1. Loki, the Trickster God (Norse Mythology)

Transcript

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Welcome, my spooky friends, to Mythos According to Yours Truly. I'm your host, Wendy Morrow. On this podcast, we dive into myths and folklore from all over the world. These stories have shaped cultures and stirred imaginations, and kept us captivated for centuries. Together, we'll explore the origins, meanings, and mysteries behind these tales with a fresh perspective and a little bit of fun. So grab your favorite drink and gather around my campfire for a tale you won't forget. In the golden land of Asgard, there lived Loki, the trickster god. He was clever and charming and unpredictable, always hovering between loyalty and deceit. The gods of Asgard knew him well, as a companion and at times an enemy, for Loki's actions rarely stayed within the bounds of ordinary. He was as quick witted as he was dangerous, his antics ranging from playful to treacherous. One night, after a great feast, Loki stopped by the roaring fire in Odin's Grand Hall. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he regaled the gods with stories of his clever tricks and close calls he's had with danger. Thor, seated across from him, scowled. Loki, he said, his voice a low rumble. I wonder if there's a single tale you can tell that doesn't end in mischief or trickery, he said almost in a mocking tone. Loki grinned, leaning back. Where would the fun be in that, Thor? Besides, my tricks bring as much fortune to Asgard as they do trouble. Thor's hand uncautiously tightened on his hammer. Mjolnir. Perhaps, but I've yet to see one of your schemes end well for anyone but you. Loki shrugged, his grin unfazed. We all have our roles to play, brother. Mine just happens to be, well, more entertaining. One evening, while Asgard slept, Loki found himself restless, his mind always turning, sought some new amusement. He found himself wandering into Thor's halls, as one should not be doing at this time. He strolled past the chambers, he noticed one door open, wide, with a beautiful woman inside, sleeping on the sofa. As he strolled closer, he noticed she was none other than a Sith. Through his wife, her long golden hair gleamed in the moonlight. An idea bloomed in Loki's mind. Sif didn't even stir as he made his advance. Without a second thought, he grabbed her hair, and with his sword in the other hand, he chopped it off, leaving uneven ends and unmatted hair behind. The next morning, when Sif discovered her loss, her wails echoed throughout the halls of Asgard, bringing a furious Thor to Loki's door. Loki, Thor bellowed, storming into Loki's chambers. What did you do to my wife? Loki put his hands up in mock surrender, a smirk playing on his lips. Oh, come on now, Thor, it was only a bit of fun. I'll make it right. You had better, Thor growled, or I will use Mjolnir to make sure this is the last trick you ever play. Inwardly amused, but aware of the consequences, Loki traveled to the dwarves, the skilled blacksmiths of the Nine Realms. He promised them riches and fame if they crafted a golden hairpiece for Sif that would not only be beautiful, but would grow as if it was her own hair. The dwarves agreed, and Loki returned to Asgard with Sif's new hair, more radiant than before. But Loki never wanted to let opportunity pass. Asked the dwarves to forge other treasures for the gods as well. From the fires emerged Gungnir, Odin's unbreakable spear, and Mjolnir, Thor's mighty hammer. For a while, Loki's actions seemed to bring good fortune, but these gifts would soon reveal themselves to be part of a larger, darker destiny. The Binding of Finrair In time, Loki's meddling led to more serious consequences. He fathered three strange and powerful children. Finr, the monstrous wolf. Jor, or Jormungandr, the world circling serpent. And Hel, a ruler of the dead. These children, born of Loki's wild nature, were prophesied to bring great suffering to Asgard. Odin, fearful of the prophecy, decreed that Finwër should be bound. The gods crafted chains of iron and presented them to Finwër under the guise of a game. But Finwër, weary of their intentions, refused to be bound unless one of the gods placed a hand on his mouth as a pledge of trust. Only Tyr, the brave god of war, stepped forward, as Fenrir snapped the chains, the gods fashioned stronger binding, until finally, they called upon the dwarves to forge an unbreakable ribbon called Glypnir. It looked like silk, but was made of impossible things. The sound of cats footfalls, and the roots of mountains, also the breath of a fish. When they brought Glypnir to Finrair, he grew suspicious. If this binding is so thin, he growled, why do you fear to place it on me? To appease him, Tyr placed his hand on Finrair's mouth. As soon as the ribbons held tight, Finrair realized he'd been tricked. In a rage, he bit down, severing Tyr's hand. Bound and furious, Finrair lay in wait, vowing revenge upon the gods. Loki's mischiefs escalated over the years until it took a dark turn. The gods loved Baldur, the shining god of light, who was beloved by all creatures and invulnerable to harm, or so it seemed. His mother, Frigg, has secured promises from everything in the world not to harm him. Everything, except mistletoe. Loki, ever watchful for an opportunity, crafted a dart from mistletoe, and approached Hod, Boulder's blind brother, during a festival. Hear, Hod, Loki whispered, placing the dart in his hand. Let's join the fun, take aim, let Boulder show his invincibility. Blind and trusting, Hod threw the dart, and it struck Boulder, killing him instantly. The gods were stricken with grief. And once again, their eyes turn to Loki. The Punishment of Loki. For his many betrayals, the gods finally captured Loki, binding him to a rock in a dark cavern. A venomous serpent was placed upon him, its poison dripping onto his face. His loyal wife held a bowl to catch the venom, but whenever she left to empty it, the venom burned Loki, causing him to thrash and to wreathe in pain, shaking the earth with his fury. Bound in agony, Loki waited, knowing that the day of his reckoning, Ragnarok, was coming. In the dark, he dreamed of the end, a time when he would break free, when Finrair would escape and Jor would rise, bringing chaos and fire upon Asgard. The Prophecy of Ragnarok. The seers spoke of Ragnarok, the doom of the gods. The sky would darken, the world would tremble, and Loki would stand among the giants, leading them to a battle against the gods. Thor would face, jaw, the serpent in a fight that would end them both. Odin would fall to FINRA's Jaws, and the flames would consume Asgard. In the end, Loki's tricks and betrayal were more than mere mischief. They were threads woven into the fabric of fate. His story is a cautionary tale, for cunning and consequences of loyalty twisted into betrayal. For all his cleverness, Loki could not escape the destiny he crafted himself. And as Ragnarok approached, the trickster god awaited his final, fateful act in the tale of the gods. Okay friends, thank you for joining me for the end of this story. I have a tradition that I will be starting on my podcast where I share a scripture that goes along with the story and talk about it and just share the lessons I've learned, throughout this story because I think the best thing we can do about with stories like these is just take what we've learned and apply them to our life. Today, I chose Proverbs 26 verse 24 through 26, and it says, He th heath dissemble it with his lips and layeth up deceit within him when he speaketh fair believe him not for. There are seven abominations in his heart whose hatred is covered by deceit. His wickedness shall be shooed before the whole congregation. These verses reflect the deceptive nature of low key. Who uses trickery for both personal gain and to manipulate others, often hiding his own true intentions. I truly believe that unlike HelloKey, we can all just have a come to God moment or even come to ourself moment. If you're not spiritual, or religious, if you're just learning and growing I truly believe that. Humans are good. I think I'm an optimist, but I'm a realistic optimist. And I think that, humans are born with, good in their heart. And so, when I see and hear stories like this one, I just think about the special moments he's missing out on. For example, I just think all of his stories and his tricks were unnecessary. He was just doing it for the plot. I have a roommate that's studying criminal justice, and she was saying how one of the attributes for a serial killer is that they are constantly looking for like an adrenaline rush. I think it's good to learn how to cope with the little things in life, like brushing your teeth, just the mundane. I was like trying to say the word, the mundane things in life. The simple things, simple acts. I think one way we can definitely find joy is by serving other people. I think, in the movies, the reason we really like Loki is because he has this dark nature, but these good intentions. And, it's weird because unlike the movies, he just, he has no redemption arc. Which really sucks, but that's the actual reality of this story. I love Loki, I love the movies, and I do love Tom Hiddleston, I think he's a great guy, but. Real low key, actual low key, it's just kind of a bully, to be honest. So, don't be a bully. Be kind. Don't use other people for your own benefit. There's too many people out here already doing that. So be a light. In a dark place. And try to serve others because I think it'll bring you a lot more joy and happiness than the opposite. So don't be a low key, just be a high key. That was a really bad, that was a really bad joke, You've got to admit that was a little funny. It was funny. It was a little funny. Thank you guys for joining me on my very first episode. I'm so glad to have you. I know it's kind of a struggle, but we got through it. It was a good time, and I'll see you again, my spooky friends.