In the list of my musical posts related with the Norse mythology there are 2 posts:
FOLKEARTH. Wolfsong In Moonlight (Fenris Unbound)
http://blog.bitcomet.com/svetlana/post_42742/
SLEIPNIR. Connection of runes with metal music
http://blog.bitcomet.com/svetlana/post_41324/
Both Fenris and Sleipnir are children of Loki. This is why I decided to tell about him. And also, because I like the Manowar album "Goods of war" and they have a nice song there called "Loki God of fire", which you are listening now.
Loki is the son of giants and foster brother of Odin. Of all the gods, Loki is probably the most enigmatic and contradictory. Undoubtedly, his depiction has suffered from Christian influences which have sought to draw direct parallels between him and the Devil. Hence the popular picture of Loki is of some evil devious entity that performs wickedness for its own sake. Originally of the race of giants, Loki is also often identified as a fire spirit though there is little real evidence of this in his behavior. The one real supporting reference is in the Lokasenna where he tells the gods they will never hold a feast such as this again
"My flames play over all you possess,
Already they burn your back"
He does share the dual nature of fire being equally capable of being destructive or of aid. His name is similar to the word for fire and, this tradition of Loki as fire spirit is one honored in Northern Europe.
Morally ambiguous, Loki is neither wholly good or bad and generally he is mischievous rather than wicked, with most of his activities inconveniencing rather than seriously harming the gods.
Indeed ironically, part of Loki's role seems to be to act as the conscience of the gods, ensuring they do not have opportunity to forget their transgressions and failings.
It was Loki who played a pivotal role in the creation and fortification of Asgard, illustrating once again the gods' dependence upon him.
Another key aspect of Loki is his ability to change shape and gender. In the stories he adopts a variety of forms including horse, bird, fly, flea and salmon.
Loki is the father of all the key monsters in Norse mythology, such as the Wolf Fenris who will eventually kill Odin,
the Midgard Serpent which is coiled around the earth and which will eventually kill Thor,
and the goddess Hel, ruler of death and the underworld.
However he is also the mother of Odin's horse Sleipnir.
This ambivalent god grows progressively more unpleasent, and is directly responsible for the death of Balder, the god of light.
This then is Loki, thief, trickster, shape-shifter and trouble-shooter, both mother and father, both giant and god, both creator and destroyer. Imprisoned after Baldur's death beneath the earth with a serpent dripping poison on his face. Then the poison that falls on Loki's face makes him twist in pain, it is causing earthquakes.
On the day of Ragnarok, Loki's chains will break and he will lead the giants into battle against the gods. Loki is often called the Sly One, the Trickster, the Shape Changer, and the Sky Traveler.
Loki is always a devious untrustworthy figure but he is also fun injecting most of the humor into the mythology. He is also someone who initiates much of the action in the tales.
"Loki is perhaps the most outstanding character among the northern gods, the chief actor in the most amusing stories, and the motivating force in a large number of plots"
Manowar: "Gods of war" : "Loki, God of Fire":
The son of giants
Walks across the sky
To the gods a friend
Fathered beast and men
As a falcon he did fly
Far across the sky
To take back the hammer
Of thor his friend
He lives between the worlds
The world of gods and men
He is the god of fire
Burning higher
God of fire
Into the sky
The father of a wolf
And the serpent of the sea
The ruler of hell
A giant is he
To odin he's a brother
A brother who is sly
One who changes shape
Who walks across the sky
He lives between the worlds
The world of gods and men
He is the god of fire
Burning higher
God of fire
Into the sky
God of fire
Burning higher
God of fire
Into the sky
Brother to thor
And odin god of war
Loki god of fire
Reigns for evermore
The father of a wolf
And the serpent of the sea
The ruler of hell
A giant is he
To odin he's a brother
A brother who is sly
One who changes shape
Who walks across the sky
God of fire
Burning higher
God of fire
Into the sky
