Black Ox Head
The ox head Thor takes from Hymir’s herd and uses to hook the world-serpent.
Overview
The black ox head appears only just before Thor goes to sea, yet carries the kettle quest into a more dangerous encounter. Hymir tells Thor to find bait; Thor breaks off the black ox’s head and horns. At sea, this ordinary-looking bait makes the world-serpent bite. It is not an independent sacred object but the poem’s precise turning point.
Key facts
Taken from a black ox
Stanza 19 says Thor finds an all-black ox and breaks off its head and horns.
Becomes bait for the serpent
Stanza 23 says Thor fixes the ox head on his hook and the world-serpent bites.
Relationships
- Thorprepares bait with an ox head
Thor breaks off a black ox’s head and horns for sea bait.
Story appearances
- Hymiskvitha: Kettle, Serpent, and FeastFigure, object, or place in Hymiskvitha
The ox head Thor takes from Hymir’s herd and uses to hook the world-serpent.
Ancient sources
MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.