What Is Norse Mythology and Where Did It Come From?
Norse mythology is the body of stories and beliefs of the Viking peoples of Scandinavia — Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland — featuring gods, giants, monsters and heroes living across nine interconnected worlds linked by the great world tree Yggdrasil.
According to historian Neil Price in Children of Ash and Elm (2020), Norse mythology was a living religion practised by the Vikings from roughly 400 to 1100 AD. The stories were passed down orally for centuries before being written down in Iceland in the 13th century, primarily in the Prose Edda (c. 1220) and the Poetic Edda.
Quick Facts: Norse Mythology
Here are the key facts that help children and parents understand where Norse myths come from.
- •Two main written sources: the Prose Edda (c. 1220) compiled by Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson, and the Poetic Edda (c. 1270), a collection of older Norse poems
- •Days of the week are named after Norse gods: Tuesday (Tyr), Wednesday (Woden/Odin), Thursday (Thor), Friday (Frigg/Freya)
- •Norse cosmology features nine worlds arranged around the world tree Yggdrasil, including Asgard (gods), Midgard (humans), Jotunheim (giants) and Hel (the dead)
- •The Norse gods are divided into two families: the Aesir (including Odin, Thor and Loki) and the Vanir (including Freya and Njord)
- •Ragnarok is the Norse apocalypse — a final battle in which most of the gods die, the world ends, and is then reborn. Unlike Greek mythology, Norse myth accepts that even the gods are mortal.
What Are the 10 Best Norse Myths for Children?
These ten stories are the most entertaining and child-appropriate in the Norse canon.
- •Thor and the Stolen Hammer: Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, is stolen by the giant Thrym, who demands the goddess Freya as his bride. Thor disguises himself as the bride to get his hammer back — one of the funniest Norse myths.
- •Loki and the Building of Asgard’s Wall: A mysterious giant offers to build a wall around Asgard in exchange for the sun, the moon and Freya. Loki makes a dangerous deal and must use trickery to prevent the gods from paying the price.
- •How Odin Got His Wisdom: Odin sacrifices his eye at the well of the wise giant Mimir to drink the waters of knowledge, gaining wisdom that makes him the greatest of all the gods.
- •Thor and the Midgard Serpent: The greatest battle of the Thunder God — Thor faces Jörmungandr, the world serpent, destined to be his final opponent at Ragnarok. A dramatic and powerful tale.
- •Loki and the Golden Hair: Loki mischievously cuts off the golden hair of Sif (Thor’s wife) while she sleeps. To avoid Thor’s wrath, he must travel to the realm of the dwarves and commission magical replacements.
- •Freya and the Necklace (Brisingamen): Freya, the goddess of love and beauty, trades with four dwarves for the most beautiful necklace ever made — a story about desire, beauty and consequence.
- •Baldr the Beautiful: Baldr, the most beloved of all the gods, is killed by a trick devised by Loki. His death sets in motion the events that will lead to Ragnarok — the beginning of the end.
- •How the World Was Made: In the beginning there was only ice and fire. From these elements came Ymir the frost giant, whose body was used by Odin and his brothers to create the nine worlds.
- •The Three Norns: The three weavers of fate — Urd (the past), Verdandi (the present) and Skuld (the future) — sit at the roots of Yggdrasil spinning the destinies of gods and humans alike.
- •Sigurd the Dragon Slayer: The greatest Norse hero slays the dragon Fafnir, gains the dragon’s treasure and the ability to understand the language of birds — a story that preceded and influenced the legend of Saint George.
How Are Norse Myths Different From Greek Mythology?
Norse myths are more fatalistic than Greek myths — even the gods know they will die at Ragnarok, and this knowledge shapes everything they do.
According to classicist Edith Hamilton, Greek mythology reflects a fundamentally optimistic world view in which heroes can outwit fate and the gods live forever on eternal Olympus. Norse mythology, by contrast, embraces the inevitability of loss and celebrates fighting bravely even when defeat is certain — a philosophy that resonated deeply with the Viking way of life.
What Do Norse Myths Teach Children?
Norse myths teach courage in the face of impossible odds, the value of wisdom and cunning, the consequences of pride and selfishness, and the importance of loyalty and community.
They also teach children that even powerful figures — even gods — are not perfect. Thor is brave but impulsive. Loki is brilliant but destructive. Odin is wise but ruthlessly ambitious. These flawed heroes are arguably more honest than the idealized heroes of many other traditions.
Where Can Children Read Norse Myths?
Excellent introductions for children include D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths (ages 7 and up), Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology (ages 10 and up), and Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series (ages 10 and up).
KidSongsTV’s tales section and music collection offer child-friendly content inspired by Norse and Viking traditions, perfect for younger children discovering these legends for the first time.