Creatures in Norse Mythology: The Ultimate List

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Scandinavian folklore expert Emma Cairo shares the stories of mythical Viking animals, humanoids, & monsters

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Draugr

2 Dwarves (Dvergar)

3 Elves (Ljósálfar and Dökkálfar)

4 Fáfnir

5 Fenrir

6 Fossegrim

7 Garmr

8 Gullinbursti

9 Hafgufa

10 Hræsvelgr

11 Huginn and Muninn

12 Huldra

13 Jörmungandr

14 Jötnar

15 Landvættir

16 Lyngbakr

17 Mare

18 Níðhöggr

19 Ratatoskr

20 Sæhrímnir

21 Sköll and Hati

22 Sleipnir

23 The Kraken

24 Trolls

25 Valkyries

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Co-authored by Emma Cairo and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: March 18, 2026 Fact Checked

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Are you curious about the rich tapestry of fantastical creatures in Norse mythology? You aren’t alone—and we certainly don’t blame you! There are so many fascinating creatures to explore, from the World-Serpent Jörmungandr to the wolf prophesied to devour Odin at the end of the world, Fenrir (and plenty more in between). In this article, a folklore expert partnered with wikiHow to share some of the most famous creatures in Norse mythology.

What are some famous Norwegian mythology creatures?

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Scandinavian folklore expert Emma Cairo says some of the most well-known Norse creatures include Jörmungandr (the “World Serpent”), Sleipnir, Odin’s eight-legged horse, the dragon Níðhöggr, and the wolf Fenrir. Other common creatures include giants (Jötnar), elves (ljósálfar and dökkálfar), and Valkyries.

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1

Draugr

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   Draugr are haunting undead with astonishing strength. According to legend, draugr are essentially the Norse version of zombies (with some impressive powers, including the ability to shapeshift and move through rock). They guard their own graves and the treasures within, visiting their wrath on anyone who tries to defile their resting place.

   • There’s an important distinction between draugr and spirits (ghosts); where ghosts are incorporeal, draugr still have bodies—albeit decaying, animated corpses.
   • Fans of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim will find the name familiar—and it’s because the “draugr” is a creature heavily rooted in Norse myth!

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Emma Cairo is a Scandinavian folklore and spirituality expert. She hosts the Nordic Magic Link podcast, where she explores spiritual practices through solo episodes and interviews.
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2

Dwarves (Dvergar)

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1. 
   Dwarves are present in Norse mythology as legendary craftspeople. Like the Jötnar, they’re descended from the primordial Ymir—and their claim to fame is crafting many of the gods’ weapons and treasures, including the chain that binds the great wolf, Fenrir, and Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir. However, there’s some confusion between the dwarves (“dvergar”) and the dark elves (covered more below); in fact, the two seem to be one and the same.

   • Norse dark elves were also known as “dökkálfar” (dark elves) or svartálfar (black elves).
   • The dark elves and dwarves are probably the same beings because, in the Prose Edda, they’re both named as the inhabitants of Svartálfaheimr, one of the nine realms in Norse cosmology.

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Elves (Ljósálfar and Dökkálfar)

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1. 
   Elves exist as magical, semi-divine beings in Norse mythology. As we’ve already mentioned, dark elves (dökkálfar) and dwarves are most likely the same creature, said to have a dark complexion and living deep in the earth. By contrast, the light elves (ljósálfar) are described as fair and beautiful, living in the realm of Álfheimr. The light elves also had ties to the Vanir gods—specifically Freyr, the god of peace, prosperity, and fertility.

   • Eddic poetry also describes elves as having semi-divine powers, existing alongside the Vanir and Æsir gods.
   • Although not worshipped as gods, the elves were believed to give blessings to humans (or cause illness if provoked).
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4

Fáfnir

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1. 
   Fáfnir is a dwarf-turned-dragon in Norse mythology. Legend says that Fáfnir was originally a dwarf (or similar humanoid creature), before shapeshifting into a serpentine dragon form (or the form of a “worm”). He’s the son of a dwarf named Hreiðmarr, and eventually commits patricide, killing his father to obtain his wealth. Fáfnir is later slain by a member of the Völsung family (usually Sigurð) using a magical sword, Gram.

   • Fáfnir’s greed ties into other depictions of dragons as vain creatures with hoards of wealth.
   • In fact, J.R.R. Tolkien’s draconic character from The Hobbit, Smaug, has several parallels with Fáfnir (as does Glaurung, another dragon created by Tolkien).

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Fenrir

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   Fenrir is a fearsome wolf prophesied to destroy Odin. The child of Loki (a cunning trickster god), Fenrir is described as an enormous, monstrous wolf, says Cairo. In Norse myths, he’s also destined to play a key role in Ragnarök—an apocalyptic event that would set the world on fire and result in the destruction of numerous gods, including Odin, whom Fenrir would personally devour.

   • Fenrir’s mother is Angrboða, the jötunn mother of monsters.
   • Knowing that Fenrir was his doom, Odin attempted to contain him. Cairo explains that the gods bound him with the chain Gleipnir.
   • In the process of binding Fenrir, the great wolf bites off the hand of Týr (the god of law and justice).
   • Cairo notes that Fenrir’s jaws stretch from the earth to the sky, making him the most feared creature of them all!
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6

Fossegrim

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   The Fossegrim is a beautiful male water spirit. A guardian of waterfalls, the Fossegrim also plays enchanting violin music—and can teach humans to play, in exchange for an offering of meat (goat or mutton, for example). If satisfied with the offering, he’ll teach the supplicant to play until their fingers all bleed, and they play so well that “the trees shall dance and torrents in their fall stand still,” according to linguist Jacob Grimm’s Teutonic Mythology.

   • If unsatisfied with the amount of meat in an offering, legends say the Fossegrim will instead only teach a supplicant to tune their violin.

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Garmr

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   Garmr is the bloodstained watchdog of Hel’s gates. In Norse mythology, Garmr (or Garm) is associated with both Hel—the land of the dead—and Ragnarök. Specifically, the Prose Edda predicts that Garmr will be let loose for Ragnarök, where a climactic battle with Týr will result in both of their deaths. Garmr is described with glowing red eyes and a monstrous howl that foretells sickness and death.

   • Garmr and Fenrir are sometimes assumed to be identical—or, alternatively, Garmr is viewed as a hellhound (like the Greek Cerberus, a three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the underworld).
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8

Gullinbursti

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   Gullinbursti is a glowing, golden boar in Norse mythology. As the legends go, Gullinbursti was created by the dwarven brothers Brokkr and Sindri (Eitri) for the god Freyr. They crafted Gullinbursti from a pig’s skin thrown into a furnace, giving it bristles that glowed in the dark. Gullinbursti became Freyr’s mount, and could “run through air and water better than any horse,” according to the Prose Edda.

   • Gullinbursti is also known as “Slíðrugtanni” (Sharp Tooth or Fearsome Tooth in Old Norse).

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Hafgufa

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   Hafgufa is one of several sea monsters in Norse mythology. Myths describe Hafgufa as colossal, able to lure fish into its mouth by releasing “bait” from its body (probably based on an actual tactic used by whales called “trap-feeding”). Norse legends also say that Hafgufa is capable of devouring entire whales or ships full of men, although, in the Örvar-Odds saga, Oddr’s ship manages to sail safely through Hafgufa’s jaws.

   • Hafgufa’s name means “sea-reek” or “sea-steamer” in Old Norse.
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Hræsvelgr

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1. 
   Hræsvelgr is a notable Jötunn who turns into a giant eagle. We’ll talk more about the Jötnar as a whole below, but Hræsvelgr is a very specific giant: he takes the form of an eagle and uses his wings to create wind, stationing himself at the northern edge of the heavens. Thus, Hræsvelgr isn’t just a Jötunn; he’s the personification of the winds and the forces of nature.

   • The name Hræsvelgr means “corpse-swallower” or “shipwreck-current” in Old Norse.

11

Huginn and Muninn

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   Huginn and Muninn are a pair of ravens that commune with Odin. Their names mean “thought” (Huginn) and “mind” (Muninn) in Old Norse; fittingly, in Norse legends, they fly around Midgard (which is Earth, or the realm of humanity) and bring news from Midgard back to Odin, keeping him informed of humanity’s affairs. Odin could also watch humanity through Huginn and Muninn, gaining new wisdom each day.

   • Odin—the Allfather, leader of the Æsir gods—is associated with ravens and even sometimes called the “raven-god” due to his connection with Huginn and Muninn.
   • Huginn and Muninn can also be seen as representations of Odin’s mind and senses, as he had a reputation for chasing knowledge at all costs in Norse mythology.
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Huldra

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   The huldra are Scandinavian female forest spirits. Huldra appear to mortals as beautiful women, albeit with certain inhuman features disguised under clothing; this could include a tail, furry animal-like legs, or even a hollow back like a tree trunk. Encountering a hulder could be dangerous, at least for men, as the forest spirit might lure them into the forest to seduce them…or destroy them.

   • In Scandinavian folktales, the huldra served as a warning against trekking through the woods alone.

13

Jörmungandr

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1. 
   Jörmungandr is known as the “World Serpent.” In Norse mythology, Jörmungandr is a massive serpent that circles the world, biting his own tail, says Cairo. He’s so large that his body can surround Midgard—thus earning his name as the “World Serpent.” He’s also the middle child of Loki and Angrboða, making him a sibling of the wolf, Fenrir. Jörmungandr has an intense feud with Thor, the Norse thunder god, and the two were prophesied to kill one another during Ragnarök.

   • Cairo adds that Jörmungandr is also Odin’s nemesis.
   • Jörmungandr is one example of an ouroboros, as he can bite his own tail while encircling Midgard.
   • According to myth, Jörmungandr's releasing his tail was supposed to be one of the signs of Ragnarök.
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14

Jötnar

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1. 
   The Jötnar are a magical race of giants in Norse mythology. However, even though they’re called “giants,” Jötnar are actually depicted as being similar in size to humans. They live primarily in the realm of Jötunheim and often end up warring with the Æsir and Vanir gods. Jötnar are also described as having similar powers to the gods, capable of incredible (and destructive) acts.

   • Jötnar are said to be deeply connected with the forces of nature—particularly frost and cold—and among the oldest beings in the universe.
   • The Jötnar are all descended from Ymir, a primeval being born from atter (venom) dripping from an icy river called Élivágar.

15

Landvættir

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1. 
   Landvættir are Old Norse spirits of the land. In the Old Nordic religion, they’re connected with specific areas, and their vitality is directly tied to that of the land they inhabit. As such, they can be helpful or harmful to humans. Leaving out food for the landvættir could cultivate a positive relationship with it, while harming a landvættir’s land (or doing something heretical, like establishing a Christian church) could cause the landvættir to drive humans away from its territory.

   • Landvættir were a part of pre-Christian Nordic folklore—hence why the act of establishing a church could incur a landvættir’s wrath.
   • Cairo notes that vætter represent nature and wilderness like trolls, but are considered more positive than trolls. They are sometimes seen as protective spirits of the land.
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Lyngbakr

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   Lyngbakr is a whale-like sea monster from the Sagas of Iceland. According to the Örvar-Odds saga, the Lyngbakr swam the waters of the Greenland Sea, fooling sailors into thinking it was an island from afar. Then, when those sailors landed on Lyngbakr’s back, the monster would sink back into the sea—and, in turn, drown the sailors.

   • The lyngbakr and hafgufa may be related, both derived from a legendary sea creature called the aspidochelone.

17

Mare

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   The mare is a malevolent entity that torments sleeping people. Prominent in Slavic folklore, the mare could shapeshift and would visit sleeping people in the night, sitting or “riding” on their chests. It was believed that the mare’s presence on a person’s chest made them feel like they were suffocating, causing cold sweats, sleep paralysis, and nightmares.

   • The mare is mainly described as female and has been depicted in a horse-like form, as well as in the shape of a cat.
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18

Níðhöggr

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   Níðhöggr is a dragon that lives at the base of Yggdrasil, the world tree. Níðhöggr’s name means “malice-biter” or “he who strikes with malice” in Old Norse. In myths, Cairo says the dragon eats corpses and gnaws at the root of Yggdrasil. He also lives near the roots of Yggdrasil that are associated with Niflheim and Hel (a land of primordial ice and the land of the dead, respectively). Níðhöggr also has a role in the cataclysmic Ragnarök, representing elements of chaos, decay, and destruction.

   • Cairo adds that the Norns are another popular being that deals with Yggdrasil. The Norns are the three sisters, Urðr, Verðandi, and Skuld, who decide the fate of humans and tend to Yggdrasil by watering it.

19

Ratatoskr

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   Ratatoskr is a swift squirrel messenger that roams Yggdrasil. In Norse mythology, Ratatoskr (whose name means “drill-tooth” or “bore-tooth”) runs up and down the world tree, Yggdrasil, carrying messages between two entities. One, the dragon Níðhöggr, lives among the tree’s roots; the other, an unnamed eagle, sits atop the tree alongside a hawk, Veðrfölnir.

   • In Norse legends, Ratatoskr ends up spreading slander and gossip about the two entities, provoking each into attacking the tree in retaliation.
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20

Sæhrímnir

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   Sæhrímnir is a beast that gets devoured nightly by the Æsir. Described as a magical boar, Sæhrímnir roams Valhalla in Norse mythology—and is subsequently hunted each day, killed, and served as a feast for the Æsir and einherjar (the souls brought to Valhalla after dying in battle). After being devoured, Sæhrímnir is brought back to life in an eternal cycle to provide food for the next night.

   • Despite Sæhrímnir being a boar, his name translates to “sooty sea-beast” or “sooty sea-animal” in Old Norse.

21

Sköll and Hati

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   Sköll and Hati are giant wolves that chase the moon and sun. As sons of Fenrir, Sköll and Hati were said to hunt their prey in the sky until the coming of Ragnarök. Then, they would finally catch the sun and moon and devour them as part of the cataclysmic event, says Cairo. Sköll pursues Sól (the sun, or the sun personified as a goddess), while Hati chases Máni (the moon, or the moon personified as a god).
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22

Sleipnir

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   Sleipnir is Odin’s eight-legged steed. Sleipnir’s origins are interesting, to say the least; Norse myth describes Sleipnir as the child of Loki and Svaðilfari, a powerful stallion. Loki transforms himself into a mare to distract Svaðilfari and gives birth to Sleipnir. Cairo says Odin’s eight-legged horse is known as the fastest of them all. He is able to traverse land, air, and sea, and even travel between worlds because of his eight legs.

   • While Sleipnir is primarily Odin’s mount, a tale in the Prose Edda speaks of Hermóðr (one of Odin’s sons), riding him to Hel to bargain for the return of Baldr (another of Odin’s sons).

23

The Kraken

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1. 
   The legendary kraken is a Norwegian sea monster. Originally believed to dwell in the waters off the coast of Norway, the kraken has been depicted as an enormous monster with many tentacles, capable of pulling ships into the ocean. Based on the description, the kraken’s legend might be based on giant squid sightings, especially considering the fact that the largest giant squid on record is a whopping 43 feet (13 m) long.

   • In Scandinavian folklore, the kraken was said to lie in wait for boats to pass above it before attacking, pulling them down into a watery grave.
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24

Trolls

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1. 
   Trolls are creatures closely associated with rock and earth. In Scandinavian and Old Norse folklore, they live in mountainous areas and caves—sometimes alone, or sometimes in small family units. Although modern depictions of trolls are usually monstrous, they vary in Norse folklore; some trolls are grotesque and ugly, while others look more or less the same as humans.

   • Trolls’ behavior could also vary, with some being reclusive, but others being dangerous to humans, attacking travelers who came too close to their homes.
   • Cairo explains that in Norse mythology, trolls represent the wild and unknown in nature.

25

Valkyries

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1. 
   Valkyries are female figures who bring souls of the dead to Valhalla. Only warriors who died in battle were considered worthy of finding a final wrestling place in Valhalla—the god Odin’s magnificent hall, which is where their souls were said to become einherjar. The Valkyries flew as a host, guiding fallen souls, and were sometimes accompanied by ravens. They’re also mentioned in Norse myths as the lovers of mortals, or even daughters of royalty.
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