Here is an introductory, partial

(purely introductory, purely partial) 

glossary of terms you may encounter 

when reading Norse myths.

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Note that the myths exist in many forms. 

They often overlap and contradict one another.

So take all of the following with salt.

> A <

Aegir                   A giant; the personification and ruler of the sea

Aesir   The valiant, good gods, residents of Asgard; cf. Vanir

Alfar Elves: they are craftsmen and poets; light elves are sometimes beneficent, black elves work woe

Alfheim The land of the light elves, said to be lovely; cf. Svaratlheim

Asgard     The land of the gods, particularly the Aesir

Askr     The first man (cf. Buri); the gods gave Midgard to Askr and his mate Embla

Audhumla   The cow that licked a wall of ice, sculpting the form of the first human, Buri

Augurboda     A giantess, mate of Loki, mother of Fenrir, Hel, and Jörmungand

> B <

Baldur     A son of Odin and Frigg; the god of spring and rebirth

Baugh     A giant who directed Odin to the Mead of Poetry

Bergilmir     Thor's castle or hall, in Asgard

Bestla The daughter of an ancient frost giant, she married Bor; she gave birth to Odin, Ve, and Vili

Bifröst The Rainbow Bridge connecting Asgard to Midgard

Bor The son of Burl; he married Bestla; they produced Odin, Ve, and Vili

Bragi       A son of Odin and Gunnlod, a giantess; husband of Iduna

Brising     A band of dark dwarves, who inveigled Freya (possibly Frigg) to betray Odin

Brock The dwarf who made Draupnir, Gullinbursti, and Mjölnir; son of Ivaldi

Buri     The first man (cf. Askr); he emerged from a wall of ice licked by Audhumla

Burl     The first god, the grandfather of Odin, Ve, and Vili, and the father of Bor

> C, D, E <

Dagr The embodiment of the day and daylight; son of Delling and Nott

Dáinn, Dvalinn, et al Four stags that eat the leaves of Yggdrasil; dew from their horns creates Earth's rivers

Delling God of the dawn, married to Nott (Night), father of the day (Dagr)

Draupnir Odin's magic golden ring that reproduced itself periodically; symbolizing Odin's munificence

Dvergar Dwarves: skilled artisans, generally; but amoral at best

Elli The ancient one; foster mother of Utgardloki; she wrestled Odin and won

Embla           The first woman; the gods gave Midgard to Embla and her mate Askr

> F <

Fafnir A dwarf who killed his father for his wealth; Fifnir then became a dragon to guard the treasure

Fenrir     An offspring of Loki and Augurboda, a monstrous wolf that kills Odin at Ragnarök

Fenris Wolf Fenrir

Frey One of the Vanir; a fertility god; he married Gerda; twin brother of Freya

Freya     A Vanir, the goddess of love, war, and death; twin sister of Frey

Frigg     The highest goddess, mother of the gods, wife of Odin

> G <

Gagnrad Odin

Gerda A frost giantess; she married Frey

Gjallarhorn   The horn, audible through all the worlds, that Heimdal will blow when the giants come to attack Asgard

Ginnunagap The ancient abyss separating Muspellsheim and Niflheim

Golden Apples Magical fruits kept by Iduna; she gives them to the gods to keep them eternally young

Grid     A giantess, friend of the Aesir, ally of Thor

Gullinbursti Frey's steed, a golden-bristled boar, fierce, swift, and potent

Gungnir Odin's magic spear, making Odin nearly invincible; it bore runes reflecting Odin's occult wisdom

Gunnlod A giantess seduced by Odin in order to gain her treasure: the Mead of Poetry

> H, I <

Heimdal       An Aesir, the watchman for Asgard, guard of the Rainbow Bridge

Hel     A monstrous offspring of Loki and Augurboda; goddess of the underworld

Helheim The land of the dead, located underground in the frozen far north

Hodur     The blind son of Odin, tricked by Loki into killing Baldur

Hönir   The god who gave humans the faculty of imagination

Iduna Goddess of youth and keeper of the Golden Apples; daughter of Ivaldi; wife of Bragi

Ivaldi A dwarf; father of Brock and Iduna; he directed the creation of Draupnir, Gullinbursti, and Mjölnir

> J, K, L <

Jörmungand   A spawn of Loki and Augurboda; a terrible, enormous serpent in the world-girdling sea

Jötunheim The land of the giants, especially mountain giants

Jötuns Giants; enemies of the gods

Lif     The new man who emerges after Ragnarök; with Lifrasir, he will begin repopulating creation

Lifrasir     The new woman who emerges after Ragnarök ; with Lif, she will begin repopulating creation

Lödur The god of blood and pigmentation; possibly Loki in disguise

Loki       Half-god, half-giant, a deceiver and schemer; the Norse Lucifer

> M, N, O <

Mead of Poetry A magical alcoholic drink that bestows vast knowledge (the basis of true poetry)

Midgard The middle world, between Asgard and Jötunheim: the world of humans

Midgard Serpent  Jörmungand

Mimir The wisest Aesir, who guards the well of wisdom at the base of Yggdrasil

Mjölnir Thor's magic hammer, a mighty weapon, a gift from dwarves

Muspellsheim      The primordial place of fire or warmth, home of fire giants

Myrkheim The land of the dwarves; also called Nidavellir; it is near or within Svaratlheim

Nidavellir Myrkheim

Nidhogg A dragon that gnaws the roots of Yggdrasil; the embodiment of envy

Nott The goddess/personification of night; wife of Delling; mother of Dagr

Niflheim               a) The primordial place of freezing fog, home of frost giants; or b) the underworld 

Norns Fates: goddesses of destiny

Odin               The highest god, called All Father, husband of Frigg

> P, Q, R, S <

Ragnarök The world-shattering final war between gods and giants

Rig Heimdahl's pseudonym when traveling on Earth

Rinda Odin's falsely alluring human bride; the embodiment of the frozen Earth

Sif A golden-haired goddess of fertility; perhaps a personification of Earth; spouse of Thor

Skuld The Norn who can foresee the future

Sleipnir Odin's eight-legged horse, swiftest of all, with runes on his teeth; he raced over water and across the sky

Svaratlheim The forbidding land of the black elves (sometimes called dark dwarves); cf. Alflheim

> T, U, V <

Thor     Son of Odin and Frigg; god of thunder, weather, agriculture; guardian of gods and humans; spouse of Sif

Thrym King of the frost giants, who stole Thor's hammer

Tyr Bravest of the Aesir; son of a giant, he became the god of war and honor

Urd The Norn who see all things in the past

Utgardloki A Loki-like deceiver dwelling in the underworld

Vafthrudnir A giant ("wise in riddles") whom Odin challenged to a test of knowledge

Valhalla Odin's castle or hall, in Asgard; heroes gather there in preparation for Ragnarök

Vanaheim The land of the Vanir

Vanir                    A secondary band of gods, rivals and sometime allies of the Aesir; gods of wealth, commerce, foresight

Ve     A brother of Odin; one of the oldest gods; he gave mankind sense organs

Verlandi The Norn who sees all things in the present

Vidar A son of Odin, he kills Fenrir at Ragnarök

Vili     A brother of Odin; one of the oldest gods; he gave mankind the power of movement

> W, X, Y, Z <

Wanes                 The Vanir, sometimes portrayed as bad gods when they oppose the Aesir

Yggdrasil The world tree, a stupendous ash; its roots and branches extend to all the worlds

Ymir         A giant, killed by the first gods: his dead body became the world

Primary Sources

Roy Wilkinson, THE NORSE STORIES AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE, Wilkinson Waldorf Curriculum Series (Rudolf Steiner College Press, 1999)

John Lindow, NORSE MYTHOLOGY - A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Belief (Oxford University Press, 2001)

Charles Kovacs, NORSE MYTHOLOGY, Waldorf Education Resources (Floris Books, 2009)

To fill gaps, I have consulted various other sources, offline and on. When sources disagreed, as they often did, I made my own best estimates. 

— R.R.

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