The Legend
Gleipnir is the magical fetter forged to bind the monstrous wolf Fenrir. When the gods realized how dangerous the growing wolf had become, they tried to chain him with two great iron fetters, Leyding and Dromi, but Fenrir shattered them both with ease.
Desperate, the gods sent to the dwarfs of Svartalfheim, who wove a ribbon as smooth and soft as silk yet stronger than any chain. It was made from six impossible things: the sound of a cat's footfall, the beard of a woman, the roots of a mountain, the sinews of a bear, the breath of a fish, and the spittle of a bird.
Suspecting a trick, Fenrir agreed to be bound only if a god placed a hand in his jaws as a pledge of good faith. Tyr alone was brave enough, and when the wolf found he could not break free, he bit off the god's hand. Gleipnir holds Fenrir still, and will until Ragnarök.
Properties
Soft as Silk
Smooth and light as a silken ribbon, so slender it seems it could never hold anything at all
Unbreakable
Stronger than any iron chain, it grows tighter the harder Fenrir struggles against it
Quick Facts
The Six Ingredients
Things That Do Not Exist
A cat's footfall, a woman's beard, a mountain's roots, a bear's sinews, a fish's breath, a bird's spittle
Why So Rare
The dwarfs used up these six things in the making, which is why none of them can be found in the world today
Current Location
The Island of Lyngvi
Gleipnir is tied to a great rock, Gjöll, and fastened to the deep, holding Fenrir on a lonely isle