In Norse mythology, Sleipnir is the name of Odin’s eight-legged horse, used on his journey to the realm of the dead. Sleipnir is described as the fastest and best of horses and can travel through the air and over water.
The Prose Edda identifies Sleipnir as the offspring of Loki and the stallion Svaðilfari. Loki became the mare that distracted Svaðilfari while a giant was building the gods’ fortification, and later gave birth to Sleipnir. Odin subsequently became Sleipnir’s owner and rider.
Sleipnir is especially important in the story of Baldr. Odin rides him toward Hel to ask for Baldr’s release, making the horse a direct link between Asgard and the Norse underworld. Sleipnir’s eight legs are often interpreted as emphasizing supernatural speed, though the surviving myths do not give one definitive symbolic explanation. He is distinct from horses such as Gullfaxi, associated with the giant Hrungnir, and Arvakr, one of the horses that pulls the sun’s chariot.