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Gaea- Mother Earth, father of Uranus, and grandmother of the Titans.
Galar- One of the dwarfs who, with his fellow dwarf Fialar, slew the giant Kvasir and drained every drop of his blood.
Gangler- The gatekeeper in Odin’s palace who gave the explanation of the Norse mythology that it might be recorded
Ganymede- A son of Tros, king of Troy, who, according to Homer, was the most beautiful of all mortals, and was carried off by the gods that he might fill the cup of Zeus, or Jupiter, and live among the immortal gods. Later, writers state that Jupiter, in the form of an eagle, carried him away from Mount Ida.
Garm- A fierce dog that kept guard at the entrance of Hel’s kingdom, the realm of the dead. He could be appeased by the offering of a Hel-cake, which always appeared in the hand of one who, on earth, had given bread to the needy.
Gemini- A name meaning “the twins,” applied to Castor and Pollux and to the constellation formed by them when transported to the heavens to dwell among the stars.
Gerda, Gerdhr, or Gerth- Wife of Frey, and daughter of the frost giant, Hymir. She was so beautiful that the brightness of her naked arms illuminated both air and sea. The marriage of Frey and Gerda represented the conquering of winter by the sun god.
Geryon- A monster, said to be the offspring of Chrysaor and Callirrhoë and to have three bodies and three heads. His residence was in the island of Gades, where his numerous flocks were kept by the herdsman Eurythion and guarded by a two-headed dog, called Orthos. The destruction of this monster was one of the twelve labors of Hercules.
Giall- The infernal river of Scandinavian mythology.
Giallar- The bridge of death, over which all must pass.
Giallarhorn, The- Heimdal’s horn, the sound of which went out into all worlds whenever he chose to blow it. He blew a long-expected blast as a rallying call to the battle which ended the reign of the gods, Odin, Frey, and Tyr.
Gian ben Gian- King of the Jinn or Genii in Arabian mythology, and founder of the pyramids. He was overthrown by Azazel, or Eblis.
Giants- In Greek mythology, beings of monstrous size, with dragons’ tails and fearful countenances. They attempted to storm heaven, being armed with huge rocks and the trunks of trees, but they were buried under Mount Etna and other volcanoes. They probably symbolized the great forces of nature. In Scandinavian mythology they are described as evil genii of various forms and races, enemies of the gods. They dwelt in a territory of their own, called Giant-land. They had the power of assuming divers shapes and of increasing or diminishing their stature at will.
Ginungagap- In Norse mythology, the vast chaotic gulf of perpetual twilight, which existed before the present world and separated the region of fog from the region of heat. Giants were the first beings who came to life among the icebergs and filled this vast abyss.
Gladsheim- A great hall in the palace of Odin, where were the twelve seats occupied by the gods when holding council.
Glasir- A marvelous grove in the land of Asgard, in which the leaves were all of shimmering red gold.
Glaucus- 1)Son of Hippolytus. Being smothered in a tub of honey, he was restored to life by Æsculapius. 2)A fisherman of Bœotia who became the fisherman’s patron deity.
Glendover- In Hindu mythology, a kind of sylph, the most lovely of the good spirits.
Glooskap- In an Iroquois legend, a man who fell asleep in the land of the guardian of winter. After six months he awoke and journeyed southward. Finding the little summer-woman, he ran away with her from the summer-land people and came again to the land of the guardian of winter. The old guardian tried once more to put Glooskap into slumber, but the summer-woman used her magic to melt the snow and ice and winter had to flee to the North. Since that time the summer-people journey to the Horthland every year.
Gnome- Dwarfs which were supposed to tenant the inferior parts of the earth, and in whose charge mines, quarries, etc., were left. Rübezahl, of the German legends, is often cited as a representative of the class.
Goblins and Bogies- Familiar demons of popular superstition which lurk about houses. They are also called hobgoblins.
Golden Apples, The- A great treasure in the garden of Hesperides watched by a monstrous dragon. Hercules secured them in obedience to the command or Eurystheus.
Golden Fleece- A treasure celebrated in the Greek myth. Ino persuaded her husband, Athamas, that his son Phryxus was the cause of a famine which had desolated the land, and he ordered him to be sacrificed to the angry gods. Phryxus made his escape over sea on a ram which had a golden fleece. When he arrived at Colchis, he sacrificed the ram to Zeus and gave the fleece to King Æetes, who hung it on a sacred oak and set an ever-watchful dragon to guard it. It was afterwards stolen by Jason.
Gorgons- Three hideous monsters, whose faces turned to stone whoever looked on them. One of these creatures, Medusa, was slain by Perseus, and head was presented to Minerva. She attached it to her shield, where the face continued to retain its petrifying power.
Graces- To the retinue of Venus belonged the Graces, servants and companions of the goddess. They were said to be three daughters of Jupiter and Eurynome, or, according to others, of Bacchus and Venus herself. They were honored especially in Greece. See Euphrosyne.
Great Turtle- According to some North American Indian tribes, the upholder of the world. When earthquakes are felt, Great Turtle is said to be weary or moving his feet.
Grid- Wife of Odin and mother of Vitharr. She lent Thor her girdle, staff, and glove, warning him to beware of treachery when he went to visit the giant Geirrödhr.
Griffin- A mythical animal, resembling an eagle in front and a lion behind. It had four legs, wings, and a beak. Sacred to the sun, it guarded gold mines and hidden treasures.
Gripir- A horse trainer, servant of Odin, who could foretell events of the future and could teach a young hero all that he might need to know.

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