Norsery Rhymes from A to Z Happy Thorsday -Galarr, The Screamer
Well here we are another Thor’s Day and another 20 min sketch of a Norse (and Germanic) mythological characters. This week it’s Galarr \ Gajalarr / Galr / Gálr / Galur / Gal / Gjalar the Dwarven (Dverg / Dvergr / Dwarf). One of the Dvergr mentioned in the Skáldskaparmál of the Prose Edda.
His name translated to ‘screamer’, or 'singer' from the old norse "Gala" that meant to 'sing', 'chant' or 'scream'. and the Proto-Germanic word 'galaną' that meant to 'sing', 'chant', 'crow' or 'cast a spell'. His name given the resulting mead of poetry has has been suggested to indicate some level of skill with words and spells.
Fjalar and Galar are the dverg who created the mead of Poetry. The Mean of Suttungr. That can turn anyone into a fact knowing verse speaking and Skaldic scholar.
They brewed this mead from honey, and the blood of Kvasir the wise. Who they killed to get it. They had heard of Kvasir’s wisdom and sought him out to see if they could in some way steal this from him. When they had him alone, they murdered him and drained all his blood into jars and cauldrons.
Kvasir who was born of the spit of both Aesir and Vanier was well loved by both for his wisdom and kindness. So when the Aesir send someone to check up on him, and the Aesir went to speak to Falr and Galar, the last to see him, they told the investigating emissary that Kvasir had choked on his own knowledge. Apparently convincing in their witty explanation the envoy left them alone.
They then went on to kill the Jotun Gilling and his wife who were visiting with them. Possibly because they discovered the mead. Crushing Gilling under a millstone, and drowning his wife. When their son Suttungr found them he put them out on a rock far out to sea at low tide. Sure to be drown and dashed against the rocks. They bargained for their lives be giving him three casks of the mead of Poetry.
Not much else is known about what happens to them after this. I’ve got another version in mind for next time, that‘s less spear oriented an more, mead brewing murderer centered.
I did a previous version for Falr that’s in my gallery.










