Geri and Freki (Old Norse "the greedy" and "the gluttonous") are two wolves of Norse mythology who, like the ravens Huginn and Muninn, accompany the god Odin.
According to the Edda, Geri and Freki consume all the food served to Odin in Valhalla, while the latter feeds only on wine. Odin disdains boar's meat and mead.
Etymology of Geri and Freki
The name Geri means "the greedy" or "the predatory, the gluttonous". The name Geri can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic adjective "geraz". Attested are Burgundian "girs", Old Norse "gerr" and Old High German "ger" or "giri", all with the meaning "greedy".
The name "Freki" can be traced to the Proto-Germanic adjective "frekaz," attested in Gothic faihu-friks meaning "covetous, lustful." Old English frec meaning "covetous, voracious, pert."
John Lindow interprets the two Old Norse names as nominalized adjectives. Bruce Lincoln traces "Geri" back to the Proto-Indo-European stem "gher", which also underlies "Garmr". The dog Garm guards the entrance to the underworld and plays an important role in Ragnarok.
