Thursday, February 09, 2006

Útgar?a-Loki

Útgar?a-Loki[EXTRACT]
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Útgar?a-Loki

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Útgar?aloki as depicted in Valhalla, a Danish animated movie from 1986.
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Útgar?aloki as depicted in Valhalla, a Danish animated movie from 1986.

In Norse mythology, Útgar?a-Loki or Útgar?a-Loki (Anglicized as Utgarda-Loki and in other ways) was the ruler of the city Útgar?r in Jötunheimr. He was one of the Jötnar.

According to the Prose Edda Thor travelled to Útgar?r along with ?jálfi and Loki. They took part in several contests organized by Útgar?a-Loki. The tests were all rigged. Loki participated in an eating contest against fire personified. ?jálfi competed in running against the mind of Útgar?a-Loki. Thor wrestled with Elli, tried to lift Jörmungandr appearing as a cat and tried to empty a drinking horn connected to the sea.

Gesta Danorum

In the Gesta Danorum an expedition to the land of the giants encounters one called Utgarthilocus.

Ex qua item atrum obscenumque conclave visentibus aperitur. Intra quod Utgarthilocus manus pedesque immensis catenarum molibus oneratus aspicitur, cuius olentes pili tam magnitudine quam rigore corneas aequaverant hastas. Quorum unum Thorkillus, adnitentibus sociis, mento patientis excussum, quo promptior fides suis haberetur operibus, asservavit; statimque tanta foetoris vis ad circumstantes manavit, ut nisi repressis amiculo naribus respirare nequirent.

From here the visitors could see a murky, repulsive chamber, inside which they descried Utgartha-Loki, his hands and feet laden with a huge weight of fetters. His rank-smelling hairs were as long and tough as spears of cornel-wood. Thorkil kept one of these as a more visible proof of his labours by heaving at it with his friends till it was plucked from the chin of the unresisting figure; immediately such a powerful stench rolled over the bystanders that they had to smother their nostrils in their cloaks and could scarcely breathe. — Fisher's translation

Apart from the name of the giant there is little that reminds of Snorri's Útgar?a-Loki. The bound giant figure is more reminiscent of the bound Loki.

Norse mythology