Freyr and
Freyja were the children of Njord and Skadi, those who had joined
the Aesir after the war. Freyja was wedded to the handsome Odur
whom she loved, and together they lived in the gardens of Asgard,
and in their home Folkvanger, they had two beautiful daughters.
One day,
Freyja wandered through Alfheim, the realm of the elves, where
she came to the borders of Svartalfheim where the four black
dwarves had laid a trap. They had their forge open while making
a necklace of pure gold, more beautiful than anything Freyja
had seen before. It was the Brising Necklace. Freyja loved jewels,
and on seeing it, she offered anything for the beautiful necklace.
The dwarves refused all payment, except that she become their
wife for a day each and then after the necklace would be hers.
Foolishly, Freyja agreed.
So the four
weddings were held in the realm of the dwarves, and no one knew
what had happened except for Loki, who always seemed to know
where there were scandals. So Freyja returned to Asgard, with
the necklace, ashamed of what she had done. She dared not show
anyone the necklace, and so hid the necklace in her chamber
where no one could enter.
When Loki
told Freyja's sweetheart, Odur about it, Odur was filled with
disbelief of the mischievous Loki. Only if Loki were able to
bring him the necklace, would he then believe his story. So
Loki set out to retrieve the necklace. He turned himself into
a fly and squeezed his way into Freyja's chamber while she was
sleeping. When inside, he undid the clasp of the necklace around
her neck, and stole out of the room with it. When Odur saw the
necklace, he was overwhelmed with grief, and left Asgard that
hour.
When Freyja
awoke, she found the necklace gone and the door open. Knowing
that the truth was out, she wanted to beg for Odur's forgiveness,
but he had already left. As such, Freyja went to beg Odin for
his intervention on the matter. Odin told Freyja to go and look
for Odur, and she would wear the Brising Necklace, to remind
her of her transgression. And so Freyja set out to look for
her husband, only to return much later after her brother Freyr's
marriage to Gerd.
Next:
The
Wooing of Gerd >>