Narfi
Encyclopedia
Narfi in Norse mythology
may refer to the son of Loki
or the father of Nótt
, the personified night
.
and Sigyn
who is killed to punish Loki for his crimes. The gods turned his brother Váli
into a slavering wolf who tears Narfi's throat
out. His entrails are then used to bind Loki to a stone slab until Ragnarök
.
However, in the Poetic Edda book Lokasenna, the guts of Nari are used to bind Loki while Narfi is turned into a wolf. Thus it is not generally clear to scholars whether Nari and Narfi are the same, or if Vali is another name for Nari or Narfi.
book Gylfaginning
, "Nörfi or Narfi" is also the father of Nótt. It is not made clear by Snorri in the passage whether or not this is the same Narfi, son of Loki. However, in the Poetic Edda, Nótt's father is called Nörr (not to be confused with Nór
). The form Nörr is related to Old English narouua ("night").
The name of the father of Nótt seems to have several forms in Norse sources:(Rydberg's Teutonic Mythology, sect. 85)
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
may refer to the son of Loki
Loki
In Norse mythology, Loki or Loke is a god or jötunn . Loki is the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Nari or Narfi...
or the father of Nótt
Nótt
In Norse mythology, Nótt is night personified. In both the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, Nótt is listed as the daughter of a figure by the name of Nörvi and is associated with the...
, the personified night
Night
Night or nighttime is the period of time when the sun is below the horizon. This occurs after dusk. The opposite of night is day...
.
Son of Loki
In the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, Narfi, also known as Nari or Narvi, is a son of LokiLoki
In Norse mythology, Loki or Loke is a god or jötunn . Loki is the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Nari or Narfi...
and Sigyn
Sigyn
Sigyn is a goddess and wife of Loki in Norse mythology. Sigyn is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson...
who is killed to punish Loki for his crimes. The gods turned his brother Váli
Váli (son of Loki)
In Norse mythology, Váli was a son of Loki. He is mentioned in the Gylfaginning section of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda. After the death of Baldr the Æsir chase down and capture Loki....
into a slavering wolf who tears Narfi's throat
Throat
In vertebrate anatomy, the throat is the anterior part of the neck, in front of the vertebral column. It consists of the pharynx and larynx...
out. His entrails are then used to bind Loki to a stone slab until Ragnarök
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures , the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water...
.
However, in the Poetic Edda book Lokasenna, the guts of Nari are used to bind Loki while Narfi is turned into a wolf. Thus it is not generally clear to scholars whether Nari and Narfi are the same, or if Vali is another name for Nari or Narfi.
Father of Nótt
According to the Prose EddaProse Edda
The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda or simply Edda, is an Icelandic collection of four sections interspersed with excerpts from earlier skaldic and Eddic poetry containing tales from Nordic mythology...
book Gylfaginning
Gylfaginning
Gylfaginning, or the Tricking of Gylfi , is the first part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda after Prologue. The Gylfaginning deals with the creation and destruction of the world of the Norse gods, and many other aspects of Norse mythology...
, "Nörfi or Narfi" is also the father of Nótt. It is not made clear by Snorri in the passage whether or not this is the same Narfi, son of Loki. However, in the Poetic Edda, Nótt's father is called Nörr (not to be confused with Nór
Nór
Nór or Nori is firstly a mercantile title and secondly a Norse man's name. It is stated in Norse sources that Nór was the founder of Norway, from whom the land supposedly got its name...
). The form Nörr is related to Old English narouua ("night").
The name of the father of Nótt seems to have several forms in Norse sources:(Rydberg's Teutonic Mythology, sect. 85)
- Naurr, Nörr (dative Naurvi, Nörvi): Vafþrúðnismál 25 "Nótt var Naurvi borin", Alvíssmál 29 "Nótt in Naurvi kennda".
- Narvi, Narfi: Gylfaginning 10, Egill Skallagr. 56, 2 "niðerfi Narfa".
- Norvi, Nörvi: Gylfaginning 10, Forspjallsljóð 7 "kund Nörva".
- Njörfi, Njörvi: Gylfaginning 10, Sonatorrek "Njörva nipt".
- Nori: Gylfaginning 10.
- Nari: Höfuðlausn 10.
- Neri: Helgakviða Hundingsbana I, 4.