Freyja

Loki slid towards Brísingamen on the sea rock Vágasker, also called Singasteinn, the ornament rock. The necklace lay there glittering above Ægir’s realm. Freyja had worn it while seeking Svipdag and finding him beneath the waves. She and the necklace had remained for a time in the sea, which gave Brísingamen the epithet fagrt hafnýra, “the fair kidney of the sea”. Its light over the water also explains Freyja’s name Mardöll, “the one diffusing a glimmering in the sea”.

Loki took the shape of a seal. A seal climbing onto the skerry would cause no suspicion. He moved towards the necklace, but another seal came after him. Heimdall had seen the attempt and assumed the same shape. The two fought on Vágasker. Their disguises could not conceal their eyes, and Heimdall recognised the cunning descendant of Farbauti. Loki withdrew without completing his theft. Heimdall recovered Brísingamen and returned it to Freyja.

Other accounts preserve related versions. In the saga of Olaf Tryggvason, Loki entered Freyja’s locked bower as a fly, found a minute opening beneath the roof, then bit her cheek after changing into a flea. When she turned, he resumed his own shape and unclasped the necklace. The saga names the smiths Alfrig, Dvalin, Berling and Grer, and says that Loki acted after telling Odin how Freyja had obtained it.

In Beowulf, Heimdall appears as Hâma and brings Brosingamene to Asgard. The poem calls it the finest ornament under heaven. Hâma later falls into Eormenric’s snares. This has been compared with Saxo’s traps for Liserus, identified with Heimdall, and Hadding.

Freyja rode through the night on Battle-hog, a boar with golden bristles made by the dwarfs Dain and Nabbi. Óttar, her protégé, was disguised as the boar. He needed knowledge of his ancestry to defend his claim to an inheritance against Angantyr. Freyja brought him to the giantess Hyndla and asked her to recount the lineages of princes descended from the gods.

Freyja called Hyndla her sister and tried to persuade her to help. Hyndla answered with insults and accused Freyja of taking Óttar on the road to Valhall. Freyja denied this and praised Battle-hog. Hyndla suggested that one of her wolves should race beside the boar. Freyja replied that her excellent steed should not be overloaded. She then urged Hyndla to sit with her and discuss the ancestry Óttar needed.

Hyndla settled down and recounted Óttar’s ancestors, but refused to ride with Freyja to Valhall. The poem turns briefly to another prophecy before returning to the conversation. Freyja asks for memory-ale, so that Óttar can remember the words spoken and repeat them on the third morning, when he and Angantyr compare their lineages. Hyndla refuses. She says that she wants to sleep and that Freyja will get little from her.

Freyja threatens to surround Hyndla’s dwelling with fire from the troll-woman, leaving her no escape. Hyndla sees fire burning and the earth aflame. She asks that the beer placed in Óttar’s hand be mixed with much poison, so that it will bring him misfortune. Freyja rejects the curse and says that it will have no effect. She prays that the gods will aid Óttar and declares that he will drink precious liquor. The ale gives him what he needs to remember the genealogical account and support his claim against Angantyr.

Loki forced his way into Ægir’s hall while the gods feasted. He had been excluded, and all the gods were present except Thor. Loki compelled Odin to assign him a seat, then began insulting the company. Bragi offered him a horse, a sword, and a ring if he would repay the gods with peace. Loki mocked Bragi as timid and challenged him to fight. Idunn asked Bragi to remember their kinship and not answer with blame.

Loki continued against the gods and goddesses. He accused Odin of giving victory to faint-hearted men. Odin answered that Loki had spent eight winters beneath the earth as a milch cow and a woman, and had borne children. Loki replied that Odin had practised seiðr on Samsey, beaten a drum like a seeress, and travelled among men in the form of a wizard. Frigg told them not to speak publicly about what they had done in earlier times.

Freyja rebuked Loki for his malice and for insulting the gods. She recalled that he had been with his brother while the gods looked on, and said that he had then farted. Loki answered by attacking Freyja’s sexual conduct. He referred to her relations with men and presented them as a source of shame. He also connected her sexual behaviour with dangerous magic. Seiðr is the sorcery associated with Freyja, including its divinatory forms and its other uses. Loki’s taunt treated this magic as evil and carnal.

The quarrel continued through the hall. Niord defended Freyja and said that having a husband or a lover was harmless. He answered Loki’s insult by recalling that Loki had borne children. Loki said that Niord had fathered Freyr with his own sister. Tyr defended Freyr, and further insults passed between Loki and the other gods. Heimdall told Loki that drink had robbed him of sense. Loki continued until Thor returned from Giant-land and threatened him with his hammer, Miollnir. Loki then fell silent and agreed to leave the feast.

The Æsir and the Vanir fought until both sides had suffered defeats and victories. At last, they grew weary of the war and made peace. To secure the settlement, they exchanged hostages.

The Vanir sent Njord, their best man, and his son Freyr to the Æsir. One account also names Kvasir among the hostages. In the account that names her, Freyja came with the Vanir hostages, and the Æsir made her a priestess. Freyr and Njord received the dignity of priests. They joined the Æsir in Asgard.

The Vanir treated Hoenir and Mimer with similar respect. They made Hoenir a chief and judge. They soon decided that he was foolish and believed that the Æsir had deceived them in the exchange. In anger, they cut off Mimer’s head instead of Hoenir’s and sent it to Odin.

Odin embalmed Mimer’s head and sang magic songs over it. The head then spoke to him and told him many strange things. The exchange therefore brought Njord, Freyr, and, in one account, Freyja to the Æsir, while Hoenir and Mimer passed to the Vanir.