Thor and the World Serpent
Join Thor at sea as he encounters Jörmungandr, the World Serpent, in a child-friendly Norse myth about strength and understanding.
- Region
- Norway (Viking Age Scandinavia)
- Category
- Gods & Heroes
- Ages
- 4–12, with three reading levels (ages 4–6, 7–9 and 10–12)
- Languages
- English, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
About the legend
- Being
- Jörmungandr (Midgard Serpent)
- Cultural meaning
- The Midgard Serpent represents the boundary between order and chaos in Norse cosmology. Its encirclement of the world symbolizes both the fragility and the interconnectedness of all things. If Jörmungandr releases its tail, Ragnarök — the twilight of the gods — begins. The serpent is thus both a source of fear and a guardian of cosmic balance.
- Fun fact
- The Midgard Serpent was so enormous that it could wrap around the entire Earth and bite its own tail! Vikings carved pictures of Thor's fishing trip onto runestones — some of these stones are still standing in Sweden over 1,000 years later.
About this retelling
Traditional tale, retold for children A retelling of Thor's fishing trip with the giant Hymir and his meeting with the World Serpent.
The myth is told in the Prose Edda and the Eddic poem Hymiskviða. Scenes and dialogue are adapted for young readers.
Sources
- Prose Edda (Gylfaginning, ch. 48) — Snorri Sturluson
- Poetic Edda (Hymiskviða) — Unknown (13th century manuscript)
- Norrøne Gude- og Heltesagn — Peter Andreas Munch
Themes
- courage
- respect
- wisdom
- balance
- Thor
- Jörmungandr
- Midgard Serpent
- Hymir
- Norse mythology
- Asgard
- Mjölnir
- ocean
- fishing
- Prose Edda
- Viking
More stories
- Askeladden and the Troll — Read how Askeladden outwits a troll in this Norwegian folktale for children, with cultural background and three reading levels.
- Freya and the Lost Necklace — Discover Freya's quest for her lost necklace in a child-friendly retelling of Norse mythology about kindness and generosity.
- Holger the Dane — Explore the Danish legend of Holger the Dane, the sleeping hero beneath Kronborg Castle, retold for children with cultural context.
- The Magic of the Sampo — Meet Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen in a Finnish tale of the magical Sampo, retold for children with themes of community and shared work.
- Näcken and the Golden Violin — Meet Näcken, a lonely water spirit with a golden violin, in a Swedish-inspired tale for children about courage, music and understanding.
- The Hulder of the Waterfall — Discover a hulder living behind a waterfall in a Norwegian-inspired tale for children about friendship, honesty and respect for nature.
- The Seven Sisters — Explore the Norwegian legend of the Seven Sisters mountains on the Helgeland coast, retold for children as a tale of courage and solidarity.
- The Draugen's Warning — Follow Eirik as he hears the draugen's warning in a Norwegian coastal tale for children about courage, old stories and a storm at sea.
- The Brave Tin Soldier — Read a child-friendly retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's steadfast tin soldier, with cultural background and three reading levels.
- Odin's Wild Hunt — Meet Odin's Wild Hunt in a Nordic winter tale for children. Follow Solveig through a stormy night, with cultural background and reading levels.