Svadilfari- Norse CreatureCreature · Beast

The Builder's Stallion

After the Æsir-Vanir war left Asgard's fortifications in ruins, an unnamed builder appeared before the gods and offered to rebuild the walls within three seasons. His price: Freyja, and the sun and moon besides. On Loki's advice, the gods agreed, but imposed a condition they believed impossible: the builder must complete the work in a single winter, with no help from any man. The builder asked only to use his stallion Svaðilfari, and the gods, thinking no horse could make a difference, consented.

Prodigious Labour

They were wrong. Svaðilfari proved astonishingly powerful, hauling enormous stones to the construction site through the long winter nights, doing twice the work of his master. By the time only three days remained before the deadline, the wall lacked only its gate. The gods were alarmed. They blamed Loki for the disastrous bargain and threatened him with death unless he found a way to prevent the builder from finishing.

Loki's Deception

Loki shapeshifted into a mare and ran out from the forest that evening. When Svaðilfari caught the mare's scent, the stallion went mad with desire, broke free from his traces, and chased the mare into the woods. The builder could not work without his horse and lost an entire night's labour. Realizing the wall could not be completed in time, the builder flew into a giant's rage, revealing his true nature. Thor was summoned and killed him with Mjölnir.

Sleipnir

Some time later, Loki gave birth to an eight-legged foal. Svaðilfari had sired Sleipnir during that night in the forest. The stallion of a nameless giant had become, through Loki's desperate ruse, the sire of Odin's own mount.