(Still on vacation this week!  Hopefully my travel mates are still on speaking terms with me!)

The god of the guessing game is Thor! 

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Too easy?  It wouldn't have been for me as I know very little of the Norse pantheon.  I can, however, now tell my son the differences between Marvel’s Thor and Thor of the Norsemen.

 

 

Strength of the North – He was known as the strongest of the Aesir

Lord of the Place of Might – His hall is Bliskinir, located in Thrudheim, the place of might

Husband of Golden Hair – Sif, whose hair was of gold thanks to Loki

Beloved of Iron-Cutlass – mistress, the Giantess Jarnsaxa

Red of beard – typically depicted with a red beard and long hair

Lightning Eyes – flashing eyes

Hearty of Appetite – known for his prodigious appetite

Fierce of Temper – also known to have a short, hot temper

Protector of Gods and mortals – protected the gods from the giants and mortals from their fears

Beloved by the common man – a favored divinity, his hammer symbolized protection

Giant Killer – many stories tell of his prowess in warring on the giants

Storm Lord – controlled the winds, rain, thunder and lightning

Giver of Fair Weather – propagated for good weather

Patron of Farmers – propagated for good crops

Driver of Gap-tooth and Tooth-grinder – two goats, Tanngrisni and Tanngnost, pulled his chariot

Wielder of That-smashes, Iron Hands, Strong Belt – his tools:  Mjollnir, Iron gloves and belt Megingjard

Lady Disguise – disguised himself as Freya in order to retrieve his hammer from the giants

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Fisher of Snake – an early Norse myth tells the tale of Thor fishing with Hymir’s giant ox as bait.  He caught Jormungand causing them to become bitter enemies.

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Challenger of Jesus – so this one might be considered a cheat…stumbled across a poem by Longfellow where Thor challenges the “Galilean”

The Challenge of Thor
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I AM the God Thor,
I am the War God,
I am the Thunderer!
Here in my Northland,
My fastness and fortress,
Reign I forever!

Here amid icebergs
Rule I the nations;
This is my hammer,
Miölner the mighty;
Giants and sorcerers
Cannot withstand it!

These are the gauntlets
Wherewith I wield it,
And hurl it afar off;
This is my girdle;
Whenever I brace it,
Strength is redoubled!

The light thou beholdest
Stream through the heavens,
In flashes of crimson,
Is but my red beard
Blown by the night-wind,
Affrighting the nations!
Jove is my brother;
Mine eyes are the lightning;
The wheels of my chariot
Roll in the thunder,
The blows of my hammer
Ring in the earthquake!

Force rules the world still,
Has ruled it, shall rule it;
Meekness is weakness,
Strength is triumphant,
Over the whole earth
Still is it Thor's-Day!

Thou art a God too,
O Galilean!
And thus singled-handed
Unto the combat,
Gauntlet or Gospel,
Here I defy thee!