The myth of Fenrir

“Whether you are a guest, a longtime resident, or are considering visiting our home, understand that to experience Icelandic nature is first to believe and know you belong to it.”

Living on a farm in Iceland undoubtedly exposes you to the unforgiving nature Iceland is known for. It is a humble reminder that thinking, even for one second, that you are in control of the land is an illusion.

We can’t harness nature, much like we cannot control the wolf or the horse, but we can learn to live in harmony with it. To us, this is tradition, and despite being extraordinary, it is what we believe is the only way to live. Much like the giants in Norse Mythology, nature continuously shapes our reality.

In Norse mythology, there are many beings. Most of the myths concern the gods of Asgard, beings of order and law, and Jotuns, beings of chaos and magic. In Norse Mythology, there is no true good or evil; instead, opposing forces perpetually altering The Nine Realms.

The giants play many roles in the myths. Sometimes, they are adversaries to the gods, sources of wisdom, and, on occasion, objects of desire. In our world, they represent what we cannot control, much like Icelandic nature.

This brings us to our logo, a bind rune for Fenrir, the enormous wolf, and Jotun in Norse mythology.

Fenrir´s Story

Fenrir, the son of the trickster god Loki and the giantess Angrboda, was feared by the gods who desired to keep order in the Nine Realms. Loki and Angrboda had three children in Jotunheim, who they hid from the gods for good reasons due to their uncontrollable nature. However, nothing could be hidden from Loki’s blood brother Odin, lord of the Æsir gods.

Over time, the all-seeing Odin grew suspicious of Loki’s journeys to Jotunheim. One day, he sat on his high seat, looking across the Nine Realms, and saw Loki’s children. Odin’s visions terrified him: a half-corpse girl, a gigantic serpent, and a wolf who stood as tall as a pine tree.

Odin began to dream of dark times for the gods of Asgard. In these dreams, he saw himself battling Fenrir during this doomsday, a time known as Ragnarök. He knew at this moment something had to be done, even if it meant betraying his kin.

His fate intertwined; he ordered the gods to go to Jotunheim to take Loki’s children before it was too late. They hurriedly left and journeyed far beyond the great sea into the outer limits of Jotunheim. Thor, son of Odin, led the gods in his chariot, which was pulled by two goats, Snarler and Grinder.

The Æsir took Loki’s children. Each one succumbed to Odin’s decided fate. The half-corpse girl was placed in the mist realm, where she would rule over those who died of natural causes. The serpent tossed into the sea that encircled Midgard.

Still just a pup, Fenrir was raised in Asgard by Tyr, one of the Æsir, until the time came when he grew so mighty that the Æsir could no longer control him. Odin ordered the Æsir to bind Fenrir.

Binding the wolf would be no easy feat, so the gods created a game to trick the wolf. They lured Fenrir to a hidden swamp where no one could witness the betrayal. The gods tried to bind the wolf but to no avail.

The gods appealed to the dwarves, the greatest smiths in the nine realms, to create a magical ribbon. The dwarves worked endlessly through the night in their dark forges to craft the ribbon, made from the most unusual ingredients: the spittle of a bird, the beard of a lady, and a cat’s footsteps, to name a few. They called it Gleipnir, and it was unbreakable. The following day, the gods arrived at Fenrir’s lair with the ribbon.

The wolf glared at the ribbon, his eyes narrowing as he studied its suspicious gleam. He sniffed the air, knowing something was not right with this ribbon. It looked so delicate, yet its fibers were nothing like he had ever seen.

Being the son of cunning Loki, Fenrir was no fool, so he would only agree to the game if one of the gods placed his hand in his jaws. If he could not break the bonds, he would take the hand.
The Æsir looked at one another, and the wolf could smell their fear. After moments, the brave Tyr stepped forward, offering his hand to the wolf’s jaws.

Fenrir opened his mouth, and Tyr placed his hand inside it. The gods tied the ribbon around the wolf, binding his limbs one by one until he could not move. The wolf tried to break his bonds, but the ribbon did not budge. Tyr looked at Fenrir and, with a nod, closed his eyes, knowing the unthinkable would happen next.

And so the Æsir and the one-handed Tyr journeyed back to Asgard, telling stories to those who would listen how Tyr made the ultimate sacrifice to keep the gods and their allies safe. Since then, Tyr is known as the god of great sacrifice and courage.

In the meantime, Fenrir was left bound in his lair, deep within a hidden swamp. He does not weep for his fate yet lies in stillness, conserving his energy for Ragnarök, when he will break his bonds and seek revenge.

The Spirit of the Wolf

In Norse mythology, Odin is depicted as a god seeking knowledge to save the world he had his hand in creating. His desire to control his fate leads him to do the unthinkable, playing the ultimate trick on his blood brother’s son. Yet, as we learned in the Eddas, even the gods of Asgard can’t succumb to fate, and the mighty Fenrir, fueled by his unbridled spirit, eventually breaks his bonds.

Fenrir wolf represents what we cannot control. He is the storms of life, unbridled passions, wildness, and freedom; nothing about the wolf can be tamed. Much like our beloved Icelandic horse, he is a free spirit, living on his terms. He represents what is misunderstood due to fear or ignorance.

Humans have also witnessed loyalty, protection, and leadership in wolf packs, which are crucial to the wolf’s survival. Often misunderstood, the wolf plays an essential role in many ecosystems and has been wrongly hated by many, yet they are critical to our survival.

The bind rune for our logo represents all that is Fenrir, our most genuine reflection of Icelandic nature: uncontrollable, free, and sometimes misunderstood. It is woven into the threads of our exclusive Icelandic sweater to capture the essence of our farm’s spirit: living in harmony with nature, acceptance of what we cannot control, and freedom.

The key to thriving in Iceland is embracing the gifts of each season and maintaining a sense of freedom guided by nature, much like the wolf. Nature is not to be viewed as fetters, restricting our lives or changing our course when we least expect it to, but instead, seen as our most eloquent teacher.

Whether you are a guest, a longtime resident, or are considering visiting our home, understand that to experience Icelandic nature is first to believe and know you belong to it.

Welcome home.