Idunn Alternate Telling

How shall Idunn be referred to? By calling her wife of Bragi and
keeper of the apples, and the apples the Æsir’s old-age cure. She is
also giant Thiassi’s booty in accordance with the story told above
about his abducting her from the Æsir. Thiodolf of Hvinir
composed a passage based on that story in Haustlong:

[...]

Then the burden of Sigyn’s arms [Loki], whom all the
powers eye in his bonds, got stuck to the ski-deity’s [Skadi’s]
fosterer [father, Thiassi]. The pole clung to the mighty
haunter of Giantland and the hands of Haenir’s good friend
[Loki] to the end of the rod.

The bird of blood [eagle], happy with its booty, flew a long
distance with the wise god, so that the wolf’s father [Loki]
was about to rip in two. Then Thor’s friend — heavy Lopt
[Loki] had collapsed — was forced to beg Midiung’s mate
[the giant] as hard as he could for quarter.

The scion of Hymir’s race [giants] instructed the crewguider,
crazy with pain, to bring to him the maid who knew
the Æsir’s old-age cure [Idunn]. The thief of Brising’s girdle
[Brisingamen] afterwards caused the gods’ lady [Idunn] to
go into the rock-Nidud’s [giant’s] courts to Brunnakr’s
bench.

The bright-shield-dwellers [giants] were not unhappy after
this, now Idunn was among the giants, newly arrived from
the south. All Ingi-Freyr’s kin [Æsir] became old and grey in
their assembly; the powers were rather ugly in form,

— until they found ale-Gefn’s [Idunn’s] flowing corpse-sea
[blood] hound [wolf, thief, i.e. Loki] and bound the thief,
that tree of deceit, who had led ale-Gefn off. ‘You shall be
trapped, Loki,’ the angry one spoke thus, ‘unless by some
scheme you bring back the renowned maid, enlarger of the
fetters’ [gods’] joy.’

I have heard this, that the trier of Haenir’s mind [Loki]
afterwards tricked back the Æsir’s girl-friend with the help of
a hawk’s flight-skin; and with deceitful mind Mom’s father
[the giant], energetic power of feather-blade-play [wingbeating],
directed a storm-wind against the hawk’s offspring [Loki in eagle form].

Shafts soon began to burn, for the great powers [gods] had
shaved them; and the son of Greip’s wooer [a giant] is
scorched. There is a sudden swerve in his travel. This is
depicted on my mountain-Finn’s [giant’s, Hrungnir’s]
solebridge [pedestal, shield]. I received the border’s moving cliff
[shield] decorated with horrors from Thorleif.

It is also normal to refer to Æsir by calling one by the name of
another and referring to him by his deeds or possession or descent.


- Prose Edda, Skaldskaparmal