Fenrir the Wolf

The Prophecy of Terror Fenrir was the eldest son of Loki and the giantess Angrboda. When he was born, he was just a pup, but he grew at a terrifying speed. The gods of Asgard received a prophecy that Fenrir and his siblings would bring about the destruction of the world. Fearful of this future, the gods brought the wolf to Asgard to keep an eye on him. Only the god Tyr was brave enough to feed and care for the beast.

The Unbreakable Chains As Fenrir grew into a monstrous size, the gods decided he must be bound. They tried twice with massive iron chains, but Fenrir shattered them like dry twigs. Desperate, the gods commissioned the Dwarves to forge Gleipnir. It was a magical ribbon, thin as silk but stronger than any iron, made from six impossible things: the sound of a cat’s footfall, the beard of a woman, the roots of a mountain, the sinews of a bear, the breath of a fish, and the spittle of a bird.

The Sacrifice of Tyr The gods brought Fenrir to the island of Lyngvi and challenged him to test his strength against Gleipnir. Fenrir, sensing a trap, refused unless one of the gods placed their hand in his jaws as a sign of good faith. Only Tyr stepped forward. When Fenrir realized he could not break the magical ribbon, he snapped his jaws shut, severing Tyr’s hand. The gods tied the chain to a boulder and thrust a sword into Fenrir’s mouth to keep his jaws apart. There he remained, howling in rage, until the coming of Ragnarök.