Last Updated on October 19, 2024
Suttungr, a powerful jötunn, is best known for his role as the keeper of the Mead of Poetry. He came into possession of this precious mead after his parents, Gilling and Gilling’s wife, were killed by the dwarves Fjalar and Galar. To atone for the deaths, the dwarves offered the mead to Suttungr, hoping to prevent his wrath. The mead, crafted from the blood of Kvasir, held immense power, granting wisdom and poetic ability to those who drank it.
Suttungr, aware of the mead’s value, guarded it with great vigilance. He hid it in the depths of a mountain and entrusted his daughter Gunnlöð to watch over it. His protection of the mead became the focal point of one of Odin’s greatest quests. Determined to obtain the mead, Odin employed his cunning and trickery to deceive Suttungr. He managed to gain access to the mead by winning Gunnlöð’s favor and, in the end, stealing the entire mead before escaping in the form of an eagle.
Suttungr, enraged by the loss of the mead, chased after Odin in the sky but was unable to reclaim it. Suttungr represents the jötunn forces that stand in opposition to the gods. His story is intertwined with themes of loss, power, and betrayal. Despite his strength and determination, Suttungr falls victim to Odin’s relentless pursuit of wisdom, marking him as both a formidable and tragic figure in these tales.
Elder Futhark Rune Associated with Suttungr
The rune Thurisaz represents the destructive power of the giants and chaos, reflecting Suttungr’s fierce nature. This rune embodies raw force, struggle, and challenges, all of which resonate with Suttungr’s role in guarding the Mead of Poetry and his confrontation with Odin.
Suttungr’s Importance in Asatru
Suttungr holds significant importance in Asatru as a symbol of power, resistance, and the consequences of greed. His fierce protection of the Mead of Poetry highlights the lengths some might go to protect or acquire it. In Asatru, Suttungr’s story teaches about determination and the vulnerability some face when their desires conflict with divine forces.
