Today’s devotional topic is “names and epithets” of Loki. I suggest we take up the PeeWee Practice of “Today’s Secret Word” and “scream real loud” today whenever someone says “Loki” or one of his kennings. (This will work real well in those Lokean Facebook groups.) Ready?
“He Who Is Not Marvel Loki” (Arrrrgh!)
“He Who is Using Marvel Loki to Channel His Norseness” (Aiiieeeee!)
“Fárbauti’s Terribly Sly Son Who Wants Another Donut” (Yiiiiiiiikes!)
And there’s an assortment of favorite, personal pet names, but I’ll only share one:
“Charming Iconoclast” (Aiiieeeee!) (See, that wasn’t so bad.)
But seriously, I enjoy finding many ways to verbally venerate my favorite you know who. (Ha! Thought you’d catch me out, didja? No screaming in THAT sentence!) (What? “You Know Who” is an epithet? Arrrgh!!!)
Okay. I’m just gonna suck it up. Content warning from here on out. There will be written expressions of screaming and shrieking, and other sounds of being aghast.
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(Step away from that period, Ma’am…Drop it. I mean DROP IT!)
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(I warned you!)
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(For God’s sake…)
…(God? Hey, an epithet! Aiiieeeee!)
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Ahem.
Look, just read the chapter in Dagulf Loptson’s book called “The L Word.” It has — if not all — then certainly very, very many traditional names, epithets, and kennings for Loki. (Shriek!)
One of my favorites is “The Deep-Minded-War-Booty-Withholding God,” (p. 36).
(I got tired of writing “arrrgh” and stuff…)
Please note: “Booty” reminds me of pirates. Some would say I’m too old to think it means anything else… but as a sexologist I find myself rather fascinated by the term “booty-withholding.” But I digress…
I also like all the endearments and kennings used in Elizabeth Vongsvisith’s poem on page 276 of The Jotunbok.
And since I began with PeeWee Herman, it’s only fair to end with an academic (and refreshingly non-screaming) Dr. Jackson Crawford video on Old Norse names, and the customs around giving names. He explains kennings.
There now. Wasn’t that FUN? (Arrrgh!)
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Lady Of The Lake 