Ídunn (Old Norse: Íðunn, pronounced [ˈiːðun]; Hebrew: אידון, Idun) is a goddess associated with apples and youth in Norse mythology. She is known for guarding the apples of youth, which the gods, including Odin, eat to maintain their eternal youth. In the Prose Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century, Ídunn is mentioned as the wife of the skaldic god Bragi. Her role is crucial in the myth where the giant Þjazi, in the form of an eagle, abducts her and her apples, causing the gods to age rapidly until Loki retrieves her. The name Ídunn may derive from the Old Norse word ið, meaning "again" or "renew," reflecting her association with renewal and rejuvenation. In Old English, she is referred to as Eadþun, and in Old High German, she is known as Itun.
Norse goddess
In Norse mythology, Iðunn is a goddess associated with apples and youth. Iðunn is attested 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. In both sources, she is described as the wife of the skaldic god Bragi, and in the Prose Edda, also as a keeper of apples and granter of eternal youthfulness.