#durnir

His name literally means ‘the Sleeper’, or ‘the Door Warden’.  He was a well know figure mentioned in several places. Called the ‘Warden of the Hall’. Of the great stone hall of Sökmímis/ Soekmimir.  That he and his family and possibly built. Where in the Ynglinga saga one of Durnir’s descendants, the then current warden of the hall, lured Sweedish king Sveigdir, Sveigder or Swegde to never to return. Possibly simply another name for another progenitor Dverg Durinn, who you can read more about here and here, and as Dulinn, here. Both similarly named, with similar meanings. As with many Dverg allusions in their names to sleep and doors can indicate an association with death and the passing between realms. Not to be confused with the Giant/ Jotun by the same name mentioned in the Prose Edda’s Skáldskaparmál that I’ll be posting next week.

Norsery Rhymes from A to Z Happy Thorsday - Durnir, The Sleeper Well here we are another Thor’s Day and another 20 min sketch of a Norse (and Germanic) mythological characters.  This week it’s another version of Durnir / Diurnir the Dwarven (Dverg / Dvergr / Dwarf). A Dwarf mentioned in the Dverga heiti, Laufás-Edda, Ynglingatal, and possible other sources. His name literally means ‘the Sleeper’, or the ‘the Door’. He was likely a well know figure, and was called the ‘Warden of the Hall’. Whose family and possibly he as well, built a great stone hall Sökmímis/ Soekmimir. The same hall and tale from the Ynglinga saga where one of Durnir’s descendants, who was the then warden of the hall, lured the Sweedish king Sveigdir, Sveigder or Swegde into never to return. It is possible that he is simply another name for Durinn, one of the progenitors of the Dwarves you can read more about here and here. And an alternative name for Durinn, Dulinn, here. Given they are both similarly named, and their names meanings are so similar. As well as them both being ancestors of many many Dwarfs.  As with Durinn, the mentions of sleep and doors is likely more an allusion to dwarves guarding or permitting other to pass to the land of the dead or the living through the earth.  As many Dverg are mentioned to come out of or guard burial barrows. I’ll do a more regal version, and less literally sleepy version next week. Not to be confused with the Giant/ Jotun by the same name mentioned in the Prose Edda’s Skáldskaparmál that I’ll be posting the week after next.