Loki and Logi: Two Different Characters in Norse Myth
If you happen to read Norse mythology, especially the chapter in which Loki and Thor teamed up to travel to Utgard-Loki, you will find quite confusing between Loki and Logi. Many sources claim that Logi the giant was actually Loki. However, not enough evidence can support this though.
Loki and Thor teamed up
Need not to surprise when you hear Loki and Thor teamed up. Although Thor threatened to kill Loki multiple times, Loki could still team up with many gods.
So this time, Thor and Loki along with some servants travelled to Utgard-Loki. We don't know for what reason they travelled to that strange land.
Upon the journey, they encountered many strange happenings. By the time, they arrived at the gate of Utgard-Loki, no giant welcomed them. Even the giants laughed at their small size. This really pissed the gods off and the two parties came into competitions.
Loki was the first to compete with a giant in the hall and it was Logi that came from the side of the giant. They joined an eating competition.
The eating contest
Loki was always proud of his eating skills just like Thor was proud of his drinking skills. However, no one had an idea of who this Logi was.
In the middle of the hall stood a table full of meat. Whoever finished the meat first would win. The two hesitated no second to jump into and attempt to finish the meal. Loki ate all of the meat on his part quickly. But Logi was faster. Not only did Logi finish the meat but also the bones and everything left on the table as well. Loki lost the fight.
Modern adaption and misunderstanding
Until the 19th century, Norse mythology was adapted into some modern artwork. Probably at this time, some details were not the same as the original version. Wagner's plays called Loki the god of fire and I believe from this point, Loki had a modern title.
Loki was hardly seen as a god. Neither literal text nor archaeological evidence pointed to that way of thinking. No worshipping site was dedicated to Loki. Instead, the Vikings at that time worshipped Odin, Thor, and Freyr the most.
His name "Loki" was likely to originate from the old Norwegian word for "chain" or "lock". Looking back, Loki was the trickster of the Norse. He was the starter of nearly all problems for the gods and he was also the solver of them all. If we can call him god, then Loki should be the god of traps.
Also, none of Loki's kids had anything to do with fire. The only daughter of Loki was Hel the queen of death. And death was the ultimate kind of traps.
The name of "Logi" meant "fire". And because he was fire, he could consume whatever in his path. That's why he could outdo Loki in the eating contest.
Loki and Logi were two different characters. Norse mythology told us stories of shapeshifting skills but never duplicating skills. It might sound quite ridiculous to think of Loki had a clone version of himself to jeopardize his own life in the land of the giant.
