Geri and Freki, sometimes also called Gere and Freke, are a pair of wolves from Norse mythology, companions of the God Odin. These mythical wolves were revered by the Viking peoples for their symbolism. In this article we unveil the incredible story of these two wolves.
Put away your axe and sit down at our table, here is the story of Geri and Freki!
STORY OF GERI AND FREKI, WOLVES OF NORSE MYTHOLOGY
Before men were given life and before Odin's two ravens, there were Freki and Geri. Odin created two mythical wolves, a female and a male, to keep him company in the Pantheon of Viking Gods and to keep Midgard under protection. These two wolves inhabited the world on their travels with Odin.
Geri and Freki in Norse mythology are Odin's wolves, to whom the god feeds them when he is in Valhalla while he drinks wine. Not to be confused with Skoll and Hati, descendants of the fierce Fenris wolf, son of Loki.
The two wolves Geri and Freki played a very important role in human origins! Legends say that the two wolves nurtured the first humans and acted as both foster parents and teachers.When Odin created human being, he told them to learn from Geri and Freki's values: courage, love, wisdom and taking care of the members of his pack. Since this time, some Vikings tribes worship the wolf.
SYMBOL OF GERI AND FREKI
In old Norse language, the two names Geri and Freki respectively mean "voracious", or "greedy" and "violent". Living with their master in the Valhöll, this animal, reputed to feed on corpses on the battlefield, illustrates by its voracity the functions of the god of war and death. The symbol of Geri and Freki was very present in the Viking culture.
In Norse and Germanic mythology, Odin's wolves were not only his "domestic pets", they were very brave and loyal and joined his divine master in battles to defend by rooting out enemies with their powerful sharps and claws, before devouring their corpses. Norse myths suggest that Geri and Freki did not hunt but relied on Odin and its two ravens, Hugin and Munin, to find meat.
BELIEFS ABOUT GERI AND FREKI
Pagan legends from the Scandinavian peoples also tell that the two wolves, Geri and Freki, were creatures that helped the Valkyries carry fallen warriors to Valhalla by guiding their spirits in afterlife to the gates of the promised lands to the most valiant warriors. Unlike wolf of chaos, Fenrir, Odin's wolves were much appreciated and venerated by Vikings and more generally, by all the people. Assert your Viking spirit by wearing the Geri and Freki necklace and bring the power of the wolves of Odin.
Odin was also considered as wolf god, not only because of the two Geri and Freki, but also because he took the form of a wolf and was the leader of the warriors of Ulfhednar. In the form of a wolf, he begat human children called the Volsungs, who were able to transform themselves into wolves.
TO SUM UP...
These beliefs and myths about the wolf have endured through ages. Just as Norse civilizations appreciated Geri and Freki, the wolf occupies a central place in other cultures. This is particularly the case in Amerindian culture, discover the Native American wolf symbol in our blog post related to this topic.
