Fárbauti

The Old Norse name {{lang|non|Fárbauti}} has been translated as 'dangerous striker',{{Sfn|de Vries|1962|p=112}} 'anger striker',{{Sfn|Lindow|2002|p=111}} or 'sudden-striker'.{{Sfn|Orchard|1997|p=42}} It is a compound formed with the noun {{wikt-lang|non|fár}} ('hostility, danger, unfortunateness, falseness') attached to the verb {{wikt-lang|non|bauta}} ('to strike').{{Sfn|de Vries|1962|pp=29, 112}}

File:Faroe stamp 498 Djurhuus poems - Loki Laufey's Son.jpg, who is depicted with his wife Sigyn, as shown on a stamp from the Faroe Islands]]

Two 10th-century skalds call Loki "son of Fárbauti", using, however, the poetic word mögr for 'son' rather than the usual sonr.{{Sfn|Lindow|2002|p=111}}

The skald Úlfr Uggason is quoted referring to Loki as "Fárbauti's terribly sly son",{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=77}} and the skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir mentions Loki as "Fárbauti's son".{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=87}}

{{Poem quote|text=Renowned defender [Heimdall] of the powers’ way [Bifröst], kind of counsel, competes with Farbauti’s terribly sly son [Loki] at Singastein|char=|sign=Úlfr Uggason|title=|source=Skáld. 16–17, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.}}

{{Poem quote|text=The gracious lord of earth [Odin] bade Farbauti’s son [Loki] quickly share the bow-string-Var’s [Skadi’s] whale [ox] among the fellows.|char=|sign=Þjóðólfr of Hvinir|title=|source=Skáld. 22, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.}}

In Gylfaginning ('The Beguiling of Gylfi'), the enthroned figure of High states that Loki is the son of the jötunn Fárbauti,{{Sfn|Lindow|2002|p=111}} and that "Laufey or Nál is his mother".{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=26}}

{{Poem quote|text=His name is Loki or Lopt, son of the giant Farbauti. Laufey or Nal is his mother. Byleist and Helblindi are his brothers.|char=|sign=|title=Gylfaginning|source=27–34, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.}}

In Skáldskaparmál ('The Language of Poetry'), Fárbauti is mentioned among kennings referring to his son Loki.{{Sfn|Faulkes|1987|p=76}}

{{Poem quote|text=How shall Loki be referred to? By calling him son of Farbauti and Laufey, of Nal, brother of Byleist and Helblindi...|char=|sign=|title=Skáldskaparmál|source=8–16, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987.}}

Axel Kock has proposed Fárbauti's name and character may have been inspired by the observation of the natural phenomena surrounding the appearance of wildfire. If Fárbauti as "dangerous striker" refers to "lightning", the figure would appear to be part of an early nature myth alluding to wildfire (Loki) being produced by lightning (Fárbauti) striking dry tinder such as leaves (Laufey) or pine needles (Nál).{{harvnb|Simek|1996|p=93}}; Kock (1899:101–102).

Although only indirectly attested in a kenning of Völuspá ('Prophecy of the Völva') mentioning Loki as "Byleist’s brother",{{Sfn|Orchard|1997|p=42}} some scholars have considered Loki's brothers Helblindi and Býleistr to also be sons of Fárbauti.Rydberg (2003:24); Sykes (2002:85); Guelpa (2009:123–124). However, their exact role in the presumably ancient mythic complex surrounding Loki's family remains largely unclear.{{harvnb|Simek|1996|p=174}}; Kock (1899:100–102).

{{Reflist|2}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{Cite book|last=de Vries|first=Jan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hLceAAAAIAAJ|title=Altnordisches Etymologisches Worterbuch|date=1962|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-90-04-05436-3|edition=1977|author-link=Jan de Vries (linguist)|access-date=27 May 2020|archive-date=23 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423165144/https://books.google.com/books?id=hLceAAAAIAAJ|url-status=live}}
• {{Cite book|last=Faulkes|first=Anthony|title=Edda|publisher=Everyman|year=1987|isbn=0-460-87616-3|edition=1995|author-mask=Faulkes, Anthony, trans.}}
• Guelpa, Patrick (2009). Dieux & Mythes Nordique. Presses Universitaires du Septentrion. {{ISBN|978-2-7574-0120-0}}.
• Kock, Axel (1899). "Etymologisch-mythologische Untersuchungen" in: Brugmann, K. & Streitberg, W. (Eds.) Indogermanische Forschungen: Zeitschrift für indogermanische Sprach- und Altertumskunde, Vol. 10, pp. 90–111. Strassburg: Karl J. Trübner.
• {{Cite book|last=Lindow|first=John|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KlT7tv3eMSwC|title=Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs|date=2002|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-983969-8|language=en|author-link=John Lindow}}
• {{Cite book|last=Orchard|first=Andy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uIujQgAACAAJ|title=Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend|date=1997|publisher=Cassell|isbn=978-0-304-34520-5|language=en|author-link=Andy Orchard}}
• Rydberg, Viktor (2003). Our Father's Godsaga: Retold for the Young. Lincoln: iUniverse. {{ISBN|0-595-29978-4}}.
• {{Cite book|last=Simek|first=Rudolf|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MZ24QgAACAAJ|title=Dictionary of Northern Mythology|date=1996|publisher=D.S. Brewer|isbn=978-0-85991-513-7|language=en|author-link=Rudolf Simek|access-date=27 May 2020|archive-date=20 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420122659/https://books.google.com/books?id=MZ24QgAACAAJ|url-status=live}}
• Sykes, Egerton (2002). Who's Who in Non-Classical Mythology. New York: Routledge. {{ISBN|0-203-43691-1}}.

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{{Norse mythology}}

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Category:Jötnar

Category:Loki

Category:Lightning