Grani

In Norse mythology, Grani is a horse owned by the hero Sigurðr. He is the horse that Sigurðr receives through advice from the god Óðinn. Grani is a descendant of Óðinn's own steed, Sleipnir.

Attestations
In chapter 13 of Vǫlsunga saga, the hero Sigurðr is on his way to a wood when he meets a long-bearded old man he had never seen before. Sigurðr tells the old man that he is going to choose a horse, and asks the old man to come with him to help him decide. The old man says that they should drive the horses down to the river Busiltjǫrn. The two drive the horses down into the deeps of Busiltjǫrn, and all of the horses swim back to land but a large, young, and handsome grey horse that no one had ever mounted. The grey-bearded old man says that the horse is from "Sleipnir's kin" and that "he must be nourished heedfully, for it will be the best of all horses". The old man vanishes. Sigurðr names the horse Grani, and the narrative adds that the old man was none other than Óðinn.

Archaeological evidence
Grani is believed to be depicted on several of the Sigurd stones, which depict imagery from the legend of Sigurðr the dragon slayer, including the inscription on Sö 327 in Gök, Södermanland County, Sweden. In Norse iconography, the depiction of a horse carrying a chest was sufficient to represent Grani carrying the treasure after Sigurðr had slain the dragon Fáfnir. This is supported by a kenning in a Norse poem that refers to "Grani's beauteous burden," indicating a common understanding of the motif.

Gallery
Image gallery of Grani