Blóðughófi
Horse of Freyr in Nordic mythology
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In Nordic mythology, Blóðughófi (sometimes anglicised Blodughofi and meaning "Bloody Hoof" in Old Norse) is the horse of Freyr and is attested in several þulur of horses.
Attestations
Kálfsvísa
In Kálfsvísa, Blóðughófi is named in a list of horses, where their rider is specified as the "Slayer of Beli", a name for Freyr:
Dagr reið Drösli,
en Dvalinn Móðni,
Hjalmr Háfeta,
en Haki Fáki,
reið bani Belja
Blóðughófa,
en Skævaði
skati Haddingja.
Dagr rode Drösull,
And Dvalinn rode Módnir;
Hjálmthér, Háfeti;
Haki rode Fákr;
The Slayer of Beli
Rode Blódughófi,
And Skævadr was ridden
By the Ruler of Haddings.
Þorgrímsþula
In Þorgrímsþula, Blóðughófi is named among a list of horses:
Blóðughófi hét hestr,
er bera kváðu
öflgan Atriða,
Gísl ok Falhófnir,
Glær ok Skeiðbrimir,
þar var ok Gyllis getit.
Blódughófi hight a horse
That they said beareth
The strength-eminent Atridi;
Gísl and Falhófnir;
Glær and Skeidbrimir.
Here, they are described as being ridden by "öflgan Atriða", sometimes interpreted as a name of Freyr; however, the closely related spelling Atriða is used as a named of Odin.[4]
Anonymous þulur
In one of the anonymous þulur, Blóðughófi is named in a list of horses, as the variant, Blóðhófr (Blood-hoof):
Móinn, hestr, fjǫtri, Móðnir, róni,
alsvartr, apli, askr, malfeti,
Blóðhófr, Hamskarpr, brúnn, Hófvarpnir,
viggr, Skinfaxi, virfill, Hrímfaxi.
Interpretation and discussion
In Skírnismál, Freyr gives Skírnir his horse, which is able to run through fire to reach Jötunheimar for the wooing of Gerðr; however, the horse here is not named.[6]
The association between horses and Freyr is also seen in texts such as Hrafnkels saga, Vatnsdæla saga and Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar where horses are dedicated to the god; however, it has been noted that these sources are late and could be unreliable on this aspect.[7]
Popular culture
The title of Gerður Kristný's Blóðhófnir (2010), a poetic retelling of the myth of Gerðr, Freyr, and Skírnir, is a variation on the name Blóðughófi.[8]
See also
- Gullinbursti - boar also ridden by Freyr
- Sleipnir - horse ridden by Odin
- Uchchaihshravas - horse ridden by Indra