Alvaldi

Alvaldi

In Norse mythology, Alvaldi or Ölvaldi (Old Norse, 'the all-powerful one') was a giant and the father of Þjazi, Gangr and Iði as well as the grandfather of Skaði. According to Skáldskaparmál, Ölvaldi was very rich in gold, and when he died his three sons divided his inheritance among themselves, measuring it out by each in turn taking a mouthful.[1] For this reason the expressions "speech of Þjazi, Gangr or Iði" and "Iði's shining talk" are kennings for gold.

References

  1. ^ Rudolf Simek, Dictionary of Northern Mythology, tr. Angela Hall, Cambridge: Brewer, 1993, repr. 2000, ISBN 0-85991-513-1, pp. 12, 99.