Thor, a thunder god in Norse mythology, is generally counted the son of Odin. Odin had mated with a female giant (Jord) to create Thor, according to Motz. Thor later mated with a giant named Jarnsaxa with whom he had a son named Magni, but his wife is Sif, whose hair Loki cuts. Thor's appetites are gigantic. He once drank from a horn that was emptying the water from the ocean. He is described as huge, red-bearded, with burning eyes who could defeat giant or troll in a test of strength, although he was much smaller than a giant and once slept in a giant's glove. Epithets for Thor indicate his giant-defeating prowess. He is similar to the Greek hero Heracles (Hercules) in his feats of strength and giant-killing.
Thor had a famous weapon, his hammer, named Mjolnir, and a belt of strength, named Megingjardir. He had a goat-driven chariot that created the noise of the thunder, according to Davidson, when rolling across the sky. The lightning bolts were caused by the hurling of Mjolnir. Thunderbolts are called Thorsviggar, according to Montelius.
Thor's home was called Bilskinir.
Thor was worshiped especially in Uppsala and Thrandheim.
Thor's Visit to Jotunheim - The Giant's Country
Norse Gods Index
Aesir
Andvari
Balder
Bergelmir
Bragi
Davlin
Elivagar
Farbauti
Fenrir
Forseti
Freyja
Freyr
Frigg
Mimir
Mjolnir
Nanna
Nine Worlds
Norns
Norse Mythology
Odherir
Odin
Orgelmir
Thor
Yggdrasil
Ymir
References:
"Giants in Folklore and Mythology: A New Approach," by Lotte Motz; Folklore Vol. 93, No. 1 (1982), pp. 70-84.
"Thor's Hammer," by H. R. Ellis Davidson; Folklore Vol. 76, No. 1 (Spring, 1965), pp. 1-15.
"The Sun-God's Axe and Thor's Hammer," by Oscar Montelius;Folklore Vol. 21, No. 1 (Mar., 1910), pp. 60-78.
