Giants in Norse Mythology
some examples
YMIR - giant from which the world was created. He lived off the milk of a cow Audhumla [beer/mead cow]. The cow lived by licking salty ice blocks. One day a human, Buri appeared from the iceblocks. Buri had a son Bor who had a son, Odin, who became the chief of all the gods. People also came out of Ymir's armpits and legs while he sweated while sleeping. Bor's sons kill the giant Ymir and his blood flooded all the area killing all the frost ogres except one, Bergelmir. The world was then created from Ymir. The sea is his blood. His skull is the sky with four sides to it. Under each corner they put a dwarf and called then East, West, North and South. The rest of his body was divided up to make other parts of the world and creation.
BERGELMIR - only one who escaped the flood of Ymir's blood.
MIMIR- was given to the Vanir as part of a treaty but then was killed and sent back to the AEsir. Mimir was worth more dead than alive because after death he possessed great knowledge and power.
GERD - the giant whom the god Freyr falls in love with and loses his horse and sword in order to obtain her as his wife.
ANGRBODA - mated with Loki and bore three children: the worlf Fenrir, the Midgard Serpant, and Hel.
THIASSI -disguised as an eagle, he swoops down and takes Loki. To ensure his release, he promises Idunn and her magic apples which ensures the youth of the gods. The gods then made Loki fly as a falcon back to Thiassi's hall to retrieve the apples. Thiassi chases him but once he got over Asgard, his wings were set on fire and he died.
SKADI - the daughter of Thiassi. She goes to seek compensation for the death of her father. Odin takes Thiassi's eyes and throws them into the sky as stars. She also gets to pick a husband by his feet. She wanted Baldr but ended up with Njord.
HYRROKKIN - a fire goddess, helps push Baldr's funeral boat out to sea.
The Nameless Giant - tried to build a wall around Asgard in three days but failed because he lost the help of his horse when Loki turned into a female horse and lured the horse away.
UTGARDA-LOKI - really clever most accompolished magicain in all of Scandinavian Mythology. He is a shape changer and takes on many other forms and names.
THANKS - after Baldr's death, Hel said Baldr could come back to Asgard if everyone throughout would weep for his death. Thanks did not weep so Baldr had to stay in Hel. It is said that Thanks was Loki is disguise.
SUTTUNG - giant who possessed the poetic mead.
GUNNLOD - the daughter of Suttung who guarded the mead. She gave it to Odin after he slept with her for three nights.
BESTLA - mother of the gods
FARBAUTI - the father of Loki
HYMIR - goes fishing with Thor when Thor catches the Midgard serpant. Arguements arise afterwards and Thor kills him.
HRUNGNIR - bets Odin that he has the faster horse. He gets drunk and threatens to tear Asgard away along with Freyja and Sif. He is then challeneged by Thor who kills him but gets a wetstone to the head and gets trapped under the fallen giant's leg.
ELLI- "old age" - old woman in Utgarda-Loki's hall who wrestles Thor to the ground. She is one of the greatest destructive forces of all time.
BAUGI - helps Odin get the mead from Suttung
SURT - the fire giant who comes and burns to bridge of Bifrost at Ragnarok