Some believe the Vanir gods represent an older pantheon of the indigenous people whom the invading Indo-Europeans encountered. Freyja was similar to Frigg, the chief goddess of the Aesir, which was the Norse race of sky deities. norse deities associated with spiders. In Norse mythology, deities are not all-mighty, neither is the world eternal. The concept of the Silver Tongue, i.e a real smooth talker! [70], The poet Walt Whitman describes a ballooning spider in his 1868 poem, A Noiseless Patient Spider. Loki finally becomes undone when he brags about the death of Baldr (which it appears he had a hand in) at a party, to Baldrs mother Frigg. How come you havent got freki on your site, surely odins giant pet wolf should be on there and also i was under the impression ull was god of games and the hunt? In the Torah, there is a story of David, who would later become King of Israel, being pursued by soldiers sent by King Saul. The Sumerian goddess of weaving, Uttu (not to be confused with Utu). Thor is the keeper of thunder and lightning. will you be doing any of the sagas? Rosemary Ellen Guiley says in her Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft, and Wicca that in some traditions of folk magic, a black spider eaten between two slices of buttered bread will imbue a witch with great power. Rowling. [97], On television, the 1990 miniseries Stephen King's It is based on his novel It, where the now adult members of the Losers' club confront the giant spider form of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Wow, detailed and informative. [8][a], A notable ancient legend from the Western canon that explains the origin of the spider comes from the Greek story of the weaving competition between Athena the goddess, and Arachne, sometimes described as a princess. Spiders have been the focus of fears, stories and mythologies of various cultures for centuries. There is not, may be god or goddess, to say Loki is the god of spiders is a neopagan doing, and even in that case Loki wasn't considered a god back then, that's also a neopagan thing, mostly influenced by wiccan traditions. Norse Deities. . ", "The daddy longlegs myth that we keep falling for", "Arachnius gluteus the South American Blush Spider", Urban Legends Reference Pages: Two-Striped Telamonia Spider, "FACT CHECK: Two-Striped Telamonia Spider", "The Spider's Web. Some recognizable names include Athena, goddess of wisdom and patron of the city of Athens; Hades, the lord of darkness and the underworld; and Hera, goddess of women and family life. I've also tried to find examples of the sign to write Uttu's name used for the word "spider" on my own, but have come up empty-handed. He is typically portrayed as red-headed and bearded, and carrying Mjolnir, a magical hammer. Chinese Granite; Imported Granite; Chinese Marble; Imported Marble; China Slate & Sandstone; Quartz stone In addition to Spider-Man, the Marvel Universe includes several subsequent characters using the spider as their patron; including Silk, Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl, the Scarlet Spider, Venom, Araa, the Black Widow, and the Tarantula. There's also the Egyptian goddess Neith, associated with weaving. He and Oin start off in the lore on the same page. The Aesir were more modern, warlike gods, which included Odin and Thor. Freki is here! [27] In Mesoamerica, the Great Goddess of Teotihuacan may represent a similar figure. Atlach-Nacha resembles a huge spider with an almost-human face. The nursery rhymes "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Little Miss Muffet" have spiders as focal characters. These sculptures, two series of six by Louise Bourgeois, can be seen at the National Gallery of Art, Denver Art Museum, London's Tate Modern and in a few other select sculpture gardens. Lokis evilness begins to come more and more undone. [31][32] Nareau, the Lord Spider, created the universe, according to the traditional Cosmology of Oceania's Kiribati islanders[33] of the Tungaru archipelago (Gilbert Islands);[34] similarly, Areop-Enap ("Old Spider") plays an important part in the creation myth of the traditional Nauru islanders of Micronesia. Many of these sources however are said to be tainted by the Christian bias of the writers. Furthermore. Gossip. [14], This myth tells of Arachne, the daughter of a famous Tyrian purple wool dyer in Hypaepa of Lydia. Other than that great site. He is attested in the Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, skaldic poetry, the Norwegian Rune Poems, and widely throughout Scandinavian folklore. Atlach-Nacha is an H-game centered on a spiderlike demoness disguising herself as a human. Spiders are incapable of self powered flight. Her role coincides with Osiris' role, who is in charge of the Duat (underworld . There is a trickster figure in Lakota mythology who is very much associated with spiders (including having the ability to turn into one) called Iktomi. [113] Giant spiders appear as hostile enemies in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim which were quickly modded into bears by the players. "Norse Deities." Spiders in their webs are associated with a sacred rock in central Arnhem Land on the Burnungku clan estate of the Rembarrnga/Kyne people. Shakespeares Mad King Lear, lost on the Heath with his Fool, are likely descendants of Oin and Loki.

Out of sadness, Arachne soon hanged herself. [78] He takes his name from the African trickster god. Company Information; FAQ; Stone Materials. Forseti - God of justice, peace and truth. Both were gods of the mountains and hunting. The Egyptian god Set was apparently a respectable god, rather than the treacherous murderer of his own brother, until after contact with the Romans. These tales are allegorical stories that often also teach a moral lesson. Keep up the good work you guys! His screams are said in folklore to be the cause of earthquakes. pagan101 posted this. [86], The fear of spiders culminates in Arachnophobia, a 1990 movie in which spiders multiply in large numbers. [98] The plot of the 2018 Doctor Who episode "Arachnids in the UK" revolves around an infestation of giant spiders that has occurred as the result of a scientific experiment. Dont forget that if you feel a special connection with one of these deities, you can work with them to use their energy and yours to create some amazing energy and have all you need to create a better life experience in both your personal and your spiritual journey. Her name comes from the ancient Norse word for lady or mistress. According to Old Norse belief, she brought about winter each year. This is because in preserving the lore of their ancestors, Snorri and Saxo wanted to present Heathenry as a precursor to the coming of Christianity, and they found in Loki the closest to a Satan figure. A Few Fascinating Facts about the Norse Gods. Sturlusons works have been translated many times over and in many languages. A little summary here: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Loki&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop#Etymology_and_alternative_names The connection appears to be way of notions of looping and closing, akin to a spider web. Not only is every pearl tied to every other pearl by virtue of the web on which they hang, but on the surface of every pearl is reflected every other jewel on the net. 01 of 10 Baldur, God of Light Because of his association with resurrection, Baldur is often connected to the cycle of death and rebirth. I havent found it yet but this is one the most amazing sites that I feel do not have a comparison.

Sif is the harvest goddess, her hair is the grain. She defeated the demon army of the demon Arunasura by summoning bees, wasps, mosquitos, flies, hornets and spiders to attack them. These animals often have a negative connotation, but not always. 2. . Jung called this Learning the language of the subconscious Active imagination is an amazing means of interacting with our own minds in a way that is literally unbelievable. As chronicled in the legend of The "Wasna" (Pemmican) Man and the Unktomi (Spider),[25] a man encounters a hungry spider family, and the hero Stone Boy is tricked out of his fancy clothes by Unktomi, a trickster spider figure. As the title says is there any norse god associated with spiders? I don't think spiders and flies are ever associated with Loki. (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
He is responsible for the kidnapping of Iunn, the death of Skais father, and many other catastrophic occurrences for the gods, but in equal measure he acquires blessings in their name: Thors iconic hammer Mjlnir, Sifs golden hair, Oins spear Gungnir, Freyrs golden boar Gullinbursti, and Freyrs great magic ship. Jungian psychology advocates the practice of active imagination in order to better understand and integrate these parts of your own subconscious mind. Evil, but rather like Tricksters in other traditions, he is a deity of change. The most popular version of the West African spider trickster is Kwaku Ananse of the Ashanti, anglicized as Aunt Nancy (or Sister Nancy) in the West Indies and some other parts of the Americas, to name a few of many incarnations. There in Odin's magnificent banquet hall fallen heroes . Press J to jump to the feed. "The All-Mother". People had lost a lot of it by the time . The gods after all are not stagnant they evolve with us. One in front of the other Athena and Arachne began to weave their canvases and as the skeins of wool unraveled the scenes they had decided to represent appeared: in the canvas of Athena the great deeds accomplished by the goddess and the divine powers that were proper to her; Arachne instead, depicted the loves of some gods, their sins and their deceptions. You can also read hundreds of different testimonials that you can find at each spell.Below you'll find spells you can order and what it is this month's special spell casting! A parallel story appears in the life of the prophet Mohammed, who hid in a cave when fleeing his enemies. The Norse gods and goddesses were completely unlike what most people thought of when they heard the word "god". Other key Aesir gods include Thor, Balder, Frigga, and Tr. Read on to learn about Baldur, and why he's so important in Norse mythology. Anansi is one of the most important and well-known divinities belonging to the mythology of the original populations of West Africa, from which he is portrayed as a being halfway between a deceiving god and a cultural hero. In The Legend of Zelda series, giant spiders are a frequent foe. This insect also relates to cycles, the passage of time, and evolution. There is also the Egyptian goddess Neith. Serpents, stags, wolves, squirrels, eagles, ravens, sheep, goats, cows, fish, cats, dogs, roosters but no insects as far as I recall. The Norse Gods are the mythological characters that, as far as we know, came from the Northern Germanic tribes of the 9th century AD. In the process of replacing Sifs hair, he arms the sir with their most powerful artifact, Thors hammer, with which he makes his travelling companion the most powerful of the Gods. im pretty sure athena is associated with spiders. Loki was originally disregarded in the earlier days of the Heathen revival, but as Christian bias is being examined more critically, he is being revived through the lens of an older ethical system, one that is not a mere duality of Good vs. The central story of Norse Mythology involved the end of the world. There is sort of a sun goddess. Married to Odin. Writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko originated this franchise. The Aesir lived in Asgard, one of the Nine Worlds of Norse Mythology. "[111] In video games, spiders or spider-shaped foes are common, such as the Metroid series where the trilogy's antagonist, Metroid Prime, has a spiderlike Metroid as her primary physical form. Despite his controversy, both Eddas state that he is one of the sir. [7], An Islamic oral tradition holds that during the Hijra, the journey from Mecca to Medina, Muhammad and his companion Abu Bakr were being pursued by Quraysh soldiers, and they decided to take refuge in the Cave of Thawr. While separate characters in the tale, many find it hard not to see the two near-identical looking and sounding names to be puns, in the same way that Oin and Or are separately presented characters who are possibly the same person. I heared that loki might be associated with them but i don't know for sure. Aegishjalmur, The Helm Of Awe, is one of the most powerful Norse symbols in Norse mythology. crosby, tx police . I know that some Caribbean deities are associated with spiders (Anansi? In the 17th century, a piece of jade was worn on the hip to force out kidney stones.The Chinese thought jade protected the dead.Jade feels cool to the touch and is worn by many in the summer.Jade is thought to ensure a long happy life, enhance friendships and drive away feelings . In the end, the Aesir, the newcomers, overcame and assimilated the Vanir. harpotho said: Maybe Arachne, the Greek woman who was turned into the first spider by Hera. Learn Religions. Lie down, close your eyes, relax all of your body and begin to imagine in your minds eye a world all your own. A fantastical creature with depictions as old as 3,000 years, the Hippalectryon is derived from Cretan (or possibly Mycenaean) folklore as a beast with half-horse and half-rooster features. Its unclear how Loki comes to be counted among the sir, but he enjoys a long standing friendship with Thor, and some sort of oath with in, under which the one cannot accept a glass of wine without offering the same to the other. Learn Religions, Jul. Water and blood. White horses symbolize purity, heroism, and spiritual enlightenment in many religions. They are said to be the least biased writings of the lot. This tradition was considered a sacred one, and the divine trickster would later evolve into the Medieval jester, who accompanied the king and was allowed to say things to him that others were not. A sleeping person causes all kinds of noise and vibrations by breathing, snoring, their heartbeat, etc., all of which warn spiders of danger. Walt Disney Pictures produced the 1996 film James and the Giant Peach based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Roald Dahl, in which the abused orphan James, who is only friends with a spider, finds more insect friends such as Spider and Centipede after entering a magical peach. Goddess Hel, a drawing by Johannes Gehrts. Incorporate spider webs into meditation or spellwork relating to Goddess energy. The Norse gods are divided into two major groups, the Aesir and Vanir, in addition to the giants who came first. (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
I haven't heard of any tbh, but the Norse didn't quite symbolize themselves via animals the same way the Greek gods did sure they worked with/owned some rather special ones or turned into some, but it's not like we really associate Thor with rams or such. Among them are Freya, the most popular goddess among the heathen Norse, and Freyr, Njord, and Nerthus, the keepers and bringers of peace and wealth. :/ I strongly advise maybe even a short summary due to the amount of importance it brings to Norse mythology. Horses, wolves, snakes, and foxes. These stories were passed down in the form of poetry until the 11th 18th centuries when the Eddas and other texts were written. Because of Lokis shenanigans, Asgard has impenetrable walls, and he further hatches many schemes to win back various lost items and loved ones. bob ingham family tree Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. Here are some of the best-known gods and goddesses of the Norse pantheon. Spirit or totem animals are Geri and Freki, his two gray wolves; Munin and Hugin, his two ravens, and Sleipnir, his eight-legged gray horse. [39], The 10th-century Saint Conrad of Constance is sometimes represented as a bishop holding a chalice with a spider. Wigington, Patti. At Ragnark, Loki is fated to break free and lead the armies of the gods enemies against them. In modern interpretations, he is often linked with the Old Norse word logr, which means fire and this has spawned an entire generation of Heathens believing that he is a Fire Giant, or associated with fire in some way. I fuckin hope not, theyre awful scary bastards. Depending on the source that is examined, Loki can be a friend to the gods or a deadly enemy, a mischievous trickster or a powerful warrior, a slightly-built traveling companion or a gigantic force of vengeance. This myth might have arisen due to its similarity in appearance with the Brown recluse spider. Balder - Son of Odin and Frigg. Ninhursag heard Uttu's screams and rescued her, removing Enki's semen from her vagina and planting it in the ground to produce eight previously nonexistent plants. [107][108], Giant spiders appear in several role-playing games, such as Lolth, the Spider Queen of Dungeons & Dragons,[109][110] and the first edition of Warcraft, where spiders are described as being "of staggering sizeperhaps 15 feet aroundwith great furred body. "Norse Deities." Baldur was beautiful and radiant, and was beloved by all the gods. The spider, along with its web, is featured in mythological fables, cosmology, artistic spiritual depictions, and in oral traditions throughout the world since ancient times. Traps, netting and bondage. anita pallenberg funeral pictures; coup de vent 5 lettres; distributive and redistributive policy; do giraffes die in holes; neokcs viewmodel settings; victoria secret hoodies; And now a very minor God of Cicadas. However, due to perseverance the spider eventually succeeds, demonstrating that "if at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again". Killed accidentally by his brother Hod. The Vanir gods and goddesses, the second tribe of deities. Creativity and curiosity are two of many hallmarks of a healthy individual. Create your own world/scene/anything as you see fit, bring into it certain archetypes that you wish to understand and start to interact with them from there it is your own adventure. [62], A key element of Richard Matheson's novel The Shrinking Man and the film based on it The Incredible Shrinking Man is the struggle of the protagonist, shrunken to the size of an insect, with a voracious spider - ending with his waging an epic battle and killing the spider.[65]. Known as a gentle and wise god. Pets were as important to the Norse of the Viking Age (c. 790-1100 CE) as they were to any other culture, past or present.The Vikings kept dogs and cats as pets and both feature in Norse religious iconography and literature.The Norse also kept pet bears and birds, such as the falcon, hawk, and the peacock. The tale goes on to say that Allah commanded a spider to weave a web across the opening of the cave. One of the most notable characters in comic book history has taken his identity from the spider, the Marvel comic book hero Spider-Man. Throughout history, spiders have been depicted in popular culture, mythology and in symbolism. In the Torah, there is a story of David, who would later become King of Israel, being pursued by soldiers sent by King Saul. This is a great intoduction to are ancestors way of life and are gods. Ynglinga Saga And The Arrival Of The Norse Gods In Scandinavia. Though it is not a religion in and of itself, we must understand and integrate the lessons we learn from these mythologies. In Egypt, it was sacred to Neith goddess of hunting, warfare, and primordial creation. Eir - Goddess of healing. Neith was also worshiped in Esna, where she played the role of Demiurge. These webs are in fact functional and practical and are the result of an ingenious design as they serve as houses, as a food pantry, and as egg incubators: they seem to have limitless functionality. Freya -One of the main players in the Nordic Goddess list. Some parts of the world see the spider as a negative and malevolent being. [60], Spiders serve as a recurring motif in the works of J. R. R. After being warned by Enki's wife Ninhursag that he would attempt to seduce her, Uttu ensconced herself inside her web, but agreed to let Enki in after he promised to marry her and give her fresh produce as a marriage gift. Scissors (Sifs shears) and knives (as adopted by Marvels Loki with daggers). and what she does to the viking socitey, She creates varying degrees of darkness on a daily basis. Married to Ran and lives under the waves near the island of Hlesey. Such as the volsung now you have finished this series of myths? Svartalfheim is actually the ", "My very first thought upon reading this was that it is yet another ", "Thors temper came out when loki cut sifs hair,he said he was gonna ", "All mythology can be understood to explain the challenges that the authors faced ", "The first thing you must do when reading the "bible" (any version). is ", Lokis Children and the Binding of Fenrir. Loki and his monstrous progeny are every bit as complex as Freya and the valkyries. In other instances she is venerated as a goddess dwelling in the Jren Falls who saves people from drowning. Odin was the King of the sir clan and known as 'the father of all gods'. Angrboda is mentioned in two myths, Binding of Fenrir and Helheim, maybe others, use the search. [6] According to the myth of Enki and Ninsikila, she was the daughter of the water god Enki. Hel features in Norse legend as the goddess of the underworld. He is not Thors brother in the lore, but rather his companion, and the two have a sort of odd-couple relationship. Nearly all cultures have some sort of spider mythology, and folktales about these crawly creatures abound! It is only later that they become diminished in standing, much like the Irish Tuatha De Dannan are turned into the miniaturized Victorian flower fairies (or in the case of the Jtnar, giganticized). Thanks for all the info! [4], A dance, the tarantella, refers to the purported victims of a bite from the spider Lycosa tarantula which were allegedly compelled to dance until they were exhausted. Im writing a book that has to do a lot with Norse. Download Odin is one of the most prominent figures in Norse mythology and is considered the chief god of the Aesir, one of the two major groups of gods in Norse religion. The stories invoke the deeper parts of ourselves so that we may be more in touch with what we truly think is right, wrong, and ideal. No one can stop it. While Snorri makes Loki the prime conspirator of Ragnark, it is clear that Ragnark is always inevitable, and always has been. For the Norse and Germanic societies, much like many other ancient cultures, the deities were a part of daily life, not merely something to be chatted with in times of need. Special in February: Use Code valentine at checkout for a 20% discount on all Love & Relationship Spells! Spiders, and the flies in their webs are symbols of Lokis, as are nets, and images of bondage. If youre not interested in eating spiders, some traditions say that catching a spider and carrying it in a silk pouch around your neck will help prevent illness. Odin presented the runes to mankind as a gift. She was known to wear a magnificent necklace called Brisingamen, which represents the fire of the sun, and was said to weep tears of gold. Norse mythology - including the stories of Odin, Thor and Loki - was the basis of the religion of the Viking warriors that plundered Europe from the 8 th to the 11 th . I am avidly studying Jungian philosophy of using mythology as a means of self-transformation during my graduate work in psychology I wish to offer some advice to anyone who seeks the truth within themselves. Learn Religions, Aug. 28, 2020, learnreligions.com/norse-deities-4590158. Treasure and loot. But rather the creatures that constantly appear to challenge the gods and terrorise men. Lord god Odin rode through the misty forest and met the wise giant Mimir who was guarding world tree Mmameir. Likewise, while the Norse goddesses are minor characters in the Norse epics, they are clearly an important aspect of Norse mythology. Shelob was featured in the film adaption of the last book of the Lord of the Rings series. Customs, Traditions and Folklore of Litha. The spider symbol reminds us that we need to be aware of our behaviors and behave rationally to build a good web. I didn't think of it as a limitation in their power, more of the fact that a deity may be interested in you amongst million other if one of your ancestors worshipped them in the past, or made offerings. The user with this ability either is or can transform into a Spider Deity, a god/goddess who represents or is associated with spiders. If there was a drought, it wouldnt hurt to offer a libation to Thor in hopes that the rains would come. Spiders or cobwebs not only call our attention to the life choices we need to make, but they also show us a new perspective on how we can manipulate our way of thinking to build the life we want. Loki is perhaps best captured by the Biblical passages that suggest we eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Perhaps the irony of his wisdom being found in a Bible passage would amuse Loki. The constellation was seen as seven men transformed into stars and climbing to paradise by unrolling a spider's web. In other Scandinavian dialects of the time, Lokis name is related to words likened to knots, loops, tangles, nets and webs. Freyja is the most well-known goddess in Norse mythology and in many ways rivals Odin in power. In Norse tradition, she is responsible for receiving the spirits of the deceased and taking them to the underworld, a realm called Helheim. Loptr, Lodur, Hverungr, Lokki, Lokkemand, Loke, Lokke, Luki, Luku, Lukki. [119][120], Huntsman spiders are large and swift, often eliciting arachnophobic reactions from susceptible people, and are the subject of many superstitions, exaggerations and myths. Spiders in their webs are associated with a sacred rock in central Arnhem Land on the Burnungku clan estate of the Rembarrnga /Kyne people. It was made by the best of the dwarven craftsmen, who also created Skidbladnir, Freyr's ship, and Sif's (Thor's wife) golden t h read of hair. She is credited in some of the Eddas with the development of runes, and she is known in some Norse tales as the Queen of Heaven. [63] The character of Ungoliant is featured as a spiderlike entity, and as a personification of Night from his earliest writings. This fed into the Anansi toree or "spider tales"; stories that were brought over from Africa and told to children of Maroon people and other Africans in the diaspora. Most Jews, Christians, and Muslims refer to "God" with a capital "G" as being a very supreme being who created the entire world singlehandedly. Great work, cant wait to read more!! [93], In Ingmar Bergman's 1961 Swedish film adaptation Through a Glass Darkly, the psychotic Karin believes she has an encounter with God as a spider. Although he doesnt appear often in the Eddas, he is generally described as a member of the family of Odin. I in turn joined the Australian Army for some time but in any event he left a marble paperweight with a figurine in black stone of a head with what appears to be his tongue poking out and its on a marble slab approx 8 x 12 cm. He was initially named Setana. It is also a symbol of mischief and malice for its toxic venom and the slow death it causes, which is often seen as a curse. North American cultures have traditionally depicted spiders. That seems hard to believe. David hides in a cave, and Saul and his men do not bother to search the cave because, while David was hiding inside, a spider had spun a web over the mouth of the cave. How could my choices improve my life? what a tangled web we weave The 1952 children's novel Charlotte's Web by E. B. [88], The Godzilla franchise includes a giant spiderlike kaiju named Kumonga ("Spiga" in the English versions), first appearing in 1967's Son of Godzilla. More posts you may like r/mythology Join 1 yr. ago This is due to Marvel Comics (and movies) which are loosely inspired by the old myths and change several things in the retelling. What influence do the choices of now have on the choices I will have to make in the future? Wisdom, intelligence, battle, arts and crafts. If we only look to the linguistic evidence for fire in his name, we dont find it. Actually, she is the sun Her name is Sol or Sunna, and she is being chased by a wolf named Skoll. deities associated with spiders deadly premonition 2 enemies lewis and clark called it the seal river codycross . [54], In the 16th-century Chinese folk novel, Wu Cheng'en's Journey to the West, the Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang's odyssey includes being trapped in a spider's cave and bound by beautiful women and many children, who are transformations of spiders.[55]. When the Vikings converted to Christianity did they just quit believing in the gods they had been worshiping? Spiders, and the flies in their webs are symbols of Lokis, as are nets, and images of bondage. Gungnir - Norse Symbol Associated with Odin. In archaeological finds, he is depicted on the Snaptun Stone, the Kirkby Stephen Stone, and the Gosforth Cross. Tyr. Indra's net has a multifaceted jewel at each vertex, and each jewel is reflected in all of the other jewels.[48]. There are several variations of the spellings of this Goddess name including: Freyja, Freyr and Freyja. Eventually she began to consider herself to be a greater weaver than the goddess Athena herself, and challenged the goddess to a weaving contest to prove her superior skill. Many of the tales that involve Loki are only attested in very late sources, and may be the creation of storytellers during an age when belief in the old religion was waning or had already dissipated. I'm not sure if she had a literal association with spiders though. At that point, Athena revealed herself in all her greatness and declared the challenge open. However, they also relate to consistency: just think of the incredible cobwebs that the spider is capable of making on its own. The context of the question night yield better answers. Im really confused I thought he was just the Trickster god of Mischeif. Some of the most interesting characters in Norse mythology are not the powerful gods.