{{Short description|Wolf in Norse mythology}} {{Redirect|Skoll|other uses|Skoll (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} [[File:The Wolves Pursuing Sol and Mani.jpg|thumb|''The Wolves Pursuing Sól and Máni'' by J. C. Dollman, 1909]] [[File:Far away and long ago by Willy Pogany.png|thumb|''Far away and long ago'' by Willy Pogany, 1920]]
In Norse mythology, '''Sköll''', or '''Skoll''' ({{Langx|non|Skǫll}}), is a wolf that, according to Snorri Sturluson's ''Prose Edda'', chases the Sun (personified as a goddess, Sól) riding her chariot across the sky. Hati Hróðvitnisson chases the Moon (personified, as Máni) during the night. Sköll and Hati are the sons of the wolf Fenrir, and an unnamed giantess. It is foretold the wolves will chase the Sun and Moon across the skies until Ragnarök, at which point the wolves catch up and devour the celestial beings.
== Etymology == Old Norse {{Lang|non|Skǫll}} has been translated as "Treachery"<ref name=ORCHARD150>Orchard (1997:150).</ref> or "Mockery".<ref name="SIMEK-292">Simek (2007:292)</ref> The noun {{lang|non|skǫll}} {{fgen}} is the feminine form of {{lang|non|skall}} {{ngen}} ("bark, widely audible (echoing) sound"), related to {{lang|non|skjalla}}, {{lang|non|skella}}, "to bark; to scold" ({{compare}} {{langx|sv|skäll}}, "scolding; barking", {{lang|sv|skall}}, "bark"), by extension also English "scold" ({{compare}} {{langx|da|skæld}}).
== The Prose Edda == In Snorri Sturluson's ''Prose Edda'', the mention of Sköll appears when describing the story of Sol, who drives the chariot of the Sun in Norse Mythology. The wolf is seen chasing her after she receives her chariot to carry the Sun. "[Sun] goes at a great pace; her pursuer is close behind her and there is nothing she can do but flee. … There are two wolves and the one pursuing her is called Skoll [Treachery] is the one she fears; he will catch her [at the end of the world]."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dawson |first=Patricia A. |title=Myths of the Norsemen |publisher=Cavendish Square Publishing |year=2015 |isbn=9781502609939 |edition=1st |pages=35}}</ref>
== Theories == According to Rudolf Simek, it is possible that Sköll is another name for Fenrir, and, if so, "there could be a nature-mythological interpretation in the case of Sköll and Hati (who pursues the moon). Such an interpretation suggests the wolves may be intended to describe the phenomenon of parhelia and paraselenae or Sun dogs and Moon dogs, as these are called 'sun-wolf' in Scandinavian languages (Norwegian {{Lang|no|solulv}}, Swedish {{Lang|sv|solvarg}})."<ref name="SIMEK-292"/> Rudolf Simek theorizes that Sköll, Hati, and Fenrir are one and the same, deriving from the Hyades star cluster found in the constellation Taurus. The stars form a "V" shape that could have easily been interpreted as the mouth of a wolf.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Silva |first=Gabriela Ribeiro Da Silva |title=MITO NÓRDICO E A CONSTITUIÇÃO DO REAL SEGUNDO ERNST CASSIRER |trans-title=NORTH MYTH AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REAL ACCORDING TO ERNST CASSIRER] |publisher=Universidade Federal da Paraíba |year=2020}}</ref>
== See also == * Ketu * List of wolves * Rahu
== Citations == {{reflist}}
== General and cited references == * Orchard, Andy (1997). ''Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend''. Cassell. {{ISBN|0-304-34520-2}}. * Simek, Rudolf (2007). Translated by Angela Hall. ''Dictionary of Northern Mythology''. D.S. Brewer. {{ISBN|0-85991-513-1}}.
{{Norse mythology}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skoll}} Category:Mythological canines Category:Wolves in Norse mythology