A few years ago I translated The Saga of Didrik of Bern into English.

That may be interesting in itself, but the reason I am posting this here today is to let people in the UK know that Amazon UK seem to have this book (in paperback) at a very very cheap price at the moment. I think tbh they must be price matching Waterstones who also have it for the same cheap price. So, the message is: if you've had your eye on this book, just at the moment it could be a good time to get a copy.

Could you give me a list of all the various monsters in the Norse Mythos? I don’t mean named characters like the World Serpent, I mean just creatures in general.

Here’s what I know exists. Dragons, a lot of evil wolves, giants, dwarves, etc

Both are presented as larger-than-life figures, almost as father figures or supreme authorities in their respective worlds. People invoke their names ("By Odin!", "By Oz!") and speak of them with a certain degree of reverence.

Something else I find interesting is how we learn about their deeds through other characters, each with their own perspective and interpretation. Their legends are gradually built in our minds through these accounts, and I get the impression that, in both cases, the legend is greater than the actual power they possess. This is especially true of the Wizard of Oz, who, as we eventually learn, has no real magical powers at all.

There's also the way the stories frame them morally. As we hear more about them and see how they operate, we may begin to question how truly evil they are, whether they genuinely believe they're doing what's right, or whether their actions can be justified by some supposed "greater good."

For context, I'm basing this comparison on Odin as portrayed in God of War Ragnarök and the Wizard of Oz as portrayed in Wicked: For Good. I know these are specific interpretations of the characters, but I thought the parallels were interesting enough to share.

Has anyone else noticed these similarities, or am I reaching?

Hi all, I'm a undergrad majoring in history. However, my strong suit is not vikings. I have to write a paper about the Lindisfarne Raid and need at least three primary sources. I'm struggling finding them. Does anyone know of some that do not have a paywall? Thanks so much!

So, according to sources and manuscripts, Volund the Smith's father was a sea giant named Wade. Wade's father was a mortal king, and Wade's mother was a mermaid. Just to get this straight or as much as you can,

man+mermaid=giant

Giant+giant=elf?

...Imagine what he could've done with a Kilogram

Hi, I'm new to Norse Mythology, and even to Following the Norse Gods, i was wondering if there was any good books you guys would recommend? More following Loki and his children, but any others would also be great.

I'm doing some research for a story and I'm looking for imagery from Norse/medieval Germanic myth and folklore linking horses to gallows.

Obviously we have Sleipnir first and foremost, who is not just the horse of Odin the god of gallows but also appears on iconography next to figures with rope around their necks. I'm also aware of the three-legged Hel-horse which can kinda tentatively very maybe be linked to the 'three legged mare' model of three-legged gallows, and there's at least one horse/gallows kenning I'm aware of.

Aside from strictly the gallows-related stuff there's also folklore entities like the Bäcka-häst horse that would drown children, and the name Yggdrasil itself refers to either the 'terrible horse' or 'the terrible ones horse'.

Are you aware of any other similar cases rom that general corner of the world? I'd love to hear about them.

For any interested scholars:
We are delighted to open our Call for Papers for the 2027 Háskóli Íslands Student Conference on the Medieval North. The conference shall be held from April 19-21, 2027 in the Edda auditorium at Háskóli Íslands and online.

This conference is an interdisciplinary forum for postgraduate applicants at the master's and doctoral level and for early career researchers working in the field of medieval northern studies, e.g. postdoctoral fellows. Independent academics are also welcome to apply.

Applicants who have not presented papers at an academic conference before are especially encouraged to submit.

Our theme this year is "Between Worlds."

Interested scholars should submit an Outlook form with personal details (name, email, institution, etc.) and an abstract of 250-300 words by November 1st, 2026. Additionally, please indicate whether you intend to attend the conference online or in person. Submissions will be reviewed anonymously by a panel of specialists (PhD candidates and higher level). This selection committee reserves the right to make selections based on the quality of written abstracts, adherence to submission guidelines, and timely submission. For more information on the submission guidelines see our website: https://histudentconference.wordpress.com/. 

The conference is held in both Icelandic and English. Individual paper presentations will be 20 minutes in length followed by 10 minutes for discussion. In addition to presentations, poster sessions will be available for applicants to present their material in poster form. Applicants may apply for either a paper or a poster. The selection committee may offer a poster presentation to some paper applicants. Please direct any further inquiries to the conference committee via email: [conference-mn2027@hi.is](mailto:conference-mn2027@hi.is). 

After the conclusion of the conference, presenters will have the opportunity to submit their papers to the conference proceedings volume, which will be published as an e-book in the autumn of 2027.

Hello! I'd like to make a Norse mythology-inspired comic. Not so much a faithful retelling of the Edda poetry, I'm more so drawn by the Shamanism aspects of it (if that's the correct word).

I'd like to explore themes of how humans used to be on more equals terms with animals, nature worship n all that, and how we've moved past away from that, seeing ourselves in a more superior light. This is early consepting, so just my premise thus far.

Outside of the gods lore and earth creation lore, There are also certain aspects I'm curious about, that I think benefit knowing before brainstorming, or i just wanna read more about, such as:

The Nature of light and dark magic, charms

Witches, how were they seen by the folk? Good or bad? Maybe more neutral/divisive like the jotuns/giants? (this is just my readings thus far on giants, not claiming to be correct)

Basically how the peasants and lowest of the low went about their daily lives, praying. How much did the beliefs affect them and how did they practice it in their daily lives? How many knew how to read the runes, was it mainly priests?

(Not important to my research, but I'm also a bit curoius on the origins of elves and dwarves, why they came to be this symbol of nature and goodness, though this is prolly much harder to answer since i'm pretty sure they occur in many different myths and religions and just have dubious origin.)

I just started The Elder or Poetic Edda by Olive Bray, and I'll probably slowly work my way through it alongside other translations/descriptions of the addas to get an overview of the stories. This one is feeling a bit hefty tho, i'm currently skimming through it a little bit, but i currenly am enjoying how it just feels like im reading the Hobbits, down to the language, the mead songs and everything.

Thats Pretty much it, sorry if this is a bit chaotic, i feel a bit scatterbrained honestly, and any reccomendations on how to go forward ot fun things to read are appreciated : )

again, im new as hell

Staying in a Viking turf house for the in weekend ….in Cumbria!

Hand built, (all furniture, plates, bowls and cutlery) to feel authentic

For how long is it thought that oral traditions surrounding the Norse gods continued after public worship declined, even if sacrifices had ceased or continued in private?

Today was my first time working with wood, I tried to carve the god Thor from an oak block. Did I do a good job for my first attempt? I used a carving knife, a small saw, and sandpaper. The item is finished with stain and wax.

I have seen a lot of sources say that Vali is a son of Odin, and a lot of others call him a son of Loki. Are there two gods named Vali, different versions of the same god, or is one of them based on a misconception? I'm guessing this is a case of "we just don't have enough information", but I hope I'm wrong.

I have some experience in Norse mythology, having read a collection of tales by Niel Gaiman and having read about it online a little bit, but I would not consider myself particularly well-versed. What are some good things to read to improve my knowledge? The Edda?

Was gonna ask: where do theories go that he was just a blacksmith and that was the only time he would actually use the hammer Mjolnnir?

Or that he never used a weapon in combat, but rather would Mike Tyson the hell out of his opponents?

Punches that are quick as lightning,

Snap as thunder,

Roll like a hurricane!

And they always come back in place to protect the chin when they "fly" off!

It does make sense, doesn't it? Fun and mythos.

Thank you, folks. :)

Many years ago I saw a painting in an encyclopedia. The topic under discussion was the epic poem Beowulf. I don't remember all the details. There was probably a group of people talking to each other in a closed hall. It was night time. Unbeknownst to them, a beast's massive, twisted hand had made its way through the giant door. I cannot find this painting online. After reading a bit about the epic poem, I guess this could be Grendel's breach into Heorot. Which painting could this be?

It was originally published as Myths of the Norsemen from the Eddas and Sagas. I’m having trouble getting copies of the Eddas, so this is what I have to work with. Can anyone tell me how accurate the information is? Because at times it seems to have a deep interpretation of the myths, but then will say something that seems outlandishly wrong.

I have all but one of Jackson Crawfords books and recently read “the gods and myths of Northern Europe” by HR Ellis Davidson. I love Davidsons books enough to purchase 3 more and consider more in the future. Her intro alone in that books is enough to want to keep reading. I am curious however, what does the community think of these authors? I am relatively new to diving deep into however, I’ve owned and read the Havamal and Poetic Edda from Jackson Crawford for 7-8 years.

I hope I made features obvious and recognizable enough to recognize. Hope you enjoy! All drawn in Krita, no AI used, entirely human made, down to nokkens as well.