According to Norse mythology, Svaðilfari, a stallion, and Loki, in the shape of a mare, were the parents of the eight-legged horse Sleipnir. The masked and unidentified Jötunn who constructed walls of Asgard owned Svaðilfari. An unidentified architect offered to construct a stronghold for the Gods that would keep away intruders in exchange for Freyja, the Sun, and the Moon, according to chapter 42 of the Prose Edda book, during the beginning of the habitation of the Gods, when the Gods had created Midgard and erected Valhalla. The Gods eventually consented to this, but they imposed a number of conditions on the architect, including that he finish the project in a single season. The only thing the architect asked for was the ability to use his steed Svaðilfari as assistance, and thanks to Loki, this was granted. To the surprise of the Gods, the stallion Svaðilfari accomplished feats of strength twice as great as that of the builder and lifted massive rocks. With the help of Svaðilfari, the builder advanced the wall quickly; three days before the Summer Solstice, the entrance of the fortification was almost finished. The Gods met and decided that Loki was to blame for the most of the problems. The Gods warned Loki that if he did not devise a plan to have the architect renounce his fee, he would suffer severe consequences. Loki, who was terrified, vowed that he would plan a strategy to isolate the architect at whatever cost. A gorgeous mare in disguise — Loki — ran out of the trees and into the clearing as the architect and Svaðilfari were driving out to get stones that evening. Svaðilfari became enraged, neighed, tore his tack apart and rushed at the mare as the mare advanced and neighed at him. The mare abruptly turned and galloped away from the stallion towards the woods. The builder started to chase after Svaðilfari as he started to follow the mare. The building project was put on hold for the entire night because the two horses kept running around. The builder became enraged and revealed that he was a Bergrisi or Jötunn when he realised that the wall would not be built in time. The Gods (Æsir) broke their prior pledges with the architect when they learned that he was a Jötunn. They then called for Thor, who arrived right away and killed the architect with Mjöllnir. Due to his encounter with Svaðilfari, Loki became impregnated and later gave birth to the renowned horse Sleipnir, a grey colt with eight legs!
[Information and Image Credit : Svaðilfari , Wikipedia] [Original-Image : Loki and Svadilfari (1909) by Dorothy Hardy ; Current-Image : Colorized using AI Colorizer] [The work (Image) is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the life of author plus 70 years or fewer. The Work (Image) is also believed to be in Public Domain in the United States as well; (Please Relate to Individual Image URL for More Usage Property)] [Original Wikipedia Source-Image-URL : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Loki_and_Svadilfari_by_Hardy.jpg ]
#Mythology
Legends and Myths
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