Editing Loki (section)

===Identification with Lóðurr===
A popular theory proposed by a variety of scholars is that ''[[Lóðurr]]'' is "a third name of Loki/Loptr". The main argument for this is that the gods Odin, Hœnir and Loki occur as a trio in ''[[Haustlöng]]'', in the prose prologue to ''[[Reginsmál]]'' and also in the ''[[Loka Táttur]]'' a [[Faroese people|Faroese]] ballad, an example of Norse deities appearing in later folklore. The Odin-kenning "Lóðurr's friend" furthermore appears to parallel the kenning "Loptr's friend" and Loki is similarly referred to as "Hœnir's friend" in ''Haustlöng'', strengthening the trio connection. While many scholars agree with this identification, it is not universally accepted. One argument against it is that Loki appears as a malevolent being later in ''Völuspá'', seemingly conflicting with the image of Lóðurr as a "mighty and loving" figure. Many scholars, including [[Jan de Vries (linguist)|Jan de Vries]] and [[Georges Dumézil]], have also identified Lóðurr as being the same deity as Loki. Scholar Haukur Þorgeirsson suggests that ''Loki'' and ''Lóðurr'' were different names for the same deity based on that Loki is referred to as Lóður in the rímur ''[[Lokrur]]''. Þorgeirsson argues that the writer must have had information about the identification from either a tradition or that the author drew the conclusion based on the ''Prose Edda'', as Snorri does not mention Lóðurr. Since the contents of the ''Poetic Edda'' are assumed to have been forgotten around 1400 when the rímur was written, Haukur argues for a traditional identification. Þorgeirsson also points to ''[[Þrymlur]]'' where the same identification is made with Loki and Lóðurr. Haukur says that unless the possible but unlikely idea that the 14th- and 15th-century poets possessed written sources unknown to us is true, the idea must have come from either an unlikely amount of sources from where the poets could have drawn a similar conclusion that Loki and Lóðurr are identical (like some recent scholars) or that remnants of an oral tradition remained. Haukur concludes that if Lóðurr was historically considered an independent deity from Loki, then a discussion of when and why he became identified with Loki is appropriate.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Lokrur, Lóðurr and late evidence|last=Þorgeirsson|first=Haukur|year=2011|journal=[[RMN Newsletter]] |volume=2 |pages=37–40|url=https://www.helsinki.fi/sites/default/files/atoms/files/rmn_02_2011.pdf}}</ref>