Gefjon

Gefjon (Old Norse: Gefjon, pronounced [ˈɡevjon]; Hebrew: גֶפְיוֹן, transliterated as Gefyon) is a goddess associated with ploughing and the furrows or waves of the sea in Norse mythology. She is mentioned in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Gefjon is attested as having played a role in the mythological foundation of Sweden and is associated with virginity and fertility. In the Prose Edda, Gefjon is referred to as a giantess (Jötun) and is said to have ploughed the watery expanse of Lake Mälaren in Sweden with her oxen. The etymology of the name Gefjon is uncertain, but it may derive from the Old Norse verb gefja, meaning "to give" or "to bear a child." In Danish, the name is spelled Gejfon, and in Swedish, it is spelled Gefjon.