Birch Grove

Skadi (sometimes spelled Skathi) is, in my mind, the most independent of the Norse Goddesses. She is a giantess whose father Thiazi was killed for stealing the Goddess Idun (and therefore the God’s apples of immortality). Her recompense was to choose a God to be her husband, but she could only judge them by their feet, the rest of their bodies being hidden. She chose the most lovely pair, thinking that they belonged to the beautiful and good Balder, but instead got Njord, the Vanir sea god.

Well, they tried living together, but Skadi wanted to live in her father’s hall, Thrymheim, and Njord wanted to live in Noatun, his seaside hall. They tried to compromise by switching between halls every nine days, but it didn’t work out, and it is my opinion that they finally got a divorce. Rumor has it (I say rumor because I haven’t yet found academic evidence) that Skadi then got together will Ullr, the God of winter and archery (among other things).

Skadi is called a “snowshoe Goddess” but scholars argue over whether these were actually snowshoes as we know them, or if they were instead skis. As an avid non-skier and enjoyer of the occasional snowshoe romp, I’d prefer to think she was a snowshoe Goddess. She is also the Goddess of winter, but no one seems to know why.

That’s about all we know about her, but I’m going to, as always, elaborate off the book.

 To me, Skadi is tall and strong with white-blonde hair (like Sunna), but with pale, icy-blue eyes and pale skin. She wears her long hair in a thick braid and carries with her always a staff/spear (I’m not sure which). She may or may not have wolf/dog friends. I’m not sure which because wolves have a bad rap in Norse mythology (see Fenrir, Skoll, and Hati), but the Norwegian Spitz, for example, resembles a wolf/husky type dog. At any rate, she probably has some sort of animal companion who helps her hunt, maybe even a snowy owl.

In my mind’s eye, Thrymheim is a big granite thing cut into the face of a cliff. It is, after all, a giant’s dwelling. Skadi is definitely a Goddess of the mountains, and my feeling is that her favorite place is in the boreal forest near the treeline. Even though she is a winter Goddess, it is not my feeling that she spent a great deal of time on the tundra and/or with reindeer. That is too much of Saami domain for me.

Skadi can affect the winter weather and, like many winter Gods, I get the impression that she has something of a short temper. However, I don’t think she tends to hold a grudge (see her appeasement in the Eddas for more info). For some reason, I also associate her with hunting (probably why she was such a good match for Ullr), which means that she takes away, but she can also give and/or spare life. She is likely more concerned with keeping the balance than wreaking havoc, even in a less than cheerful mood.

She is definitely not a Goddess who will take any crap from her followers. Like winter, she can be harsh and unforgiving, or gentle and beautiful, depending on the weather/her mood.