Gymir (father of Gerðr) facts for kids

Gymir is a powerful jötunn (a type of giant or nature spirit) in Norse mythology. He is known as the husband of Aurboða and the father of the beautiful giantess Gerðr. Gerðr later married the god Freyr. Some stories suggest that Gymir might be the same figure as Ægir, who is the god of the sea. Others think they are different, even though they share a similar name.

What's in a Name?

The name Gymir comes from Old Norse, and its exact meaning isn't fully clear. Some ideas for what it means include 'the earthly one' or 'the wintry one'. It could also mean 'the protector' or 'the engulfer'. This last meaning makes sense if he is connected to the sea.

In some old texts, like Lokasenna and Skáldskaparmál, Gymir is sometimes used as another name for Ægir, the sea god. This might be because poets used different giant names to describe the same things, like the sea.

Stories About Gymir

Gymir in the Poetic Edda

In ancient poems like Skírnismál and Gylfaginning, Gymir is shown as the husband of Aurboða. Together, they had a daughter named Gerðr. She was said to be the most beautiful of all women.

There was someone called Gymir, and his wife Aurboda. She was of the race of mountain-giants. Gerd is their daughter, the most beautiful of all women.

Gymir in the Prose Edda

A verse from a 9th-century poet named Ref Gestsson is mentioned in a later book called Skáldskaparmál. This verse connects Gymir to the sea.

Gymir’s spray-cold spae-wife [Rán] often brings the twisted-rope-bear [ship] into Ægir’s jaws [under the waves] where the wave breaks.

—Ref Gestsson, Skáld. 24–25, transl. A. Faulkes, 1987.

This poem seems to say that the cold "seeress" (a wise woman) of Gymir often pulls ships deep into the water. This means the waves, which are sometimes called Ægir’s daughters, can drive a ship under the sea. This shows a strong link between Gymir and the ocean.