Seiðr Loom

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Skíðblaðnir

Freyr's magical ship, built by the dwarf sons of Ivaldi: big enough to carry all the gods, always with a fair wind, and foldable to fit in a pouch.

Skíðblaðnir is the ship of Freyr. Grímnismál says "Ivaldi's sons" made it in days of old, "The best of ships for the bright god Freyr" Grímnismál 43, and ranks it beside Yggdrasil and Sleipnir as the best of its kind: "Skithblathnir best of boats" Grímnismál 44.

Snorri adds the details. The ship can carry all the Æsir with their weapons, it has a fair wind the moment its sail is raised, and when it is not needed it "may be folded together like a napkin and kept in one's pouch" Gylfaginning 43. Skíðblaðnir is "best of ships and made with most skill", though the largest ship is Naglfar Gylfaginning 43. In Skáldskaparmál Snorri tells how it was made: Loki, having cut off Sif's hair, got the sons of Ivaldi to forge new golden hair, and they made the ship and Odin's spear Gungnir as well. Loki then gave Skíðblaðnir to Freyr Skáldskaparmál 35 (see The treasures of the gods: Sif's hair and Brokkr's wager). The poets call Freyr its "possessor" Skáldskaparmál 7.

No surviving myth shows the ship actually sailing. It belongs to the lists of wonders rather than to the stories.

In the sources

Quoted from the hosted translations; each line is checked against the text when the site is built. Select a reference to read it in context.

In days of old did Ivaldi's sons Skithblathnir fashion fair, The best of ships for the bright god Freyr
Grímnismál 43 The ship's makers and owner.
The best of trees must Yggdrasil be, Skithblathnir best of boats
Grímnismál 44 Skíðblaðnir in Odin's list of the best of all things.
it has a favoring wind as soon as the sail is hoisted, whithersoever it is bound; but when there is no occasion for going to sea in it, it is made of so many things and with so much cunning that then it may be folded together like a napkin and kept in one's pouch.
Gylfaginning 43 Snorri's description of what the ship can do.

Myths with Skíðblaðnir

The treasures of the gods: Sif's hair and Brokkr's wager Loki shaves Sif's head, and to save his own skin sets two families of dwarf-smiths competing. The result is six treasures — golden hair, a folding ship, a spear, a ring, a golden boar and Thor's hammer — and Loki's lips sewn shut.

Related

Freyr The Vanir god of rain, sunshine, harvest and peace, son of Njörðr. He gave away his sword to win the giantess Gerðr, and will fall unarmed against Surtr at Ragnarök. Sons of Ivaldi Ívalda synir Dwarf smiths who made three treasures for the gods: Freyr's folding ship Skíðblaðnir, Odin's spear Gungnir and Sif's golden hair. Naglfar The great ship made of dead men's nails that breaks loose at Ragnarök and carries the giants against the gods; Snorri names Hrymr as its steersman. Loki The giant-born trickster counted among the Æsir: father of Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent and Hel, contriver of Baldr's death, bound until Ragnarök. Gungnir Odin's spear, made by the dwarves called Ívaldi's sons; Snorri says it never stops in its thrust, and Odin carries it into his last battle. Gullinbursti Freyr's golden boar, forged by the dwarf Sindri. It runs through air and water faster than a horse and lights up the darkness with its bristles.