Fenrir

In Norse mythology, Fenrir is the monstrous wolf born to Loki and the giantess Angrboða, and one of the most feared beings in the Nine Realms. The gods brought him to Asgard while he was still young, but as Fenrir grew larger and stronger, so did their fear of the prophecy surrounding him. Of all the gods, only Týr was brave enough to approach the wolf and feed him. This song follows Fenrir from his youth in Asgard through the gods' repeated attempts to restrain him. After he easily breaks their strongest chains, the dwarves create Gleipnir, an impossibly thin magical binding made from six things that should not exist. Fenrir senses the gods' deception and agrees to the test only when Týr places his hand between the wolf's jaws as a pledge. When Gleipnir holds, Fenrir realizes he has been betrayed—and Týr pays the promised price. But the gods cannot bind fate forever. At Ragnarök, Fenrir will finally break free and charge onto the battlefield of Vígríðr, where prophecy says he will face Odin and devour the Allfather before falling to Odin's son Víðarr. May Fenrir's story remind us that fear can sometimes help create the very future we are desperate to prevent. Chains may restrain something for a time, but they cannot erase what lies beneath them—and even the gods cannot escape every consequence of their choices. Thank you for listening. — The Viking Hippie Part of Moon Hippie Studios _____________________________________________________________________ Lyrics In iron halls the wolf was raised Beneath the gods’ uneasy eyes A shadow born of Loki’s blood With winter burning in his stride Each passing moon he grew in strength Each passing day their courage thinned But only Týr would cross the floor And place the food before him Claw on stone! Breath like frost! Every chain! Would count its cost! Fenrir! Wolf of the ending! Breaker of iron! Devourer of kings! Fenrir! Born for the darkness! Bound by the fearful, but never made tame! The gods may tighten every chain, Still fate remembers Fenrir’s name! They brought him ropes of hammered steel And praised his strength in sport He snapped each bond around his limbs As thread beneath the storm Then dwarven hands made Gleipnir From six things none could hold The sound of cats, the roots of stone, And breath from mountain cold Soft as silk. Pale as snow. The strongest snare The world would know. Fenrir! Wolf of the ending! Breaker of iron! Devourer of kings! Fenrir! Born for the darkness! Bound by the fearful, but never made tame! The gods may tighten every chain, Still fate remembers Fenrir’s name! He saw the silence in their eyes He smelled betrayal in the air “Then place a hand between my jaws And prove your challenge fair” No god stepped forward from the crowd No voice accepted blame Until Týr stood before the wolf And gave his hand in faith The ribbon tightened, the mountain groaned The wolf pulled hard, the truth was known His jaws came down, the blood ran red And laughter rose above his head They drove a sword between his teeth While rivers poured from rage and grief Bound to the stone he waits below And every shackle hears him grow! When sun and moon are swallowed whole And stars fall through the night When Bifröst burns beneath the hosts And gods ride out to fight The woven bond will tear apart The jaws will split the sky And Fenrir will cross Vígríðr With fire in either eye No wall remains! No chain can hold! The ending comes! As fate foretold! Fenrir! Wolf of the ending! Breaker of heaven! Devourer of kings! Fenrir! Free in the darkness! No hand above him! No chain at his feet! The All-Father meets his fate, The wolf consumes the lord of slain! Fenrir! Born from the warning, Raised by the fearful, and crowned by their fear! The chain lies broken, the sky burns red And fate walks forward on four dark legs