Gríðr

Gríðr (Old Norse: ; or Gríd) is a jötunn in Norse mythology. She is the mother of Víðarr the silent and the consort of Odin. Saturn's moon Gridr was named after her.

Name
The poetic Old Norse name Gríðr has been translated as "vehemence, violence, or impetuosity". Its etymology is unclear.

Prose Edda
In Skáldskaparmál (The Language of Poetry), Gríðr is portrayed as equipping the thunder god Thor with her belt of strength, her iron glove, and her staff Gríðarvöl (Gríðr's-staff) on Thor's journey to the abode of Geirröðr.

Thor lodged for the night with a giantess called Grid. She was Víðarr the silent's mother. She told Thor the truth about Geirrod, that he was a cunning giant and awkward to deal with. She lent him a girdle of might and some iron gauntlets of hers, and her staff, called Grid's pole.

— Snorri Sturluson 18, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987. Skáldskaparmál Gríðr is also mentioned in a list of troll-wives ("I shall list the names of troll-wives. Grid and Gnissa, Gryla...").

Skaldic poetry
Gríðarvöl (Gríðr's staff) is also mentioned in the poem Þórsdrápa by the late-10th-century skald Eilífr Goðrúnarson. The feller of the dolphins of the steeps [giants] advanced with violent temper with Grid's pole.

— Eilífr Goðrúnarson trans. A. Faulkes, 1987. Þórsdrápa

Gríðr appears in 10th-century kennings for 'wolf' (the steed of troll-wife) and for 'axe' (that which is dangerous to the life-protector, i.e. shield or helmet). Battle raged when the feeder of Grid's steed [wolf], he who waged war, advanced with ringing Gaut's [Odin's] fire. Weird rose from the well.

— Kormákr Ögmundarson Skáldskaparmál 49, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987. Riders [seafarers] of Ræfil's land's [sea's] horses [ships] can see how beautifully engraved dragons lie just by the brow of the Grid of the life-protector.

— Einarr Skúlason Skáldskaparmál 49, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.

Other texts
Saxo Grammaticus refers to her as Grytha, the wife of the legendary king Dan I of Denmark, "a lady whom the Teutons accorded the highest honour". A witch of the same name appears in Illuga saga Gríðarfóstra.

Theory
Her role as the donor of information and necessary items to the hero has been analyzed by folklorists as a commonplace of folk narrative.