One of the main characters praised by Scandinavian mythology is Thor. The mighty red-haired god, able to overcome any opponent, is still in love today. However, the image of the thunderbolt in films and comics still cannot be considered canonical. Only mythology can answer the question of what it was according to the ideas of the ancient Scandinavians. Thor - the god of thunder and lightning, the winner of the giants and the patron saint of the peasants - is in the center of our attention today.
Thunderbolt
According to the texts of Elder and Younger Edda, Thor was the son of Odin. As his mother, Erd, the goddess of the earth, is most often called, but in some sources the thunder is called the son of Frigg. Thor from childhood was distinguished by great strength and restless disposition. Like a sudden summer thunderstorm with a gale-force wind and peals of thunder, periodically the young god was covered with fits of rage. The mother, who was unable to curb the child, sent him to foster parents. Only after reaching adulthood, Thor, already having learned self-control, was able to return to Asgard and take his rightful place in the temple of the court.
Invincible defender
As Germanic-Scandinavian mythology describes , Thor was a mighty warrior with red hair and beard. He protected the aces from monsters and giants. At the same time, the thunderbolt resembled the latter. Huge and heavy, he never rode on horseback. No horse could stand God. Thor reached the goal on foot or in a chariot bound by iron. Odin's son had an excellent appetite and at one time could eat a whole bull. Two goats rushed through the sky, his chariot, Tangniostr and Tangrisnir (gnashing and grinding his teeth). If Thor was hungry on the way, he roasted both, and then, blessing the bones with his hammer, he brought them back to life.
Thor spent most of his time fighting the Etuna giants. However, in order to call the thunderbird for help, the gods in Asgard only had to pronounce his name and the god of thunder appeared to battle.
Patronized Thor and people. It was believed that he protects the houses and fields of farmers from giants and other misfortunes. Thor favored the lower classes. In his home there were even 40 rooms where the souls of dead slaves felt no worse than the warriors in Valhalla.
Ammunition
Mjellnir, the hammer of Thor, mythology calls it the main weapon. He was a personification of lightning and therefore was constantly red-hot. Mjellnir always returned to the owner, recalling a boomerang with this property. Thor used a hammer not only for combat purposes. The magic weapon was able to resurrect animals, with its help blessed marriages. The hammer also affected fertility. Holding a red-hot weapon in your bare hands is not easy - Thor always wore iron gauntlets.
Another indispensable attribute of the god of thunder and lightning was Meggierd's magical belt, capable of doubling its strength. Thor, Scandinavian mythology repeatedly indicates this, in such equipment he became almost invincible. The giants constantly tried to take the hammer from the thunderbolt or to lure it to themselves unarmed.
Eternal companion
While traveling, Odin's son was often accompanied by Loki. Thor, mythology is full of such episodes, often defeated the giants thanks to the cunning of the god of fire. One example of this is precisely related to the abduction of Mjellnir by the giants. The hammer was stolen by Trim. The giant agreed to return the magic weapon if he was given the goddess Freyu as his wife . Loki came up with a cunning plan on how to circle a villain around a finger. He persuaded Thor to put on Freya’s dress and go to Trim. The giant did not suspect a trick and gave the hammer to the god of thunder and lightning, after which he was defeated by him.
A family
As mythology indicates, Thor had two wives. The giantess Järsnaksa gave birth to his sons Magni and Modi (strength and courage). From the goddess Seth Thor had a son Luridi and daughter Trud. According to other sources, Modi's mother was also Seth. Together with his brother Magni, he was supposed to survive Thor and other gods and become the ruler of the restored field of Ragnarok peace.
With the goddess Seth and the children, the thunderbird lived in the chambers of Bilshirnir, which were located in Asgard. Thor's house consisted of 540 rooms.
According to mythology, Thor will die along with other gods on the day of the end of the world. The thunderbolt will smite the snake of Yermungand, the son of Loki, with a hammer, but he himself will die, drowning in poison, spilled from the mouth of the monster.
Characters similar to the Scandinavian red-bearded winner of the giants are found in almost all cultures. This is Indian Indra, and Slavic Perun, and Greek Zeus, and Roman Jupiter. They are united not only by their connection with a thunderstorm, thunder and lightning, but also by the struggle with the forces of evil, constantly striving to subjugate the world of gods and people. The image of the protector, endowed with power, beauty and intelligence, is attractive at all times. It is not surprising, therefore, that the image of Thor is actively used in modern media culture, at the same time acquiring new characteristics that, in the opinion of the man of this century, perfectly suit the protector hero.