Creature
Elli
Thor wrestles Elli and falls only to one knee.
Overview
Elli brings Thor down only to one knee in wrestling, but Utgarda-Loki reveals that she is old age. Thor’s strength is thus placed against a scale of time that brute force cannot fully defeat.
Key facts
Wrestles Thor
Thor wrestles Elli and falls only to one knee.
Revealed as old age
Chapter 47 says Elli is old age, whom no one can withstand when old enough.
Relationships
- Thorwrestles
Thor wrestles Elli, later revealed as old age.
Story appearances
- Thor and the Giant-World TestsElli
Thor wrestles Elli and falls only to one knee.
Ancient sources
MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.
- Snorri Sturluson, Prose Edda, Gylfaginning, Prose Edda, Gylfaginning chapter 46, Loki, Thialfi and Thor take the eating, running, drinking, cat-lifting and wrestling tests
- Snorri Sturluson, Prose Edda, Gylfaginning, Prose Edda, Gylfaginning chapter 47, Utgarda-Loki reveals Logi as fire, Hugi as thought, the horn as the sea, the cat as Jormungandr and Elli as old age