Loki and Odin's Blood Brotherhood?

[finn-loki]

Hello all, I'm researching why Odin and Loki of Norse Mythology are blood-brothers. Why have they made this pact? Anyone have an answer or a source where I could research further?

Thanks!
DaveG

[bosse_s]

Excellent question Dave!!!

... I wish I could help you!

Loki is as complex as Odin, and he is the "trickster" of Nordic Mythology. At the dawn of times, they mixed their blood - the reason is uncertain. Odin, the greatest of the gods, was often worried and nervous, maybe because he had made this pact and knew that he had to stick with it or let evil take over. Loki had given Odin his weapon and his horse Sleipnir, so there is a lot of things (including a sexual relationship) indicating a strong connection between the two. Odin forgave Loki for his misbehaviours at many times, and let him stay with the gods, eventhough Loki was the son of a giant (and would eventually kill Balder).

Some claim that they were really brothers, but the Poetic Edda points to that they had mixed their blood and made some sort of a pact.

I have also tried to find out the reason for why they became blood brothers. The answer might be found somehow in the creation of the worlds, as the mythology indicates that the pact was made in the beginning of times... ?

Please keep me posted if you find out anything, Dave!

[mykfin]

Hi Dave, i found this site and it does mention Loki and Odin, not sure if you will get your answer, still its worth a look.

http://freespace.virgin.net/dominic....rald/norse.htm

[bosse_s]

I take it that you have some general knowledge about Loki and the Aesirs, Finn-Loki

If you have read some about Loki, you know that he can be seen simply as an evil character, and sometimes as the funny "clown" of Asgard. Yet, he is important as he creates Ragnarok; He creates the End, but - importantly - the beginning of something new. Without Loki, the mythology would not be complete.

I found this text about Loki, roughly translated by me:

"How could the friendly and good Odin have such a close relationship to Loki? In an early stage of the Asgard era there were not as many gods. Loki, who was quite cunning, came to Odin who welcommed his company as the other gods were not so charistmatic (sp?). One can say that they spent their wild youth together, and they even became bloodbrothers. The oath is that none of them shall eat unless the other is offered the same food. This can not have been to hard for Odin to agree upon since he in his later days mostly drank wine. (---)"

Source: http://hem.passagen.se/bifrostfolket/blandat.html

[finn-loki]

Thanks very much for the information -- very helpful! I'm going to keep researching this to see if there's any other information out there.

Tack så mycket,
DaveG

[bosse_s]

Det var så lite!

[Mamie]

a good Norse history/mythology website
http://www.northvegr.org/

for the gods follow the links on "Heithni"