In the early days, while the gods were still building their homes in Asgard, shortly after their war with the gods of the Vanir Thor had gone east to battle frost giants. One night in Odin’s great hall the gods were having dinner and the Allfather made a suggestion. So begins The Wall of Asgard.
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“Asgard is too vulnerable, when my son Thor, our greatest protector is away fighting the enemies of the Aesir, we sit here far too vulnerable to those who would do us harm we need protection.”
“What shall we do” asked Heimdall the watchmen of the gods and guardian of the Bifrost.
“We shall build a wall around Asgard, so high a giant might not climb it and so thick even a troll could not smash through.” Replied Odin
“Then Loki chimed in as he was often inclined to do. “But brother to build a wall such as this would take many years.”
Odin nodded “Still...We need a wall.”
The very next morning a visitor arrived in Asgard, He was very tall with broad shoulders and behind him trotted a huge magnificent horse, he was gray and shined in the morning sun. He approached Odin.
The stranger said, “I hear you need a wall built”
Odin looked him up and down, “go on.” He said
I will build you a wall, I will make it so high no giant could climb it, so strong no troll could smash it, so finely crafted, not even an ant could crawl through the cracks. The wall I build you will last for a thousand melenia” The stranger replied.
“Well,” said Loki, “a wall such as this would most certainly take a very long time to build”
“Not at all, I can build this wall in three seasons.” Said the stranger “Tomorrow is the first day of winter if I start then, I will have it done in one winter one summer and another winter.”
“And what would you ask in return if you could do this?” Said, Odin,
“Oh not much at all,” said the stranger, “I suppose I would only ask for three things. I would take the beautiful goddess Freya to be my wife.”
“Not much?” Odin replied. “That is quite a price I would say, and I’m sure she may be of an opinion on this as well. What are the other two things?”
The stranger grinned a sly grin, “If I build your wall, I want Freya’s hand in marriage, And I want the Sun that shines brightly during the day, and I want the moon that lights the night. This will be my payment from the gods if I build your wall”
The gods all turned and looked at Freya, who while standing silent, her beautiful face was seething in righteous anger at the proposal. Her beautiful golden hair hung long, wrapped in golden bands that shined like sunlight off a still pond.
Odin told the stranger to “Go wait outside,” The stranger nodded then asked where he could feed his horse could get food and drink. The stallion was named Svadilfari, which means “one who makes an unlucky journey”. Then the pair left the gods to discuss his bold offer.
Odin closed the door and turned to the gods, “Well?” He asked.
The gods all started talking at ounce. Odin shouted “QUIET!” He then went and asked them each individually for their opinion, and every single one agreed. The price, Freya, the sun and the moon, were far too valuable to give up for this wall, even if it could protect Asgard for millennia, and even if he could build it in three seasons. Freya was also of the opinion that he should be beaten and banished from Asgard for his insolence. “So we are all decided then?” Asked Odin.
Then came the sound of someone clearing their throat, It was the kind of sound someone might make to attract attention. All the gods turned, and there was Loki, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Loki stepped forward to the center of the hall and began to speak. “Well, my dear friends it seems you are all overlooking the most important thing.”
“We have missed nothing Loki,” Freya said, in a stern and somewhat annoyed tone.
“Well you have, you all missed the most important thing...What he has promised to do is quite impossible. There is no one alive who could build such a wall as he described in so little time as three seasons. No giant or even a god could do this. Certainly no man.” said Loki.
All of the gods nodded and voiced their agreement. All except Freya, who appeared even angrier than before. “ Well, you are all fools! She cried. Especially you Loki, always thinking yourself clever, and bringing nothing but trouble to bear.”
At this Loki laughed, “Well what he has done my dear is set himself an impossible task, I propose we agree to his price and set him strict rules. He may have no help in his construction and not three seasons but only one and if he does not finish his wall by summer he gets absolutely nothing.”
“What good would it do to have him build a wall he can’t finish?” Asked Frey, Freya’s brother.
Loki sighed in disbelief, “Well, he may get maybe the foundation of a wall built in one season, and that is far more of a wall more than we have now, so we will simply finish it ourselves.”
“Why would he agree to the new bargain?” asked Tyr, the god of war.
“Well,” Loki said, “he very well may not, but he seems arrogant and very determined, and He may very well take the bargain to try to prove himself.”
All of the gods cheered and patted Loki on the back, congratulating him, complimenting his wit. Telling him how lucky they were he was on the side of the Aesir. All accept Freya, she did not like Loki. She remembered not so long ago when he stolen her necklace, the Brísingamen the bringer of light. It was a gift from the dwarfs and it shined like the northern lights. Thankfully Heimdal had retrieved it from Loki, but only after chasing Loki into the sea. They became seals and did battle. No, she did not trust Loki at all. She did not like this outcome either.
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They called in the builder, “well” he said.
“You have asked for the sun and the moon and to marry the goddess Freya, in return for building your wall. We will agree...” said Loki. “But you must build your wall with no help from anyone, and you must build it in one season, not three. And if and only if, On the very first day of summer you have built a wall as high and as thick and invincible as you have promised...We will give you all you asked for.”
“Hmmm… You say I can have no help. But I would like to use my horse Svadilfari to haul stones from that I would use for the wall.” Said the builder looking directly at Odin.
“That is reasonable.” Said, Odin
They then began swearing oaths. The most powerful oaths of all. In the days of the gods, the oaths sworn on their weapons were the most sacred. They even swore on Odin’s spear Gungnir. Any Oath sworn on Gungnir was unbreakable. There was no turning back now. The deal had been struck.
Thanks for reading!
