Thors wife Sif

In Norse mythology, Sif is a goddess associated with earth, her hair represent fields of golden wheat. Sif is associated with fertility, family, and wedlock. Mrs THOR. Nordic Corn Goddess with hair like a golden harvest, Sif is the wife of the god Thor and is known for her golden hair. Sif is also spelled in modern times as Siv.

Sif, Thor’s wife, had a magnificent head of long golden hair which covered her from head to foot like a brilliant veil; and as she too is a symbol of the earth, her hair is said to represent the long grass, or the golden grain covering the Northern harvest fields. Thor was very proud of his wife’s beautiful hair; imagine his dismay, therefore, upon waking one morning, to find her all shorn, and as bald and denuded of ornament as the earth when the grain has all been garnered, and nothing but the stubble remains! In his anger, Thor sprang to his feet, vowing he would punish the perpetrator of this outrage, whom he immediately and rightly conjectured to be Loki, the arch plotter, ever on the lookout for some evil deed to perform. Seizing his hammer, Thor soon overtook Loki in spite of his attempting to evade him by changing form, caught him by the throat, and almost strangled him ere he yielded to his imploring signs, and slightly loosed his powerful grasp. As soon as Loki could catch his breath, he implored forgiveness, but all his entreaties were vain, until he promised to procure for Sif a new head of hair, as beautiful as the first, and as luxuriant in growth.

“And thence for Sif new tresses I’ll bring Of gold, ere the daylight’s gone,
So that she shall liken a field in spring,
With its yellow-flowered garment on.”
              -THE DWARFS, OEHLENSCHLÄGER (Pigott’s tr.)

And finally Northern Mysteries and Magick by Freya Aswynn and published in 1998 by Llewellyn has this to say about Sif:

*Sif, the second wife of Thor, is the lady with the corn-gold hair. Some sources state that she has the gift of prophecy, although this is not mentioned in the Eddas. From older Germanic sources it has been stated that Sif is a swan maiden and can assume this form. Having been married once to Orvandil, she can also be seen as one of the Elder race of gods. Sif signifies summer Fertility and corn, hence Loki's cutting of her hair is interpreted as a fire destroying a corn field. Sifs name is cognate with the German sippe, meaning "kith and kin." From this we may assume that, like Frigga, Sif is a goddess associated with peace and friendship in a happy family, and with conjugal fidelity.
* In my opinion,"Northern Mysteries and Magick" by Freya Aswynn got it wrong. From what I have researched, Sif was Thors only wife. Thor was however, Sifs second husband. Her first was to a giant named Orvandi, whom she had a son named Ullr with. Thor did keep a mistress though, she was a Jotun Giant and her name was Járnsaxa. Together they supposedly had two sons,Magni and Modi.

Are you enjoying these posts on Norse mythology, who is your favorite God or Goddess? Enjoy your week-end!