Njord facts for kids
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Njord is an important god in Norse mythology. He is known as the god of the sea, winds, and wealth. Njord is also the father of two famous gods, Freyr and Freyja. His home is called Noatun, which means "ship-town."
Njord's Family and Home
Njord is the father of the twin gods, Freyr and Freyja. Some stories say his children were born from his sister. This sister might be the goddess Nerthus.
The Story of Njord and Skadi
Njord's wife was Skadi, a powerful goddess. Skadi's father was killed by the gods. She came to fight them, but the gods wanted peace. They offered her a husband from among them.
The catch was she could only choose by looking at their feet. Skadi hoped to pick Baldur, who was very handsome. But the beautiful, clean feet she chose belonged to Njord. His feet were always clean because the ocean waves washed them.
Living Apart
Njord loved living by the sea. Skadi, however, missed her home in the mountains. They tried to live in both places. They spent nine nights in Njord's home by the sea. Then they spent nine nights in Skadi's mountain home.
Njord did not like the mountains. He missed the sea and the sound of the waves. Skadi did not like the sea. She missed the quiet of the mountains and the howling of wolves. Because they could not agree, they ended up living apart. Skadi spent her time in the mountains, and Njord stayed by the sea. When Skadi is away, Njord sometimes feels sad. This sadness can cause storms at sea.
Images for kids
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Njörd's desire of the Sea (1908) by W. G. Collingwood
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Njörðr, Skaði, and Freyr as depicted in The Lovesickness of Frey (1908) by W. G. Collingwood
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Njörðr and Skaði on the way to Nóatún (1882) by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine
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A depiction of Njörðr from a 17th-century Icelandic manuscript
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Odda, Norway, in the winter of 2004
See also
In Spanish: Njörðr para niños
