Heimdall

Who is Heimdall?

Heimdall is a Norse god of the Aesir tribe, who is known for his keen eyesight and hearing, his wisdom and his role as a guardian. He is the son of nine sisters, who are said to be the waves of the sea. He lives in a hall called Himinbjorg, near the rainbow bridge Bifrost, which connects Asgard, the realm of the gods, to Midgard, the realm of the humans. Heimdall is the keeper of the horn Gjallarhorn, which he will blow to signal the beginning of Ragnarok, the final battle of the gods and their enemies.

What are Heimdall’s powers and attributes?

Heimdall is endowed with extraordinary senses, which allow him to see and hear everything that happens in the nine realms. He can see in the dark, and he can hear the grass growing and the wool growing on the sheep. He also has the gift of foresight, which enables him to predict the future and to grant wisdom and social order to human beings. Heimdall is associated with light and fire, and he is sometimes called the White God or the Shining God. He rides a golden-maned horse called Gulltoppr, and he wields a sword that shines like the sun.

What are Heimdall’s myths and stories?

Heimdall is involved in several myths and stories in Norse mythology. One of them is the story of how he recovered the necklace Brisingamen, which belonged to the goddess Freya, from the trickster god Loki, who had stolen it. Heimdall disguised himself as a seal and fought with Loki, who had also turned into a seal, until he retrieved the necklace and returned it to Freya. Another story is the story of how he fathered the three classes of human beings: the thralls, the freemen and the nobles. Heimdall traveled to Midgard as a man named Rig, and visited three different households, where he slept with the wives and impregnated them. The children he sired became the ancestors of the different social groups.

What is Heimdall’s role in Ragnarok?

Heimdall is one of the most important gods in Ragnarok, the doom of the gods. He is the one who will blow the horn Gjallarhorn, which will awaken the gods and alert them of the impending attack of the giants, the monsters and the forces of chaos. He will then lead the gods to the battlefield of Vigrid, where he will face his nemesis, Loki, who will have escaped from his imprisonment. Heimdall and Loki will fight each other to the death, fulfilling the prophecy of their mutual destruction.