Editing Loki (section)

====''Reginsmál''====
Loki appears in both prose and the first six stanzas of the poem ''Reginsmál''. The prose introduction to ''Reginsmál'' details that, while the hero [[Sigurd]] was being fostered by [[Regin]], son of [[Hreidmar]], Regin tells him that once the gods Odin, [[Hœnir]], and Loki went to Andvara-falls, which contained many fish. Regin, a dwarf, had two brothers; [[Andvari]], who gained food by spending time in the Andvara-falls in the form of a [[Esox|pike]], and [[Ótr]], who would often go to the Andvara-falls in the form of an [[Eurasian otter|otter]].{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=151}}

While the three gods are at the falls, Ótr (in the form of an otter) catches a salmon and eats it on a river bank, his eyes shut, when Loki hits and kills him with a stone. The gods think that this is great, and flay the skin from the otter to make a bag. That night, the three gods stay with Hreidmar (the father of Regin, Andvari, and the now-dead Ótr) and show him their catches, including the skin of the otter. Upon seeing the skin, Regin and Hreidmar "seized them and made them ransom their lives" in exchange for filling the otterskin bag the gods had made with gold and covering the exterior of the bag with red gold.{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=151}}

Loki is sent to retrieve the gold, and Loki goes to the goddess [[Rán]], borrows her net, and then goes back to the Andvara-falls. At the falls, Loki spreads his net before Andvari (who is in the form of a pike), which Andvari jumps into. The stanzas of the poem then begin: Loki mocks Andvari, and tells him that he can save his head by telling Loki where his gold is. Andvari gives some background information about himself, including that he was cursed by a "[[norns|norn]] of misfortune" in his "early days". Loki responds by asking Andvari "what requital" does mankind get if "they wound each other with words". Andvari responds that lying men receive a "terrible requital": having to wade in the river [[Vadgelmir]], and that their suffering will be long.{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|pp=151–152}}

Loki looks over the gold that Andvari possesses, and after Andvari hands over all of his gold, Andvari holds on to but a single ring; the ring [[Andvarinaut]], which Loki also takes. Andvari, now in the form of a dwarf, goes into a rock, and tells Loki that the gold will result in the death of two brothers, will cause strife between eight princes, and will be useless to everyone.{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=152}}

Loki returns, and the three gods give Hreidmar the money from the gold hoard and flatten out the otter skin, stretch out its legs, and heap gold atop it, covering it. Hreidmar looks it over, and notices a single hair that has not been covered. Hreidmar demands that it be covered as well. Odin puts forth the ring Andvarinaut, covering the single hair.{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|p=152}}

Loki states that they have now handed over the gold, and that gold is cursed as Andvari is, and that it will be the death of Hreidmar and Regin both. Hreidmar responds that if he had known this before, he would have taken their lives, yet that he believes those are not yet born whom the curse is intended for, and that he does not believe him. Further, with the hoard, he will have red gold for the rest of his life. Hreidmar tells them to leave, and the poem continues without further mention of Loki.{{sfnp|Larrington|1999|pp=152–153}}