Loki

Loki

LOKI Loki is probably the most misunderstood of all the gods. Most people have come to see him as a most vile being, but this is a misconception. As everyone knows his actions will help destroy the gods, but there is more to him than that. What he gave to humanity as a whole outweighs what he has done and what he will do. He gave us choice; to understand that statement you need to know more about him, the events which led to his imprisonment, and the events that will lead to his eventual death. Loki is mentioned in Volsupa, Thrymskvitha, Hymiskvitha, Svipdagsmal, Reginsmal, Gylfaginning, Hyndluljod, and Baldrs Draumar. He is the subject of Lokasenna. Eilif Gudrunarson, Thjodolf of Hvin, and Ulf Uggason myths about Thor and Geirrřdr, Idunn and Thjazi, and Heimdall and Loki have Loki playing a part in them. Loki came from the east. He is the son of the giant Bergelmir, or Farbauti (the dangerous striker, ie, the storm), and giantess Laufey (or Nal, needle). His wife is Sigyn, who is included among the Asynjur by Snorri. They have two sons Vali and Narfi. In Hyndluljod, He also had three other children by the giantess Angrbodha (Boder of Sorrow), the Vanargand (Fenris Wolf), the Midgard Serpent (Jormungand or Ioemingang), and Hel. He is also mother/father to Sleipnir (Gylfaginning 42, Volupsa 25). Also in Hyndluljod, he ate the cooked heart of a woman which he found in the embers through this he came with child, and gave birth to an unknown monster. In Gylfaginning (33) Snorri says that Included among the Aesir is he whom some call the slanderer of the Aesir or the author of deceit and the shame of god and men. To outward appearance Loki is beautiful and comely, but evil in disposition and most fickle in nature. He excelled in sleight and had strategems for all occassions. He often brought the Aesir into great difficulties, but then delivered them with his cunning. He elsewhere says; How shall Loki be referred to? By calling him comrade and table-companion of Ódin and the Aesir, Geirrřdr's visitor and casket-ornament, thief from giants, of goat and Brisingamen and Idun's apples, enemy of the gods, Sif's hair-harmer, maker of mischief, the cunning As, accuser and tricker of gods, contriver of Baldr's death, the bound one, wrangler with Heimfdall and Skandi. In Heimskringla Ódin is called Lopt's friend, and Snorri speaks of him as Evil companion and bench-mate of Ódin and the Aesir. Other descriptions by Snorri are: Foe of the gods, the sly god, Slanderer and cheat of the gods, Wolf's father, the cunning Loki. He calls himself Lopt (the airy one), and this name is also given to him by others (Lokasenna 52), and may be connected with lopteldr (lightning). The name Lodur, which occurs only in Volupsa (18), as that of an associate of Ódin and Hönir, is generally supposed to be an early name of Loki, who was companion and friend of Hönir according to Thjodolf of Hvin (Skáldskaparmál 22).

 DUALITY As already stated, Loki and Ódin are blood brothers. This is how he came to be included among the Aesir, despite that the Aesir and the giants are maternal blood relatives. Yet he has always brought much woe to the gods. Loki does mischief for mischief's sake. He is a thief (of the Brisingamen) or he causes theft (Idunn and her apples). He dislikes others to be praised, even as a servant, as when he slew Fimafeng at Aegir's banquet (Skaldskaparmál 33, Lokasenna Intro). He is foul-mouthed and slanderous, as Lokasenna shows. However, he has also been the key in bringing about situations which have helped the gods. If it wasn't for Loki how would Thor come about having the hammer Mjollnir, or Ódin his spear Gungnir and horse Sleipnir? Loki was always welcome, to a certain extent, among the gods (until Lokasenna). Whenever anyone went to Jötunheim, he was usually there as an intermediary. In those days he was a mischievous god bent on a little personal gain. His actions were never truly evil, but eventually his pranks took on a more serious turn. His nature has been sought in the meaning of his name, which may be connected with Logi, German Lohi (fire) which has the same destructive power as he delighted in. The name has also been derived from Lucifer and his personality regarded as a refection of the devil's. Others connect it with luka, ljuka (too close / to bring to an end), lok (the end). Therefore Loki would be the one who closes or brings to an end, because his deeds leads up to Ragnarok. His father Farbauti (the dangerous striker, ie, the storm) and mother Laufey (the leafy isle) or Nal (needle, ie needle-tree or fir-tree). Thus, Loki is the creation of the storm which, in lightning, brings down fire on the wooded isle. Or Farbauti is a piece of stick, the drill, which by rubbing on a soft piece of wood, Laufey, produces fire (Gerring). Loki's dual character can, then, be related to fire, since it is both beneficent and dangerous. Later folf-lore is also thought to point to Loki's connection with fire. A Norse saying when the fire crackles is: Loki is beating his children, and the skin of the milk is thrown into the fire as a dole. On hot days when the air shimmers, or in spring when the mists rise from the ground in the sunshine, a Danish saying is Loki is driving out his goats. The sun appearing through clouds and drawing up moisture seems to referred to in the sayings: Loki drinks water, or Loki is passing over the fields. In Sweden when a little child's tooth falls out, it is thrown into the fire with the works: Lokke, Lokke, give me a bone tooth: here is a gold tooth. In Iceland chips and refuse for fire are called Loki's chips, and subterranean sulphur fumes Loki's vapor. The bright star Sirius is named Lokabrenna (the burning of Loki).