Because sometimes we choose our gods, and sometimes.....they choose us.
"Loki... is the creature who transgresses all boundaries; even more significant, Loki represents the boundary itself... Loki may most properly be seen as representative of more than either the boundary or the boundary crosser; in the character and role of Loki, the boundary, difference itself, has collapsed. But to say that it 'has collapsed' implies its prior existence, and this does not adequately describe Loki. In Loki that opposition has never been created; what is elsewhere two is one in Loki."
Divine race: Jotun, honourary Aesir
A/K/A: Loptr, Lodur (disputed)
Immediate family: Father: Faubauti; Mother: Laufey or Nal; Brothers: Byleist and Helblindi (one or both may be references to his blood-brotherhood with Odin).Blood-brother of Odin.
Appearance: "Pleasing and handsome" (Gylfaginning). Other conjectural descriptions exist, but this is the only one which appears in the Eddas.
Attributes: Ambivalence - Loki aids or hinders the gods as it is convenient to him, or when necessary to save his own skin; the "wise fool" - renowned for his cleverness, he manages to find himself at a disadvantage because of his thoughtlessness many times; humour - he is the only one of the Aesir who can makes Skadhi laugh after her father's death; indiscriminate sexuality - in addition to Sigyn, Angrboda, and Svadilfari, he's also slept with Skadhi, Sif, Freyja and Tyr's wife (and, no doubt, others).
Treasures: None, although he influenced the making of Mjolnir, Draupnir, Gungnir, Gullinbursti, Skidbladnir, and Sif's hair. Borrowed the feather cloaks of Freyja and Frigg, as well as Ran's net on one occasion, although the net is also said to be his invention.
Sacred beasts: None, unless one counts those Loki has appeared in the shape of at one time or another: mare, fly and/or flea, salmon. The similarity between the Swedish word "lokke" (spider) and Loki has suggested this as one, although it appears nowhere in the myths.
Star Lore: The dog star, Sirius, is referred to as "Lokabrenna."
Kennings: "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 Iormundgand, 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 Aesir, 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 gods, contriver of Baldr's death, the bound one, wrangler with Heimdall and Skadi." (Skaldskaparmal, A. Faulkes translation)
