influenced, one of the most interesting is that of its creatures, since the Nordic beliefs have a huge number of very special beasts. To get to know some of them in this lesson from a Teacher we must talk about the magical creatures of thenorse mythology.

The norse mythology was a set of religious stories, beliefs, myths and legends originating from the Scandinavian peoples, these being a series of cultures that inhabited what we currently know as Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

These towns receive various names, but we know them especially as vikings. They were a warrior and traveling people, being capable of conquering numerous lands in Europe, and expanding their cultures throughout all of them. It was thanks to this expansion that the ideas of the Norse beliefs reached the western area Europe, thanks to which we have many sources on the subject.

norse myths They come from the German stories, which were modified and changed by the Vikings to better fit their story. Over the years, other peoples influenced Nordic beliefs, such as the English, causing the myths to change.

In this other lesson we will discover the major norse gods and here the most important viking goddesses.

When talking about Nordic magical creatures we must understand that There are two kinds of creatures. Some that make up what we can call race, with a huge number of people sharing attributes; and, on the other hand, the individual creatures, with its own unique characteristics. First of all we must talk about the Nordic races, thus understanding the groups of creatures that existed.

elves

Of Germanic origin, they were minor fertility deities that had enormous beauty and were immortal. These beings were capable of using magic, and were said to inhabit forests and caves.

Dwarves

Dwarves were short creatures with an enormous number of characteristics, although the most common was that of Jorja, as they were said to be highly skilled blacksmiths. Among the elements that characterized them we find stones, underground life, luck and technology.

trolls

Trolls appear in many Nordic myths, although their characteristics and abilities change a lot depending on the text we consult. Generally, they are usually represented as wild tribes that kidnapped people in order to eat them.

Draugr

The draugr were a kind of zombie for the Norse, being beings that had come back to life after dying. Depending on the source we consult, the shape of these draugr may vary, since some definitions seem to treat them as ghosts, and others as something more physical.

To continue this lesson on Norse mythology, we must list the main creatures that appear in the Nordic beliefs, many of them having an important participation in the viking myths and legends.

The main magical creatures from Norse mythology are as follows:

1. fenrir: A huge wolf who is said to be the son of the god Loki. In the Norse myths Fenrir has a very important role, since it is said that during Ragnarok he will be in charge of killing Odin.
2. Kraken: A Nordic monster with the appearance of a giant squid or octopus. Viking myths tell of ships mistaking the kraken for an island and being devoured by it when attempting to dock on it. It is thought that it could be confused with a giant squid.
3. sea: An evil figure that is said to give people nightmares by sitting on his chest. Other sources say that in addition to this, the seas could transform into animals, in order to hide from people.
4. jormungandr: Also known as the Midgard serpent, it is said that it was a huge serpent daughter of Loki, as big as the world itself. According to the myths of Ragnarok, the snake would die at the hands of Thor, but he would be poisoned by his poison.
5. ratatoskr: A squirrel that lived in the great tree of the world. Some sources say that she was a simple messenger, while others say that he was an evil being, who gave wrong messages to make the enmity of the Vikings grow.
6. sleipnir: Odin's horse had four front legs and four hind legs, so it had one leg in each of the kingdoms. It is said that it was the best horse in the world, and that is why it was carried by Odin.
7. nidhogg: A great dragon that lives in the roots of the world tree. It is said that this creature feeds on the roots of the tree, since if it ends with it, it can end the world.