Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 (Tek) 9/26/83; site shark.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!decvax!ucbvax!ucbcad!tektronix!orca!shark!hutch
From: hutch@shark.UUCP (Stephen Hutchison)
Newsgroups: net.comics
Subject: Re: Re: Frigga
Message-ID: <631@shark.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Mar-84 16:11:45 EST
Article-I.D.: shark.631
Posted: Mon Mar 19 16:11:45 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 21-Mar-84 02:33:54 EST
References: <535@aplvax.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR
Lines: 35



The time during which Thor and Loki demonstrated the greatest amount
of "friendly" behavior was during one spying expedition which was, if
I recall well, an attempt to recover Heimdall's sword, and maybe even
Thor's hammer.  These had been stolen by Surtur, King of Fire Giants.

Thor, Loki, and two mortals were along on this one, and in it they were
put to four tasks.  Thor's tasks were to do such simple things as
emptying Surtur's drinking horn, picking up his cat, and wrestling his
dear old grandmother.  One of the mortals was set to racing with a
thrall in Surtur's kingdom, and Loki was challenged to an eating contest.

They all lost.  The contests were fixed.  Thor NEARLY drained the drinking
horn, terrifying the Giants, since the other end of the Horn was connected
to the Ocean.  He NEARLY beat the old woman wrestling, but since she was
Old Age, he lost.  He NEARLY picked up the cat, only managing to lift its
belly from the floor, but since it was really the Midgard Serpent, all
he managed was to lift a section of its belly from the ground (a task which
was beyond the Giants).  Loki lost his contest, against Logi.  Loki was only
the God of Fire, Logi was FIRE ITSELF, and ended up eating not only the meat
and bones but the table as well.  The mortal failed to outrace Thought.  But
he was mere inches behind him all the way.

It was indeed Loki who killed Balder.  He sharpened up a Mistletoe dart
(hard to come by, since mistletoe is a rather soft stuff) and gave it to
Balder's blind friend (brother?) Hoder and guided his hand.  See, Balder
had been rendered immune to EVERYTHING else, so it was a popular pastime
to use him as a practice dummy.

This was the point at which Loki really blew it.  Nobody liked him after that.

At least, that's how I read it in grade school.

Hutch