Hel
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Ruler of Hel, the realm of those who die of sickness and old age.
Hel is the daughter of Loki and the giantess Angrboða. Odin cast her into Niflheim and gave her rule over nine worlds, where those who die of sickness or old age go, and Snorri describes her as half blue-black and half flesh-colored. When Baldr died, she promised to release him if every thing in the world wept for him; one giantess, Þökk (thought to be Loki in disguise), would not, so he stayed.
Symbols
Half blue-black, half flesh-colored Her hall Éljúðnir
In the ancient sources
The Eddas and sagas
- Gylfaginning 34 Odin casts Loki's daughter into Niflheim and gives her power over nine worlds, home to those who die of sickness or old age.
- Gylfaginning 34 Her hall is Éljúðnir, her dish Hunger, her knife Famine; she is half blue-black, half flesh-colored, and grim.
- Gylfaginning 49 She will free Baldr if all things weep for him; everything weeps except the giantess Þökk, so Baldr stays.
Snorri's Prose Edda gives the only full description of Hel; elsewhere she appears only as the one who receives the dead.
Cross-checked against these texts and records, in public-domain or freely available versions where they exist. Line, section and chapter numbers follow the standard editions, so a particular translation may differ slightly.
Correspondences Explore all
- Tarot
- Death
These mix ancient attributes with modern associations from contemporary pagan and magical practice; the modern ones weren't part of her original worship.