How Thor got his hammer - Scott A. Mellor

Summary

In Norse mythology, Loki, the trickster god, plays a prank on Thor by cutting Sif's golden hair. To remedy his mischief, he challenges two groups of dwarven smiths to craft treasures for the gods. Despite Loki's interference, the dwarves forge magnificent gifts, including a golden hairpiece for Sif, a ship-cloak for Freyr, and the mighty hammer Mjolnir for Thor. Loki's trickery backfires when he is outwitted by the dwarves, leading to his punishment and the gods receiving their prized possessions.

Takeaways

• 😈 Loki, the mischief-maker, played a prank on Thor's wife Sif by cutting off her hair.
• 🔩 To remedy his actions, Loki sought the help of dwarven blacksmiths to craft a replacement for Sif's hair.
• ⛏️ Loki manipulated two families of dwarves, the sons of Ivaldi and Brokk and Eitri, into a competition to create treasures for the gods.
• 🐝 A fly, actually Loki in disguise, interfered with Brokk and Eitri's work, causing a flaw in their final treasure.
• 🏆 Despite the interference, Brokk and Eitri created three magnificent treasures: a golden boar, a ring that multiplies, and the hammer Mjolnir.
• 🌟 The sons of Ivaldi also crafted three treasures: golden hair for Sif, a spear for Odin, and a ship that could be folded into a cloth for Freyr.
• 🔨 Mjolnir, though having a short handle, was deemed the finest gift due to its incredible powers, including returning to Thor's hand when thrown.
• 🏃 Loki attempted to escape after the treasures were presented, but Thor caught him.
• 🗣️ Loki cleverly argued that the dwarves could take his head but not his neck, thus avoiding beheading.
• 📍 As punishment, Brokk sewed Loki's lips shut to prevent further deceit, highlighting the irony that Loki's trickery led to the gods receiving such valuable gifts.

Q & A

Why was Loki in Thor's iron grip?

Loki was in Thor's iron grip because he had snuck up on Thor's wife, Sif, and shorn off her beautiful hair as a prank, which angered Thor.

What did Loki decide to do to fix the prank he played on Sif?

Loki decided to go to the dwarves, legendary smiths, to create a replacement for Sif's golden hair.

How did Loki plan to get the dwarves to create the golden hair?

Loki planned to pit two families of dwarves against each other by challenging them to a competition to create three gifts for the gods.

What was the condition Brokk and Eitri set for participating in the competition?

Brokk and Eitri agreed to participate only if Loki put his own head on the line, meaning they could take his head if they won.

What did the fly do to Brokk during the creation of the treasures?

The fly bit Brokk on his hand, neck, and eyelid, causing him to momentarily stop working the bellows, which affected the final treasure's quality.

What were the three treasures created by the sons of Ivaldi for the gods?

The sons of Ivaldi created golden hair for Sif, a spear for Odin, and a small cloth that unfolded into a mighty ship for Freyr.

What were the three treasures created by Brokk and Eitri?

Brokk and Eitri created a golden-bristled boar for Freyr, a golden arm ring for Odin, and a hammer called Mjolnir for Thor.

What was the significance of Mjolnir, the hammer created by Brokk and Eitri?

Mjolnir was significant because it could never shatter, never miss its mark, and always return to Thor's hand when thrown.

How did Loki avoid losing his head after Brokk and Eitri won the competition?

Loki pointed out that they had won the rights to his head but not his neck, so they had no right to cut it off.

What was the final punishment Brokk gave to Loki?

Brokk pierced Loki's lips with an awl and sewed his mouth shut to prevent him from spreading deceit.

What is the irony mentioned at the end of the script?

The irony is that Loki's deceit led to the creation of the treasures, including Thor's hammer Mjolnir, which became one of the most valued possessions of the gods.