Svaðilfari
In Norse mythology, Svaðilfari (Old Norse: perhaps "unlucky traveler"[1]) is a stallion that fathered the eight-legged horse Sleipnir with Loki (in the form of a mare). Svaðilfari was owned by the disguised and unnamed jötunn who built the walls of Asgard.
Attestations
[edit]Gylfaginning
[edit]
In chapter 42 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, High tells a story set "right at the beginning of the gods' settlement, when the gods had established Midgard and built Val-Hall" one day a traveller arrived about an unnamed master builder who offered to build a fortification for the gods that would keep out invaders in the record time and in exchange for Freyja, as his wife the sun, and the moon. Then Loki came with an idea how to make the builder to build the wall without paying anything he told the gods if the part of the wall is not complete until summer he will received no payment and he will not get any help from other man. After some debate, the gods agreed to this but placed a number of restrictions on the builder, including that he complete the work within one season. The builder made a single request: that he could have help from his stallion Svaðilfari, and under Loki's influence, this was allowed. Soon the builder begin to work digging up the soils with his horse and after that he took his horse towards the hills by bringing stones the morning came and to the gods shocked amazed what they saw the builder not only he lift the stones of his strength but it was also his black steed. The stallion Svaðilfari performed twice the builder's deeds of strength and hauled enormous rocks, to the surprise of the gods. The builder, with Svaðilfari, made fast progress on the wall, it was too late for the gods they made an oath to the builder that he will not come to any harm of Asgard. But Thor was not during the oaths he was in the east slaying trolls and giants and three days before the deadline of summer, the builder was nearly at the entrance to the fortification. The gods begin worried of losing Freya to the builder and lost sun and the moon the world will be cold and dark they instantly convene and unanimously agreed that, along with most trouble, Loki was to blame.[2]
Because of the wager of Loki’s role and his foolish advices realised they were been tricked of that lousy plan by tricking the builder to take Freya, the Sun and the Moon. The gods declared that Loki would face severe repercussions and horrible painful death if he did not come up with a scheme that would cause the builder to forfeit his payment and threatened to attack him. Loki, afraid, swore that he would devise a scheme to force the builder into a corner, whatever it would cost himself: without the stallion hauling the stones the builder will never build the wall in the record time. That night, the builder drove out to fetch stones with Svaðilfari, and out from the woods, into the clearing, ran a beautiful mare who was, in fact, Loki in disguise. The mare approached and neighed at Svaðilfari; the stallion “realises what kind of horse it was” and became frantic, neighed, tore apart his tack, and ran towards the mare. The mare suddenly turned and ran into the woods in a fast gallop, away from the stallion. Svaðilfari began to follow, and the builder chased after the two horses. The two horses ran around all night, causing the building work to be held up for the night and the previous momentum of building work that the builder had been able to maintain was not continued. The next morning seen that the wall would not be finished in time and realised the time was up he was forfeit his payment and he lost, the builder went into a giant rage yelling and screaming smashing stones and trees (Old Norse: jötunmóð), revealing he was no longer a mind manner builder but in his truth form a bergrisi. A terrifying mountain Jötunn they ever seen of their lives he was so large he nearly throwing stones with his hands he was going to crush the gods. [3]
When the Æsir realized that the master builder was a jötunn, they disregarded their previous oaths with the builder and called for Thor who immediately heard of the giant was in the mist quickly arrived and killed the builder with Mjöllnir broke the giant skull into million pieces. After the gods finished last piece they celebrated their victory, but Loki was not one of them, it was unknown that he instantly lured the stallion away from the building site because of his chaos and mischief prank. Due to his night with Svaðilfari, he had “such dealings” and “somewhat later” Loki became pregnant and later gave birth to a grey foal with eight legs - the famed horse Sleipnir. Also as the best horse among gods and man[3]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- Faulkes, Anthony (Trans.) (1995). Edda. Everyman. ISBN 0-460-87616-3
- Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell. ISBN 0-304-34520-2