Fjalar (rooster)


Fjalar is the mythical red rooster that will herald the onset of Ragnarök in Norse mythology.

Name

The Old Norse name Fjalar has been translated as 'deceiver' or 'hider'.
Three other unrelated figures bear the name Fjalar in Norse mythology. It is an alias of Sottungr in the Hávamál version of Odin's theft of the mead of poetry. Fjalar is also the name of one of the dwarfs who made the mead of poetry from the blood of Kvasir in Skáldskaparmál. Finally, in Hárbarðsljóð, the jötunn who succeeded in deceiving Thor is also named Fjalar. In Snorri's version of the Thor's journey, however, the jötunn is named Skrymir.
Salus and Taylor argue that "of these four, probably only one is actually named Fjalar, the cock and the two giants are called Fjalar because of their cunning."

Attestation

In Völuspá, Fjalar is portrayed as a beautiful red rooster who crows the onset of Ragnarök, sitting near the herdsman Eggþér who is joyfully striking his harp.