Skíðblaðnir (Old Norse:[ˈskiːðˌblɑðnez̠], 'assembled from thin pieces of wood'[1]), sometimesanglicized asSkidbladnir orSkithblathnir, is the best of ships inNorse mythology. It is attested in thePoetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and in theProse Edda andHeimskringla, both written in the 13th century bySnorri Sturluson. All sources note that the ship is the finest of ships, and thePoetic Edda andProse Edda attest that it is owned by the godFreyr, while theeuhemerized account inHeimskringla attributes it to the magic ofOdin. BothHeimskringla and theProse Edda attribute to it the ability to be folded up—as cloth may be—into one's pocket when not needed.
References to the ship occur in thePoetic Edda, theProse Edda, and inHeimskringla. The ship is mentioned twice in thePoetic Edda and both incidents therein occur in the poemGrímnismál. InGrímnismál, Odin (disguised asGrímnir), tortured, starved, and thirsty, imparts in the youngAgnar cosmological knowledge, including information about the origin of the ship Skíðblaðnir:
Benjamin Thorpe translation: Ivaldi's sons went in days of old
Skidbladnir to form,
of ships the best, for the bright Frey,
Niörd's benign son.
Yggdrasil's ash is of all trees the most excellent,
and of all ships, Skidbladnir.
of theÆsir,Odin,
and of horses,Sleipnir,
Bifröst of bridges, and ofskalldsBragi,
Hâbrôk of hawks, and of dogs,Garm,
[Brimir of swords.][2]Henry Adams Bellows translation: In days of old did Ivaldi's sons
Skithblathnir fashion fair,
The best of ships for the bright god Freyr,
The noble son of Njorth.
The best of trees must Yggdrasil be,
Skithblathnir best of boats;
Of all the gods is Othin the greatest,
And Sleipnir the best of steeds;
Bifrost of bridges, Bragi of skalds,
Hobrok of hawks, and Garm of hounds.[3]
Skíðblaðnir is mentioned several times in theProse Edda, where it appears in the booksGylfaginning andSkáldskaparmál. The first mention ofSkíðblaðnir in thePoetic Edda occurs in chapter 43, where the enthroned figure ofHigh tellsGangleri (kingGylfi in disguise) that the god Odin is an important deity. High quotes the second of the above-mentionedGrímnismál stanzas in support.[4]
The boat is first directly addressed in chapter 43; there Gangleri asks that, ifSkíðblaðnir is the best of ships, what there is to know about it, and asks if there is no other ship as good or as large as it. High responds that whileSkíðblaðnir is the finest ship and the most ingeniously created, the biggest ship is in factNaglfar, which is owned byMuspell. The Sons of Ivaldi, who High adds aredwarfs, crafted the ship and gave it to Freyr. High continues that the ship is big enough for all of the gods to travel aboard it with wargear and weapons in tow, and that, as soon as its sail is hoisted, the ship finds good wind, and goes wherever it need be as it could sail on both the wind and the water. It is made up of so many parts and with such craftsmanship that, when it is not needed at sea, it may be folded up like cloth and placed into one's pocket. Gangleri comments thatSkíðblaðnir sounds like a great ship, and that it must have taken a lot of magic to create something like it.[5]
The next mention of the ship occurs inSkáldskaparmál where, in chapter 6, poetic ways of referring to Freyr are provided. Among other names, Freyr is referred to as "possessor ofSkidbladnir and of the boar known asGullinbursti". The first of the twoGrímnismál stanzas mentioned above is then provided as reference.[6]
In chapter 35, a myth explainingSkíðblaðnir's creation is provided. The chapter details that the godLoki once cut off the goddess'sSif's hair in an act of mischief. Sif's husband, Thor, enraged, found Loki, caught hold of him, and threatened to break every last bone in his body. Loki promises to have theSvartálfar make Sif a new head of hair that will grow just as any other. Loki goes to the dwarfs known as Ivaldi's sons, and they made not only Sif a new head of gold hair but also Skíðblaðnir and the spearGungnir. As the tale continues, Loki risks his neck for the creation of the devastating hammerMjöllnir, the multiplying ringDraupnir, and the speedy, sky-and-water traveling, bright-bristled boarGullinbursti. In the end, Loki's wit saves him his head, but results in the stitching together of his lips. The newly created items are doled out by the dwarfs to Sif, Thor, Odin, and Freyr. Freyr is gifted both Gullinbursti andSkíðblaðnir, the latter of which is again said to receive fair wind whenever its sail was set, and that it will go wherever it needs to, and that it can be folded up much as cloth and placed in one's pocket at will.[7]
Skíðblaðnir receives a final mention inSkáldskaparmál where, in chapter 75, it appears on a list of ships.[8]
The ship gets a single mention in theHeimskringla bookYnglinga saga. In chapter 7, aeuhemerized Odin is said to have had various magical abilities, including that "he was also able with mere words to extinguish fires, to calm the sea, and to turn the winds any way he pleased. He had a ship calledSkíthblathnir with which he sailed over great seas. It could be folded together like a cloth."[9]
The animated television seriesCode Lyoko features a digital submarine namedSkidbladnir, named this way due to the Nordic ship's efficiency and usefulness.
In the 2018 gameGod of War, Skiðblaðnir is mentioned by name, but it is not seen. In its 2022 sequelGod of War Ragnarök, Skiðblaðnir is a magical boat that was owned by the Vanir God Freyr, who then gave it toKratos to use whenever he wants. As it was made by the Vanir Gods, Skiðblaðnir was given the ability to fly and to fold itself when not in use.