idun

Idun, in Norse mythology, is a goddess associated with youth, rejuvenation, and the apples that grant the gods eternal life. In sources such as the Prose Edda, she is described as the wife of Bragi, the god of poetry, and as the guardian of a golden apple orchard whose fruit keeps the Æsir young. Her name is connected to renewal and sustaining vitality.

A central myth centers on the theft of Idun by the giant Thiazi. Without her apples, the gods begin to age rapidly, and the collapse of divine youth threatens Asgard. Loki discovers Idun’s fate and, in various versions of the tale, retrieves her and returns her to Asgard, restoring the gods’ youth and preventing disaster. The story underlines Idun’s crucial role in maintaining the gods’ vigor and immortality, though exact details vary across sources.

In modern times, Idun is recognized as a figure from Norse myth and is used as a female given name in Scandinavia. The myth has influenced literature, art, and popular culture, where she is often depicted as a symbol of youth, renewal, and the protective guardian of life-giving fruit. While largely known from myth, the character of Idun is not tied to extensive cult worship in surviving textual evidence, and most references to her emphasize her symbolic function within the pantheon.