Skalli

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Skalli (also Skoll, Skøll, Skjøll ) is a wolf in Norse mythology who chases the sun .

According to the Edda, he is descended from Fenrir (the Fenriswolf ) and the giantess Gyge, who gave birth to him in the Jarnwid forest . His twin brother Hati chases the moon . The origin of the name Skalli is given in the literature as "shadow", "striker", "scoffers" or "deceit". Skalli chases the sun chariot of the sun goddess Sol across the sky and thus drives the sun to hurry. During a solar eclipse , it comes dangerously close to the sun. On the day of the end of the world ( Ragnarök ) the wolves will catch up with the hunted and devour them.

See also

literature

  • Johannes Hoops, Heinrich Beck: Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde, Volume 20 (= Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde: Second completely revised and greatly expanded edition with the participation of numerous scholars , 20th volume). Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2002, ISBN 3110171643 , p. 169.