Geri and Freki

Lore & Background

In Norse mythology, Geri and Freki are two wolves that accompany the god Odin. They are attested in the Poetic Edda, a collection of epic poetry compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, and in the poetry of skalds. The pair has been compared to similar figures found in Greek, Roman and Vedic mythology, and may also be connected to beliefs surrounding the Germanic 'wolf-warrior bands', the Úlfhéðnar.

Reader's Guide

Geri and Freki are significant in Norse mythology as Odin's constant companions, symbolizing his connection to the wild and the battlefield. In the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál, Odin is said to feed Geri and Freki while he himself consumes only wine. This motif is repeated in the Prose Edda, where High explains that Odin gives all the food on his table to his wolves. The names themselves, meaning 'greedy' and 'gluttonous,' underscore their role as scavengers of the slain. Scholars have drawn parallels between Geri and Freki and figures in other Indo-European mythologies, such as the dogs of Yama in Vedic mythology and the wolf companions of Apollo. Additionally, the names are used as common nouns for 'wolf' in skaldic poetry and appear in kennings for 'blood' and 'carrion.' The pair may also reflect a historical connection to Germanic wolf-warrior cults centered on Odin.

Did You Know?

• The name Geri stems from a Proto-Germanic adjective *geraz, meaning 'greedy,' and is related to modern Danish 'gerrig' and Swedish 'girig.'
• Freki is also a name applied to the monstrous wolf Fenrir in the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá.
• In skaldic poetry, Geri and Freki are used as common nouns for 'wolf,' and appear in kennings such as 'Geri's ales' for blood and 'Freki's meal' for carrion.
• If the rider on the Böksta Runestone is correctly identified as Odin, Geri and Freki are shown taking part in hunting an elk.