Home › Glossary › Letter R

Ratatosk

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A squirrel that runs up and down Yggdrasil, carrying insults between eagle and Nidhogg.

Detailed Definition
Ratatoskr stirs discord between cosmic beings, embodying gossip and division. In poetry, he symbolizes the corrosive power of words, the fragility of cosmic harmony, and the role of small agents in grand narratives of decay.
Example
Example in poetry:
A discord poem might describe, “Ratatoskr scurries—eagle’s pride, Níðhöggr’s spite, all fed by his tongue”; In satirical tone: “Ratatoskr needs no war; his words are enough”; A stanza could reflect, “Ratatoskr is the gossip that topples thrones”; Contemporary verse: “My Ratatoskr is the doubt that whispers between my better angels”.
Additional Notes
Ratatoskr (“drill-tooth” or “swift-tongue”) is the squirrel running Yggdrasil’s trunk, carrying insults between the eagle above and Níðhöggr below (Gylfaginning). He embodies gossip, discord, and the corrosive power of words. In poetry, Ratatoskr symbolizes the small agents of decay, the fragility of cosmic harmony, and the role of mediation gone wrong. Poets may use him to explore rumor, the erosion of trust, or the idea that even world-trees are vulnerable to petty malice.
Also Known As
Ratatöskr
Skip to main content