Blóðughófi

In Nordic mythology, Blóðughófi (Old Norse: [ˈbloːðoɣˌhoːve], "Bloody Hoof", sometimes Anglicised Blodughofi) is the horse of Freyr and is attested in several þulur of horses.

Attestations

Kálfsvísa

In Kálfsvísa, Blóðughófi is named in a list of horses, where their rider is specified as the "Slayer of Beli", a name for Freyr:

Dagr reið Drösli, en Dvalinn Móðni, Hjalmr Háfeta, en Haki Fáki, reið bani Belja Blóðughófa, en Skævaði skati Haddingja.	Dagr rode Drösull, And Dvalinn rode Módnir; Hjálmthér, Háfeti; Haki rode Fákr; The Slayer of Beli Rode Blódughófi, And Skævadr was ridden By the Ruler of Haddings.
—Old Norse text^[1]	—Modern English Translation^[2]

Þorgrímsþula

In Þorgrímsþula, Blóðughófi is named among a list of horses:

Blóðughófi hét hestr, er bera kváðu öflgan Atriða, Gísl ok Falhófnir, Glær ok Skeiðbrimir, þar var ok Gyllis getit.	Blódughófi hight a horse That they said beareth The strength-eminent Atridi; Gísl and Falhófnir; Glær and Skeidbrimir.
—Old Norse text^[3]	—Modern English Translation^[2]

Here, they are described as being ridden by "öflgan Atriða", sometimes interpreted as a name of Freyr, however the closely related spelling Atriða is used as a named of Odin.^[4]

Anonymous þulur

In one of the anonymous þulur, Blóðughófi is named in a list of horses, as the variant, Blóðhófr (Blood-hoof):

Móinn, hestr, fjǫtri, Móðnir, róni, alsvartr, apli, askr, malfeti, Blóðhófr, Hamskarpr, brúnn, Hófvarpnir, viggr, Skinfaxi, virfill, Hrímfaxi.	Brown one, horse, fettered one, Móðnir, gelding, all-black one, foal, ash-tree, gravel-pacer, Blóðhófr, Hamskarpr, black one, Hófvarpnir, steed, Skinfaxi, virfill, Hrímfaxi.
—Old Norse text^[5]	—Modern English Translation^[5]

Interpretation and discussion

In Skírnismál, Freyr gives Skírnir his horse, which is able to run through fire to reach Jötunheimar for the wooing of Gerðr, however, the horse here is not named.^[6]

The association between horses and Freyr is also seen in texts such as Hrafnkels saga, Vatnsdæla saga and Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar where horses are dedicated to the god, however it has been noted that these sources are late and could be unreliable on this aspect.^[7]

Popular culture

The title of Gerður Kristný's Blóðhófnir (2010), a poetic retelling of the myth of Gerðr, Freyr, and Skírnir, is a variation on the name Blóðughófi.^[8]

See also

• Gullinbursti - boar also ridden by Freyr
• Sleipnir - horse ridden by Odin
• Uchchaihshravas - horse ridden by Indra

References

1. Skáldskaparmál, Chapter 72. Hestaheiti, Stanza 262.
2. Snorri Sturluson 2018, Skálddskaparmál, Chapter 72. Heiti for the horse.
3. Skáldskaparmál, Chapter 72. Hestaheiti, Stanza 261.
4. Wills 2020.
5. Gade 2017, p. 935, Hesta heiti, Stanza 4.
6. Orchard 2011, pp. 60–61, För Skírnis: Skírnir's journey, stanzas 8 & 9.
7. Simek 2008, pp. 157–158.
8. Crocker, Christopher; Geeraert, Dustin, eds. (2022-08-23). Cultural Legacies of Old Norse Literature: New Perspectives. Boydell & Brewer Ltd. doi:10.2307/j.ctv28m3gh8.16. ISBN 978-1-80010-609-3.

Bibliography

Primary

• Orchard, Andy (2011). The Elder Edda: A Book of Viking Lore. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 9780141393728.
• Snorri Sturluson (2018). The Prose Edda. Translated by Brodeur, Arthur Gilchrist. Franklin Classics Trade Press. ISBN 9780344335013.
• Gade, Kari Ellen (2017). Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols Publishers. ISBN 9782503518947.
• "Skáldskaparmál". Retrieved 28 August 2022.

Secondary

• Simek, Rudolf (2008). A Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Hall, Angela. BOYE6. ISBN 9780859915137.
• Wills, Tarrin (2020). "Skaldic Project - Atriða". Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages. Retrieved 15 January 2022.