The hawk that sits between the eyes of a nameless eagle at the crown of Yggdrasil.
Veðrfölnir is the hawk that, according to Grímnismál 32, sits between the eyes of the great eagle at the top of Yggdrasil. The eagle itself is mentioned but given no name in the oldest sources. The hawk is seen as a further emphasis of the tree's celestial and all-seeing aspect.
In Gylfaginning 16, Snorri Sturluson repeats the same information. The name Veðrfölnir has been interpreted as 'weather-bleached' or 'wind-faded', which may allude to a lofty and windswept habitat. The bird pair's position at the crown is contrasted with Níðhöggr and Ratatoskr lower in the tree.
Sources in the Eddas
- Grímnismál 32
- The hawk Veðrfölnir is mentioned as sitting between the eagle's eyes. Own translation.
- Gylfaginning 16
- Snorri confirms the hawk and eagle's position in Yggdrasil. Own translation.
Interpretive traditions
A What we know
Veðrfölnir sits at Yggdrasil's crown, attested in Grímnismál and Gylfaginning.
B What we think we know
The combination of eagle and hawk at the tree's crown may symbolise a hierarchy of all-seeing celestial beings.