Odin and the Berserkir

Odin is the chief god of the mythology of Norway. He is the father of the gods, including Thor, the god of thunder. Odin is a god of war and death, but also the god of poetry and wisdom. His hall in Asgard, the realm of the gods where his throne is located. He resides in Valhalla, where the slain warriors are taken.

The Berserkir (which is the plural of Berserker) were some of the most ferocious of all the warriors in Scandinavian mythology. Blessed by Odin, they could change shape into a wolf or bear. They fought beside him in his many battles, running beside his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir.

The Berserkir  did not flinch in battle, so many pagan Viking kings and chiefs had Berserkir as their bodyguard. Usually there were twelve wolf-like warriors to keep them safe. A pack protecting the leader.

They worked themselves up into a blind fury when going into battle. As mad as dogs or wolves, they were as strong as bears or wild boars. Able to kill with a single blow, neither fire nor iron could hurt them. They were terrifying as they rolled their eyes and foamed at the mouth. They feared no-one.

Could the Berserkir be a reflection of rabies?

Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that can affect the central nervous system of any kind of mammal, including humans. People may be exposed to rabies when bitten by an infected wild or domestic animal. Signs of rabies in animals may include having excessive saliva or sometimes foaming at the mouth. A typical symptom in wild animals is that they lose their fear of humans.

Rabid animals may become aggressive. They can be vicious in what is known as the "furious" form of rabies, the kind traditionally associated with mad dogs. There is also a "dumb" form of the disease in which the animal is lethargic, but this would not be the inspiration for the Berserkir. Death occurs a few days after symptoms appear.

Odin with wolf-dogs and ravens - originally published in The Age of Fable by Thomas Bulfinch (Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Company, 1894).

The final battle, Ragnarok.

There are real wolves in Odin's Hall

From this throne, Odin observes all that happens in the nine worlds. News is brought to him by his two raven, Huginn and Muninn. He is accompanied by the wolves, Freki and Geri, to whom he gives his food. Odin consumes nothing but wine.

Yet another wolf, Fenrir, was the eldest of three children of Loki, the mythical being of mischief in Norse mythology. Fenrir took the form of a wolf. The gods feared Loki's children and captured them, bringing them back to Asgard where they threw Fenrir's brother into the ocean and his sister into Niflheim, the realm of ice and cold. They kept Fenrir in Asgard so that they might keep an eye on him.

Fenrir grew large and fierce. After some time the gods decided to bind Fenrir, as killing was forbidden in Asgard. So they made a chain of iron links and challenged Fenrir to be bound by it to see if he was stronger than the chain. Fenrir broke the bonds. The gods then quickly made another chain from larger links, larger than even anchor chains. He too broke it with ease, for he had grown even stronger. The gods where truly frightened.

Odin and a group of gods invited Fenrir to break a new bond, silk rope made from the sound a cat makes when it moves, a woman's beard, the roots of a mountain, the sinews of a bear, the breath of a fish and a bird's spittle.

Fenrir suspected that magic was involved and hesitated until Tyr, the god of single combat and heroic glory, offered to place his right hand into Fenrir's mouth. Fenrir was bound, but when he could not break the rope, he bit Tyr's hand off. The gods gagged Fenrir with a sword, its tip on the roof of Fenrir's mouth and the hilt on his lower jaw and that is where he will be until Ragnarok, the battle which will end the worlds.

Then, Fenrir's chain will break and he will join his father, brother, sister and the giants in the mighty battle that will end the nine worlds. Fenrir and Odin will be the first to engage into battle, but Fenrir will win, killing the father of all the gods. Odin's son Vidar will then come forward to tear Fenrir apart avenging his father and killing the wolf.

There are thirty-six species of dog in the family, Canidae, although their classification is very much in debate. The largest genus, Canis, includes the three wolves, the Grey wolf (Canis lupus), the red wolf (Canis rufus) and the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis).

Canidae also includes three jackals and the coyote.

There is also the one you know so well, the domestic dog, Canis familiaris domesticus. Some zoologists believe the the dingo and the New Guinea singing dog are in the same species, but a different subspecies. Others consider them a subspecies of Canis lupus.

All dogs in the Canis genus are very social animals, always preferring to live in a pack.

The family Canidae also includes the foxes, and the bush dog of South America, the African wild dog, The Asiatic wild dog or dhole, the maned wolf and the racoon dog.

The grey wolf is considered to have about twenty-six subspecies. It once roamed all of Europe and Asia and most of North America in huge numbers, hence its common occurrence in a wide range of myths and legends from as far back as legends are known, to the modern era. However, there are only about 300,000 grey wolves alive today. The last one to be exterminated from the British Isles was in the 1700s. Small groups can still be found in Scandinavia, the source of the Odin myths.

Grey wolf packs roam over huge areas. Using tracking devices, scientists have detected ranges of thousands of square kilometres.

Grey wolves in their pack.

Grey wolf (Canis lupus)

Grey wolves have a very complex social structure. Two wolves will lead the pack - a male and female pair. Their courtship is long, involving hunting and touching rituals. They also perform a ritual of double-scent marking - both urinating in the same place. This serves to warn other wolves that a pair has been established. It is a strong sign claiming their territory.

In a wolf pack, usually only the most dominant female, known as the alpha female, will breed. All other females are subordinate to her. A colony of birds, for example, will usually consist of a large number of birds all of equal status. Each pair will rule over their own little nesting site among the colony. With canines it is very different. Their pack is ruled by a strong hierarchy. The dominant male will insist on rituals of submission from his subordinate males. Fights are common, and eventually he will lose to a younger male. He shows this in his posture and behaviour at all times. This ensures he has the mating rights with the alpha female, who must also maintain her position among the females.

The behaviour of the wild dogs, such as the grey wolf, is fascinating to read about. What has been said here is just a start.

There may seem to be little similarity between the grey wolves of myth and legend and the dog who looks at you with inquisitive brown eyes.

Dogs have been living as human companions for over 14,000 years. The history of canines as working dogs and as companions is a enthralling one. There is a lot written about it. There is also recent research looking at the relationship with primitive man.

Have a good look at the nearest domestic dog. What characteristics can you see which are in common with the wild animals of the same family, the Canidae?

Dogs live in packs. Humans are sometimes considered to be the alpha pair for the domestic pack. Pet dogs behave as the subordinate members. Do you think this is a reasonable interpretation?

Write about the behaviour of the domestic dog and compare it to what you know of wolves from this page, and from any further research you do.