J is for Jaded

I’m doing folklore and book review posts to reach and please a larger audience. Previous years have shown select interest in both and to minimise blogging throughout the year, I’m focusing my efforts on April.

If you’d rather check out my book review for today, go here.

Known as the god of mischief, Loki is connected with Odin, whether in mythology or in fiction.

Folklore

The Prose Edda [Ancient Text]

LOKE AND HIS OFFSPRING.

There is yet one who is numbered among the asas, but whom some call the backbiter of the asas. He is the originator of deceit, and the disgrace of all gods and men. His name is Loke, or Lopt. His father is the giant Farbaute, but his mother’s name is Laufey, or Nal. His brothers are Byleist and Helblinde. Loke is fair and beautiful of face, but evil in disposition, and very fickle-minded. He surpasses other men in the craft called cunning, and cheats in all things. He has often brought the asas into great trouble, and often helped them out again, with his cunning contrivances. His wife hight Sygin, and their son, Nare, or Narfe.

Loke had yet more children. A giantess in Jotunheim, hight Angerboda. With her he begat three children. The first was the Fenris-wolf; the second, Jormungand, that is, the Midgard-serpent, and the third, Hel. When the gods knew that these three children were being fostered in Jotunheim, and were aware of the prophecies that much woe and misfortune would thence come to them, and considering that much evil might be looked for from them on their mother’s side, and still more on their father’s, Alfather sent some of the gods to take the children and bring them to him. When they came to him he threw the serpent into the deep sea which surrounds all lands. There waxed the serpent so that he lies in the midst of the ocean, surrounds all the earth, and bites his own tail. Hel he cast into Niflheim, and gave her power over nine worlds, that she should appoint abodes to them that are sent to her, namely, those who die from sickness or old age. She has there a great mansion, and the walls around it are of strange height, and the gates are huge. Eljudner is the name of her hall. Her table hight famine; her knife, starvation. Her man-servant’s name is Ganglate; her maid-servant’s, Ganglot. Her threshold is called stumbling-block; her bed, care; the precious hangings of her bed, gleaming bale. One-half of her is blue, and the other half is of the hue of flesh; hence she is easily known. Her looks are very stern and grim.

The wolf was fostered by the asas at home, and Tyr was the only one who had the courage to go to him and give him food. When the gods saw how much he grew every day, and all prophecies declared that he was predestined to become fatal to them, they resolved to make a very strong fetter, which they called Lading. They brought it to the wolf, and bade him try his strength on the fetter. The wolf, who did not think it would be too strong for him, let them do therewith as they pleased. But as soon as he spurned against it the fetter burst asunder, and he was free from Lading. Then the asas made another fetter, by one-half stronger, and this they called Drome. They wanted the wolf to try this also, saying to him that he would become very famous for his strength, if so strong a chain was not able to hold him. The wolf thought that this fetter was indeed very strong, but also that his strength had increased since he broke Lading. He also took into consideration that it was necessary to expose one’s self to some danger if he desired to become famous; so he let them put the fetter on him. When the asas said they were ready, the wolf shook himself, spurned against and dashed the fetter on the ground, so that the broken pieces flew a long distance. Thus he broke loose out of Drome. Since then it has been held as a proverb, “to get loose out of Lading” or “to dash out of Drome,” whenever anything is extraordinarily hard. The asas now began to fear that they would not get the wolf bound. So Alfather sent the youth, who is called Skirner, and is Frey’s messenger, to some dwarfs in Svartalfaheim, and had them make the fetter which is called Gleipner. It was made of six things: of the footfall of cats, of the beard of woman, of the roots of the mountain, of the sinews of the bear, of the breath of the fish, and of the spittle of the birds. If you have not known this before, you can easily find out that it is true and that there is no lie about it, since you must have observed that a woman has no beard, that a cat’s footfall cannot be heard, and that mountains have no roots; and I know, forsooth, that what I have told you is perfectly true, although there are some things that you do not understand. Then said Ganglere: This I must surely understand to be true. I can see these things which you have taken as proof. But how was the fetter smithied? Answered Har: That I can well explain to you. It was smooth and soft as a silken string. How strong and trusty it was you shall now hear. When the fetter was brought to the asas, they thanked the messenger for doing his errand so well. Then they went out into the lake called Amsvartner, to the holm (rocky island) called Lyngve, and called the wolf to go with them. They showed him the silken band and bade him break it, saying that it was somewhat stronger than its thinness would lead one to suppose. Then they handed it from one to the other and tried its strength with their hands, but it did not break. Still they said the wolf would be able to snap it. The wolf answered: It seems to me that I will get no fame though I break asunder so slender a thread as this is. But if it is made with craft and guile, then, little though it may look, that band will never come on my feet. Then said the asas that he would easily be able to break a slim silken band, since he had already burst large iron fetters asunder. But even if you are unable to break this band, you have nothing to fear from the gods, for we will immediately loose you again. The wolf answered: If you get me bound so fast that I am not able to loose myself again, you will skulk away, and it will be long before I get any help from you, wherefore I am loth to let this band be laid on me; but in order that you may not accuse me of cowardice, let some one of you lay his hand in my mouth as a pledge that this is done without deceit. The one asa looked at the other, and thought there now was a choice of two evils, and no one would offer his hand, before Tyr held out his right hand and laid it in the wolf’s mouth. But when the wolf now began to spurn against it the band grew stiffer, and the more he strained the tighter it got. They all laughed except Tyr; he lost his hand. When the asas saw that the wolf was sufficiently well bound, they took the chain which was fixed to the fetter, and which was called Gelgja, and drew it through a large rock which is called Gjol, and fastened this rock deep down in the earth. Then they took a large stone, which is called Tvite, and drove it still deeper into the ground, and used this stone for a fastening-pin. The wolf opened his mouth terribly wide, raged and twisted himself with all his might, and wanted to bite them; but they put a sword in his mouth, in such a manner that the hilt stood in his lower jaw and the point in the upper, that is his gag. He howls terribly, and the saliva which runs from his mouth forms a river called Von. There he will lie until Ragnarok. Then said Ganglere: Very bad are these children of Loke, but they are strong and mighty. But why did not the asas kill the wolf when they have evil to expect from him? Har answered: So great respect have the gods for their holiness and peace-stead, that they would not stain them with the blood of the wolf, though prophecies foretell that he must become the bane of Odin.

Then said Ganglere: A very great wrong did Loke perpetrate; first of all in causing Balder’s death, and next in standing in the way of his being loosed from Hel. Did he get no punishment for this misdeed? Har answered: Yes, he was repaid for this in a way that he will long remember. The gods became exceedingly wroth, as might be expected. So he ran away and hid himself in a rock. Here he built a house with four doors, so that he might keep an outlook on all sides. Oftentimes in the daytime he took on him the likeness of a salmon and concealed himself in Frananger Force. Then he thought to himself what stratagems the asas might have recourse to in order to catch him. Now, as he was sitting in his house, he took flax and yarn and worked them into meshes, in the manner that nets have since been made; but a fire was burning before him. Then he saw that the asas were not far distant. Odin had seen from Hlidskjalf where Loke kept himself. Loke immediately sprang up, cast the net on the fire and leaped into the river. When the asas came to the house, he entered first who was wisest of them all, and whose name was Kvaser; and when he saw in the fire the ashes of the net that had 138been burned, he understood that this must be a contrivance for catching fish, and this he told to the asas. Thereupon they took flax and made themselves a net after the pattern of that which they saw in the ashes and which Loke had made. When the net was made, the asas went to the river and cast it into the force. Thor held one end of the net, and all the other asas laid hold on the other, thus jointly drawing it along the stream. Loke went before it and laid himself down between two stones, so that they drew the net over him, although they perceived that some living thing touched the meshes. They went up to the force again and cast out the net a second time. This time they hung a great weight to it, making it so heavy that nothing could possibly pass under it. Loke swam before the net, but when he saw that he was near the sea he sprang over the top of the net and hastened back to the force. When the asas saw whither he went they proceeded up to the force, dividing themselves into two bands, but Thor waded in the middle of the stream, and so they dragged the net along to the sea. Loke saw that he now had only two chances of escape,—either to risk his life and swim out to sea, or to leap again over the net. He chose the latter, and made a tremendous leap over the top line of the net. Thor grasped after him and caught him, but he slipped in his hand so that 139Thor did not get a firm hold before he got to the tail, and this is the reason why the salmon has so slim a tail. Now Loke was taken without truce and was brought to a cave. The gods took three rocks and set them up on edge, and bored a hole through each rock. Then they took Loke’s sons, Vale and Nare or Narfe. Vale they changed into the likeness of a wolf, whereupon he tore his brother Narfe to pieces, with whose intestines the asas bound Loke over the three rocks. One stood under his shoulders, another under his loins, and the third under his hams, and the fetters became iron. Skade took a serpent and fastened up over him, so that the venom should drop from the serpent into his face. But Sigyn, his wife, stands by him, and holds a dish under the venom-drops. Whenever the dish becomes full, she goes and pours away the venom, and meanwhile the venom drops onto Loke’s face. Then he twists his body so violently that the whole earth shakes, and this you call earthquakes. There he will lie bound until Ragnarok.

A Wizard’s Bestiary by Oberon Zell Ravenheart and Ash “LeopardDancer” DeKirk

Another famous Norse horse was Svadilfari (“he who makes an unfortunate journey”). He was a huge magickal horse belonging to the giant Hrimthurse, who agreed to erect a defensive wall around Asgard, home of the Aesir gods, in return for the sun and the moon— and also the goddess Freya. Persuaded by Loki, the gods accepted and set a deadline of one winter, which they were certain Hrimthurse would be unable to meet. But the gigantic stallion Svadilfari had the strength of 100 mortal horses, and with his help the wall was nearly completed by the eve of the last day. The desperate gods demanded that Loki do something to stop the giant from winning, whereupon Loki transformed himself into a beautiful white mare in heat, seducing Svadilfari away and compelling Hrimthurse to abandon the wall in order to chase his horse. Of this union was born the eight-legged steed Sleipnir, after which Loki returned to his own form.

*More can be read in the book.

Further Reading:

• Loki
• Loki
• Loki
• Loki in Norse Mythology
• Loki (mythology)
• Loki
• Loki
• The myth of Loki’s monstrous children
• Loki – The Trickster God in Norse Mythology

Folklore in a Nutshell by Ronel

Loki is the Norse god of mischief. He’s the son of Laufey (a goddess) and Fárbauti (a jötunn). It is sometimes theorised that Laufey might’ve been a giant, too, and that Loki is only an honorary god. He was counted among the Aesir, companion to Thor and Odin, and thorn in the side of the rest.

Though he is married to Sigyn, he has children with the giantess Angrboda. These children terrified the Aesir. The great wolf, Fenrir, was bound by the gods for being too powerful. The world serpent, Jormungandr, was cast to the sea in Midgard by Odin. And Hel, being half living and half dead, was sent to rule in Nilfheim where she created Helheim where she keeps the inglorious dead.

Loki did many things worthy of praise, like saving Freyja from a giant by turning himself into a mare and luring the giant’s horse away (he also became pregnant and gave birth to Sleipnir who was the fastest horse). But he also did a lot of mischief, like stealing Sif’s golden hair and enraging her husband, Thor, in the process.

He liked chaos. But he pushed it too far when he caused the death of Balder, the favourite son of Frigg. The goddess had extracted promises from every plant, creature and more to never harm Balder. But she missed the innocuous mistletoe. Loki being Loki, made an arrow from mistletoe. When everyone tested how invincible Balder was, throwing things at him, Loki handed his arrow to the blind god Hod and prodded him to throw it Balder as hard as he could. It pierced Frigg’s favourite’s chest and killed him.

His symbol is the snake. He’s a shapeshifting god who uses this power to get out of tricky situations. He was welcome in Asgard and was usually forgiven for his actions. Except where it came to Balder.

He was expelled from Asgard. His son Nari or Narfi by Sigyn was killed by Odin’s son Váli and his entrails were used to bind Loki to a rock in a cave. Skadi placed a venomous snake above his head which drips venom on his face. His wife, Sigyn, stays by his side and catches the venom in a bowl. Whenever she has to empty the bowl, the venom drips on Loki’s face and burns him causing him to convulse in pain. The tremors are so bad, it causes earthquakes.

It is foretold that Loki will break free from his bonds and fight against the gods during Ragnarok.

Loki in Modern Culture

There’s a list of books featuring Loki as a character on Goodreads.

Magnus Chase books by Rick Riordan

Loki is a trickster Jötunn, ex-honorary Norse god of mischief, lies, magic, stories, artifice, fire and serpents. He is the main antagonist of the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy. While treated as a nominal member of the Aesir tribe, he was known to switch his allegiance very often. He is, as of now, destined to ultimately side with the Jötnar and lead them in battle against the gods during Ragnarök.

Learn more here.

Loki in Marvel

Loki Laufeyson was the biological son of Laufey, King of the Frost Giants, who was abandoned and left to die shortly after his birth. Found by Odin, Loki was taken to Asgard and raised by him and Frigga as an Asgardian prince, along with Thor, becoming the Asgardian God of Mischief. When Thor was to be crowned King, Loki had sabotaged the coronation by letting the Frost Giants attack Asgard, thus leading Thor to seek vengeance on Jotunheim, which resulted in Thor’s banishment to Earth and Loki finding out the truth about his heritage. 

Learn more here.

SMITE video game

Villain. It’s a word used to describe those that break the rules, that take what they want, and care nothing for those hurt along the way. Loki, the trickster God, would say villainy is nothing more than a point of view.

The point of view of fools too mindless to seize opportunity.

Of course, with Loki now on the loose, the implications are dire. The end of times may be at hand. The final battle, Ragnarok, possibly on the horizon, for it was foretold that Loki would break free of his prison and herald the horrific final battle that would leave the Gods slain, the heavens sundered, and the world in ashes. None are more eager for that time of chaos than Loki.

Before his confinement, Loki’s malicious mischief managed to affect every God in ways both beneficial and terrible. Yet Loki’s most heinous act was in the death of the God of light, Baldr.

Baldr’s prophetic dreams showcased his own death. Fearful for her son, Frigg forced all objects of the world to swear never to harm him. All save mistletoe. Cruelly amused, Loki forged a spear from the plant and provided it to Baldr’s brother Hodr. The Gods had a new favorite game, hurling objects at Baldr and laughing as they harmlessly ricocheted. So Hodr threw the spear, but, to everyone’s horror Baldr was impaled. Hel agreed to release Baldr from the underworld if all creatures of the world mourned the God of Light. And all did, save one crone who refused. So Baldr died.

When it was discovered the crone was Loki in disguise, the furious Gods bound him in entrails and hung a venomous serpent overhead. Loki’s wife, Sigyn, collected the dripping venom in a bowl, but when she was forced to empty it, Loki was struck, causing such anguish his thrashing would shake the world.

But now Loki is free and already wreaking havoc. If the prophetic Volva are correct, and they always are, then the end of all things has finally come.

Learn more here.

Loki in My Writing

Origin of the Fae: Loki

Anyone can make a mistake and Loki did it when he caused the death of Balder. But he has resented the gods for killing his son and using his entrails to tie him up. Adding insult to injury, they used his sacred symbol, a snake, to punish him even further. His wife had stayed by his side. He’s not even sure why – he had given her ample reasons over time to leave him. Though, as shown when Apollo moves in with him, Sigyn and the snake had run off together, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
He has the power to shapeshift, project himself into the different realms – seeming to be there in the flesh – and to communicate through dreams. He has been able to let his consciousness roam long before he was able to project himself.
He’s a trickster; neither good nor bad. He enjoys pushing boundaries, challenge conventions, and being incorrigible. He was a catalyst in mythology and continues to be one in modern times.

As he was tied up for a very long time, letting his consciousness roam, this seems appropriate.

See this immortal in action in my writing:

Blaze of Glory (Irascible Immortals #5)

‘Loki!’

The Norse god of mischief jumped as if caught in the midst of wrongdoing.

‘Leave the teenage girls alone and go find me all the tequila you can – preferably the silver kind.’

He grimaced and left.

Blaze of Glory, Irascible Immortals #5, Ronel Janse van Vuuren

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