Topic Archive
Explore myths connected by the recurring theme of Trickster across cultures, characters, and sacred places.
5 myths currently featured for Trickster.
Jigong, a Chan Buddhist monk of the Southern Song dynasty known for his eccentric behavior, used his supernatural powers to aid the downtrodden. Carrying a tattered magical fan, he roamed the streets of Hangzhou, disguising his profound wisdom under a mask of madness to outwit the corrupt and greedy.
In an act of divine espionage, the trickster god Loki transforms into a fly to infiltrate the impenetrable hall of the goddess Freyja and steal her most prized possession, the necklace Brísingamen. Acting on the instructions of Odin, Loki navigates the locks and guards of Sessrúmnir, eventually biting Freyja as a flea to force her to shift in her sleep so he can undo the necklace's clasp. The...
The trickster god Loki sneakily shaves off the golden hair of Sif, the wife of Thor, leading to a confrontation that forces Loki to seek a replacement from the master smiths of the dwarves. This act of malice ultimately results in the creation of the greatest treasures of the Norse gods, including Thor's hammer, Mjölnir.
Following the death of Baldr, the gods capture the trickster Loki and bind him in a dark cavern as punishment. A venomous serpent is placed above him, dripping corrosive poison toward his face, but his faithful wife Sigyn remains by his side to catch the venom in a basin. This enduring vigil only falters when she must empty the bowl, causing Loki's agony to shake the very foundations of the earth.
On the day of his birth on Mount Cyllene, the infant god Hermes escaped his cradle to steal fifty sacred cows from his brother Apollo. He cleverly hid their tracks by making them walk backward and inventing giant brushwood sandals for himself. The myth concludes with the invention of the lyre and a diplomatic resolution between the brothers on Mount Olympus.