Jörmungandr facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jörmungandr
Personal information
Parents	Loki and Angrboda
Siblings	Fenrir, Hel

Jörmungandr is a giant sea serpent from Norse mythology. He is a child of the trickster god Loki and the giantess Angrboða. His siblings are the wolf Fenrir and Hel, who rules the underworld.

Jörmungandr is incredibly huge. He is so big that he wraps all the way around the world, called Midgard, and bites his own tail! Because of this, he is also known as the Midgard Serpent or the World Serpent. He lives deep in the ocean that surrounds Midgard.

According to ancient myths, the god Odin threw Jörmungandr into the sea. He did this to protect the world from the serpent's enormous size and power. But Jörmungandr grew even bigger in the ocean, eventually becoming large enough to encircle the entire Earth.

Jörmungandr and Thor

Jörmungandr's biggest enemy is the mighty god Thor, who is known for his thunder and hammer. They have a famous rivalry in Norse myths.

Thor's Fishing Trip

One well-known story tells of Thor trying to catch Jörmungandr. Thor went fishing with a giant named Hymir. Thor used an ox head as bait, and Jörmungandr took the bait! Thor pulled with all his strength, almost bringing the huge serpent out of the water.

However, Hymir became very scared of the massive creature. In his fear, he cut Thor's fishing line. This allowed Jörmungandr to escape back into the deep ocean.

The Final Battle at Ragnarök

Thor and Jörmungandr are destined to meet again during Ragnarök. Ragnarök is the Norse myth about the end of the world. During this huge battle, Thor and Jörmungandr are fated to fight each other to the death.

Thor will finally defeat and kill the serpent. But Jörmungandr's powerful venom will be too much for Thor. He will die from the serpent's poison shortly after their battle.

Jörmungandr in Modern Stories

Jörmungandr has inspired many stories, movies, and video games today. He often appears as a symbol of great power or as a tough enemy in fantasy worlds.

For example, Jörmungandr is a foe of Thor in Marvel Comics. He also appears in popular video games like God of War and SMITE. Even an asteroid, 471926 Jörmungandr, was named after this famous sea serpent!

Images for kids

• 

  Jörmungandr rising to the ox head bait, from a 17th-century Icelandic manuscript.

• 

  The Altuna Runestone shows Thor fishing for the serpent.

• 

  Thor and the Midgard Serpent (1905) by Emil Doepler.

• 

  The children of Loki (1920) by Willy Pogany.

See also

In Spanish: Jörmundgander para niños