The Riddles of Horn
by Thorskegga Thorn
 

Loki staggered through the halls of Bilskirnir with a large barrel of ale in
his arms. Thor had been in a very downcast mood all morning and Loki was
anxious to lighten his temperament. The sky was dark and menacing and
stabbed by lightning and torrential rain, reflecting the Thunderer's mood.
Thor sat in his great hall on the high seat between the main pillars of
Bilskirnir. He held out a cup gratefully as Loki proffered the ale. 

Thor sighed deeply, "Why does everything have to go wrong at once?" 

"Never rains but it pours eh?" Loki giggled. Thor glared at him meaningfully
but Loki carried on undaunted, "Just sort out the worst problems first, it
is all a question of priorities!" 

"Sometimes it can be difficult to choose what to tackle first," the
Thunderer replied, "Hop up here and see for yourself." Loki scrambled up
onto the high seat and the walls of Bilskilnir melted away, all the nine
worlds were laid out before him. 

"It must be the giants again," thought Loki and he gazed towards distant
Jotunheim. Sure enough there was a great force of Frost giants rallying to
attack, sharpening swords and brewing spells to send icy weather to the
world of men. "So?" said Loki, pretending to be unconcerned by the numerous
giants, "There is only a couple of hundred of them, you will be back in time
for lunch!" 

"Look again," said Thor. "More giants?" thought Loki. He looked again
towards the borders of Midgard. In many places the enemies of men and gods
were creeping in, blighting land and cattle. The ogres, trolls and dark
elves were invading Midgard. Loki was sobered by the sheer scale of the
problem: it would take Thor months to repel all these creatures. "Er, how
about starting with the giants?" he suggested. 

"It gets worse," prompted Thor, "Look again." Puzzled, Loki searched the
heart of Midgard and at first saw nothing unusual; just the loves and toil
and petty hatreds that made up the world of men. Then he saw what was
concerning his friend. In Sweden two huge armies had assembled and prepared
to join battle over the peaceful farmland. The country would be devastated,
crops trampled, stores stolen, cattle slaughtered, women raped and men
killed as they tried to defend their holdings. The sheer number of massed
warriors told Loki that this was the war gods' doing. He glanced at Valhall
and winced at the sight of the valkyries preparing the loom of death. 

"Do you really want to take on Odin?" asked Loki. 

"I have got to do something," Thor replied angrily, "The farmers are
desperate, a hundred shrines have been reddened with blood and they look to
me to save them, but how can I? If I do not deal with that giant army, more
lands than Sweden will suffer. You will just have to delay the battle until
I return." 

"Me?" cried Loki in horror. 

"What's this? I ask YOU to stir up trouble and you refuse!" Loki stared at
Valhall, at the hordes of valkyries at Odin's command. They would weave
their foul cloth from the intestines of human corpses chanting a thousand
spells, then they would carry their battle banner over the armies and every
warrior in Sweden would be driven wild with bloodlust. Odin would cast his
victory spear and claim the souls of the dead. Loki could never match such
magic, unless... He smiled as an idea formed in his mind. Thor saw the
cunning look in Loki's eyes, "You see an answer?" he asked. 

"Yes, I think I do." 

"Good," said Thor, "I leave this sorry business in your hands - don't fail
me." Thor strode down the hall calling for his servants to fetch out his
chariot. Loki slipped down from the high seat, ran to his chamber and shook
out his feather cloak. He threw it over his shoulders and shot through the
window in falcon form. 

Loki flew to Sweden and sought out the battle camp of the Swedish king. He
concealed himself amongst the tents and transformed himself into a young and
attractive woman. Satisfied with his appearance, Loki strolled boldly
towards the royal court. King Atli was debating terrain and tactics with his
chief warlords. The earth before him had been cleared and was covered with
scratched marks, hills, rivers, lakes and tally marks showing the numbers of
the warbands. He frowned with concentration, trying to make sense of the
crude and unfamiliar map. 

His attention was broken utterly by the approach of a woman whose beauty
held him utterly spellbound. Her long golden hair flowed loose in the light
breeze and glowed in the sun. She wore gold and jewels and walked with a
bearing that showed nobility. She wore a thin linen dress which left nothing
to the imagination. King Atli didn't ask who she was or where she had come
from - he didn't care. He took her hand and led her away to his tent,
shouting for a bondsman to fetch wine. 

Far away, in Valhall, Geirahod the valkyrie cursed at the loom: twelve warp
threads had snapped and the skull that had weighted them lay rocking from
side to side on the floor. She snatched up the skull and ran to the battle
god, "Someone is working against us," she said. 

Odin took the skull from her hands and fingered the broken intestine
threads. "It is Loki," Odin answered, "That interfering rascal. He thinks he
can distract the kings if he blinds them with lust." He handed back the
skull. "Mend the web and drain all desire from King Grim. He will attack as
planned and King Atli will be forced to fight." Geirahod returned to the
loom and replaced the broken threads with strands of mistrust and hatred,
and beat up the bloody fabric with her sword. 

Loki left the court of King Atli well pleased with his efforts. Atli was
besotted with love and his head was full of a woman's prattling on the evils
of war. Loki took his falcon form again and flew off to the Danish camp.
Again he took on the appearance of a beautiful maiden and walked gracefully
to the kings council. King Grim glanced up at the apparition of loveliness
before him and scowled at her. "Begone," he growled, "This is neither the
time nor place for women." 

Loki paused, hardly believing Grim's lack of interest. He muttered a love
charm under his breath and walked up to the king until Grim had a birds eye
view of a perfect cleavage. Grim bellowed furiously, "Didn't you hear me
woman, begone!" The king struck out, sending Loki wheeling. 

Loki staggered off. "This is ridiculous," he thought, "What am I doing
wrong? I bet Freyja doesn't have this kind of trouble seducing mortals!"
Suddenly Loki grinned: he knew how to reach Grim's cold heart. He returned
to his falcon guise and flew off to Vanaheim. 

Night had fallen when the weary falcon alighted on the roof of Sessrumnir,
Freyja's shining hall. There was only one magic power that could aid Loki
now - Brisingamen, the necklace of the Vanadis. Loki did not dare ask the
goddess to aid him, like Odin she stood to gain much from the battle and
would claim the best of the dead warriors. His only hope was to steal it
while she slept. The falcon soared around the hall searching for an entrance
but Sessrumnir was so well built that there wasn't a gap big enough for Loki
to squeeze through. Finally Loki found a small crack high among the roof
shingles. He turned into a flea and crawled inside. 

Loki was familiar with Freyja's hall and he crept quickly to the goddess's
chamber. Freyja was sleeping on her back with the necklace fastening out of
reach. Loki turned back into a flea and bit her. She moaned in her sleep and
rolled over, allowing Loki to gently remove Brisingamen. Once again the
falcon took to the skies, this time with the precious necklace in its claws.


Loki flew straight to the camp of King Grim, aware that he had little time
before Grim marched on the Swedish army. As morning broke, Loki changed back
into the guise of a beautiful maiden and approached the king's tent. Loki
wore Brisingamen and revelled in the power that coursed through him. The
valkyrie's spells faded like the mist when Grim woke and saw the beautiful
woman before him. 

In the halls of Valhall the valkyries screamed with rage as every thread on
the loom broke simultaneously and the skulls clattered to the floor. Odin
stared at the loom in amazement and knew that only one power could have
undone all the valkyries' spells. Odin called for his horse - he would have
words with Freyja. 

In Vanaheim the halls of Sessrumnir shook as Freyja woke to find her jewels
missing. Freyr, Skadi and Heimdall came running and vowed to help her find
the thief. Furious, Freyja wove charms and soon deduced Loki's guilt. The
Vanir gods gathered their steeds and started a thorough search of the nine
worlds for the Trickster. Freyja, wild with rage, urged her battle-boar
forward and scanned the world below for any sign of her quarry. 

No sign of Loki was found for days, even when Odin and his valkyries joined
the hunt. It was Heimdall who spotted him eventually, hiding in the snows of
the northern wastes, almost invisible in the form of a white hare. Heimdall
rushed to grab him but Loki turned into a great bear and raked his claws at
the Vanir god. Heimdall also changed into a bear and the two gods growled
and fought and the ice shook as they stamped their shaggy paws. The battle
alerted the other gods and they soon arrived to help Heimdall trap Loki. 

Greatly outnumbered Loki fled, turned himself into a salmon and leapt into a
mountain river. The gods made a great fishing net and dragged the waters for
their quarry. Loki tried to escape by leaping over the net but Freyr caught
him and held him so strongly that Loki could not wiggle free. The gods
dragged Loki to a cave and tied him securely. Freyja screamed at him again
and again, "What had he done with her precious necklace?" Loki ignored her
threats and refused to answer. 

Eventually the Vanir tired of threatening the stubborn god and left Loki to
languish in the dark cave. Skadi tied a snake above his head to drip venom
on his naked body, in the hope of speeding his return to reason. Only Sigyn,
Loki's faithful wife stayed with him and held up a bowl to catch the poison.


In Sweden the warriors went home to their farms and families. Loki had used
the strongest of magic and with Brisingamen lost, no-one could incite the
kings to battle. Weeks passed and Sigyn wept at Loki's plight and begged him
to swallow his pride and return Brisingamen. Many times the cup was filled
with poison and the loyal wife turned aside to empty it while Loki writhed
in pain. 

After three moons an old woman came upon the cave. She was hideous and bent,
her lips and hands scarred from spinning. Her clothes were filthy. Her back
was burdened by a huge burden of flax and a wooden flax knife. She gazed
into the darkness and, intrigued by the sight she saw inside, she came in to
investigate. 

The old woman hobbled up to Loki and peered down at him with rheumy eyes.
"You look like you could use some help," she said, smiling with amusement. 

"What can you do old crone?" growled Loki. His back ached from the hard bed
and he was in no mood for pleasantries. 

"You are bound with magic," the old woman rubbed the bonds with her finger,
"I have some skill with such enchantments." Loki looked hopeful. "But," she
added, "I would only help you if you deserve your freedom. Tell me, why
should I release you - what good qualities do you have?" 

"Few can match my wits," Loki replied. 

"A contest of riddles then? If you can answer nine of my riddles I will set
you free." 

Loki nodded eagerly, "Yes, ask what you will." 

The old woman asked: 

I see a wagon with one wheel, the wheel turns with no horse to pull it but
the wagon never moves. Housewives revere it and make offerings of corn. How
can this be? 
Loki answered: 
You see a mill wheel turned by the stream. 
The old woman asked: 
I see a woman loved by a child, the woman never speaks to her, feeds her or
protects her from harm, but the child loves her as much as any mother or
sister. How can this be? 
Loki answered: 
You see a doll. 
The old woman asked: 
I see a woman, quiet she is and gentle, and stays by her wool box in the
hall. Yet her deeds give men courage on the battlefield. How can this be? 
Loki answered: 
The woman is a seamstress and made her lord's battleflag. 
The old woman asked: 
I see an army, far they travel and loot gold from beautiful halls. I see a
single woman seize their treasure and carry it away. How can this be? 
Loki answered: 
The army are bees collecting nectar - the woman has taken their honey from
the hive. 
The old woman asked: 
I see a maid with a veil of blue, she dwells in a fair place. Men come and
drag her away, beat her and tie her with ropes. Freyja bears her name. Who
do I see? 
Loki answered: 
That is 'Horn' the flax plant that men harvest for women's weaving. 
The old woman asked: 
I see a golden child astride the rooftree. She spins and her thread falls to
the ground. Who do I see? 
Loki answered: 
That is the sun with its rays that light the earth. 
The old woman asked: 
I see an old man lying in a cradle, loud he laughs at the women's crooning.
Who do I see? 
Loki answered: 
You see an elf. His kin have stolen the mothers' child. 
The old woman asked: 
I see a famous man. He severs Earth's girdle with the anvil's friend. He is
aided by a fellow with a golden ring. Who is this companion? 
Loki answered: 
That is the bull that Thor used as bait for the Earth serpent. 
The old woman asked: 
I see ring of fire, the greatest of treasures. Empowered by passion and won
by love. Where lies this prize? 
Loki answered: 
That is Brisingamen that was bought from the dwarfs for four nights of
caresses. Freyja did wear it... until recently. 
"What do you mean?" the woman asked, surprised. 
"Freyja has lost her necklace," Loki replied. 

"Oh that is a shame, if you cannot answer my last riddle I cannot free you.
What a pity when you tried so hard." The old woman shuffled sadly towards
the cave mouth while Loki agonised over whether or not to tell his secret.
He could not return Brisingamen until Thor returned from his battles on the
borders of Midgard, but this kind old woman? - maybe he could let her in on
his plans. 

Just then Sigyn was forced to turn away and empty the bowl of poison and the
relentless drops burned into Loki's flesh. Loki could take it no longer and
called the old woman back, "Wait, I know where it is!" 

"You do?" asked the old woman. 

"Yes," Loki replied, "I stole it to prevent war in Midgard - it is in Sif's
care." 

"Then I can release you," the old woman said coldly. She ripped away Loki's
bonds as if they were made of cobweb and grabbed him by the shoulders,
hauling him upright. Loki whimpered in terror as the old woman shape-shifted
into Freyja, her fierce angry eyes only inches from his own. 

"And now, we can go and retrieve Brisingamen, yes?" Loki nodded desperately.


"No need," said a voice from the cave mouth. Freyja spun round with the
naked Loki still in her grasp. Sif stood in the sunlight with her golden har
gleaming with a carved casket in her arms. Her husband, beside her, grinning
with undisguised amusement. Sif came forward and held out the casket. Freyja
dropped the miserable, aching Loki to the floor and eagerly prised off the
lid. She sighed with relief to find Brisingamen safe within and quickly
fastened the necklace back around her neck. 

Still angry, Freyja whirled back to the pitiful figure of Loki, who was
being helped to his feet by his loyal wife. "You will regret crossing me
Loki!" cried Freyja. She gave Thor a cold, meaningful look and with a flurry
of falcon feathers the Vanadis was gone. Loki watched the falcon's flight
sadly, his heart aching from Freyja's scorn. 

"I think you owe me a very big favour," he said to the Thunderer. 

"You are right there," Thor agreed and took Sigyn's hand, "May I escort you
home, my lady?" Sigyn looked puzzled and then smiled as she understood.
"Don't worry Loki," Thor added, "Freyja won't neglect you for long." There
was a blinding flash of light and Loki and Sif were left alone in the cave.
Sif gently massaged Loki's aching limbs and he marvelled at the sweet smell
of the golden hair that cascaded over him. And Loki thought no more of the
Vanadis. 


 
Author's note: 

This story is a complete mish-mash of the old myths. The theft of
Brisingamen is related in the Sorla Thattr. Odin is furious that Freyja
(apparently his wife in this version) has given her body to four dwarves for
the necklace, he sends Loki to steal it from her and then forces her to make
reparation for her infidelity. 

The battle between Heimdall and Loki over possession of the necklace is
mentioned briefly in Snorri's Edda. Loki's punishment is given in the story
of the death of Balder, which states that he will be bound until Ragnarok.
Loki's affair with Sif is mentioned in Lokasenna in the Poetic Edda. 

The battle in Sweden, Freyja's riddles and Thor's involvement are my own
additions. 

(First published in The Wain, Yule 1998 - Issue No. 7) 

This story and accompanying commentary remains the property of its author
and cannot be printed/displayed elsewhere without the author's permission. 


  


Charles Mims
http://www.the-sandbox.org
 

-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Behalf Of Bill Rickard
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2003 8:26 PM
To: The Sandbox Discussion List
Subject: Re: [Sndbox] Discoveries



Gjallar, the horn of Heimdall.


--
Bill
http://www.vlca.net

On Tuesday 09 December 2003 12:42, Charles wrote:
> If you could discover one item that belonged to someone in history, 
> whose would it be, and what would it be?
>
> Charles Mims
> http://www.the-sandbox.org <http://www.the-sandbox.org/>



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