Loki is one of the most fascinating and complex characters in Norse mythology. He is a shape-shifter, a trickster, a troublemaker, and sometimes a hero. He is also the father of some of the most fearsome creatures in the Norse cosmos, such as the wolf Fenrir, the serpent Jörmungandr, and the goddess of death Hel.
In this blog post, we will explore Loki’s role as a trickster god in Norse mythology, and how he used his cunning to outsmart the other gods and to cause mischief and mayhem.
Loki’s Origins and Family
Loki’s origins are shrouded in mystery. According to some sources, he is the son of the giant Fárbauti and the goddess Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. He is not a god by birth, but he became one by blood-brotherhood with Odin, the king of the gods. Loki is married to Sigyn, a loyal and devoted goddess who stands by him even when he is bound and tortured. They have two sons, Narfi or Nari and Váli.
However, Loki also has another family with the giantess Angrboða, whom he met in the realm of Jötunheimr. With her, he fathered three monstrous offspring: Hel, who rules over the underworld; Fenrir, a gigantic wolf who is destined to devour Odin at Ragnarök; and Jörmungandr, a colossal serpent who encircles the world and bites his own tail. These children were so terrifying that the gods decided to banish them to different places: Hel to Niflheimr, Fenrir to an island called Lyngvi, and Jörmungandr to the ocean.
Loki can also change his shape and sex at will. He once turned himself into a mare and mated with a stallion named Svaðilfari, who belonged to a giant builder. As a result, he gave birth to Sleipnir, an eight-legged horse who became Odin’s steed. He also transformed himself into a fly, a salmon, an elderly woman named Þökk (meaning “thanks”), and even into other gods.
Loki’s Tricks and Exploits
Loki is known for his cleverness and his ability to get out of any trouble he causes or finds himself in. He often helps the gods with his ingenious plans, but he also betrays them or puts them in danger for his own amusement or benefit. Here are some examples of Loki’s tricks and exploits in Norse mythology:
- Loki cut off the golden hair of Sif, Thor’s wife, as a prank. When Thor threatened to kill him, he promised to get new hair for Sif from the dwarves. He managed to get not only the hair, but also two other gifts: Gungnir, a spear that never misses its target, for Odin; and Skíðblaðnir, a ship that can be folded like a cloth, for Freyr. However, he also made a bet with another dwarf named Brokkr that his brother Sindri could not make better gifts than these. Sindri then forged three more gifts: Draupnir, a ring that produces eight more rings every nine nights, for Odin; Gjallarhorn, a horn that can be heard throughout the nine worlds, for Heimdallr; and Mjölnir, a hammer that can crush anything and always returns to its owner’s hand, for Thor. Loki tried to sabotage Sindri’s work by biting him in the form of a fly, but he only succeeded in making Mjölnir’s handle shorter than intended. Brokkr then demanded Loki’s head as payment for losing the bet, but Loki argued that he only agreed to give his head, not his neck. The dwarves then settled for sewing Loki’s mouth shut with a wire.
- Loki once disguised himself as a giantess named Þökk (meaning “dark”) and went to visit Geirröðr,
a giant king who had captured Thor’s hammer Mjölnir. He convinced Geirröðr that Thor was coming to fight him without his hammer or his belt of strength Megingjörð. Geirröðr agreed to return Mjölnir if Thor could prove his strength by lifting his cat off the ground. However, the cat was actually Jörmungandr in disguise, and Thor could only lift one of its paws. Then Geirröðr challenged Thor to drink from his horn, but the horn was connected to the sea, and Thor could only lower the tide slightly. Finally, Geirröðr asked Thor to wrestle with his old nurse Elli, but Elli was actually old age personified, and Thor could not defeat her. Loki then revealed his true identity and gave Mjölnir back to Thor, who proceeded to kill Geirröðr and his followers. - Loki was also responsible for the death of Baldr, the god of light and joy. Baldr had a dream that he would die soon, so his mother Frigg made everything in the world swear not to harm him. However, she forgot to ask the mistletoe, which was too young and harmless to be considered. Loki found out about this and made a dart out of mistletoe. He then went to the hall where the gods were having fun by throwing objects at Baldr, who was immune to them. He tricked Baldr’s blind brother Höðr into throwing the mistletoe dart at Baldr, killing him instantly. The gods were grief-stricken and tried to bring Baldr back from the underworld, but Hel demanded that everything in the world should weep for him first. Loki then disguised himself as a giantess named Þökk (meaning “thanks”) again and refused to weep for Baldr, thus preventing his resurrection.
- Loki’s final trick led to his downfall and the onset of Ragnarök, the end of the world. He killed a servant of the gods named Fimafeng and fled to a mountain where he built a house with four doors. He often turned himself into a salmon and hid in a waterfall nearby. The gods eventually found him and tried to catch him with a net, but he escaped twice. The third time, he jumped over the net but Thor caught him by the tail. The gods then bound him with the entrails of his son Narfi or Nari, who was killed by his other son Váli, who was turned into a wolf by the gods. They placed a venomous serpent above Loki’s head, which dripped poison on him. His wife Sigyn stayed with him and held a bowl to catch the venom, but when she had to empty it, the venom fell on Loki’s face and made him writhe in agony, causing earthquakes. Loki remained bound until Ragnarök, when he broke free and joined the forces of the giants against the gods. He met his nemesis Heimdallr on the battlefield, and they killed each other.
Other Gods in Norse Mythology
Loki is not the only god in Norse mythology. There are many other deities who have their own stories and domains. Here are some of them:
- Odin: The chief of the gods and the ruler of Asgard. He is the god of wisdom, war, poetry, magic, and death. He sacrificed one of his eyes to drink from the well of Mimir and gain knowledge of the past and future. He also hanged himself from the world tree Yggdrasil for nine nights to learn the secrets of the runes. He has two ravens named Huginn and Muninn who fly around the world and bring him news. He also has two wolves named Geri and Freki who accompany him in battle.
- Thor: The son of Odin and the god of thunder, lightning, storms, strength, and fertility. He is the protector of mankind and Asgard from the giants and other enemies. He wields Mjölnir, a powerful hammer that can crush anything and always returns to his hand. He also has a belt of strength called Megingjörð that doubles his power, a pair of iron gloves called Járngreipr that help him wield Mjölnir, and a chariot pulled by two goats named Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr that create thunder when they run.
- Freya: The goddess of love, beauty, fertility, gold, magic, war, and death. She is the leader of the Vanir gods who joined forces with the Aesir after a war between them. She owns a necklace called Brísingamen that enhances her beauty and power. She also has a cloak of falcon feathers that allows her to fly across the nine worlds. She rides a chariot pulled by two cats or sometimes rides a boar named Hildisvíni. She receives half of the souls of those who die in battle in her hall Sessrúmnir.
- Tyr: The god of war, justice, law, and order. He is brave and honorable, always keeping his word even at great cost. He sacrificed his right hand to bind Fenrir when no other god dared to do so. He is also skilled in combat and strategy, leading the gods in battle against their foes.
- Njord: The god of the sea, wind, fishing, wealth, and prosperity. He is one of the Vanir gods who was exchanged with Hoenir as a hostage after their war with the Aesir
Loki Norse Mythology
Loki, the enigmatic and multifaceted figure of Norse mythology, stands as a testament to the complexity of the ancient tales that continue to captivate our imaginations. As a shape-shifter, trickster, and troublemaker, he wove a tapestry of cunning and chaos throughout the realm of the gods. Yet, amidst his deceptions and betrayals, Loki also played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of the Norse cosmos.
Loki’s origins, as murky as his intentions, reveal a character born of both giant and godly blood, a figure who transcended his lineage through the bond of blood-brotherhood with Odin. His family, a blend of devoted loyalty and terrifying monstrosity, showcases the duality that defines him. His exploits, whether aiding the gods with his ingenious schemes or wreaking havoc for his own amusement, exemplify the intricate interplay of mischief and heroism that defines his character.
From the infamous shearing of Sif’s golden hair to the tragic demise of Baldr, Loki’s tales are a testament to his craftiness and the consequences of his actions. His ultimate fate, sealed in the agonizing torment of his captivity and his dramatic confrontation with Heimdallr on the battlefield of Ragnarök, underscores the inexorable cycle of fate and destiny that envelops the gods of Norse mythology.
In the end, Loki emerges as a character of enduring fascination, embodying the eternal struggle between chaos and order, cunning and valor, and the intricate web of connections that bind the gods and giants of the Norse cosmos. His legacy endures as a symbol of trickery and a reminder of the enduring power of myth to captivate and inspire generations across the ages.
