Mani (mythology)

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Mani ( Old Norse Máni "moon") is the god of the moon in Norse mythology .

He is a son of the giant Mundilfari and brother of the sun goddess Sol . Because Mundilfari named his children after the sun and moon because of their beauty, the gods used them as charioteers of these stars. That's why Mani drives across the sky in a horse-drawn cart. His companions are Bil ("the one who loses weight") and Hjuki ("the one who regains strength"), the two children of Vidfinnr. Mani took them both when they came from the Byrgir well. You hold the bucket Sägr (Old Norse Sægr ) and the Simul pole in your hand and can be seen as moon spots in the moon.

The team is always followed by the wolf Hati ("hater"). On the day of the end of the world ( Ragnarök ) the wolf will overtake it and devour the moon. According to another tradition, the wolf Managarm ("moon eater") will devour the moon and the blood that is spattered will darken the sun.

See also

  • Nyi and Nidi , the two dwarfs associated with the phases of the moon.

literature