Associated with fertility, protector of maidens. She is one of the companions or handmaidens of the goddess Frigg.

Name(s): The word gefa is Old Norse/Old Icelandic for “to give,” which could refer to Gefjon’s generosity.

Parents: Unknown.

Spouse: In Ynglinga saga Gefjon is said to have been married to Skjoldr, one of Odin’s sons, after having taken the land of Gylfi.

Children: In Gylfaginning Gefjon is said to have four sons by a jotun/giant, but they are not named.

On the other hand, elsewhere in Gylfaginning it states that she is a virgin goddess, and that all who die virgins become her attendants.

Affiliations: Gefjon is one of the Aesir.

Tales: In Gylfaginning, Gefjon is said to have tricked King Gylfi of Sweden into giving her the entirety of Zeeland when he offers her as much land as four oxen can plow in a day—however, Gefjon’s four oxen are in fact her sons by a jotun/giant, and they can plow a lot of land!

In the Lokasenna Gefjon is among the gods insulted by Loki; she is then defended by Odin.

Other details: Gefjon is counted by Snorri in Gylfaginning among the Asynjur.

In Lokasenna Odin states that Gefjon knows as much about fate as he himself does, implying that she shares his gift of seership.