Skaði— Norse God"Goddess of Winter"

The Avenging Giantess

Skaði was the daughter of the giant Thjazi, who kidnapped the goddess Idunn and her apples of immortality. When the gods killed Thjazi to rescue Idunn, Skaði came to Asgard in full armor, seeking blood vengeance for her father. She was a terrifying figure: a giantess of winter, clad in furs and mail, skilled with the bow, demanding satisfaction.

The Strange Bargain

The gods, unwilling to face another war, offered Skaði compensation instead. She could choose a husband from among them, but only by looking at their feet. She chose the most beautiful feet, expecting they belonged to the beautiful Baldur—but they were Njörðr's, god of the sea. Additionally, the gods had to make her laugh, which Loki accomplished through an obscene routine involving a goat and his own anatomy.

The Mismatched Marriage

Skaði's marriage to Njörðr was doomed by incompatible natures. She loved the frozen mountains; he loved the warm coast. She could not sleep for the screaming of seagulls; he could not bear the howling of wolves. They tried alternating between homes—nine nights in each—but neither could endure the other's realm. Eventually they separated.

Goddess of Winter and Hunt

Skaði became a goddess in her own right, associated with winter, mountains, skiing, and bow hunting. She represents the harsh beauty of the frozen north. Some sources say she later married Odin and bore him sons. Scandinavia itself may take its name from her—"Skaði's island" or "Skaði's land."

The Serpent Over Loki

When the gods punished Loki for causing Baldur's death, it was Skaði who placed the venomous serpent above his bound form, its poison dripping onto his face. She had not forgotten that Loki led her father into the trap that killed him. Her vengeance came not in battle, but in Loki's eternal torment—fitting for the goddess of patient, cold fury.