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In Norse mythology, Skadi (Old Norvegian/Old
Icelandic Skadhi) is a mountain giantess, wife ot the Vanir god Niord and thus a goddess herself.
When the gods killed her father Thjazi, she journeyed to Asgard to avenge him, but then she agrees that she would have that renounced if they allowed her to choose a
husband among them and if they succeeded in making her laugh.
The gods allowed her to choose a husband, but she had to choose him only from his feet; she choose Niord because his feet were
so beautiful that she thought he was Baldur. Then Loki succeeded in making her laugh, so peace was made, and Odin made two stars
from Thjazi's eyes.
After a while, she and her husband separated, because she loved the mountains (Thrymheim), while he wanted to live near the sea (Noatun). The Ynglinga saga says that later she became wife of Odin, and had many sons by him
or she left Niord for Ull.
She is the goddess who tied the serpent above Loki's body when he was bounded to the three rocks; this is a footnote to the
poem in the Elder Edda, Lokasenna.
It is believed by some mythologists that in the early days of the Norse mythology, Skadi was venerated as a goddess of the
hunt, and rivalled the goddesses Frigg and Freyja in terms of significance and popularity; however, she seems to have faded into the
background during the progression of Scandinavian beliefs, and little of her survives in lore or artifact.
She is called "Öndurgodh" and "Öndurdis", "Sky Goddess".
Her name could mean "damage" or "goddess of the underground world".
Her name is sometimes mentioned as the source of the name "Scandinavia"
Other names
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