Who Is Suttung
Suttung is a jötunn best known for one thing: he possesses and protects the Mead of Poetry. In Norse myth this mead is not just a drink. It represents the gift of inspired speech, the ability to shape words into something that moves people, and the power that comes from reputation and memory.
His story is closely tied to the dwarfs Fjalar and Galar and the killing of Suttung’s father in many tellings. Suttung answers that wrongdoing with force, and the dwarfs buy their lives by surrendering the mead. From that moment, Suttung becomes the locked door between the mead and the world.
When Odin decides the mead should belong to the gods, Suttung is the obstacle that makes the myth feel dangerous. He is not a background figure. He is the guardian who notices the theft and the pursuer who almost catches the thief.
Character and Nature
Guardian
Suttung treats the Mead of Poetry as a treasure that must be hidden and defended. His role is protection, control, and consequence.
Mountain Keeper
He keeps the mead sealed away within a mountain, making access impossible without cunning, risk, and transformation.
Relentless Pursuer
When Odin steals the mead, Suttung takes eagle form and gives chase, turning the tale into one of the best known pursuits in Norse myth.
Suttung in Norse Myth
Suttung appears most clearly in the myth of the Mead of Poetry. Key moments usually include:
- Fjalar and Galar kill Suttung’s father in many tellings and attempt to escape the consequences.
- Suttung traps the dwarfs and they offer the Mead of Poetry as payment to save themselves.
- Suttung hides the mead inside a mountain and places it under watch, often naming his daughter Gunnlöd as its keeper.
- Odin works his way inside, gains access to the mead, drinks it, and escapes in eagle form.
- Suttung also becomes an eagle and chases Odin until Odin reaches the gods and secures the mead.
The story explains why poetry is seen as a divine gift, why the best poets feel touched by something greater, and why lesser verses are sometimes described as the leftover share.
Family and Connections
Suttung is typically described as the son of Gilling in the broader Mead of Poetry tradition. He is also strongly connected to:
- Gunnlöd often named as his daughter and the keeper of the mead within the mountain.
- Fjalar and Galar the dwarfs who surrender the mead to Suttung after killing his father.
- Odin the god who steals the mead and escapes Suttung’s pursuit.
These connections place Suttung inside a myth about ownership, revenge, and the dangerous value of inspiration.
Quick Facts
Associated Figures
Symbolism
Suttung represents guarded inspiration and the idea that poetry is valuable enough to be fought over. His myth also explores consequence and compensation, how wrong actions demand a price, and how even a locked treasure can be taken by those willing to risk everything to claim it.