In Norse mythology, Gylfi, Gylfe, Gylvi, or Gylve was the earliest king in Scandinavia recorded. The traditions on Gylfi deal with how he was tricked by the gods and his relations with the goddess Gefjon.
Contents |
The creation of Zealand
The Ynglinga saga section of Snorri's Heimskringla and the Eddic poem Ragnarsdrápa tell a legend of how Gylfi was seduced by the goddess Gefjon to give her as much land as she could plow in one night. Gefjon transformed her four sons into oxen and took enough land to create the Danish island of Zealand, leaving the Swedish lake Mälaren.
Meeting the Æsir
Gylfaginning in the Prose Edda and the Ynglinga saga tell how the supposedly historic Odin and his people the Æsir and Vanir, who later became the Swedes, obtained new land where they built the settlement of Old Sigtuna. Gylfi and the remaining older bronze-age inhabitants adapted the religion promulgated by the Æsir. Snorri presents an outline of Norse mythology through a dialogue between Gylfi and three rulers of the Æsir. In Snorri's account Gylfi is deluded by the Æsir into accepting their supposed religious beliefs, hence the name Gylfaginning 'Deluding of Gylfi'.
It is possible that Snorri's account is based on an old tradition tracing particular beliefs or foundations of particular cults to this legendary Gylfi.
Other appearances
In one version of Hervarar saga, king Gylfi married his daughter Heiðr to Sigrlami, the king of Garðaríki (Russia).[1] Heiðr and Sigrlami had the son Svafrlami who forced the two dwarves Dvalin and Durin to forge the magic sword Tyrfing.
Famous People called Gylfi
- Gylfi Hvannberg, Icelandic body builder and the Icelandic ambassador in Njamena in Chad.
Notes
- ^ Sigrlami átti Heiði, dóttur Gylfa konungs; þau attu sun saman, sá hèt Svafrlami. in N. M. Petersen's edition of Hervarar saga.
| Preceded by New creation |
Mythological king of Sweden | Succeeded by Odin |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
