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In global folklore, giants often stand as towering symbols of dread and power. Their immense stature suggests unparalleled strength and extraordinary capabilities, yet many myths portray them as figures of misfortune, meeting untimely and ironic ends. The giants listed here are a fascinating assortment drawn from diverse cultural traditions worldwide.
1. ATLAS // THE TITAN BEARING THE HEAVENS
In Greek mythology, Atlas was a Titan who fought against the Olympian gods led by Zeus. After the Titans' defeat, Zeus punished Atlas by forcing him to carry the weight of the sky forever. During Heracles' legendary 12 labors, one task involved retrieving the golden apples of Hesperides. Atlas agreed to fetch the apples for Heracles if he temporarily took over the burden of holding up the sky. Once Atlas returned with the apples, Heracles tricked him into resuming his eternal duty by asking for a brief moment to adjust. Seizing the opportunity, Heracles escaped with the apples, leaving Atlas to his endless task.
Another tale about Atlas involves the hero Perseus, who met Atlas in the northwestern part of Africa. When Atlas attempted to intimidate Perseus, the hero revealed Medusa’s severed head from his pouch. Upon seeing the terrifying Gorgon, Atlas was transformed into stone, forming the Atlas mountain range.
2. BALOR // THE ONE-EYED DEITY OF DESTRUCTION
In Irish folklore, Balor ruled the Fomorians, a group of giants believed to be among Ireland’s earliest inhabitants. Balor, resembling a cyclops, possessed a single eye and was known as the god of death—anyone who met his gaze would perish instantly. To avoid unintended destruction, Balor kept his eye shut unless his deadly power was required. A prophecy foretold that Balor would be slain by his own grandson, prompting him to imprison his daughter, Ethlinn, in a crystal tower to prevent her from bearing children. However, Cian, a lesser god, managed to enter the tower and father three sons with Ethlinn. Upon learning of his grandsons, Balor ordered them to be cast into the sea, but one child, Lugh, survived and was raised by Manannan Mac Lir, the sea god. The prophecy was fulfilled when Lugh, leading the Tuatha De Danann, a race of Irish deities, killed Balor by tearing out his deadly eye.
3. HRUNGNIR // THE INTOXICATED GIANT OF NORSE MYTH
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Norse mythology is filled with giants, and Hrungnir stands out as one of the most formidable. One day, Odin, the chief of the Asgardian gods, challenged Hrungnir to a horse race. Odin rode his legendary eight-legged horse, Sleipnir, while Hrungnir rode his horse, Gullfaxi. Sleipnir easily outpaced Gullfaxi, leading Hrungnir into Asgard. Out of pity, Odin offered Hrungnir a drink. However, Hrungnir became unruly and boastful, threatening to destroy all the gods except Freya and Sif, whom he planned to take to Jotunheim, the land of giants. Fed up with his arrogance, the gods summoned Thor, who challenged Hrungnir to a duel. Hrungnir arrived clad in stone armor, wielding a massive whetstone as his weapon. Thor hurled his hammer, Mjolnir, which shattered the whetstone and crushed Hrungnir’s skull, killing him instantly. Legend says the fragments of the whetstone scattered across the earth, becoming the flint stones found today.
4. JENTIL // PAGAN GIANTS OF THE BASQUE
The Jentil are giants from Basque folklore, believed to symbolize the pagan inhabitants of the region before Christianity. Jentil were massive, incredibly strong, and covered in hair, known for their love of hurling rocks. They are credited with constructing the numerous megalithic stone circles and dolmens in the Basque area. According to myth, the Jentil vanished after a luminous cloud appeared, signaling the birth of Jesus. Terrified of change, they fled into the mountains and hid in a dolmen, never to emerge again.
One Jentil, however, survived: Olentzero, a particularly large and surly giant with a fondness for alcohol. After the demise of his kind, he reportedly ventured to a nearby village and punished the greedy by slitting the throats of those who overindulged. Over time, this tale was adapted by Christians, and Olentzero was transformed into a Basque Santa Claus figure. In this revised version, he visits children on Christmas Eve, delivering handmade toys.
5. GOLIATH // THE BIBLICAL COLOSSUS
Goliath, the biblical giant, was famously defeated by the young shepherd David. As recounted in the Book of Samuel, Goliath was a Philistine champion from Gath, a city associated with an ancient race of giants. The precise height of Goliath remains a topic of debate, with estimates ranging from 6 feet 8 inches to 9 feet 7 inches. Regardless, he towered over David, his seemingly insignificant opponent. The Bible also describes him as heavily armored in bronze, making him an intimidating figure.
In a timeless tale of the underdog’s triumph, David faced Goliath armed only with a simple slingshot, carrying the hopes of his people. With a single stone, David struck Goliath between the eyes, causing the giant to collapse. In a brutal conclusion, David used Goliath’s own sword to decapitate him. This story has since become a universal symbol of the underdog’s victory against overwhelming odds.
6. POLYPHEMUS // THE ONE-EYED GIANT
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Polyphemus is the most renowned of the Cyclopes, the one-eyed giants from Greek mythology. According to Homer’s Odyssey, Polyphemus was the offspring of Poseidon, the sea god, and Thoosa, a sea nymph. He resided on Sicily with other Cyclopes, tending to his sheep. When Odysseus and his crew arrived on the island, Odysseus introduced himself as "No one." Polyphemus captured them, trapped them in a cave blocked by a massive boulder, and began devouring the men.
Odysseus devised a clever escape plan by driving a sharpened stake into Polyphemus’s single eye, blinding him. The giant screamed in agony, drawing the attention of his fellow Cyclopes. When they asked who had harmed him, Polyphemus shouted, "No one," leading them to believe he was delusional. Odysseus and his men then tied themselves beneath Polyphemus’s sheep. The next morning, as the blinded giant let his flock out, he felt the backs of each sheep, unaware that the escaping men were hidden underneath.
7. ONI // DEMONIC GIANTS OF JAPAN
Mikkabie, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0
In Japanese mythology, oni are terrifying giants resembling demons. They are portrayed with frightening features, such as red or blue skin, three fingers and toes, and monstrous horns. Typically clad only in loincloths made from animal pelts, they are known for their immense strength and a voracious appetite for human flesh.
Most oni reside in hell, transformed into demons as punishment for their evil deeds on earth. However, the most malevolent oni are those so wicked that they become demons while still alive, roaming the world and spreading suffering.
In Japan, the Setsubun festival is celebrated each spring to banish oni from homes and communities. During the festivities, people throw soybeans into the air to scare away any lurking three-fingered demons.
8. GOGMAGOG // THE FINAL GIANT OF BRITAIN
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Gogmagog is believed to have been the last giant in the British Isles. Most of what we know about him comes from Geoffrey of Monmouth, a Welsh historian who, around 1136, wrote Historia Regnum Britanniae (The History of the Kings of Britain). In his work, Geoffrey describes how ancient Britain, then called Albion, was home to a race of giants. Among them was Gogmagog, a 12-foot-tall brute with immense strength, capable of tearing oak trees from the ground effortlessly. During an attack led by Gogmagog and other giants against Brutus, a Trojan descendant who claimed Albion, many Britons were slain. However, the giants were eventually defeated, leaving Gogmagog as the sole survivor.
Brutus handed Gogmagog over to his lieutenant, Corineus, the founder of Cornwall, who was known for his passion for wrestling giants. The two engaged in a fierce battle, during which Gogmagog broke three of Corineus’s ribs. Enraged, Corineus lifted the giant, carried him up a hill, and hurled him off a cliff to his death, thus ending the era of giants in Britain.
9. KUMBHAKARNA // THE SLEEPING DEMON WITH A BOTTOMLESS HUNGER
Kumbhakarna, a colossal demon from the Hindu epic Ramayana, was known for his enormous size and insatiable appetite. Due to a trick by the goddess Saraswati, his tongue was tied, causing him to mistakenly ask for eternal sleep instead of a blessing. As a result, he was cursed to sleep for six months each year.
Despite his generally gentle nature, Kumbhakarna would awaken from his long slumber ravenously hungry, devouring everything in sight, including unfortunate humans. When his brother, Ravana, sought his aid in battle, Kumbhakarna was deep in sleep. It took a thousand elephants trampling over him to wake him. Once roused, he joined the war against Prince Rama but, after consuming too much alcohol, stumbled across the battlefield, causing chaos and ultimately meeting his demise.
10. ORION // THE GIANT WHO BECAME A CONSTELLATION
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The Greek giant Orion is the subject of numerous myths. In one tale, he is a boastful hunter who claims he can slay any creature. A small scorpion, hearing his arrogance, stings him, leading to his death. Another legend tells how Orion was blinded after attempting to marry Merope against her father’s wishes. To restore his vision, Vulcan instructed his friend Kedalion to guide Orion eastward to the dwelling of the sun-god. As the sun rose, its rays healed Orion’s sight. Orion then joined Diana in hunting, but her brother Apollo, jealous of their bond, tricked Diana into shooting an arrow at Orion’s distant figure in the water. Realizing her fatal error too late, Diana mourned Orion and immortalized him as the constellation Orion in the night sky.
