Wolves & Mythology: Odin, Freki, and Geri

by Jessica Novak

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With stories like Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs being commonly told to young children, one has to question: where did it all go wrong for the wolf in written and spoken word? The art of story telling had long begun before these elementary classics, and within these ancient stories the wolf has a different picture to paint than a hungry beast wanting a grandma or pig for lunch.

Wolves are commonly seen as symbol a of beauty, but also commonly represent fear. However, the wolf also exceeds these simple expectations in the mythologies of Odin, the Norse god whose titles/relations include battle, intelligence and inspiration. Considered to be one of the wisest and strongest Norse deities, Odin is well known for having bothe ravens and wolves at his side.

Huginn, the raven who was of thought, and Muninn, that of memory, were accompanied by Freki and Geri, his two wolves. Seen as a god of wisdom, Odin was also witnessed as a god a battle, and encouraged his men to fight like wolves. This was due to Odin's admiration of wolves, who fought together as a team with strength and intellect.

In nature, when wolves fight they usually emit no a single sound, which is called a "silent fight." This is because all energy is poured into the physicality of the wolf. This does not mean that Odin called onto his men to fight like mindless beasts, but to fight with the intelligence and prowess of the wolf.

The wolf is a formidable opponent, but a wolf's strength does not rely on it's sheer body size (which can reach 150+ lbs for gray wolves depending on geographical location/prey consumption) and oversized canine fangs. The power that wolves possess lies in cooperation, the ability to problem solve and to work as a team.

Odin, Freki, and Geri. By Carl Emil Doepler, 1882

Wolves live and survive in family units known as packs. These packs can range in number but average from 5-6 wolves. The alpha male and female are the pack's leaders (in comparison to Odin, this would be like a troop of warriors under the command of Odin himself or another, higher ranked warrior) while the lower ranks of the pack (beta, omega) are the offspring of that alpha pair.

Wolves mature at a faster pace (even if compared to a Norse warrior) and must choose to stay with their family or leave and begin a pack on their own. When these wolves leave, known as disperses (and commonly called lone wolves) they can either create a new pack in a new territory by attracting a mate, or, in some cases, live life in solitude. However, it is very important to note that with wolves as it is with warriors, strength in numbers gives a greater chance of success when surviving.

Is is coincidence that the Norse god of wisdom, intelligence and inspiration had such great respect for the wolf?

The warriors who fought with Odin were called berserkirs, but do not mistake this for the word "berserk." Berserkir translates to “bear skin” as the warriors often wore wolf or bear skins to fight like the wild animals.

Odin's symbol is that of either the noble eagle, or the noble wolf.