Hrímgrímnir

"Frost-masked." In the eddic poem Skírnismál, Freyr's servant Skírnir travels to Jötunheimr to court the beautiful giantess Gerðr on his master's behalf. He first offers her various precious items, but when this has no effect, Skírnir threatens her with a curse, part of which involves her marriage to a certain jötunn named Hrímgrímnir in Hel:

Wroth with thee is Odin,
wroth with thee is the Æsir's prince;
Frey shall loathe thee,
even ere thou, wicked maid!
shalt have felt the gods' dire vengeance.
Hear ye, Jötuns! hear ye, Hrimthursar!
sons of Suttung!
also ye, Æsir's friends!
how I forbid
how I prohibit
man's joy unto the damsel,
man's converse to the damsel.
Hrimgrimnir the Thurs is named,
that shall possess thee,
in the grating of the dead beneath;
there shall wretched thralls,
from the tree's roots,
goats' water give thee.
Other drink shalt thou,
maiden! never get,
either for thy pleasure,
or for my pleasure.
Þurs I cut for thee,
and three letters more:
ergi and æði and óþola.
So will I cut them out,
as I have cut them in,
if there need shall be.

The threat is successful for Gerðr relents and agrees to meet with Freyr.

Hrímgrímnir is listed among the jötnar in the Nafnaþulur.

Þurs, giant; ergi, æði, óþola: lust/perversity, madness, longing.

References

Source

  • Skírnismál, 33-36.