Skirnir
Also known as: Skimir / Skirner · Role: Frey's attendant · First appears: Elder Edda · The Journey or Lay of Skirnir
In the Lay of Skirnir, Frey’s attendant Skirnir says they had been young together and could trust one another. Frey gives him a steed and sword to travel to Gerd, and in the Fooling of Gylfe asks him to seek her hand and bring her home. Skirnir accepts the errand, and Frey gives him his sword.
On the journey, Skirnir strikes Gerd with a taming wand and threatens to subject her to his will. He wins her promise to come to Bar-Isle nine nights later and wed Frey. In the Fooling of Gylfe, Skirnir is also sent by Frey to the dwarfs to have the fetter Gleipner made.
Relationship record
Life events
- Frey gave Skirnir his steed and sword to travel to Gerd.(Elder Edda · The Journey or Lay of Skirnir)
- With: Frey
- “I will give thee my steed, which can bear thee through the dusk, flickering flame, and that sword, which will itself brandish, if he is bold who raises it.”
- Skirnir struck Gerd with a taming wand and threatened to subject her to his will.(Elder Edda · The Journey or Lay of Skirnir)
- With: Gerd
- “With a taming-wand I smite thee, and I will tame thee, maiden! to my will. Thou shalt go thither, where the sons of men shall never more behold thee.”
- Skirner, Frey’s messenger, was sent to dwarfs to have them make the fetter Gleipner.(Younger Edda · The Fooling of Gylfe · Chapter IX · Loke and his Offspring · 📍 Svartalfaheim)
- With: Frey
- “So Alfather sent the youth, who is called Skirner, and is Frey’s messenger, to some dwarfs in Svartalfaheim, and had them make the fetter which is called Gleipner.”
- Frey asks Skirner to seek Gerd’s hand for him and bring her home.(Younger Edda · The Fooling of Gylfe · Chapter XI · The Giantess Gerd and Skirner's Journey)
- With: Frey
- “And now you must go, he added, and ask her hand for me and bring her home to me, whether it be with or without the consent of her father.”
- Frey gives Skirner his sword for the journey.(Younger Edda · The Fooling of Gylfe · Chapter XI · The Giantess Gerd and Skirner's Journey)
- With: Frey
- “Skirner answered saying that he would go on this errand, but Frey must give him his sword, that was so excellent that it wielded itself in fight. Frey made no objection to this and gave him the sword.”
- Gerd promises to come to Bar-Isle and wed Frey.(Younger Edda · The Fooling of Gylfe · Chapter XI · The Giantess Gerd and Skirner's Journey · 📍 Bar-Isle)
Elder Edda · The Journey or Lay of Skirnir
- employer: Frey “Frey's attendant was named Skirnir”
- friends with Frey “for in early days we were young together: well might we trust each other.”
- patron: Frey “I will give thee my steed, which can bear thee through the dusk, flickering flame, and that sword, which will itself brandish, if he is bold who raises it.”
Younger Edda · The Fooling of Gylfe · Chapter IX · Loke and his Offspring
- employer: Frey “The asas now began to fear that they would not get the wolf bound. So Alfather sent the youth, who is called Skirner, and is Frey’s messenger, to some dwarfs in Svartalfaheim, and had them make the fetter which is called Gleipner.”
Younger Edda · The Fooling of Gylfe · Chapter XI · The Giantess Gerd and Skirner's Journey
- employer: Frey “Then Njord sent for Skirner, Frey’s servant, bade him go to Frey and ask him with whom he was so angry, since he would speak to nobody.”
- patron: Frey “Frey made no objection to this and gave him the sword.”
Younger Edda · The Fooling of Gylfe · Chapter XVI · Ragnarok
- patron: Frey “Frey encounters Surt, and heavy blows are exchanged ere Frey falls. The cause of his death is that he has not that good sword which he gave to Skirner.”
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Extracted from the original text of The Eddas. Made with Rho MD.