Mischief at the Forge
The greatest treasures of the gods were born from one of Loki's pranks. For sport, the trickster crept up and shore off all the golden hair of Sif, the wife of Thor. When the thunder god threatened to break every bone in his body, Loki swore to set things right.
He went down to the dwarfs known as the Sons of Ivaldi, who spun new hair of living gold for Sif, and while at their forge also made the ship Skidbladnir and the spear Gungnir. Pleased with himself, Loki then boasted to the dwarf Brokkr that his brother Eitri could never craft three treasures as fine, and wagered his own head on it.
Eitri set to work with Brokkr at the bellows, and Loki, desperate to win his bet, turned into a fly to sabotage them. The results of that contest would arm the gods for every battle to come.
Key Events of the Tale
The Shorn Hair of Sif
Loki cuts off Sif's golden hair as a prank, and a furious Thor forces him to find a way to replace it.
The Sons of Ivaldi
The first dwarfs make three gifts: hair of gold for Sif, the folding ship Skidbladnir, and the spear Gungnir that never misses.
The Wager with Brokkr
Loki bets his head that Eitri cannot match those treasures. Eitri forges the golden boar Gullinbursti and the ring Draupnir as Brokkr works the bellows.
The Fly on the Bellows
As the third treasure is forged, Loki becomes a fly and bites Brokkr's eyelid until it bleeds. Brokkr falters for a moment, and the hammer comes out with a handle too short.
The Judgment and the Stitched Lips
The gods judge Mjölnir the finest of all, so Brokkr wins the wager. Loki weasels out of losing his head by noting his neck was not part of the bet, so Brokkr sews his lips shut instead.
The Six Great Treasures
From this single contest came six of the gods' most treasured possessions: Sif's golden hair, the ship Skidbladnir and the spear Gungnir from the Sons of Ivaldi, and the boar Gullinbursti, the ring Draupnir, and the hammer Mjölnir from Brokkr and Eitri. The hammer, despite its short handle, became the mightiest weapon of the Æsir and the shield of the gods against the giants.
Sources and Related Tales
The tale is told by Snorri Sturluson in the Prose Edda, in the Skáldskaparmál. It explains the origin of nearly every famous artifact the gods carry.
Quick Facts
Treasures Forged
Sif's Hair for the goddess Sif
Skidbladnir for Freyr
Gungnir for Odin
Gullinbursti for Freyr
Draupnir for Odin
Mjölnir for Thor
Themes & Symbolism
Good from Mischief: Loki's wrongdoing yields the gods' greatest gifts.
The Flaw in the Work: Even the mightiest weapon bears the scar of the trickster's meddling.
Words and Loopholes: Loki escapes death on a technicality, only to lose his lips.