The Kidnapping of Idunna Part 1: Loki’s Tricks Turn Nasty

Odin often liked to walk in Midgard, the land of men, and it was on such day that Loki decided to join him. They walked together until they reached the part of Midgard that was next to Jotunheim, the land of the Giants. Nothing really grew there, and there were no animals. As the two Gods walked through this part of the land, they became hungry but there was nothing to eat anywhere. So, whilst Odin sat down to rest, Loki went off in search of something to eat.
Eventually, he came across a herd of wild cows. The bull of the herd looked like he had lots of meat on him, so Loki killed him and brought him back to Odin, to cook. He made a small fire, and built a spit over the top. Then, he tore the meat into strips, and roasted them on the spit.
When it was cooked, Loki called Odin over to eat, but when he took a bite, he found the meat was still raw.
Loki was upset that he had made a mistake whilst cooking, so he cut some more strips and set about cooking them. When he was sure they were done, he took them off the fire and handed them to Odin. Odin took one bite of them and said “These strips are still raw! What trick is this?”
Loki was angry now as he was sure he had cooked the meat through, and Odin saw this. He knew Loki was not playing tricks. He threw the meat back on the fire, covering it with the embers to bake it, but when he took it out and handed it to Odin, the meat was still as raw as when it was first cut from the bull. Odin guessed that the meat must have been Giant magick and gave up trying to eat, preferring to continue his journey.
Loki, on the other hand, was feeling quite frustrated with the meat. He tried cooking it again in the morning, but as he was taking it off the fire, he heard the sound of flapping wings. Looking up, he saw a great eagle swooping down to rest beside him.
“Having trouble cooking your meal?” the eagle cried in the way eagles do.
“I can’t seem to be able to cook it properly.” said Loki.
“I can cook it for you, if you’d be willing to share it with me.” offered the eagle. A very hungry Loki agreed, and immediately, the eagle took off into the sky. He circled the fire, dropping lower and lower until he was just over it, and then he began to beat his wings furiously. The fire built up into a blaze. Loki threw the meat into the fire, because it was too hot to stand near and place the meat on the spit. Within a minute, the meat was cooked all the way through.
“Now I will take my share!” screeched the eagle, snatching the largest piece from Loki’s hands. The eagle ate the meat, then snatched another piece, and another, then another until it was all gone.
Loki was furious!
Then, the eagle flew up into the air, dived down upon Loki and snatched him up into the air, carrying him away. Loki knew the direction they were going in. They were flying into Jotunheim!
“Loki, Loki, Loki!” screamed the eagle, “At last I have you, you trickster! Now I can tell you that it was my brother you cheated when building the Wall of Asgard! Now I can tell you that you have been captured by Thiassi, cleverest of all Giants!”
They flew and flew, eventually coming to a place in Jotunheim that was all rock and ice. There the eagle left Loki, stranded on an iceberg forever. Even though he couldn’t die, because he was a God from Asgard, Loki was so cold he nearly froze.
The eagle was not seen for some time. When he did return, it was not as the eagle, but as the Giant Thiassi.
“You want to leave that iceberg, don’t you?” questioned Thiassi, “Do you want to return to Asgard, where the other Gods belong?”
Loki said nothing, too cold to speak.
“Funny thing is, Loki, you’re not even a proper God! Your father was a Wind Giant!”
Tears froze on Loki’s face, because he had always thought he was a God, and now he had found out he was only half a God.
“Please, let me leave this iceberg.” he sobbed to the Giant.
“I’ll let you go if you pay me a ransom.” said Thiassi. “I want the secret to the ever-lasting youth of the Gods.”
“The golden apples of Idunna’s Tree? There’s no way I could get them!” shivered Loki.
“Then stay where you are,” replied Thiassi, “At least, until you have thought of a clever trick to get them!”
“There may be one way!” said Loki, thinking as quick as he could. “Idunna always takes her apples with her whenever she goes to Odin’s Hall. If I could get her to leave with me, she’ll bring them too!”
The Giant thought about what Loki had said.
“All you have to do is get her to cross the Wall of Asgard. I will take the apples from her there.” he said, and made Loki swear an unbreakable oath that he would do this. Loki had no choice but to agree, and as soon as he did, Thiassi changed into the eagle again, and carried him back to Midgard. Loki then made his way alone, back to Asgard, and the home he once thought he belonged in.

And that was when Loki’s tricks turned nasty towards the Gods.