The Enigmatic Loki, a Trickster among Gods in Norse Mythology | Ancient Origins 21 December, 2014 - 22:29 Ryan Stone The Enigmatic Loki, a Trickster among Gods in Norse Mythology (Read the article on one page) The Norse trickster god, Loki is undoubtedly the most debated figure from Norse mythology to this day. Though he appears to be a scheming, mischievous deity who has no real loyalties, scholars still explore what his purpose might have been in the ancient stories. Was he merely a plot device, a foil for the AEsir, the pantheon of gods in Norse religion? His character surely meant more to the non-Christian Scandinavians than can be gleaned now, and though that purpose cannot be fully realized due to a lack of sufficient sources, an overview of who Loki was and what he did can loosely be outlined. According to Gylfaginning in the Prose Edda , Loki was the son of Fárbauti, a jötunn (giant), and Laufey, a lesser known female god.

His jötunn heritage does aid in explaining the complexity of his character, as the jötunns once went to war against the AEsir and are considered, in many ways, their enemies. Loki, as the son of a giant as well as a goddess, straddles the two warring factions, a trait which plagues his character throughout his mythology. He marries the minor goddess Sigyn, but has many affairs, his most notable with the giantess Angrboða, by whom he gives birth to Hel, the queen of Niflheim; Fenrir, the oversized wolf who is fated to kill Odin at Ragnarök; and Jörmungandr, the World Serpent banished to the seas. The trickster god also, interestingly enough, is the mother of Odin's great eight-legged steed Sleipnir, as Loki mated with a powerful male stallion while disguised as a mare. As his parentage and his progeny are all outside the normal state of affairs even in the godly world, scholars believe that there must have been pertinence to his connection to so many dark and powerful figures in the Norse pantheon.

Loki's relationship with the other gods is what causes most of the concern and confusion in modern scholarship. Loki is not shown as an outright evil god, though he does appear to take great pleasure in fooling or insulting the AEsir. One of the most notable examples is his fluctuating relationship with Thor, as recorded in two different poems both from the Codex Regius, which houses the Poetic Edda . "Lokasenna" tells of when Thor comes to the great hall of the sea god AEgir and immediately becomes bothered by Loki and his antics. Three times Thor threatens to silence Loki with his hammer Mjölnir, and three times Loki proceeds to insult him and Odin. At the end of the tale, Loki flees the scene, hiding from the AEsir for his harsh words, only to be found and captured, and bound to the rock where he will remain until Ragnarök. A depiction (1895) of Loki quarreling with the gods, as in the Poetic Edda poem Lokasenna. Public Domain For his mischief, Loki is hounded by the gods and bound to a rock where a serpent drips painful venom upon him. There he lies till Ragnarok.

Painting illustrating Loki and Sigyn from Norse mythology. Public Domain "Þrymskviða", contrastingly, details Thor and Loki on friendlier terms, as it is Loki to whom Thor turns for aid when Mjölnir, his powerful hammer, goes missing. Loki is the first person Thor seeks out, and together they work to uncover which god or magical creature has stolen the weapon. Loki goes out of his way to travel to Jötunheimr, the home of the giants, to ask the jötunn Þrymr what he knows, only to uncover Þrymr himself has taken Mjölnir and will only return it if Freyja will agree to marry him. In this tale, Loki and Thor retrieve the hammer with a clever plan of disguise, and Þrymr is punished for his misdeeds. "Thor and Loki in the Chariot". Foster, Mary H. 1901. Asgard Stories: Tales from Norse Mythology. Silver, Burdett and Company. Page 41.

( Wikimedia Commons ) Though these are only two of many stories that describe Loki, these tales regarding his association with Thor reveal the wide spectrum of his personality and thus why his portrayals in the ancient Norse sagas constantly conflict. Just as modern scholars do not fully understand Loki's role, the Christian authors who finally wrote down the oral tradition did not seem to comprehend him well enough to know how to describe him either. Although Loki is neither depicted as completely evil nor completely helpful, he will fight against the Æsir during Ragnarök and eventually kill and be killed by Heimdall, the god who guards the rainbow bridge Bifröst which leads to the world of mortals. Loki appears to have no regret of his actions or sympathy for his family members—Hel, Jörmungandr, and Fenrir—thereby emphasizing the anomaly of his relationship with the AEsir.

LOKI - the Norse Trickster God (Norse mythology) LOKI Also known as LOKE, LODER, LOKKJU, LOPTER, LOPTI, LOKI-LAUFEYJARSON The notoriously naughty Norse Trickster Rascal One of the world’s major Trickster Gods, in his early days LOKI was a rascal; crafty, sneaky, silly and malicious — a Loki The Lad. The son of two giants, LAUFEY and FARBAUTI, he was so outrageously mischievous that he even sneaked his way into becoming a God. He was the first anti-hero, quick-witting his way out of the tight corners and confrontations caused by his misdeeds. But as time wore on he became increasingly nasty. His first escapade was a very rampant romp. When the Gods were struggling to build ASGARD , they found they’d run out of funds. Which is not surprising as money and banks hadn’t been invented yet. All the basic construction had been completed but they needed a large protective wall to keep the riff-raff out. LOKI came up with the plan of contracting a Giant to do the job.

As payment, the Giant asked for the Sun and Moon and also the Goddess FREYA if the work was completed to schedule. The Gods were not too sure. "Don’t worry," advised LOKI. "He’ll never manage it on his own, even if he works night and day — and the deal will be off. We’ll let him keep the wheelbarrow or something." Alas, the Giant was not on his own. He had a huge stallion called Svadilfari, which could haul boulders like there was no tomorrow. With three days to go, FREYA was in distress and the Gods aghast. Now LOKI, like fire and smoke, was a shape-changer from the word go. A talent he’d developed to make him the shiftiest transmogrifier of all time — from flea to fish to fast flying feathers in 0.3 seconds. So he changed himself into a mare and seduced the Giant’s stallion. By whinnying and prancing off into the woods, Svadilfari was led far away from the stone pile. With his horse missing, the Giant didn’t quite make the schedule.

Seething with rage, he tried to take FREYA by force — until THOR cracked his skull with his hammer. Meanwhile LOKI was having a fine old time frolicking in the fields. In fact he became pregnant, and decided to sample the joys of motherhood. He gave birth to a fine baby boy stallion with eight legs. He gave this as a gift to ODIN and it was called SLEIPNIR . LOKI was now well in with top God ODIN and his son THOR , with whom he shared numerous adventures. THOR , the perfect fall guy, was persuaded to appear in drag as the prospective bride of a giant and other embarrassments. THOR could always be relied on to supply the muscle when corners became too tight for trickery. LOKI had many run-ins with the dwarves, which he cheated at any opportunity until they stitched him up. Literally. They stitched his mouth shut, which kept him quiet for quite some time. LOKI never missed an opportunity to take advantage of any Goddess, but he already had at least a couple of wives.

The first was ANGRBODA , a giantess who spawned FENRIR the Giant Wolf, JORMUNGAND the Earth-encircling Serpent, and HEL the Underworld Goddess. Next was his wife SIGYN , who produced their ill-fated sons NARVI and VALI(2) . He also managed to sneak himself another wife — or did he? It is only by assiduous research that we have discovered the truth about the mysterious GLUT . For further LOKI adventures, click your way to ANDVARI , FAFNIR , GEIRROD , THIASSI and BALDUR . We are still investigating the mysterious theft of FREYA ’s precious necklace Brisingamen. A flea was seen to flee the scene, and as a well-known god of bed-hopping, fingers of suspicion are already pointing at you-know-who. As the most scandalous God of all time, LOKI was seldom out of the Nordic News or the Sunday Runes. But his tricks came to an end after causing the death of BALDUR . Now he’s trapped in eternal punishment until RAGNAROK rolls around.

Meanwhile, the naughty rascal is as popular as ever, with major appearances in blockbuster movies and superhero comics. He even has his own Gospel of Loki, as told to famed author Joanne M Harris. We are full of admiration. LOKI FACTS AND FIGURES Cite this Link to this page HTML: To link to this page, just copy and paste the text below into your blog, web page or email. <a href="">Godchecker entry on LOKI, the Norse Trickster God</a> BBCODE: To link to this page in a forum post or comment box, just copy and paste the text below: [url= entry on LOKI, the Norse Trickster God[/url] Cite this article Here's the info you need to cite this page. Just copy the text in the box below. Saunders, Chas, and Peter J. Allen, eds. "LOKI - the Norse Trickster God (Norse mythology)." <em>Godchecker</em>. Godchecker.com / CID, 09 Aug. 2015. Web. 20 January 2017. . 09 August 2015 by the Godchecker Team.

Editors: Peter J Allen, Chas Saunders References: Coming soon. Loki - Norse Mythology for Smart People Norse Mythology for Smart People Loki An anonymous painting of Loki from an Icelandic illuminated manuscript Loki (pronounced “LOAK-ee;” Old Norse Loki, whose meaning/etymology is unknown[1]) is the wily trickster god of Norse mythology. While treated as a nominal member of the Aesir tribe of gods in the Eddas and sagas , Loki occupies a highly ambivalent and ultimately solitary position amongst the gods, giants , and the other classes of invisible beings that populate the traditional spirituality of the Norse and other Germanic peoples. His familial relations attest to this. His father is the giant Fárbauti (“Cruel Striker”), and his mother, Laufey (possibly “Tree”), could be a goddess, a giantess, or something else entirely – the surviving sources are silent on this point.

Loki is the father, by the giantess Angrboða (“Anguish-Boding”) of Hel , the goddess of the grave, Jormungand , the great serpent who slays Thor during Ragnarok , and Fenrir , the wolf who bites off one of the hands of Tyr and who kills Odin during Ragnarok – hardly a reputable brood, to say the least. As we’ll see below, Loki demonstrates a complete lack of concern for the well-being of his fellow gods, a trait which could be discerned, in vague outline, merely by considering his offspring. Loki often runs afoul not only of societal expectations, but also of what we today might call “the laws of nature.” In addition to the progeny listed above, Loki is also the mother – yes, the mother – of Sleipnir , Odin’s shamanic horse, whom Loki gave birth to after shapeshifting into a mare and courting the stallion Svaðilfari, as is recounted in the tale of The Fortification of Asgard . In the tales , Loki is portrayed as a scheming coward who cares only for shallow pleasures and self-preservation.

He’s by turns playful, malicious, and helpful, but he’s always irreverent and nihilistic. For example, in The Kidnapping of Idun , Loki, by his recklessness, ends up in the hands of a furious giant, Thiazi, who threatens to kill Loki unless he brings him the goddess Idun . Loki complies in order to save his life, and then finds himself in the awkward position of having the gods threaten him with death unless he rescues Idun. He agrees to this request for the same base motive, shifting his shape into that of a falcon and carrying the goddess back to Asgard in his talons. Thiazi pursues him desperately in the form of an eagle, but, having almost caught up with Loki as he nears his destination, the gods light a fire around the perimeter of their fortress. The flames catch Thiazi and burn him to death, while Idun and Loki reach the halls of the gods safely. Loki ultimately comes to the aid of the gods, but only to rectify a calamity for which he himself is responsible. This theme is repeated in numerous tales, such as in Loki and the Dwarves and the aforementioned The Fortification of Asgard .

After Thiazi’s death, the giant’s daughter, Skadi , arrives in Asgard demanding restitution for the slaying of her father. One of her demands is that the gods make her laugh, something which only Loki is able to do. To accomplish this, he ties one end of a rope to the beard of a goat and the other end to his testicles. Both he and the goat squawk and squeal as one pulls one way and the other pulls the other way. Eventually he falls over in Skadi’s lap, and the giantess can’t help but laugh at such an absurd spectacle. Here, Loki once again comes to the aid of the gods, but simply by being silly and outlandish, not by accomplishing any feat that a Viking Age Scandinavian would have found to be particularly honorable. Loki alternately helps both the gods and the giants, depending on which course of action is most pleasurable and advantageous to him at the time. During Ragnarok, when the gods and giants engage in their ultimate struggle and the cosmos is destroyed and re-created, Loki joins the battle on the side of the giants. He and the god Heimdall mortally wound each other.

Loki is perhaps best known for his malevolent role in The Death of Baldur . After the death of the beloved god Baldur is prophesied, Baldur’s mother, Frigg , secures a promise from every living thing to not harm her son. Well, almost everything – no such oath is obtained from the mistletoe, which the gods think too small and safe a thing to harm Baldur. Upon discovering this omission, Loki carves a mistletoe spear, places it in the hands of the blind god Hod, and instructs him to throw it at Baldur. Hod, not knowing the origin of the weapon, complies, and Baldur is impaled and dies. The god Hermod rides Sleipnir to Helheim and implores Hel to release Baldur, pointing out how beloved he is by all living things. Hel retorts that if this is so, then it shouldn’t be difficult to compel every being in the world to weep for Baldur, and, should this happen, the dead god would be released from the grave.

Every living thing does indeed cry for Baldur’s return, with one sole exception: a frost-hearted giantess named Tokk (Þökk, “Thanks”), who is almost certainly Loki in disguise. So Baldur must remain in Hel until Ragnarok. For these and many more crimes against them, the gods eventually forge a chain from the entrails of another seldom-mentioned son of Loki’s and tie him down to three rocks inside a cave. A venomous serpent sits above him, dripping poison onto him. Loki’s apparently very faithful and loving wife, Sigyn , sits at his side with a bowl to catch the venom. But when the bowl becomes full, of course, she has to leave her husband’s side to pour it out. When this happens, the drops of venom that fall onto him cause him to writhe in agony, and these convulsions create earthquakes. And in this state he lies until breaking free at Ragnarok. A fascinating variant of the tale of Loki’s being bound comes to us from the medieval Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus.

In his History of the Danes, Thor, on one of his many journeys to Jotunheim , the homeland of the giants, finds a giant named Útgarðaloki (“Loki of the Utangard “). Útgarðaloki is bound in exactly the same manner as that in which Loki is bound in the tale mentioned above, which comes from Icelandic sources.[2][3] It seems that even the heathen Scandinavians themselves held conflicting views on whether Loki was a god, a giant, or something else entirely. No traces of any kind of historical worship of Loki have survived into modern times.[4] Is this any wonder, given that his character is virtually the antithesis of the traditional values to which most pre-Christian Germanic people subscribed? Loki’s Role in the Pre-Christian Northern European Worldview Why, then, did the Scandinavians have such a god in their mythology at all? What did he represent to them? To which modalities of life does his character correspond? To answer these vexing questions, we must consider Loki from the perspective of the pre-Christian northern European worldview itself.

Only then can we hope to understand what Loki meant to the people who told tales of him around their hearth-fires during the long winter nights. Before the victory of Christianity, the Germanic peoples had no conception of what we think of as absolute moral “good” or “evil.” Some values and actions were appropriate for some people and some situations; others were inappropriate for those people and those situations, but very well might be appropriate for other people and other situations. This was not the free-for-all of moral relativism, however, which is, after all, simply the inversion or denial of the Judeo-Christian perspective of an absolute, universal morality. In traditional Germanic society, a person who occupied a particular social role and was a devotee of that role’s corresponding god or goddess could rightly be held to the standard of conduct appropriate for that role and its divinity. Thus, while most Viking Age men were held to the standards of honor and manliness exemplified by such figures as Tyr, Thor, or Freyr , for example, not everyone was necessarily held to these standards.

Devotees of Odin, for example – a god for whom we have ample evidence of true historical worship – followed a path of ecstatic and creative self-actualization that often seemed fickle, ruthless, irresponsible, and even shameful by the standards of, say, a man of Thor. (See Polytheistic Theology and Ethics .) Thus, Loki can’t rightly be considered a model of moral “evil.” Instead, he’s a model of one of the countless, and often opposing and contradictory, principles and meanings of which life consists. Odin shares many of Loki’s boundary-crossing, trickster-like attributes. One Old Norse poem even states that the two are blood brothers.[5] Why, then, was Odin the recipient of considerable worship and active emulation, and Loki, as far as we can tell, received hardly any or none at all? If the modality of life to which Odin corresponds were to be expressed in conceptual terms, it would be something like the modern German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s “Will to Power,” a restless, vital force that strives to continually overcome itself and its surroundings, fostering growth through the mastery of subtle, arcane knowledge and abilities.

That this could be seen as sacred, worthy of the name of a god, is perfectly comprehensible from the perspective of a worldview that seeks to affirm life unconditionally, which the pre-Christian Germanic worldview, much like Nietzsche’s, certainly does. The principle to which Loki corresponds, however, is the disregard for or hatred of the sacred as such. For Loki, the gods are “not to be worshiped, but ignored, to be overcome, or in the last analysis mocked.”[6] This perspective certainly had its adherents in the Viking Age, such as Glúmr in Víga-Glúms Saga (not to mention that this perspective has been enshrined as the norm by modern humanism). Why would such people, who place their trust solely in their own might, reverence a god who happens to share their anti-spiritual perspective? Paradoxically, however, in order to affirm life as being inherently and unconditionally sacred, one must affirm even Loki and the principle to which he corresponds as being an embodiment of divinity in and of itself.

One embodies Loki whenever one lives in a totally profane manner, without any reference to sacred models – hence Loki’s utter lack of any allegiances to the gods, giants, or anyone else. Thus, while the animistic and pantheistic Germanic peoples held the sacred to be categorically superior to the merely profane, they recognized that, since, in their perspective, the sacred and the profane are not dualistic, mutually exclusive conceptions (as they are in Judeo-Christianity), all that is profane is – again paradoxically – ultimately sacred as well. The difference lies solely in the mindset with which one approaches any given phenomenon. To a profane mindset such as Loki’s, it will be profane; to a sacred mindset such as Odin’s, it will be sacred. And from a sacred perspective, even the apparently profane is ultimately sacred and worthy of being called a god. Loki features so prominently in the tales of Norse mythology because, from the perspective of the heathen Norse themselves, those tales expressed the inner meaning of the physical world we inhabit.

Since most people live most of their lives with the mindset exemplified by Loki, it’s inevitable that the pre-Christian Scandinavians would have had much to say about him, as a way of reminding themselves that everything, even irreverence itself, is ultimately worthy of reverence. Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion? While this site provides the ultimate online introduction to the topic, my book The Viking Spirit provides the ultimate introduction to Norse mythology and religion period. I’ve also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books , which you’ll probably find helpful in your pursuit. References: Loki | Norse mythology | Britannica.com Norse mythology Balder Loki, in Norse mythology , a cunning trickster who had the ability to change his shape and sex. Although his father was the giant Fárbauti, he was included among the Aesir (a tribe of gods). Loki was represented as the companion of the great gods Odin and Thor , helping them with his clever plans but sometimes causing embarrassment and difficulty for them and himself. He also appeared as the enemy of the gods, entering their banquet uninvited and demanding their drink. He was the principal cause of the death of the god Balder .

Loki was bound to a rock (by the entrails of one or more of his sons, according to some sources) as punishment, thus in many ways resembling the Greek figures Prometheus and Tantalus . Also like Prometheus, Loki is considered a god of fire. Loki tricking the blind god Höd into killing Balder. C. G. Qvarnstrom/Myths of the Norsemen by H. A. Guerber With the female giant Angerboda (Angrboda: “Distress Bringer”), Loki produced the progeny Hel , the goddess of death; Jörmungand , the serpent that surrounds the world; and Fenrir (Fenrisúlfr), the wolf. Loki is also credited with giving birth to Sleipnir , Odin’s eight-legged horse. Loki’s status in pre-Christian Scandinavia remains somewhat obscure. The medieval sources from which came much of what is known of Loki provide no evidence of a cult, unlike for other Norse deities, and the name Loki does not appear in place-names.

Learn More in these related articles: 10 Unknown Norse Gods And Goddesses - Listverse 10 Unknown Norse Gods And Goddesses Johanna Brook November 12, 2013 Norse mythology teems with gods, goddesses, giants, dwarfs, elves, and all kinds of unearthly creatures. With the more well-known gods and goddesses getting a lot of exposure through movies like Thor, and cult TV shows like Supernatural and The Almighty Johnsons, a lot of the lesser-known Norse deities and their fascinating backstories get a bit snowed under. Many of them are just as interesting as your regular Odins and Freyjas. 10Hoenir Hoenir, brother of Odin, was a god known for his indecisive nature . After the war between the Aesir (the warrior gods) and the Vanir (the fertility gods) ended in a World War I–style stalemate, with the Vanir camped right outside the great wall of Asgard, Hoenir was part of a hostage exchange to seal a shaky truce.

Together with Mímir, who we’ll talk about in a minute, Hoenir was sent to Vanaheim, where he was given a leadership position. Later, things went south for Hoenir when the Vanir discovered he relied so heavily on Mímir’s advice that he was pretty much useless any time Mímir was off somewhere else. Apparently Hoenir’s indecisive nature paid off in the end, as he was one of the few Norse deities that survived Ragnarok , the Norse equivalent of the apocalypse. 9Mímir Mímir, being a particularly wise deity, was the counselor of the gods. He owned a well, the Mímisbrunnr, the water of which granted wisdom and the power to see into the future. Odin sacrificed one of his eyes for a drink from the Mímisbrunnr. After Mímir became part of the hostage exchange and his fellow hostage Hoenir messed up, Mímir paid the price and was beheaded by the Vanir. Odin managed to swipe the head from Vanir territory. He embalmed and bewitched it—making sure Mímir could still advise him, even in his decapitated state.

8Gefion Being a fertility goddess associated with vegetation and fertility, the oh-so-unambiguous symbol for Gefion is a plow. In Norse mythology, Gefion was sent out to find more land for Odin. She convinced King Gylfi of Sweden to promise her as much of his land as she could plow in 24 hours using four oxen. Gefion popped down to Jötunheimr and quickly had four sons with a giant. She turned her offspring into four strong oxen and used them to pull her plow . By digging up the earth and throwing it into the sea, they created Lake Mälaren and the island of Sjaelland. After 24 hours of hard work, Gefjon went to live on Sjaelland and got hitched to Odin’s son, Skjöld. With him, she had some more kids, whom she presumably didn’t turn into oxen, because they went on to become Denmark’s royal family. 7Týr Before Odin came along, there was Týr, a mighty warrior god. In the Viking Age people had all but forgotten about him , which is a shame, because there are some interesting tales surrounding this particular god.

A good example is the binding of Fenrir. The result of a one night stand between Loki and a frost giantess, Fenrir was a savage wolf-creature that wreaked havoc wherever he went. The gods decided to use a magical cord to capture the beast for their own safety. Fenrir would only allow this if one of the gods put a hand in his mouth as a sign of good faith. Týr, being the brave and honorable warrior that he was, complied—and of course ended up with one of his hands bitten clean off when Fenrir realized the magical cord was so magical that he couldn’t break free. 6Sigyn Sigyn, long-suffering wife of trickster god and serial adulterer Loki, isn’t mentioned a lot in Norse mythology. She’s mostly known as the one who kept Loki company during his punishment for killing the god Baldur. Loki was trapped under three large boulders and bound with his own son’s entrails, a snake dripping venom positioned right above him. Sigyn sat next to her husband holding a bowl to catch the venom, and stayed there until the bowl was filled to the brim.

Eventually she had to leave to empty the bowl and the inevitable happened—Loki got a faceful of snake venom. It is said that Loki thrashed and struggled so hard he caused earthquakes . 5Vidar Still waters run deep. This is definitely the case when it comes to Vidar, nicknamed “the Silent God.” Never uttering a word, this son of Odin had one purpose in life —to kill the wolf Fenrir after the beast had gobbled up Odin during Ragnarok. Vidar lived in the wide green lands, carrying a sword and wearing a gigantic leather shoe. This particular shoe is said to have been made of spare pieces of leather Vidar collected throughout the ages, resulting in footwear so strong it could withstand Fenrir’s razor-sharp canines. Vidar will not rest until he has taken his revenge by ripping the wolf to pieces . 4Sól Norse mythology has interesting stories to tell about the rising and setting of both sun and moon. Sól, the sun goddess, is supposedly being chased through the sky by a wolf, Sköll. The same is true for her brother Mani, code name Moon, whose wolfish pursuer is called Hati.

Sól rides in a large chariot, drawn by two mighty horses called “Early Riser” and “All Swift.” Sometimes Sköll would catch up with Sól and her chariot, causing an eclipse, but so far the horses have been able to outrun the wolf. When Sköll and Sól, Mani and Hati, finally meet , the bloody consequences will lead to Ragnarok. 3Hermod Loki killing Baldur affected gods and goddesses in the entire Norse pantheon, including the minor ones. Apart from Sigyn, who basically spent the rest of her life catching venom, the god Hermod also got a new purpose after Baldur’s death. Hermod, one of the sons of Odin, was sent down to the underworld to plead for Baldur’s release . The goddess Hel, ruler of the underworld, told Hermod that if every single living thing wept for Baldur to show how much he was loved and missed, she would set him free. For a while it looked like Hermod would succeed: Even the stones and the trees shed tears for Baldur . But Norse mythology wouldn’t be Norse mythology without unhappy endings.

The last one to supply tears in exchange for Baldur’s freedom was the giantess Thokk. She straight up refused, either because giantesses aren’t familiar with the concept of tears, or because Thokk was secretly Loki in disguise (probably both). Hermod failed in his mission , and Baldur’s resurrection was canceled. 2Elli There are a lot of strong goddesses to be found in Norse mythology, but the goddess Elli, nicknamed “ the Giant Crone ,” takes the cake. To illustrate: She challenged the god Thor to a wrestling match—and won. We have to be fair to Thor though, as the whole thing turned out to be a bit of a trick. Elli, although the weakest of the giantesses of Utgardr, was actually the personification of old age. After the giantesses told Thor about their stunt, he obviously wasn’t too happy , even though the fact that Elli only managed to get Thor down to one knee was a mark of his strength. 1Kvasir Remember the truce between the Aesir and the Vanir we started with? Not only did the two parties seal the peace by exchanging hostages, they also decided to collectively spit into a bowl .

Out of this, slightly disgusting, but powerful mixture, Odin created the god Kvasir, whose name literally means saliva . Because Kvasir was essentially a combination of all the gods, he was a very powerful and wise deity. And we all know what happens to especially powerful and wise gods within Norse mythology . . . Not long after his creation, Kvasir was brutally murdered by a couple of dwarfs who were after his blood. The dwarfs, with the help of a giant, mixed Kvasir’s blood with honey and let this potion ferment to create Kvas, the Mead of Inspiration. It is said that the mead supplied wisdom to whoever drank it, so naturally Odin claimed it all for himself . Johanna is a film student, pop culture junkie, avid traveler, and tattoo aficionado. More Great Lists The Norse Gods The Norse Gods In Blog The Norse Gods are the mythological characters that, as far as we know, came from the Northern Germanic tribes of the 9th century AD. These stories were passed down in the form of poetry until the 11th – 18th centuries when the Eddas and other medieval texts were written.

Norse mythology comprises the pre-Christian beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. Norse mythology not only has it’s gods, goddesses and immortals but also a myriad of other characters and creatures that populate the stories including giants, dwarfs, monsters, magical animals and objects. The Norse Myths A List of The Norse Gods Aegir – Norse God of the sea. Married to Ran and lives under the waves near the island of Hlesey. Aesir – A group of warrior gods led by Odin who inhabit Asgard. Balder – Son of Odin and Frigg. Known as a gentle and wise god. Killed accidentally by his brother Hod. Will return after Ragnarok. Bolverk – The alias Odin adopted when disguised as a giant to win the mead of poetry. Bor – Son of Buri and father of Odin, Vili and Ve. Bragi – The Norse God of poetry and eloquence. Son of Odin and husband of Idun. Buri – Ancestor of the Norse gods. Created by the cow Audmula licking him from ice. Day – Son of Night and Delling.

Said to ride around the earth on his horse Skinfaxi. Earth – Daughter of Night and Annar. Einherjar – Band of dead warriors in Valhalla who await Ragnarok. Eir – Goddess of healing Fjorgyn – Lover of Odin and mother of Thor. Also referred to as Earth. Forseti – God of Justice. Son of Balder and Nanna. Freyja – Main goddess of the Vanir (fertility gods). Daughter of Njord and sister of Freyr. Freyr – Important god of the Vanir. Son of Njord and brother of Freyja. Frigga – Main goddess. Wife of Odin and mother of Balder. Fulla – Goddess servant of Frigga. Gangnrad – Pseudonym of Odin when he visits Vafthrudnir. Gefion – Fertility goddess. Associated with the plow. Tricked the king of Sweden out of a tract of his land. Grimnir – Pseudonym of Odin when he visits his foster son Geirrod, King of the Goths.

Gullveig – A Vanir goddess (probably Freyja) who is burned three times by the Aesir. Harbard – Odin disguised as a ferryman when he wrangles with Thor. Heimdall – Watchman of the Norse gods and owner of the horn Gjall. Son of nine mothers. Often identified with Rig, the creator of three races of men. Hel – ruler of Helheim, the realm of the dead Hermod – Son of Odin. Rode to Hel to try and rescue his brother Balder. Hod – Son of Odin. A blind god who accidentally killed his brother Balder. he will return after Ragnarok. Honir – A long-legged, indecisive god. Sent to the Vanir to seal the truce between them and the Aesir. He will survive Ragnarok. Idun – Guardian of the golden apples of youth and wife of Bragi. Kvasir – the wisest. Created from the spittle of the gods. Lofn – Goddess of ilicit unions. Loki – The sly, trickster of the Norse gods. Son of two giants. Also known as the Sly One, the Trickster, the Shape Changer and the Sky Traveller.

Becomes increasingly more evil. He is responsible for the death of Balder. Bound until Ragnarok. Magni – Son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa. Will inherit Thor’s hammer Mjollnir with his brother Modi after Ragnarok. Mimir – Wise Aesir god. Sent to the Vanir to seal the truce between the two groups of the Norse gods. Killed by the Vanir, his head is kept by Odin. Modgud – Maiden guardian of the bridge over the river Gjoll in Jotenheim. Modi – Son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa. Will inherit Thor’s hammer Mjollnir with his brother Magni after Ragnarok. Moon – Son of Mundilfari. Guides the moon on it’s course. Nanna – Wife of Balder and daughter of Nep. Narvi – Also known as Nari. Son of Loki and Sigyn who was killed by his brother Vali. Night – Daughter of Narvi and mother of Day. Rides around the earth on her horse Hrimfaxi. Njord – A Vanir god associated with wind and sea.

Husband of Skadi and father of Freyja and Freyr. Norns – Urd “fate”, Skuld “being” and Verandi “necessity”. Three goddesses of destiny. Od – Missing husband of Freyja who she constantly mourns for. Odin – King of the Norse Gods, God of poetry, battle and death. Chief god of the Aesir. Also known as the “all-father”, the “terrible one”, “one-eyed” and “father of battle”. Ran – Wife of Aegir who dragged drowning men down with her net. Rig – Pseudonym of Heimdall and the creator of three races of men. Rind – Goddess and lover of Odin. Mother of Vali. Saga – Goddess and drinking companion of Odin. Sif – Wife of Thor whose golden hair was cut off by Loki. Sigyn – Wife of Loki. Sjofn – Goddess of human passion. Skadi – Goddess of Winter and of the Hunt Sun – Daughter of Mundilfari and guide of the sun. Syn – Goddess of the accused at trial. Thor – God of Sky, thunder and fertility.

Associated with law and order in Asgard and guardian of the Norse gods. Son of Odin and Earth and husband of Sif. Also known as the “thunder god” and “charioteer”. Thrud – Daughter of Thor. Promised to the dwarf Alvis. Tyr – War god. Son of Odin who sacrificed his hand in the binding of Fenrir. Ull – God of archery and skiing. Vali – Son of Odin and the giantess Rind. Conceived to avenge the death of Balder. Valkyries – Beautiful women who carried dying warriors to Valhalla. Loki, Norse Trickster God By Patti Wigington Updated August 31, 2016. In Norse mythology, Loki is known as a trickster . He is described in the Prose Edda as a "contriver of fraud." It's important to remember that "trickster" does not mean someone who plays fun jokes and pranks - Loki's trickery is all about mischief and mayhem. Origins and History Although he doesn’t appear often in the Eddas , Loki is generally described as a member of the family of Odin .

There is little archaeological reference to Loki (pronounced LOW-key), but in the small village of Kirkby Stephen, England, there is a tenth-century stone with a carving on it. It is believed that the bound, horned figure carved upon the stone is in fact Loki, who was likely brought to England by Saxon settlers in the area. Also, near Snaptun, Denmark, there is a stone from around the same time as the Kirkby Stephen stone; the carving on this one is identified as Loki as well, due to scarring on the lips. In a story in which he tries to get the better of the dwarf Brokkr, Loki is disfigured and earns the nickname Scar-lip. Appearance Although some Norse deities are often associated with symbols - such as Odin and his ravens , or Thor and his mighty hammer - Loki does not appear to have a particular item assigned to him by the Norse eddas or sagas. While there has been some speculation that he may be associated with particular runes, there is no scholarly or academic evidence to support this.

Furthermore, this is an illogical argument in the context of Norse culture - keep in mind that stories and legends were passed down orally, from one generation to the next, and not written down. Runes were used for divination , but not for written storytelling. As to his physical appearance, Loki was a shapeshifter and could appear any way he liked. In the Gylfaginning, which is one of the Prose eddas, he is described as being "pleasing and handsome," but there are no details as to what those words describe. Early carvings portray him with horns on his head, but those may be a representation of one of the shapes he adopts, rather than his regular form. Mythology A shapeshifter who could appear as any animal, or as a person of either sex, Loki was constantly meddling in the affairs of others, mostly for his own amusement. Disguised as a woman, Loki fools Frigga into telling him about the weakness of her son Baldur . Just for fun, Loki tricks Baldur's blind twin, Hod, into killing him with a spear made of mistletoe .

At one point, Loki spent eight years disguised as a milkmaid, and got stuck milking cows because his disguise was so convincing. Loki is typically described as the husband of the goddess Sigyn, but he seems to have procreated with just about anyone and anything that struck his fancy. Because he could take male or female form, at one point Loki turned himself into a mare and mated with a mighty stallion, so he actually was the mother of Odin's magical eight-legged horse Sleipnir. Loki is known for bringing about chaos and discord, but by challenging the gods, he also brings about change. Without Loki's influence, the gods may become complacent, so Loki does actually serve a worthwhile purpose, much as Coyote does in the Native American tales , or Anansi the spider in West African lore. Worship & Celebration Despite his divine or demi-god status, there's little evidence to show that Loki had a following of worshipers of his own; in other words, his job was mostly to make trouble for other gods, men, and the rest of the world.

For an excellent dissertation looking at Loki in his many forms, read Shawn Christopher Krause-Loner's paper Scar-lip, Sky-walker, and Mischief-Monger: The Norse God Loki as Trickster . Honoring Loki Today Loki has seen a resurgence in interest lately, due in no small part to his portrayal by actor Tom Hiddleston (see photo above) in the Avengers films, but just because he's becoming popular doesn't mean it's a good idea to call upon him. If you've spent any time reading Norse mythology, you know that Loki is a bit of an outcast, slightly manic, will do sneaky things for his own amusement, and doesn't seem to have much respect for boundaries. If you invite Loki into your life, there's a possibility you won't be getting rid of him until he's good and ready to leave. The Death of Balder in Norse Mythology The Story of Baldur's Death From Bulfinch Odin, the king of the Norse gods, often sat upon Hildskialf, the throne of the Aesir gods [see Norse Gods ], with his companions, the two ravens, Hugin (thought) and Munin (Memory), whispering in his ears.

From this position he could look out on all of the nine worlds . Sometimes his wife Frigg would sit there, too, but she was the only other god who was so privileged. Frigg was the second and favorite wife of Odin, whose daughter she may also have been. She was the only Aesir as clever and knowledgeable about the future as Odin, although her foreknowledge did not depress her as it did her husband. Frigg had her own palace, which was known as Fensalir, where she sat spinning clouds to float above Midgard . continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States Fensalir also served as the afterlife home for married couples who wished to be together. It was a counterpart to the famous home of valiant warriors, Valhalla, where Odin spent much of his time -- drinking (he is said to have stopped eating when he heard about the inevitable doom of Ragnarok) with his feasting and fighting companions and the Valkyries. The most handsome of the gods was born to Frigg and Odin. He was named Balder (also known as Baldur or Baldr). He was a god of truth and light.

Balder was also knowledgeable in healing herbs and runes, which made him a favorite among the people of Midgard. Balder lived in a palace named Breidablik with his wife Nanna (n.b. there is also a Mesopotamian goddess of this name), a vegetation goddess. It was believed that no lie could pass through the walls of Breidablik, home of the god of truth, so when Balder started having frightening nightmares about his own demise, the other Aesir gods took them seriously. Unlike gods in other pantheons, the Norse gods were not immortal. They catalogued everything that might possibly cause Balder harm, from weapons to diseases to creatures. With the list in hand, Balder's mother, Frigg, set out to exact assurances from everything in the nine worlds not to harm Balder. This wasn't hard because he was so universally loved. When she had completed her mission, Frigg returned to Gladsheim, the gods' meeting hall, for a celebration. After a few rounds of drinks and toasts, the gods decided to test Balder's invulnerability. A pebble thrown at Balder bounced off without hurting Balder, in honor of its oath.

Larger weapons were used, including Thor's axes and all refused to hurt the god. Loki is known as a trickster god . Sometimes he was mischievous, but he hadn't really been malicious. The giants were evil, but Loki, who was the son of a giant, hadn't been known as such. It seems his self-appointed job was to stir things up when things were going well. It's a Loki-type action that one wishes to avert when telling an actor to break a leg before a performance. Loki was disturbed by all the gaiety and decided to do something about it, so in disguise as a disgusting old hag, he went to Frigg while she was at Fensalir taking a break from the festivities. What was going on at Gladsheim, he asked her. She said it was a celebration for the god Balder. Loki-in-disguise asked why, then, were people throwing weapons at him? Frigg explained about the promises she'd exacted. Loki kept at her asking questions until she finally revealed that there was one thing she hadn't asked because she thought it too small and inconsequential. That one thing was mistletoe.

With all the information he needed, Loki set off to the forest to get himself a branch of mistletoe. He then returned to the festivities at Gladsheim and sought out Balder's blind brother, Hod, god of darkness, who was in a corner because he couldn't aim and therefore couldn't participate in the test of Balder's invulnerability. Loki told Hod he would help him take aim and handed Hod a piece of apparently innocuous mistletoe to throw. Hodur was grateful and accepted the offer, so Loki steered Hod's arm. Hod launched the branch, which caught Balder in the chest. Balder died instantly. The gods looked towards Hod and saw Loki beside him. Before they could do anything, Loki fled away. Celebration turned to lamentation since the most beloved of the gods had died. Odin alone was aware of how disastrous this event really was for them all, for he knew that with the loss of light and truth, the end of the world, Ragnarok, was due soon. A funeral pyre was made that was so enormous the gods had to ask the help of the giants. They then placed their most valuable worldly possessions as gifts upon the pyre.

Odin placed his golden armband Draupnir. Balder's wife fell down dead of grief at the pyre, so her body was placed beside her husband's. Prev Tricksters in Mythology and Folklore by BloodrainFireDawn on DeviantArt "LOKI" by Anna Khlystova (Spiritius) Spiritius To answer that question, we must first understand what a trickster is and the role tricksters play in the mythologies of various cultures. Essential to this understanding of the universality of tricksters is the fundamental knowledge of archetypes. The Trickster is one of psychologist Carl Jung’s most widely known archetypes. As defined by Jung, an archetype is a concept or model contained in the part of the unconscious mind that is common to all human beings, known as the “collective unconscious.” In other words, archetypes are the unconscious ideas that all humanity inherits, and these ideas transcend time and are found in the mythologies of all cultures. Archetypes are important because these unconscious roles are universally found in all cultures and are useful in the analysis of mythology, literature, art, and religion.

( 1 ) The Trickster archetype can be seen as an allegorical figure that illustrates ideas about the humans’ place in the world. Thanks to Jung, the Trickster archetype provides “insight into not only the literary conventions of a society, but also its deepest mores and mass psychological characteristics.” ( 2 ) Now that we understand what an archetype is and the function it serves, let’s explore the Trickster archetype in particular. In an overview for a mythology and folklore course, Margaret F. Crawford from the Houston Teachers Institute quotes Jean Hardy: “The archetype of the Trickster…is the existence of the unexpected as it appears in every human society, sometimes fully acknowledged, sometimes feared and hidden. He is the opposite of order – but then he is opposite of everything… He upsets normality and hierarchic order… He can change the expected world, and therefore be an agent of transformation.” ( 3 ) The trickster’s role in mythology is specifically to hinder the progress of the hero and generally to cause trouble. A perfect example of a mythological trickster is Loki.

The trickster’s role in folklore is a little different as he is roguish and cunning, surviving the obstacles and dangers of the world with defense mechanisms of deception and trickery. He uses unconventional methods to elude adversaries with the aid of his shrewd intellect. Examples of tricksters in folklore are the Coyote and Raven spirits of Native American culture. ( 4 ) There are several characteristics that are common to most, but not all, tricksters. Tricksters are: ambiguous, amoral, almost always male, deceitful, shapeshifters, culture heroes, self-serving, solitary, less physically imposing, and boundary-crossers. (A more detailed list can be found here: fav.me/d5fpa2 ) As you can see from the list I compiled ( fav.me/d5fj0xx ), there are dozens upon dozens of fascinating trickster characters in various cultures; now that we have covered the most common characteristics of tricksters, let’s briefly meet a few of the trickiest tricksters in mythology and folklore: Loki from Norse mythology, Eris and Hermes from Greek mythology, and Coyote and Raven spirits from Native American folklore.

________________________________ Loki is one of the best-known and, judging by the characteristics and the archetype of the Trickster, greatest tricksters in mythology. Proof of his ability to manipulate others is the fact that he was a giant, a jotunn, but managed to make his way into Asgard among the Aesir through his charismatic charm and wits as well as a close relationship with Odin, who had a deep respect for his cunning ways and slick tongue. ( 5 ) Loki exemplified nearly all of the common trickster characteristics. His original/true form was male, and he was a shapeshifter and a boundary-crosser. Snorri Sturluson recounted in his Edda (ca. 1220 AD) how Loki transformed into a mare, crossing the boundaries of both form and gender at once, to lure away the stallion Svaðilfari and later gave birth to the eight-legged Sleipnir. He was often depicted as being less physically imposing that Thor, Norse god of thunder, who was a friend and sometime adversary.

He was amoral, playing the gods against one another without thoughts of morality, and he was deceitful and self-serving, using his sly tricks to wreak havoc on the gods to achieve his own ends and for his own entertainment. Loki was also ambiguous; at times his tricks seemed to be harmlessly entertaining, while at other times he is malevolently cunning. His ambiguity is evidenced by the fact that not even scholars can agree on the correct depiction of him. Folklorist and linguist Jacob Grimm called Loki a god of fire, equating him with Prometheus and culture heroes, while others perceived him as a “typical” trickster god. ( 6 ) Loki, bound until Ragnarok * "Loke och Sigyn" by Marten Eskil Winge (1863) Again and again, Loki tricked his way into trouble and had to think quickly to trick his way back out again. There was the time he thought it would be fun to cut off all the beautiful hair of Sif, Thor’s wife, and had to make a quick promise to get her hair that was even better to escape his wrath.

Loki promised his head to the dwarf who could make the finest treasures for the gods (including Sif’s new hair, Thor’s hammer Mjollnir, and Odin’s spear Gungnir) and said dwarf sewed his lips shut when he realized he had been tricked. Or there was the time he attempted to steal Freyja’s necklace Brisingsamen, stole Mjollnir only to have to steal it back, and caused the disappearance of the goddess Idunn with her golden apples of eternal youth and their return through his trickery. Ultimately, Loki was too clever for his own good, as most wise fool tricksters are; the trickery that led to Balder’s death was the final straw to the Aesir and sealed his fate. He tricked the blind god Hod into shooting Balder with mistletoe, the only entity that had not sworn an oath not to harm him, and Balder was killed. For his punishment, Loki was bound underneath the earth by the entrails of his children and a serpent was set over him to drip venom into his eyes until Ragnarok.

It is said that earthquakes are caused by his thrashing when the venom drips on him every time his wife Sigyn must empty her bowl of the poison it catches. The last laugh is going to be on the Aesir when Ragnarok rolls around, however, when Loki breaks free and fight on the side of the giants against them. ( 7 ) ________________________________ While many females may appear to be tricksters, most use their beauty and sex appeal to manipulate others while only a very few females actually use cunning wits and deception; the most well-known of these are Penelope, wife of Odysseus, and Eris. Eris (whose Roman name is Discordia) is the Greek goddess of chaos, strife, and discord. By some accounts, she is the daughter of Nyx (Night) and by others, she is the sister of Ares, god of war (which would possibly make her a daughter of Zeus); one of her favorite pastimes was to join Ares on the battlefields of the mortals and delight in the bloodshed and bitterness she rained down on both sides of the battle.

Her wrath was said to be relentless, and not even her fellow Olympians wanted her around to ruin their fun with her troublemaking. This was the reason that she alone was not invited to the forced wedding of Peleus and Thetis which everyone else from Mt. Olympus attended. She decided to teach them a lesson by tossing the Apple of Discord into the party labeled Kallisti (“To the Fairest One”), which sparked argument between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite as to which of them was the fairest. The chain of events led to the Judgment of Paris, which initiated the Trojan War, and you can bet that Eris enjoyed every second of all of it. ( 8 ) Eris, Greek goddess of chaos, strife, and discord "Eris" by GENZOMAN GENZOMAN Hermes, messenger of the gods "HERMES - GREEK GODS PROJECT" by isikol isikol Hermes, Greek god of transitions and boundaries and god of thievery, as well as messenger to the gods, started his life as a trickster quite young…barely out of his cradle, in fact.

According to mythology, as an infant Hermes used a lyre he made from a tortoise shell to steal Apollo’s oxen by herding them backwards to cover his tracks, and Apollo was so amused that he could not stay angry. Hermes also played a part in the punishment of humanity for accepting Prometheus’s gift of fire through Pandora; his gift for her box was lies, seductive words, and dubious character, and he was the one who delivered her to Epimetheus as his wife. Homer and Hesiod portrayed Hermes as a benefactor of mortals and the author of deceptive acts; a Homeric hymn to Hermes petitions him as one “of many shifts (polytropos), blandly cunning, a robber, a cattle driver, a bringer of dreams, a watcher by night, a thief at the gates…” He was also the father of Autolycus, Prince of Thieves, to whom he taught all of his tricks. As a god of transitions and boundaries, Hermes was able to move freely between the worlds of the mortals and the divine, a characteristic of the boundary-crossing trickster.

( 9 ) ________________________________ Coyote is possibly the most famous trickster in Native American culture, seen most prominently in the Southwest. He is part human and part animal, able to take whichever shape he pleases. As with most Native American tricksters, Coyote combines the sacred with the entertainment because, as John Lame Deer said, tricksters “are sacred [because] we Indians also need their laughter to survive.” ( 10 ) He is another example of the wise fool as he is often outwitted by other animals (i.e., rabbits, birds, and even a donkey). As a trickster, he is often portrayed as greedy and insatiable. ( 11 ) In some stories, he is known as a creator or “Old Man Coyote” in which, like the Native American Prometheus, he brings fire and daylight to the earth and arranges the sun, moon, and stars in their places. In this way, as well as the way in which he is sometimes said to have arranged the land and fought monsters (with the aid of the Spirit Chief), he is perceived as a culture hero. In other stories, he is simply a messenger.

He nearly always provides entertainment, usually with an added dose of trickery. ( 12 ) Coyote spirits "Magic Winds" by Laura Airey (MorRokko) MorRokko * "The Twa Corbies" by Arthur Rackham (ca. 1919) Raven is the prominent trickster in Pacific Northwestern Native American culture. There is a recurring theme of Raven as king, and his constant search for food is a metaphor for his insatiable sexual appetite. (This is true for Coyote as well.) He is the manifestation of the self-serving trickster, whose deeds are primarily to serve his own needs; he punishes those who oppose him even when he performs a good deed. This is illustrated in the story in which he brings to the earth. He could not fish because light had not yet come to the world and it was too dark to see, so he impregnated the daughter of the Sky Chief with a cedar leaf into which he had transformed so that he could gain access into the Sky Chief’s home. Upon birth, the baby (Raven) manipulates the family into trusting him with the box of daylight, and he returns to the earth where he transformed back into his true raven form.

On his way, he meets the Frog people who refuse to give him food, so he crashed the box against the rocks and released the daylight into the world, so that the Animal people could see to hunt and fish, but causing the demise of the Frog people at the same time. ( 13 ) ________________________________ For further reading about tricksters, visit this website en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trickste… or just Google your favorite trickster's name. Next article: Tricksters in Folktales and Fables Please check out these links for further reading:

Question: What Norse god is known as a "trickster god"?
Answer: Loki