Thor's two goats that pull his chariot and can be slaughtered and resurrected by him the next day.
Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr are Thor's goats and form the draught animals for his chariot; it is their galloping hooves that produce the thunder heard across the sky. The names mean 'teeth-rattler' and 'teeth-grinder'. They are mentioned in Gylfaginning 21 and Þrymskviða 37.
A central episode is recounted in Gylfaginning 44 concerning Thor's visit to a farmer. Thor slaughters the goats and invites the farmer's family to eat but commands that the bones must be laid intact in the hide. The farmer's son Þjálfi breaks the prohibition and cracks a thighbone for the marrow; the next morning Thor resurrects the goats with his hammer Mjölnir, but one goat limps, revealing the transgression.
Sources in the Eddas
- Gylfaginning 21, 44
- Snorri describes the goats and the farmer resurrection episode. Own translation.
- Þrymskviða 37
- The goats are named as Thor's draught animals. Own translation.
Interpretive traditions
A What we know
Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr are Thor's goats with the ability to be resurrected, attested in Gylfaginning.
B What we think we know
The goat resurrection episode is often linked to ritual sacrifice concepts and the sacral status of animal bones.