This mighty giant was always getting drunk and challenging the Gods to contests. One day he claimed his horse GULLFAXI was faster than Odin’s horse Sleipnir. Challenge accepted.

One thrilling horse race later, Odin was the clear winner. But Hrungnir was a sore loser. He never won anything but that never stopped him becoming a belligerent pest. He promptly got drunk, gate-crashed into Valhalla and started hurling abuse.

Well, despite what you might imagine, that sort of thing is not allowed in Valhalla. And they don’t need to call Security – they just ring the bell for Thor. The unruly Giant was dragged outside and challenged to a fight.

With the help of his assistant Thialfi,Thor reduced Hrungnir and his squire Mökkurkálfi to builder’s rubble. (For more exciting details of the battle, see our entry on Thialfi.)

But despite Thor’s victory, it didn’t go entirely his way – he ended up getting fragments of Hrungnir’s stone weapon lodged in his head. He was also trapped for some time under the Giant’s fallen remains, which was far more embarrassing. See also Groa.

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Article last revised on September 20, 2018 by Rowan Allen.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

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