NIDHOGG
In Norse/Germanic Mythology, Nidhogg ("Gnawer" or "Nibbler") is a minion of Hella, Goddess Queen of
Nifleheim, the Land of the Dead. He is a mighty dragon who dwells at the foot of the
World Tree
Yggdrasil. The name Nidhogg has been variously translated as 'striking full of hatred' and 'dread biter'.
Living by the root of Yggdrasill the World Ash, in a pit of serpents, Nidhogg feeds on the bodies of the dead at Hvergelmir {the bubbling cauldron} the spring in Niflheim which is the source of the rivers of the world. Nidhogg gnaws at the lowest root of the Tree in Niflheim and sends Ratatosk the squirrel up the branches to torment the ash tree. Ratatosk ("Swift Teeth") runs up and down the trunk of Yggdrasil carrying insults from Nidhogg to the eagle that lives in at the top of the Tree.In the act of gnawing the root, Nidhogg joins the four stags Dainn, Dvalinn, Duneyr and Durathor who graze the leaves and bark of Yggdrasill higher up. Because everything that happens on the Tree is reflected in the world, Nidhogg is the source of the world's misery and strife, the eagle represents high ideals and joy, and Ratatosk is the tension between the two. As above, so below! Nidhogg rises at Ragnarok, bringing up the corpses of the dead to join battle. The dragon however survives to continue its existence in the new order that follows. In Uberheim, Nidhogg's character is portrayed as a dragon who can shapeshift into human form. Lord Nidhogg is a fighter and a member of Sir Hagen's Household, Diesgralsritter. Living up to his image, he generally makes mischief with his wily co-conspirator Alberich. Lord Nidhogg is the consort of the Goddess Saga. |
See also Nidhogg's Coat of Arms