Alvíssmál

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Alvíssmál is an Old Norse poem in the Poetic Edda. It probably dates from the 12th century and tells how the god Thor outwits a dwarf named Alvíss, who wants to marry Thor’s daughter.

Alvíss comes to claim the daughter, saying she had been promised to him. Thor isn’t at home, so he tells the dwarf that the marriage can happen only if Alvíss can answer all of Thor’s questions. The dwarf replies with a long list of names for many beings in Norse myth—gods (Æsir), giants (jötnar), elves, and dwarfs. He even offers titles for the heavens, the winds, and other realms, for example calling the heavens “The Height,” the winds “The Weaver of Winds,” the giants “The Up-World,” the elves “The Fair-Roof,” and the dwarfs “The Dripping Hall.”

Thor’s plan is to stall long enough for the sun to rise. When the sun comes up, the dwarf is turned to stone, and the marriage never happens.

Scholars aren’t sure exactly when Alvíssmál was created. Some think it reflects older, pre-Christian beliefs and dates to no later than the 10th century. Others see signs of a 12th-century revival of skaldic poetry.