#freyja

memewhore:

Freyja and her magic fuckin feather cloak.

Freyja, as a god of fertility like her brother, engaged in many sexual encounters, and Loki, who made it his business to know embarrassing stories of his fellow gods, was well aware of Freyja’s promiscuity.  In fact, in the Lokasenna, when an extremely drunk Loki is insulting each of the gods, he accuses Freyja of having slept with every male god, including her brother Freyr (although this incestual practice seems to be closer to the norm among the Vanir).  Freyja was also closely involved with Odin, who took on multiple mistresses in addition to his wife Frigg.

One day, Freyja noticed a beautiful necklace (some versions of the myth say a belt), called Brisingamen, being forged by a group of four dvergues, the Brisings.  She was instantly enamoured, and felt compelled to own the accessory.

She offered the Brisings all manner of gold and riches, but the dvergues refused.  Their price for the necklace was Freyja.  Freyja would spend one night with each of the four dvergues, and then the necklace would be hers.  Eager to own the necklace, Freyja agreed to the terms, and set about fulfilling her obligation.

For one reason or another though, Loki had followed Freyja, and was now privy to Freyja’s shameful actions in exchange for a piece of jewellery.  Loki returned to the hall of his sworn blood brother Odin, and informed him of what he had seen.  Odin was angered, and he asked that Loki steal the Brisingamen from Freyja.  Freyja’s room was sealed while she slept, so Loki turned himself into a fly to enter through unseen gaps.

Freyja was wearing the necklace while sleeping, so Loki, now turned into a flea, bit Freyja on the cheek, provoking her to turn over in her sleep.  Once Freyja turned over, the necklace’s clasp was exposed, and Loki was able to unfasten and remove it from Freyja’s neck.  Loki collected the necklace and left the room as silently as he had entered.

When Freyja awoke to find her necklace missing, she confronted Odin, and Odin in turn confronted Freyja about her interactions with the dvergues to gain Brisingamen.  To regain the Brisingamen, Odin ordered Freyja to incite between two kings such strife that they begin an unceasing war, later known as the Battle of the Hjadnings.

An alternative conclusion to Loki’s theft of Brisingamen did not include Odin at all.  It is also possible that it refers to a different occasion entirely.  In this version, instead of bringing the necklace to Odin, Loki disguised himself as a seal and attempted to hide.  However, Heimdallr, who possessed powers of greater sight and hearing than the gods, had seen where Loki had gone.  Heimdallr confronted Loki, and a battle ensued.  The battle, strangely enough, featured both Loki and Heimdallr in the form of seals.  Heimdallr has not exhibited the ability to transform himself in any instance other than this, so the accuracy of this version is difficult to determine.  All in all though, Loki ultimately lost, and was forced to surrender the Brisingamen, whereupon it was returned to Freyja.