The Prose Edda

by Jesse L. Byock

Tricksters, found in stories from cultures as disparate as ancient Mesopotamia and the Americas, are at times cultural heroes while at other times they are antisocial individuals. Often tricksters live at the margins of society and are neither completely good nor thoroughly bad. Always on the move, they delight audiences with their adventures, mishaps and humour. As shape-changers, tricksters sometimes switch genders according to the needs of the moment.

The Edda lists the names of many dwarves, including Durin, Dvalin, Dain, Gandalf, Thorin, Bifur, Bafur, Bombur, Nori, Oin, Fili, Kili, Throin, Gloin, Dori, Ori and Oakenshield, who are familiar to modern readers through J. R. R. Tolkien’s writings.

‘Then Skadi went up to the mountains and lived in Thrymheim. She travels much on skis, carries a bow and shoots wild animals. She is called the ski god or the ski lady, as is said:

A hall named Glitnir, supported by gold pillars and roofed with silver. There Forseti spends most days and settles all lawsuits.

Her hall is called Eljudnir [Sprayed with Snowstorms], her dish is Hunger, her knife is Famine, her slave is Lazy, and Slothful is her woman servant. The threshold over which people enter is a pitfall called Fallandaforad [Falling to Peril], her bed is named Kor [Sick Bed], and her bed curtains are named Blikjandabol [Gleaming Disaster]. She is half black and half a lighter flesh colour and is easily recognized. Mostly she is gloomy and cruel.

he had some dwarves make the fetter called Gleipnir. It was constructed from six elements: the noise of a cat’s footsteps, the beard of a woman, the roots of a mountain, the sinews of a bear, the breath of a fish, and the spittle of a bird. Though previously you had no knowledge of these matters, you now can quickly see the proof that you were not deluded. You must have noticed that a woman has no beard, a cat’s movement makes no loud noise and mountains have no roots.

‘The eleventh is Syn [Refusal]. She guards the doors in the hall and locks out those who ought not to enter. She is also appointed to defend cases that she wants to see refuted in the courts.