Research source

It is with the head of the most beautiful of the giant Hymir's oxen fastened to his hook that, in Snorri's…

Date of account: English edition published 1872
Source: Zoological Mythology; or, The Legends of Animals, Volume 1 (of 2)
Reference: Zoological Mythology; or, The Legends of Animals, Volume 1 (of 2) · selected passage 84
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-25

Record summary

It is with the head of the most beautiful of the giant Hymir's oxen fastened to his hook that, in Snorri's Edda, the god Thor goes to fish up the immense serpent of Midgard from the bottom of the sea, and destroys it upon the sea-shore

Published source text

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Source passage

Source text · mention only

It is with the head of the most beautiful of the giant Hymir's oxen fastened to his hook that, in Snorri's _Edda_, the god Thor goes to fish up the immense serpent of Midgard from the bottom of the sea, and destroys it upon the sea-shore. (This myth, if I am not mistaken, has the following meaning:--The head of the solar, or lunar, bull is devoured by the monster of night; this same head, tossed about, draws up, towards morning as sun, and towards evening as moon, upon the shore of the sea of night, that is to say, on the eastern mountain, the monster-serpent: thus Hanumant, in the _Râmâyanam_, passes over to the opposite shore of the sea, crossing the body of the marine monster, which he causes to burst; thus Indras kills Ahis the serpent upon the mountain).

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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