Býleistr

Býleistr ('calming-lightning', sometimes anglicised Byleist)[1] is the brother of Loki in Norse mythology. If the elemental Loki, as the hypostasis of the flame and fire, is to be identified with the more known troublemaker of the Norse pantheon, the two brothers of this more primordial Loki, Ægir and Kári may be identified as Helblindi and Býleistr respectively. This identification with Kári, the Wolf of the Woods & Hound of the Sails, being the coming weather, seems plausible when relating the pun of the name that appears out of the etymology. The Swedish etymology gives that 'bý' means heavy rain, and 'leistr' meaning sock, giving us a typical Norse pun, rendering the image of some heavy weather, a cumulus full of rain like a soaked sock - a pretty direct meaning of Býleistr.

Though not directly attested in any original source, scholars have considered Býleistr to be a son of Fárbauti and his consort Laufey, because they are mentioned as Loki's brothers.[2] However, their exact role in the ancient mythic complex surrounding Loki's family remains unclear.[3]

Nothing appears assertable about him apart from this kinship. Snorri Sturluson's rendering of Gylfaginning (34) tells us that "Loki's brothers are Býleistr and Helblindi", and several Eddic texts use the Loki-kenning "brother of Býleistr" (bróðir Býleists) (Völuspá, 51; Hyndluljóð, 40; Skáldskaparmál, 16).

Notes

  1. ↑ Various forms are used in the manuscripts of the Prose Edda: Býleistr (Codices Regius and Wormianus), Blýleistr (Codex Trajectinus) and Býleiptr (Codex Upsaliensis).
  2. ↑ Rydberg (2003:24); Sykes (2002:85); Guelpa (2009:123-124).
  3. ↑ Simek (1995:174); Kock (1899:100-102).
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