Vikings Dragon Amulet Pendant
$45.00 – $49.00
Below we will introduce you three dragons that appeared in Norse mythology: Jormungandr, Nidhogg, and Fafnir.
In Norse mythology, Níðhöggr (Malice Striker, traditionally also spelled Níðhǫggr, often anglicized Nidhogg) is a dragon/serpent who gnaws at a root of the world tree, Yggdrasil. In historical Viking society, níð was a term for a social stigma implying the loss of honor and the status of a villain. Thus, its name might refer to its role as a horrific monster in its action of chewing the corpses of the inhabitants of Náströnd: those guilty of murder, adultery, and oath-breaking, which Norse society considered among the worst possible.
According to many depictions, Nidhogg was a giant dragon with evilly shining eyes in the darkness. His body encompassed the roots of Yggdrasil with its deadly jaws open and intending to eat corpses and roots. These depictions are understandable because Nidhogg was a dragon living at the root of the Yggdrasil – the World Tree connecting the Nine Worlds.
Jormungandr – The Mortal Enemy of Thor
Also spelled: Jormungand, Jormungander, Jormungond etc, and also known as the Midgard Serpent, or Midgard Serpent. (sometimes Midgard Wyrm).
He is a mighty dragon that encircles the world, stopping the sea from falling over the edge. Like most giant world-hugging snake-dragons he holds his tongue in his mouth as a symbol of eternity.
The Jormungandr figure in Norse myth was illustrated as a serpent-like creature, his appearance resembled a dragon a lot though. The serpent grew so large that it was able to surround the earth and grasp its own tail. As a result, it received the name of the Midgard Serpent or World Serpent. When it releases its tail, Ragnarök will begin. Jörmungandr’s arch-enemy is the thunder-god, Thor. It is an example of an ouroboros.
Fafnir – the Greedy Guardian of Gold
Fafnir is a dragon in Norse mythology that guards the Nibelungs’ gold hoard until slain by Sigurd. In the beginning, Fafnir was actually a dwarf as he was the son of Hreidmar the King of the dwarves. Fafnir then was cursed and killed his father for his gold treasure. He slowly transformed himself into a dragon form and guarded his stolen treasure in the forest. Eventually, his brother, Regin, convinced Sigurd to kill Fafnir and avenge his father’s murder. Overall, while Jormungandr and Nidhogg symbolized death, beginning, and ending, Fafnir represented the bottomless greed and chaos. Nonetheless, to some extent three of these Norse Myth Dragons posed a deadly threat to the others. Below is part of the myth:
“One upon a time there was a miserly dwarf. He had a vast hoard of golden treasure, which carried more wealth than any other treasure in the land. He had no plan to give it to anyone, and because his race could live for centuries without aging much he was going to keep the hoard all to himself for millions of years until one of his two sons killed him.
As he died the ancient dwarf cursed the treasure so that the son who killed him would, in turn, be cursed. Fafnir, however, could not care less about the curse.
Once he acquired the huge hoard he became paranoid and moved the hoard to a remote place called Gnitahead.
A few decades later, Fafnir’s brother, Regin, was working for King Alf of Denmark.
The last Volsung warrior king (Sigmund) had died a few years before, so his wife, Queen Hjordis, remarried and came to live with King Alf, taking the son from the first marriage, Seigfried, with her. King Alf was a good king and loved both his own children and his step-son. Seigfried’s warrior/Viking/king blood made him a natural leader, but as he had none of King Alf’s blood in him he could never be his successor.”
