Bragi facts for kids

Bragi is shown with a harp and accompanied by his wife Iðunn in this 19th-century painting by Nils Blommér.

Bragi is the god of poetry in Norse mythology. He is one of the Æsir gods. People know him for his wisdom and for being very good with words. He is also skilled at making poems. Because of him, poetry is sometimes called bragr. If someone is very good at speaking or writing poems, they might be called a bragr-person. His wife is Iðunn, who is known for her special apples that keep the gods young.

Who is Bragi?

Bragi is often described as having a long beard. Some stories say he is the son of Odin, the chief god. He is the first god to create poetry.

In one old story, Bragi tries to stop Loki from entering a hall where the gods are gathered. But Odin lets Loki in. Loki then teases Bragi, saying he is afraid to fight. Bragi replies that if they were outside the hall, he would fight Loki. Bragi's wife, Iðunn, tries to calm him down.

Another old poem mentions that special runes (magical letters) were carved on Bragi's tongue. These runes were then mixed with mead (a drink) and shared with gods, elves, and humans. This might mean Bragi's words were magical or very powerful.

The Mead of Poetry

Bragi is also linked to the story of the Mead of Poetry. This special mead gives anyone who drinks it the gift of poetry and wisdom. Bragi tells the story of how Odin got this mead. It was made from the blood of a very wise being named Kvasir. This story shows how important Bragi is to the art of poetry.

Bragi in Valhalla

Sometimes, Bragi appears in stories about Valhalla, Odin's great hall for fallen warriors. In these tales, Bragi helps welcome dead kings and heroes who arrive in Valhalla. He might greet them with his eloquent words, as it was common for a skilled poet to welcome important guests. This shows his role as a respected figure among the gods.

People Named Bragi

There were also famous humans named Bragi. It's not clear if the god Bragi was named after a real person, or if people were named after the god.

Bragi Boddason

One famous human was Bragi Boddason the Old. He was a real poet from Norway who lived in the 800s. He wrote poems for several Swedish kings. Many people thought he was the first great poet (skald) whose poems were remembered.

Snorri Sturluson, who wrote down many Norse myths, quoted parts of Bragi Boddason's poem called Ragnarsdrápa. This poem described pictures on a special shield that a Viking king named Ragnar Lodbrok gave to Bragi. The pictures showed famous myths, like Thor fishing for the giant serpent Jörmungandr.

Other Bragis

There are also mentions of other people named Bragi in old texts, but they are not as well-known as the god or Bragi Boddason. For example, one Bragi was said to be the son of a king named Hálfdan the Old. Another Bragi, named Bragi Högnason, was a character in a poem about heroes and battles.

See also

In Spanish: Bragi para niños