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Sköll, a MythSource painting
Norse

Sköll

The Wolf · The Sun's Pursuer · The Sun-Swallowing Wolf

01Identity

Sköll in Norse tradition

The wolf Sköll pursues Sól as she drives her chariot across the sky. He is a Norse being associated with the sun’s pursuit and is prophesied to catch and swallow it at Ragnarök, while Hati chases the moon. After Sköll swallows Sól, darkness spreads before the gods meet their enemies, though Sól’s unnamed daughter later follows her mother’s path.

Top questions

The quick answers

  • Who is Sköll?

    Sköll is a Norse being associated with the pursuit of the sun, celestial wolves, and Ragnarök.
    Source

    Source

    • Dictionary of northern mythology
    • Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the Northland
    • The Oxford Companion to World Mythology
    • The Poetic Edda
    • The Prose Edda
    • Legends of Norse Mythology

  • What is Sköll associated with?

    Sköll is associated with the pursuit of the sun, celestial wolves, and Ragnarök.
    Source

    Source

    • Dictionary of northern mythology
    • Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the Northland
    • The Oxford Companion to World Mythology

  • What family links are recorded for Sköll?

    Father: Fenrir, 1 sibling.
02Family

Sköll’s family, at a glance

Fenrir
SköllHati Hróðvitnisson
03The names

The names Sköll answers to

Skoll

Anglicized spelling of Sköll

SourceThe Poetic Edda

The Wolf Who Follows the Sun

The wolf said to pursue the sun

SourceThe Prose Edda

The Sun-Swallowing Wolf

The wolf prophesied to catch and swallow the sun at Ragnarök

SourceLegends of Norse Mythology

04The myths

The myths of Sköll

2 myths, with sources recorded for each.

Sköll Chases the Sun

Sól drove her chariot across the sky while Sköll pursued her. She escaped him only by keeping ahead of him, but he would catch her one day. Another wolf, Hati, Hróðvitnir's son, ran before the sun and sought to catch the moon. Both wolves pursued the lights of the sky as day and night followed their appointed courses.

Night rode first through the heavens on Hrimfaxi. Foam fell from his bit upon the earth as dew each morning. Day followed on Skinfaxi, whose mane lit the sky and the earth. The Allfather gave Night and Day horses and chariots, then placed them in heaven to travel around the earth in turn. Each took twelve hours. Sól's journey took place within this ordered movement.

A hag dwelled east of Midgard, in the forest called Járnviðr, or Ironwood. Witches called the Ironwood witches lived there. Sköll and Hati came from this place. Sköll followed Sól until her chariot descended towards the western halls and reached Varna vidr, the forest of the Varnians. The name meant defenders or protectors, who guarded the travelling lights at the western horizon.

At Ragnarök, Sköll and Hati swallowed the sun and the moon. Sól's flight continued under the threat of capture until that destruction.

Sköll Chases the Sun, a MythSource painting of the scene

3 sources· checked 2026-08-19

  1. 1Treasury of Norse MythologyT1
  2. 2the ancient sourcesT1

    Quote

    “Sköll pursues the sun and will catch her, while Hati, Hróðvitnir’s son, seeks the moon.”

    the ancient sources

  3. 3Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the NorthlandT1

Sköll Swallows the Sun at Ragnarök

The earth shook, the trees and mountains fell, and Yggdrasil shivered. The bonds that held the world together broke. Loki was released, and Fenrir ran free. Great wolves raced across the sky. In one telling, Sköll caught Sól and swallowed her, while his companion Hati attacked the moon. Darkness spread over the world as the sun disappeared.

The clear stars fell from heaven. The land sank into the sea, which the World Serpent churned as it writhed from the water. On the plain of Vígríðr, the gods and their enemies gathered. Gullinkambi, the cockerel called Golden Comb, woke the gods in Asgard. Heimdallr watched from the Bifröst bridge and blew his horn. The gods went to battle, and many were killed. Thor struck down the World Serpent but died from its venom. Fenrir swallowed Odin, and Víðarr avenged him by tearing the wolf apart. Surtr set fire to the realms.

The world was consumed by fire. Gods, giants, trolls, monsters, mortals, and other living things perished, whether on Vígríðr or elsewhere. In one telling, a daughter of Sól continued across the sky after her mother had been swallowed. Her path was not described further. In another telling, the daughter followed her mother’s path after Ragnarök.

Sköll Swallows the Sun at Ragnarök, a MythSource painting of the scene

3 sources· checked 2026-08-19

  1. 1The Prose EddaT1
  2. 2the ancient sourcesT1

    Quote

    “Sköll swallows Sól at Ragnarök, Hati attacks the moon, and Sól’s daughter follows her mother’s course afterwards.”

    the ancient sources

  3. 3Treasury of Norse MythologyT1

Also mentioned in

Stories elsewhere on MythSource that mention Sköll, each on that figure’s page.

Continue the road

More of Sköll’s family, sourced

FenrirFather