Hrungnir was a jötunn in Norse mythology

Norse mythology

Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...

, slain by the god Thor

Thor

In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...

 with his hammer Mjölnir. The account is documented in the Skáldskaparmál

Skáldskaparmál

The second part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda the Skáldskaparmál or "language of poetry" is effectively a dialogue between the Norse god of the sea, Ægir and Bragi, the god of poetry, in which both Norse mythology and discourse on the nature of poetry are intertwined...

, in the Prose Edda

Prose Edda

The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda or simply Edda, is an Icelandic collection of four sections interspersed with excerpts from earlier skaldic and Eddic poetry containing tales from Nordic mythology...

by Snorri Sturluson

Snorri Sturluson

Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...

.

Prior to his demise, Hrungnir engaged in a wager with Odin

Odin

Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....

 in which Odin stakes his head on his horse, Sleipnir

Sleipnir

In Norse mythology, Sleipnir is an eight-legged horse. Sleipnir is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson...

, being faster than Hrungnir's steed Gullfaxi

Gullfaxi

Gullfaxi is a horse in Norse mythology. Its name means Golden mane.It was originally owned by Hrungnir, and was later given to Magni by Thor as a reward for helping him in the fight against Hrungnir:...

. During the race, which Sleipnir wins, Hrungnir enters Valhalla

Valhalla

In Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...

, and there becomes drunk and abusive. After they grow weary of him, the gods call on Thor to battle Hrungnir.

The fighting and the enchantment afterwards

Thor and his servant Thjalfi challenge the giant, who hurls his whetstone weapon at Thor. Smashed to smithereens by Thor's hammer Mjölnir, fragments of the whetstone fall down to earth, while one shard sinks deep into the god's forehead. Nevertheless, the hammer strikes Hrungnir dead, shattering his skull; but in his fall, Hrugnir's dead body topples over Thor, leaving the god buried under one of his legs.

When both Thjalfi and the combined strength of the Aesir fail at pushing and pulling the giant's foot off Thor's throat, Magni

Móði and Magni

In Norse mythology, Móði and Magni are the sons of Thor. Their names mean "Angry" and "Strong," respectively. Rudolf Simek states that, along with Thor's daughter Þrúðr , they embody their father's features....

, Thor's infant son with the giantess Jarnsaxa

Jarnsaxa

In Norse mythology, Járnsaxa is a jötunn. According to Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, she was Thor's lover. By him she was the mother of Magni. According to the Poetic Edda poem Hyndluljóð, Járnsaxa is the name of one of the Nine Mothers of Heimdallr.-References:*Orchard, Andy . Dictionary of...

, passes by and easily lifts the foot, rebuking his father for his weakness. Back in Asgard

Asgard

In Norse religion, Asgard is one of the Nine Worlds and is the country or capital city of the Norse Gods surrounded by an incomplete wall attributed to a Hrimthurs riding the stallion Svadilfari, according to Gylfaginning. Valhalla is located within Asgard...

, the sorceress Groa

Gróa

In Norse mythology, Gróa is a völva and practitioner of seiðr, the wife of Aurvandil the Bold.-Prose Edda:Gróa appears in the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál, in the context of Thor's battle with the jötunn Hrungnir...

 is called upon to remove Hrungnir's whetstone from Thor's forehead. As her enchantments are beginning to show an effect, gradually loosening the stone, Thor promises to generously reward her for her services, mentioning that he had recently helped her husband Aurvandil

Aurvandil

The names Aurvandil or Earendel are cognate Germanic personal names, continuing a Proto-Germanic reconstructed compound *Auziwandilaz "luminous wanderer", in origin probably the name of a star or planet, potentially the morning star ....

 cross the icy river Eliwagar and that it would not be long for her to be reunited with him. Rejoicing at these news, Groa, in her excitement, forgets all about her chants, thus leaving the whetstone locked in Thor's forehead.

Attributes

His heart had a peculiar shape, it was triangular due to which both the Valknut

Valknut

The Valknut is a symbol consisting of three interlocked triangles, and appears on various Germanic objects. A number of theories have been proposed for its significance....

 and the Triquetra

Triquetra

Triquetra originally meant "triangle" and was used to refer to various three-cornered shapes. Nowadays, it has come to refer exclusively to a particular more complicated shape formed of three vesicae piscis, sometimes with an added circle in or around it...

 have been called Hrungnir's heart.

Source text

They regarded it very important who should gain the victory, and they feared the worst from Thor if Hrungnir should be defeated, for he was the strongest among them. Thereupon the giants made at Grjöttungard a man of clay, who was nine rasts tall and three rasts broad under the arms, but being unable to find a heart large enough to be suitable for him, they took the heart from a mare, but even this fluttered and trembled when Thor came. Hrungner had, as is well known, a heart of stone, sharp and three-sided; just as the rune has since been risted that is called Hrungner's heart. Even his head was of stone. His shield was of stone, and was broad and thick, and he was holding this shield before him as he stood at Grjottungard waiting for Thor. His weapon was a flint-stone, which he swung over his shoulders, and altogether he presented a most formidable aspect. On one side of him stood the giant of clay, who was named Mokkerkalfe. He was so exceedingly terrified, that it is said that he wet himself when he saw Thor.....But the hammer Mjölner hit Hrungner right in the head, and crushed his skull in small pieces. He himself fell forward over Thor, so that his foot lay upon Thor's neck. Meanwhile Thjalfe attacked Mokkerkalfe, who fell with but little honor.

See also

Conchobar mac Nessa

Conchobar mac Nessa

Conchobar mac Nessa was the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He ruled from Emain Macha .-Birth:...

, an Irish king from the Ulster Cycle

Ulster Cycle

The Ulster Cycle , formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and...

, who is wounded in a very similar manner by Cet mac Magach

Cet mac Mágach

Cet mac Mágach is a Connacht warrior in the Ulster Cycle of Irish Mythology. He had a rivalry with the Ulster warrior Conall Cernach.In some myths, he is said to be the brother of Conall's mother, making him Conall's uncle....

.