God Loki – Trickster And Wizard Of Lies In Norse Mythology

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - Loki is an elusive figure in countless Northern myths, but he is also the most fascinating of all the members of the Norse pantheon.

Listed among the Aesir as a constant companion to the gods, especially Odin and Thor, Loki is destined to be their adversary at Ragnarok.

He is the son of giants, a thief and trickster/shapeshifter, responsible for all possible mischief and deception that the gods have to suffer. He is known as the “prince of lies” and the “arch deceiver”. The main symbol associated with Loki is a serpent, as it represents his mischievous and cunning deeds.

On the other hand, through his cunning, Loki remains the gods’ friend helping them in difficult situations.

As the companion of Thor and Odin, Loki is almost always presented alongside them. Although never to be fully trusted, at the beginning, Loki was very helpful when he assisted Odin in the creation of the world and under his instructions, the dwarves produced some divine treasures for the gods and shapeshifted into a mare, to give birth to a magical Odin’s horse, Sleipnir.

Loki's flight to Jötunheim (1908) by W. G. Collingwood. Image via Wikipedia

An important part of many myths, Loki is not presented in them in the same way. In his “Myths of Northern Lands”, H. A. Guerber writes that some myths declare that, instead of being part of the creative trilogy (Odin, Hoenir, and Lodur), Loki originally belonged to an older pre-Odinic race of deities, and was the son of the great giant Fornjotnr (Ymir), who had three sons: Kari, the air, Hler (the sea) and Loki (the fire).

Other myths make Loki, the son of the giant Farbauti (identified with Bergelmir), who was the sole survivor of the Deluge. His connection with Odin was only that of the Northern oath of good-fellowship as it is attested in Lokasenna, one of the poems of the Poetic Edda, Loki is even described as a blood-brother to Odin.

Later something changed in his complex nature, which became more malevolent and even evil when Loki brought about his brother Balder’s death and actively assisted in other crimes.

As punishment for causing Balder’s death, Loki was bound across three large rocks so he was unable to break loose until the last battle took place at Ragnarok. Loki could finally join the giants in the attack on Asgard. In this battle, he fought against his worst enemy, Heimdall and they slew each other.

See also:

Odin: Norse God Of War And Magic – Most Complex Figure Of The Norse Pantheon

Ask And Embla: First Human Pair Created By Powerful God Odin And His Two Brothers

Asgard: Enter The Ancient Kingdom Of The Powerful Norse Gods

More Myths And Legends

Loki married three times. His first wife, Glut, bore him the children Eisa and Einmyria and their names refer to fire and its warmth. In this very positive aspect, Loki is the deity of the fireside, leisure, and relaxation; peasants worshiped him as the greatest of all the gods.  His other wife was a giantess, Angrboda, and  Loki had three monstrous children: Hel, the ruler of the dead, Jormungand, the World Serpent, and Fenrir, the monstrous wolf.

Loki kept the existence of these monsters secret as long as he could, but they quickly grew so large that they could no longer remain confined in the dark cave in Jötunheim where they had come to light.

A furnace stone from Snaptun, Denmark, thought to show Loki with his lips sewn up by the dwarves to punish him for trying to cheat them when they forged the treasures of the gods.

Hel, Jormungand, and Fenrir were considered to be the symbols of pain, sin, and death. They later threatened the very existence of the gods.

Loki’s fascinating personality has always captivated the ancient people of Scandinavia. In 1950, semi-circular flat soapstone depicting a mustachioed face was discovered on a beach near Snaptun, Denmark.

The face - carved around the year 1000 CE - depicts a face with scarred lips. The figure has been identified as Loki and as retold from Norse texts, a dwarf, Brokkr (in old Norse: “the one who works with metal fragments; blacksmith") pulled an awl from his shirt and pierced a series of holes along Loki’s upper and lower lips. Then he drew out a leather thong and sewed the Loki’s lips together – living him totally speechless.

The soapstone with this depiction may point to a connection between Loki, flames, and smithing.

Written by – A. Sutherland AncientPages.com Staff Writer

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