Giant facts for kids

"The Giant" by Goya.

A giant is a super-sized human-like creature often found in myths, legends, and fairy tales from all over the world. These huge beings are usually much taller and stronger than regular humans. They can be good or bad, wise or foolish, but they always stand out because of their enormous size! Many cultures have stories about giants, showing how people have always been fascinated by creatures much bigger than themselves.

Giants in Greek Mythology

Ancient Greece has many famous stories about giants. These tales often involve powerful gods and heroes battling enormous beings.

The Gigantes

The gigantes were a race of powerful giants in Greek mythology. They were born from Gaia (the Earth) and Uranus (the Sky). The Gigantes were known for their great strength and their fierce war against the Olympian gods. This war was called the Gigantomachy. The gods, led by Zeus, eventually defeated the Gigantes with the help of the hero Hercules.

Other Greek Giants

• Cyclops: These were one-eyed giants. The most famous Cyclops is Polyphemus, who trapped Odysseus and his crew in his cave. Odysseus tricked Polyphemus and escaped.
• Titans: While not always called "giants," the Titans were a race of powerful, giant-like beings who ruled the world before the Olympian gods. They were also children of Gaia and Uranus. The Titans were overthrown by Zeus and his siblings in a war called the Titanomachy.
• Antaios: A giant wrestler who gained strength from touching the Earth. Hercules defeated him by lifting him into the air.

Giants in Norse Mythology

The myths of Norse mythology from Scandinavia are full of giants. They are often called Jötnar (pronounced YOT-nar).

Frost Giants

Many Norse giants were known as Frost Giants. They lived in a cold, icy land called Jötunheimr. These giants were often enemies of the Aesir gods like Odin, Thor, and Loki. However, some giants also had friendly or complex relationships with the gods. For example, Loki himself was part giant.

Famous Norse Giants

• Ymir: The very first being in Norse mythology was a giant named Ymir. The world was created from his body after he was slain by Odin and his brothers.
• Thrym: A Frost Giant who stole Thor's mighty hammer, Mjölnir. Thor had to dress up as the goddess Freyja to get it back!
• Fafnir and Fasolt: These two giants built the gods' fortress, Valhalla. They demanded the goddess Freyja as payment, but the gods tricked them and gave them a magical ring instead.

Giants in Other Cultures

Giants appear in stories from almost every part of the world.

Biblical Giants

One of the most famous giants in the Bible is Goliath. He was a huge warrior from the Philistine army. The young shepherd David famously defeated Goliath with just a sling and a stone, showing that courage and cleverness can overcome great size.

Giants in Folklore and Fairy Tales

• Ogres: These are often cruel and ugly giants found in European fairy tales, like the one in "Puss in Boots" or "Shrek."
• Jack and the Beanstalk: This classic English fairy tale features a giant who lives in a castle in the clouds. He is known for the line, "Fee-fi-fo-fum! I smell the blood of an Englishman!"
• Japanese Oni: In Japanese folklore, Oni are large, scary ogre-like creatures with horns and sharp claws. They often carry iron clubs.
• Celtic Giants: Stories from Ireland and Scotland feature giants like Finn MacCool, who built the Giant's Causeway.

Giants in Modern Culture

Giants continue to appear in books, movies, and video games today. They are often shown as powerful beings, sometimes good, sometimes bad, and sometimes just misunderstood. Their huge size makes them fascinating characters in any story.

Images for kids

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  The giants Fafner and Fasolt seize Freyja in Arthur Rackham's illustration of Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen.

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  Giants Mata and Grifone celebrated in Messina in August, Sicily, Italy

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  David faces Goliath in this 1888 lithograph by Osmar Schindler

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  Division of time as envisaged by Jains. Human beings are said to be much taller than today in the first four aras of avasarpani and last four aras of utsarpani.

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  Hercules faces the giant Antaios in this illustration on a calix krater, c. 515–510 BC.

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  King Arthur faces a giant in this engraving by Walter Crane.

In Spanish: Gigante (mitología) para niños