The Otter’s Ransom
"The Otter's Ransom" is a tale from Norse mythology that highlights the interaction between gods and humans, specifically focusing on themes of fate, greed, and transformation. The story begins with the gods Odin, Hoenir, and Loki, who, during their travels in Midgard, encounter an otter that Loki mistakenly kills. The otter is later revealed to be Otr, the son of Hreidmar, a human who captures the gods and demands a ransom of gold to spare their lives. Loki, tasked with retrieving the treasure, seeks out Andvari the dwarf, who reluctantly provides gold but warns of a cursed ring that accompanies it.
The narrative unfolds with themes of betrayal and ambition as Hreidmar's sons, Fáfnir and Regin, plot against their father for the treasure, resulting in a tragic cycle of conflict and loss. This story serves as a crucial origin point for several other significant Norse myths, particularly relating to the heroic figure Sigurðr and the infamous curse of Andvari's gold. The tale is integral to understanding the complexities of Norse mythology and its cultural implications, including potential influences on modern literature, such as J.R.R. Tolkien's works. "The Otter's Ransom" thus encapsulates the intricate relationship between power, consequences, and the dynamic between mortals and the divine.
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Subject Terms
The Otter’s Ransom
Author: Traditional Norse
Time Period: 1001 CE–1500 CE
Country or Culture: Scandinavia
Genre: Myth
PLOT SUMMARY
Three Asas (residents of Asgard)—the gods Odin, Hoenir (or Vili), and Loki—decide to explore the rest of the world. During their trip, they visit Midgard, where humans live. They walk along a river and come across an otter that has killed and has begun to eat a salmon. Loki throws a stone and kills the otter. The gods skin the otter, and Loki wears the pelt on his shoulder.
The three later come across an estate. They ask the owner, Hreidmar, if they may rest there, offering the salmon they found as compensation. Hreidmar, however, sees the pelt on Loki’s shoulder and recognizes it as that of his son, Otr (Otter), who can transform into the animal. Hreidmar, unaware that these men are gods, calls for his other sons, Fáfnir and Regin, and the three take the Asas into custody for murdering Otter. The Asas offer to pay a ransom in exchange for their lives—as much money as Hreidmar demands. Hreidmar agrees, telling the Asas that they must fill Otr’s pelt with gold, covering the skin with gold as well. Loki leaves to find the ransom while Odin and Hoenir remain in captivity.
Loki goes to the land of the dark elves in pursuit of a treasure kept by the dwarf Andvari. Andvari disguises himself as a fish, but Loki captures him and demands the treasure. Andvari gives him the gold but attempts to retain a ring, which Loki demands as well. Andvari tells Loki that the ring is cursed and it will bring great misfortune to anyone who would possess it. Loki fills the pelt with the treasure and covers the skin with more gold. He returns to Hreidmar, who notices that a single hair of his son’s pelt is not covered. The ring is placed on the hair, and the father accepts the ransom. The Asas are then freed.
When the Asas depart, Hreidmar refuses to share the gold with his sons, and they then plot to kill their father. Afterward, Fáfnir and Regin fight with one another for the treasure. Regin is driven out while Fafnir keeps the gold. Regin plots to retake the treasure but needs the help of the great king Sigurðr (Sigurd) to kill Fáfnir, who has become a great dragon or serpent. Fáfnir takes up residence at a castle, where he defends the treasure of Andvari and keeps watch over a sleeping Brynhildr (who, in another tale, betrays Odin and is put into a deep sleep as punishment). Sigurðr agrees to help Regin and, after a great battle with the dragon, kills Fáfnir and takes the gold. Regin has Sigurðr cut out and roast his brother’s heart. After Regin drinks the blood that comes from the heart, he is given the ability to understand the language of birds. The birds sing about his deceptiveness and acts of betrayal. Over time, the curse is fulfilled repeatedly, as great tragedy befalls those who take possession of the ring.
SIGNIFICANCE
The story of the otter’s ransom and the treasure of Andvari is the point of origin for many tales in Norse mythology. This story is taken from “Skáldskaparmál,” the second book in the collection of poems titled the Prose Edda. The Prose Edda, which is attributed to Icelandic poet and politician Snorri Sturluson, is believed to be one of the most integral texts in Norse mythology and dates from about 1200 CE.
“The Otter’s Ransom” is one of the few stories in Norse mythology in which humans who are imbued with special gifts interact with and influence gods. In this case, the gods make the mistake of killing a human (albeit one disguised as an otter), and the human’s father is then able to capture and make demands of the gods. In Norse mythology, humans must endure death and hardship at the will of the gods, but in this tale, the roles are reversed when Hreidmar is able to inflict hardship upon the gods.
The story is also significant as the foundation of many other major tales in Norse mythology. For example, Sigurðr’s role in the tale overlaps another major story: the tale of Brynhildr the Valkyrie. One of the most noble of Norse figures, Sigurðr in the tale of Brynhildr rescues a beautiful woman when he discovers the treasure of Andvari. He bravely smites the dragon that imprisons her and that guards the treasure. The dragon is in fact Fáfnir, the son of Hreidmar, who helped kill his father in order to steal the treasure that he later took from his brother.
The curse of Andvari’s treasure also plays a role in other stories in Norse mythology. Some literary analysts have concluded that J. R. R. Tolkien, author of the classic Lord of the Rings trilogy, may have been influenced by “The Otter’s Ransom.” His use of the One Ring, which is the cause of great suffering, may have been modeled after Andvari’s ring. Andvari, after all, initially tried to keep it from Loki, and any person who possessed it as part of the treasure would have suffered greatly. Although Tolkien never confirmed this theory, these similarities, as well as the presence of many other parallels between Norse mythology Tolkien’s works, are significant.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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