Sif
Sif (Old Norse "In-law-relationship"[1]) is a goddess in Norse mythology. Sif is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources Sif is known for her golden hair, as the wife of the major god Thor and, in the euhemerized prologue of the Prose Edda, as the most beautiful of women.
In surviving tales, Sif is the mother of Þrúðr by Thor, and mother of the seemingly once major god Ullr by a father unrecorded in surviving sources, yet Thor is listed as Ullr's stepfather without further explanation. Theories have been proposed linking Sif to wheat, and with rowan. Sif Mons, a mons of the planet Venus, is named after Sif.
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Attestations
Poetic Edda
In stanza 48 of the Poetic Edda poem Hárbarðsljóð, Hárbarðr (The major god and father of Thor Odin in disguise) meets Thor at an inlet of a gulf. The two engage in flyting, and Hárbarðr refuses to ferry Thor across the bay. Among numerous other insults, Hárbarðr claims that Sif has a lover at home. In response, Thor says that Hárbarðr is speaking carelessly "of what seems worst to me" and also lying.[2]
In stanzas 53 and 54 of the poem Lokasenna, after pouring Loki a crystal cup of mead during his series of insults towards the gods, Sif states that there is nothing Loki can say only in regard to her. In response, Loki claims that Sif has had an affair with him:
- Then Sif went forward and poured out mead for Loki into a crystal cup and said:
- Welcome now, Loki, and take the crystal cup
- full of ancient mead,
- you should admit, that of the children of the Æsir,
- that I alone am blameless.
- He took the horn and drank it down:
- That indeed you would be, if you were so,
- if you were shy and fierce towards men;
- I alone know, as I think I do know,
- your love beside Thor,
- and that was the wicked Loki.[3]
Sif does not respond, and the exchange turns to Beyla. Lee Hollander theorizes that Lokasenna was intended to be humorous and that the accusations thrown by Loki in the poem are not necessarily to be taken as "generally accepted lore" at the time it was composed. Rather they are charges that are easy for Loki to make and difficult for his targets to disprove, or which they do not care to refute.[4]
Sif additionally appears in kennings in two poems found in the Poetic Edda; Hymiskviða (where Thor is referred to as the "Husband of Sif" thrice[5]), and Þrymskviða (where Thor is once referred to as "Husband of Sif"[6]).
Prose Edda
In the Prose Edda, Sif is mentioned once in the Prologue, in chapter 31 of Gylfaginning, and in Skáldskaparmál as a guest at Ægir's feast (a reference to Lokasenna), the subject of a jötunn's desire, as having her hair shorn by Loki, and in various kennings.
Prologue
Sif is introduced in chapter three of the Prologue section of the Prose Edda; Snorri's euhemerized account of the origins of Norse mythology. Snorri states that Thor married Sif, and that she is known as "a prophetess called Sibyl, though we know her as Sif".[7] Sif is further described as "the most loveliest of women" and with hair of gold.[7] Although he lists her own ancestors as unknown, Snorri writes that Thor and Sif produced a son by the name of Lóriði, who "took after his father".[8] Lóriði is attributed an extended genealogical list of descendants, including figures such as Godwulf and Odin (though outside of this continuity Odin is described as the father of Thor).
Gylfaginning
In chapter 31 of Gylfaginning, Ullr is referred to as a son of Sif and a stepson of Thor though his father is not mentioned:
Ull is the name of one. The son of Sif, he is the stepson of Thor. He is so skillful a bowman and skier that no one can compete with him. He is beautiful to look at, and is an accomplished warrior. He is also a good person to pray to when in single combat.[9]
Skáldskaparmál
As described in Skáldskaparmál, Thor engages in a duel with Hrungnir, there described as the strongest of the jötunn. Prior to this, Hrungnir had been boasting of his desire to, amongst other things, kill all of the gods except Freyja and Sif, whom he wanted to take home with him. However, at the duel, Hrungnir is quickly killed by the enraged Thor.[10]
Further in Skáldskaparmál, Snorri relates a story where Loki cuts off Sif's hair as a prank. When Thor discovers this, he grabs hold of Loki, resulting in Loki swearing to have a headpiece made of gold to replace Sif's locks. Loki fulfills this promise by having a headpiece made by dwarves referred to as the "sons of Ivaldi". Along with the headpiece, the dwarves produced Odin's spear, Gungnir. Further, as the story progresses, this event leads to the creation of the ship Skíðblaðnir and the boar Gullinbursti for Freyr, the multiplying ring Draupnir for Odin, and the mighty hammer Mjöllnir for Thor.[11] Sif also appears in Skáldskaparmál listed as a heiti for "earth",[12] appears in a kenning for a gold-keeping woman,[13] and once for Hildr.[14]
Theories
Fields of wheat
Sif was so associated with her hair that in the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál, the "hair of Sif" is listed as a kenning for gold.[15] English scholar H. R. Ellis Davidson states that Sif may have been an ancient fertility goddess, proposing the link between her lustrous hair and fields of golden wheat.[16]
Rowan
Sif has been linked with Ravdna, the consort of the Sami thunder-god Hora galles. Red berries of rowan were holy to Ravdna, and the name Ravdna resembles the North-Germanic words for the tree (for example, Old Norse reynir). According to Skáldskaparmál the rowan is called "the salvation of Thor" because Thor once saved himself by clinging to it. It has been theorized that Sif was once conceived in the form of a rowan to which Thor clung.[17]
Understated importance
John Lindow proposes that a potentially understated mythological importance of Sif's role in the story of her sheered hair exists; her headpiece is created along with the most important and powerful items in Norse mythology. Lindow further states that it may be easy to lose sight of the central role Sif plays in the creation of these objects.[1]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lindow (2001:266).
- ↑ Larrington (1999:75—76).
- ↑ Larrington (1999:93).
- ↑ Hollander (1990:90).
- ↑ Larrington (1999:78, 80, and 82.).
- ↑ Larrington (1999:100).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Byock (2006:6).
- ↑ Faulkes (1995:3).
- ↑ Byock (2006:38).
- ↑ Faulkes (1995:77—79).
- ↑ Faulkes (1995:96—97).
- ↑ Faulkes (1995:163).
- ↑ Faulkes (1995:115).
- ↑ Faulkes (1995:123).
- ↑ Byock (2006:92).
- ↑ Davidson (1965:84).
- ↑ Turville-Petre (1964:98).
References
- Byock, Jesse (Trans.) (2006). The Prose Edda. Penguin Classics. ISBN 0140447555
- Faulkes, Anthony (Trans.) (1995). Edda. Everyman. ISBN 0-4608-7616-3
- Hollander, Lee (Trans.) (1990). The Poetic Edda. (2nd edition). University of Texas Press. ISBN 0292764995
- Ellis Davidson, H. R. (1965). Gods And Myths Of Northern Europe. Penguin. ISBN 0140136274
- Larrington, Carolyne (Trans.) (1999). The Poetic Edda. Oxford World's Classics. ISBN 0192839462
- Lindow, John (2001). Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515382-0.
- Turville-Petre, E. O. G. (1964). Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
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