Glaðr (sometimes anglicised asGlad,Gladr, orGlath) is ahorse inNordic mythology. It is listed as among thehorses of the Æsir ridden toYggdrasil each morning in thePoetic Edda. TheProse Edda specifically refers to it as one of the horses of the Day (likelyDagr), along withSkinfaxi.
TheOld Norse wordGlaðr translates to English as "glad one", "shining one", or "bright one".[1][2] It is derived from the adjectiveProto-Germanic: *gladaz, meaning "bright", "shining" or "cheerful", and is cognate with modern English "glad".[3]
In the poemGrímnismál of thePoetic Edda, Glaðr is one of the horses ridden by thegods as they go daily toYggdrasil:
| Old Norse text[4] | Bellows translation[5] |
|---|---|
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A similar list of horses is given inGylfaginning in theProse Edda:
| Old Norse text[6] | Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur translation[7] |
|---|---|
Þriðja rót asksins stendr á himni, ok undir þeiri rót er brunnr sá, er mjök er heilagr, er heitir Urðarbrunnr. Þar eiga goðin dómstað sinn. Hvern dag ríða æsir þangat upp um Bifröst. Hon heitir ok ásbrú. Hestar ásanna heita svá: Sleipnir er baztr, hann á Óðinn. Hann hefir átta fætr. Annar er Glaðr, þriði Gyllir, fjórði Glenr, fimmti Skeiðbrimir, sétti Silfrintoppr, sjaundi Sinir, átti Gísl, níundi Falhófnir, tíundi Gulltoppr, ellifti Léttfeti. Baldrs hestr var brenndr með honum | The third root of the Ash stands in heaven; and under that root is the well which is very holy, that is called the Well of Urdr; there the gods hold their tribunal. Each day the Æsir ride thither up over Bifröst, which is also called the Æsir's Bridge. These are the names of the Æsir's steeds: Sleipnir is best, which Odin has; he has eight feet. The second is Gladr, the third Gyllir, the fourth Glenr, the fifth Skeidbrimir, the sixth Silfrintoppr, the seventh Sinir, the eighth Gisl, the ninth Falhófnir, the tenth. Gulltoppr, the eleventh Léttfeti. Baldr's horse was burnt with him |
TheSkáldskaparmál describes Glaðr being one of the horses of the day, orDagr, along withSkinfaxi.[8]
| Old Norse text[9] | Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur translation |
|---|---|
Árvakr ok Alsviðr draga sólina, sem fyrr er ritat. Hrímfaxi eða Fjörsvartnir draga nóttina. Skinfaxi eða Glaðr fylgja deginum. | Arvakr and Alsvidir draw the Sun, as is written before;Hrímfaxi or Fjörsvartnir draw the Night; Skinfaxi and Gladr are the Day's horses. |
TheÞulur list Glaðr along with other horses such asBlóðughófi,Grani andÁrvakr.[2]
InHáttatal, Glaðr is used as aheiti for a horse in akenning for a ship.[note 1][10]