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Frigg <strong>of</strong> having had affairs with Óðinn’s brothers while he was away in war. <strong>The</strong> former<br />
has to do with Óðinn using the “un-manly” art <strong>of</strong> seiður; the latter is from the story <strong>of</strong><br />
Óðinn’s brothers taking Frigg as their wife, while he was away on long war-journeys.<br />
This could refer to Frigg having the position <strong>of</strong> h<strong>of</strong>gyðja (high priestess), <strong>and</strong> when the<br />
brothers took the place <strong>of</strong> the king in his absence, she became their Lady automatically. It<br />
is interesting that it is Freyja who takes the role <strong>of</strong> responding to Loki on behalf <strong>of</strong> Frigg.<br />
She reminds him <strong>of</strong> the fact that Frigg knows the örlög <strong>of</strong> all things, although she doesn’t<br />
talk about them.<br />
Loki is not in any way a representative <strong>of</strong> moral judgment. To him nothing is<br />
sacred or forbidden. He is a thief, a liar, a murderer <strong>and</strong> he has had sexual encounters<br />
with all kinds <strong>of</strong> beings <strong>of</strong> both genders. He is the mother <strong>of</strong> Óðinn’s magical eight-<br />
legged horse, Sleipnir, <strong>and</strong> he is the father <strong>of</strong> the Underworld goddess Hel. He is the<br />
<strong>and</strong>rogynous goð <strong>of</strong> creation <strong>and</strong> the Underworld, the chaotic forces <strong>of</strong> nature. Óðinn <strong>and</strong><br />
Loki are blood brothers, - which could mean that they are two sides <strong>of</strong> one goð -, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Æsir make use <strong>of</strong> him when it’s convenient, they assimilate him into their pantheon, but<br />
finally bind him in fetters. It is Skaði who then puts a venomous snake over his head, so<br />
the poison drips into his face. When this same Skaði will not make truce with the Æsir<br />
unless they can make her laugh, Loki ties one end <strong>of</strong> a rope to the beard <strong>of</strong> a goat <strong>and</strong> the<br />
other to his own testicles. <strong>The</strong> goat <strong>and</strong> Loki each pull the rope until they’re both<br />
screaming for mercy <strong>and</strong> he falls into Skaði’s lap. <strong>The</strong> angry <strong>and</strong> sad giantess, whose<br />
father the Æsir have just killed, because <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> Loki’s tricks, cannot control herself<br />
<strong>and</strong> laughs 99 . He is the great trickster, voicing the moral <strong>of</strong> others in Lokasenna, but<br />
mostly mocking their morality, in order to be funny <strong>and</strong> sc<strong>and</strong>alous. He manages to shock<br />
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