In
Norse mythology,
Jörmungandr (, pronounced , meaning "huge monster"), often written as
Jormungand, or
Jörmungand and also known as the
Midgard Serpent , or
World Serpent, is a
sea serpent, the middle child of the
giantess Angrboða and
Loki. According to the
Prose Edda,
Odin took Loki's three children by Angrboða, the wolf
Fenrir,
Hel, and Jörmungandr, and tossed Jörmungandr into the great ocean that encircles
Midgard. The serpent grew so large that he was able to surround the
earth and grasp his own tail. As a result, he received the name of the Midgard Serpent or World Serpent. When he lets go, the world will end. Jörmungandr's
arch-enemy is the god
Thor. It is an example of an
ouroboros.