Svadilfari

Norse mythology

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Article History

Svadilfari, in Norse mythology, an unusually swift and intelligent horse belonging to a giant who offered to build a great wall around Asgard (the kingdom of the gods) to keep invaders away. The gods stipulated that, if the builder completed the wall in one winter’s time, his reward would be the goddess Freyja and possession of the sun and the moon. Svadilfari gave his owner such assistance that the wall was almost completed a few days before the end of winter. The gods, however, were able to prevent the giant from winning his payment by the aid of the trickster god Loki, who changed himself into a mare and attracted Svadilfari away from his work. From their union Loki bore Odin’s magical horse, Sleipnir.