|
Dave's Mythical Creatures and Places |
Sleipnir
Figure of Sleipnir from a stone carving
| Description | An
eight-legged horse ridden by the Norse God Odin.
|
| Related to | A Siberian
myth tells that the first antelopes had six legs, which made them very
fast and difficult to catch. Tunk-poj, a god of hunting,
chased the antelope with wooden skates until the beast was too
tired. Then, Tunk-Poj cut off two of the legs so that mere mortals
could catch them.
|
| Described By: |
"But from the hill of Lidskialf Odin rose, The throne, from which his eye surveys the world; And mounted Sleipnir, and in darkness rode To Asgard. And the stars came out in heaven, High over Asgard, to light home the king. But fiercely Odin galloped, moved in heart: And swift to Asgard, to the gate he came, And terribly the hoofs of Sleipnir rang Along the flinty floor of Asgard streets, And the gods trembled on their golden beds Hearing the wrathful father coming home."
- From The Classic Myths by Charles Mills Gayley.
|
