Geirröth

Overview

This Geirröth is the king in the manuscript prose, not the existing giant Geirrod. The opening says Fulla’s warning makes him treat a stranger as a threat, so he places the blue-cloaked Grimnir between two fires to force speech. When Grimnir finally reveals himself as Odin, the king rises to help; the closing prose says he falls on his own sword.

Key facts

Relationships

• Hrauthungfather

  The prose opening names Geirröth as Hrauthung’s son.

• Odinfosters

  The prose opening calls Geirröth Odin’s fosterling.

• Fullawarns about a stranger

  At Frigg’s command, Fulla tells Geirröth to beware of a stranger.

• Grimnir Between Two Firesholds between two fires

  Geirröth places the self-named Grimnir between two fires.

• Odinrecites aliases

  Grimnir recites a succession of names to Geirröth without immediately revealing that he is Odin.

• Odinreveals his identity

  Grimnir finally tells Geirröth that he is Odin.

• Grimnir Between Two Firesfalls on his sword

  The closing prose says Geirröth falls on his own sword while rising to help.

Story appearances

• Grimnismol: A Name Revealed in FireParticipant in Grimnismol’s fire-side disclosure

  The king of Grimnismol’s prose opening, who puts the self-named Grimnir between two fires.

Ancient sources

MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.

• Anonymous; translated by Henry Adams Bellows, The Poetic Edda: Grimnismol, Manuscript prose opening, stanzas 1–3 and 45–54, and closing prose: the fires, Agnar’s horn, Odin’s disclosure, and Geirröth’s death.