Skíðblaðnir

"Wooden-bladed." A magical ship, fashioned by dwarfs — the ones known as Ívaldi's sons — and given to the bright god Freyr:

Ívaldi's sons
went in days of old
Skidbladnir to form,
of ships the best,
for the bright Frey,
Njörd's benign son.

Snorri Sturluson adds that the ship is large enough to accommodate all the Æsir with their weapons and armament, and as soon as the sail is hoisted it will have favorable winds. The ship is constructed so skillfully that it can be folded up like a cloth and put in a pocket. Skíðblaðnir is the best of ships and made with the most skill of craftsmanship, but it is not the largest; that is Naglfar.

In Ynglinga saga, it belongs to Odin who in the ship sails over wide seas.

References

Sources

  • Grímnismál, 43, 44.
  • Gylfaginning, 43.
  • Skáldskaparmál, 7, 35.
  • Ynglinga saga, 7.