Elgfróði

In Germanic heroic legend, Elgfróði (Elk-Fróði) is the half-man, half-elk elder brother of the hero Bödvar Bjarki and Thorir Houndsfoot.

The name is also used to describe mythical creatures with his perceived form, which have been seen as a Norse variant of a centaur,[1][2] although it is not clear if he was intended to be depicted with two or four legs.

[4] In retaliation, the queen cursed Bjorn to take the form of a bear by day whereupon he fled to a cave and proceeded to hunt the king's cattle.

Claiming her hospitality is being insulted, the queen forces Bera to eat her lover's flesh, who lets a tiny piece of meat fall into her mouth.

[5] Soon after, Thorir Houndsfoot leaves his mother's home and collecting his gifts from Bjorn's cave, goes to visit Elgfróði, covering his face with a hood.

[8] When it is the turn of Bödvar Bjarki to leave home, he too collects the gifts left for him by his father and goes to visit Elgfróði concealed by a hood.

Once he had, Elgfróði pushes his brother again, this time observing that the strength of his blood made Bödvar Bjarki stand firm.

[9] Elgfróði then stamps on a rock beside him such that his hoof is buried deep in it, saying: "Til þessa spors mun ek koma hvern dag ok vita, hvat í sporinu er; mold mun verða, ef þú verðr sóttdauðr, vatn, ef þú verðr sjódauðr, blóð, ef þú verðr vápndauðr, ok mun ek þá hefna þín, því at ek ann þér mest allra minna."

Elgfróði avenges his brother as he promised, taking Skuld by surprise and killing her, with the help of Thorir Houndsfoot and Queen Yrsa's army, led by Vöggr.

[11] Elg-Fróða þáttr (The Tale of Elgfróði) is referenced in Hrólfs saga kraka as describing how the eponymous hero took vengeance on Skuld for killing his brother, Bödvar Bjarki, however this source is now lost.

[3] Bödvar Bjarki drinking Elgfróði's blood to gain strength has been identified as a motif in Germanic heroic legend in which drinking of a monster's blood grants transformative powers,[12][13] such as is seen in the Volsung Cycle when eating the heart of the dragon Fafnir grants Sigurd understanding of the speech of birds.