Máni - God of Norse Mythology

Portrait of Máni, the Norse god of the moon.
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Máni himself gazes out with a steely determination, aware of the constant threat of the wolf Hati who pursues him across the night sky.

Máni (pronounced: "MAH-nee") also known as Mani, is a figure in Norse mythology and the god of the moon. He is the son of the giant Mundilfari and brother of the sun goddess Sól. According to Norse mythology, he travels across the sky in a horse-drawn chariot, with Bil and Hjuki, the two children of Vidfinnr, as his companions. The team is constantly being pursued by the wolf Hati, who is said to eventually catch up with them and devour the moon during the end of the world, known as Ragnarök.

The name "Máni" in Old Norse runes is written as:

ᛗᚨᚾᛁ

Máni's creation is described in the account of creation in Norse mythology. Before anything else existed, there was a great chasm called Ginnungagap, between the cold Niflheim to the north and the burning hot Muspelheim to the south. From this chasm, the primordial giant Ymir was formed, from whom all life in the world originated. The three gods Odin, Vili, and Vé killed Ymir and created the world itself from his body, including the sun and moon, which are drawn across the sky in chariots with horses harnessed to them.

Mundilfari named his children after the sun and moon because of their beauty, and the gods used them as charioteers for these stars. As punishment for Mundilfari's boasting, the gods threw Sól and Máni into two chariots, which they pulled across the sky, controlling the horses harnessed to them. The two chariots rush across the sky because both the sun and moon are afraid.

In Norse mythology, Máni is often associated with the wolf Hati, who chases him across the sky. The wolf Mánagarm is said to devour the moon during Ragnarök, the end of the world. According to legend, the blood from this event will sprinkle the sky and the whole air.

Máni's horses are not named in Norse mythology, unlike his sister Sól's horses, which are named Alsin and Arvak. Máni is also followed across the night sky by Bil and Hjuki, whom he took when they were on their way home from the well with water.

Like his sister, the sun goddess Sól, Máni races across the sky in a chariot pulled by horses, driven by his own fear of the wolf Hati. Just as Sól is chased by the wolf Sköll, Máni is pursued by Hati, who relentlessly follows them through the night sky. According to the Codex Upsaliensis 4, both Sól and Máni will eventually be caught by their respective wolves.


Please note that the information provided about Máni and Norse mythology is complex and may be subject to interpretation and debate. The myths and stories of Norse mythology have evolved and been passed down through oral tradition and written accounts, and there may be variations in the way they are told and understood. This information should be used as a general reference and not as a definitive source on the subject.


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Other Norse Gods and Goddesses


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