How shall Heimdall be referred to? By calling him son of nine mothers, guardian of the gods, as was written above, or the white As, Loki’s enemy, recoverer of Freyia’s necklace. A sword is called Heimdall’s head; it is said he was struck through with a man’s head. He is the subject of the poem Heimdalargaldr, and ever since the head has been called Heimdall’s doom: man’s doom is an expression for sword. Heimdall is the owner of Gulltopp. He is also the visitor to Vagasker and Singastein; on that occasion he contended with Loki for the Brisingamen. He is also known as Vindhler. Ulf Uggason composed a long passage in Husdrapa based on this story, and it is mentioned there that they were in the form of seals. Also son of Odin.
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How shall Loki be referred to? By calling him son of Farbauti and Laufey, of Nal, brother of Byleist and Helblindi, father of Vanargand, i.e. Fenriswolf, and of Iormungand, i.e. the Midgard serpent, and Hel’s and Nari’s and Ali’s relative and father, brother, comrade and table-companion of Odin and the Æsir, Geirrod’s visitor and casket-ornament, thief from giants, of goat and Brisingamen and Idunn’s apples, relative of Sleipnir, husband of Sigyn, enemy of gods, Sif’s hair-harmer, maker of mischief, the cunning As, accuser and tricker of the gods, contriver of Baldr’s death, the bound one, wrangler with Heimdall and Skadi. As Ulf Uggason says here:
Renowned defender [Heimdall] of the powers’ way [Bifrost], kind of counsel, competes with Farbauti’s terribly sly son at Singastein. Son of eight mothers plus one, mighty of mood, is first to get hold of the beautiful sea-kidney [jewel, Brisingamen]. I announce it in strands of praise.
Here it is mentioned that Heimdall is son of nine mothers.
- The Prose Edda, Skaldskaparmal