Who is the father of Dagr in Norse mythology?
Delling is the father of day according to stanza 25 of Vafþrúðnismál. Chapter 10 of Gylfaginning confirms that Dagr is the son of Dellingr and his wife Nótt.
Questions about Dagr
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What horse does Dagr ride to bring daylight to mankind?
Dagr rides Skinfaxi whose gleaming mane illuminates all the sky and the Earth. The poem Hrafnagaldr Óðins describes this steed adorned with precious jewels drawing day across the world every twenty-four hours.
When were the Edda texts containing Dagr compiled or written?
These sources were compiled or written during the thirteenth century from earlier traditional material. The oldest manuscript U lists conflicting genealogical accounts compared to manuscripts R, W, and T.
Where does the name Svipdagr appear in relation to Dagr?
Otto Höfler theorized that Dagr may be related to the hero Svipdagr whose name means suddenly dawning day. This figure appears in two poems compiled together known as Svipdagsmál in the Poetic Edda and is attested by the name Swæfdæg in Anglo-Saxon England.
Why do scholars debate the parentage of Dagr in different manuscripts?
Scholar Haukur Thorgeirsson highlights conflicting genealogical accounts across four manuscripts of Gylfaginning regarding whether Jörð or Nótt is the mother. Manuscript U lists Jörð as the wife of Dellingr while manuscripts R, W, and T cast Nótt in that role instead.