Fárbauti
Fárbauti (Old Norse) is a jötunn in Norse mythology. In all sources, he is portrayed as the father of Loki. Fárbauti is attested in the Prose Edda and in kennings of Viking Age skalds.
Name
The Old Norse name Fárbauti has been translated as 'dangerous striker',[1] 'anger striker',[2] or 'sudden-striker'.[3] It is a compound formed with the noun fár ('hostility, danger, unfortunateness, falseness') attached to the verb bauta ('to strike').[4]
Attestations
Two 10th-century skalds call Loki "son of Fárbauti", using, however, the poetic word mögr for 'son' rather than the usual sonr.[2]
The skald Úlfr Uggason is quoted referring to Loki as "Fárbauti's terribly sly son",[5] and the skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir mentions Loki as "Fárbauti's son".[6]
Renowned defender [Heimdall] of the powers’ way [Bifröst], kind of counsel, competes with Farbauti’s terribly sly son [Loki] at Singastein
— Úlfr Uggason, Skáld. 16–17, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.
The gracious lord of earth [Odin] bade Farbauti’s son [Loki] quickly share the bow-string-Var’s [Skadi’s] whale [ox] among the fellows.
— Þjóðólfr of Hvinir, Skáld. 22, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.
In
His name is Loki or Lopt, son of the giant Farbauti. Laufey or Nal is his mother. Byleist and Helblindi are his brothers.
— Gylfaginning, 27–34, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.
In Skáldskaparmál ('The Language of Poetry'), Fárbauti is mentioned among kennings referring to his son Loki.[8]
How shall Loki be referred to? By calling him son of Farbauti and Laufey, of Nal, brother of Byleist and Helblindi...
— Skáldskaparmál, 8–16, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.
Theories
Axel Kock has proposed Fárbauti's name and character may have been inspired by the observation of the natural phenomena surrounding the appearance of wildfire. If Fárbauti as "dangerous striker" refers to "lightning", the figure would appear to be part of an early nature myth alluding to wildfire (Loki) being produced by lightning (Fárbauti) striking dry tinder such as leaves (Laufey) or pine needles (Nál).[9]
Although only indirectly attested in a kenning of
Notes
- ^ de Vries 1962, p. 112.
- ^ a b c Lindow 2002, p. 111.
- ^ a b Orchard 1997, p. 42.
- ^ de Vries 1962, pp. 29, 112.
- ^ Faulkes 1987, p. 77.
- ^ Faulkes 1987, p. 87.
- ^ Faulkes 1987, p. 26.
- ^ Faulkes 1987, p. 76.
- ^ Simek 1996, p. 93; Kock (1899:101–102).
- ^ Rydberg (2003:24); Sykes (2002:85); Guelpa (2009:123–124).
- ^ Simek 1996, p. 174; Kock (1899:100–102).
References
- ISBN 978-90-04-05436-3. Archivedfrom the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- Faulkes, Anthony, trans. (1987). Edda (1995 ed.). Everyman. ISBN 0-460-87616-3.
- Guelpa, Patrick (2009). Dieux & Mythes Nordique. Presses Universitaires du Septentrion. ISBN 978-2-7574-0120-0.
- Kock, Axel (1899). "Etymologisch-mythologische Untersuchungen" in: Brugmann, K. & Streitberg, W. (Eds.) Indogermanische Forschungen: Zeitschrift für indogermanische Sprach- und Altertumskunde, Vol. 10, pp. 90–111. Strassburg: Karl J. Trübner.
- ISBN 978-0-19-983969-8.
- ISBN 978-0-304-34520-5.
- ISBN 0-595-29978-4.
- ISBN 978-0-85991-513-7. Archivedfrom the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- Sykes, Egerton (2002). Who's Who in Non-Classical Mythology. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-203-43691-1.