Song of Skadi - Goddess of the Snowy Peaks

This design revisits Scandinavian mythology and celebrates Skaði, the jötunn (giant) and goddess known for bowhunting, winter, mountains and, naturally, skiing! Her story is fascinating. She is fiercely independent, brave and impossible to subdue.

When the Aesir gods (folks like Odin and Thor) kill her father, she arms herself and storms into Asgard, demanding retribution. Somehow the two parties arrive at terms for her compensation, including her marriage to the sea god, Njörðr. It is a complicated marriage however, which in hindsight makes sense, as Njörðr loves the sea, while Skaði's home is the snowy mountain peaks.

I'm not entirely certain how to articulate why, but something about Skaði's story has always resonated with me; perhaps she simply reminds me of some of the women in my family.