Þjazi

Did You Know?

• Saturn's moon Thiazzi was named after him.
• In one account, Þjazi was killed by Svafrlami using the magic sword Tyrfing.
• Þjazi's daughter Frid married Svafrlami after his death.

Skáldskaparmál

Odin, Loki, and Hœnir were traveling through mountains and wilderness when they became hungry. In a valley they found a herd of oxen, took one, and placed it in an earth oven, but the meat would not cook. While they tried to understand why, a voice from an oak tree above announced that he was responsible for the oven not cooking. Looking up, they saw Þjazi in the form of a great eagle. He offered to make the oven cook if they let him eat from the ox, and they agreed. Þjazi descended and began devouring a large portion of the meal, eating so much that Loki grew angry and struck at him with a long staff. The weapon stuck fast to Þjazi's body, and he took flight, carrying Loki with him. As they flew, Loki's legs banged against trees and stones, and he begged to be released. Þjazi agreed only on the condition that Loki lure Iðunn out of Asgard with her apples of youth, which Loki promised to do. Later, Loki tricked Iðunn into a forest by claiming he had found apples worth comparing with her own. Þjazi appeared in his eagle shape, seized Iðunn, and flew with her to his realm of Þrymheimr in Jötunheimr. Without Iðunn's apples, the gods began to age and turn grey. Learning that Iðunn had last been seen leaving Asgard with Loki, they threatened him with torture and death until he agreed to rescue her. Loki borrowed a magical falcon coat from Freyja, flew to Jötunheimr, and found Iðunn alone while Þjazi was out at sea. He transformed her into a nut and carried her back, flying as fast as he could. When Þjazi returned and found her gone, he assumed his eagle form and pursued. As the gods saw Loki approaching with Þjazi close behind, they lit a fire that burned Þjazi's feathers, causing him to fall to the ground, where they set upon and killed him.