JÖRMUNGANDR
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Mythology from around the world has its fair share of serpents and sea monsters — and Norse mythology is no exception. The serpent Jörmungandr is said to be the middle child of Loki and Angrboða, who is taken by Odin — the chief god in Norse paganism — and hurled into the ocean. Jörmungandr then grew so big he was able to encircle the earth with his body.
His claim to fame, though, isn't his ability to wrap himself around the planet, but his beef with the god Thor. In one tale, Thor refuses to heed the warnings of the giant Hymir and sets out to fish in deep waters. After casting his line, Thor hooks Jörmungandr and reels him in. Upon raising the serpent from the water, Thor prepares to bludgeon him with a hammer, but is thwarted by Hymir who cuts the line, releasing Jörmungandr back into the sea.
Thor and Jörmungandr are said to have met again, for the last time, in Ragnarök. Here, Jörmungandr leaps from the sea to poison the sky, but he is killed by Thor. Shortly thereafter, Thor falls dead after being affected by Jörmungandr's poison.
While there's no hard evidence that Jörmungandr trolled the seas, perhaps it'd be wise not to question the existence of a serpent said to be able to encircle the planet with his body for fear of retribution.
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