Skadi- The Norse Goddess of Winter

As I continued my research of Norse goddesses, I found Skadi to be an extremely interesting character. Skadi, the Goddess of Winter and of the Hunt, is another prominent goddess in Norse mythology. She chose her mate Njord, by his beautiful bare feet, an ancient symbol for fertility in Norse mythology, and turned him into her husband. Njord was the god of ships, ship building, and the sea.   Although she was drawn to Njord's charming feet, and perhaps the symbolic representations presented in her experience with him, she was unhappy in her marriage, and desperately longed for a relationship with Baldur. Skadi is the goddess who sentenced Loki to his underground banishment with a poison dripping serpent as a punishment for his crimes. She is known as the goddess of justice, vengeance, and righteous anger. "The Snow Queen" and "The Ice Princess" represent Skadi's character  through two of Hans Christian Anderson's stories. 

Upon further research of Skadi, I found that her name also means shadow and shade, and the serves as the Queen of the shades in the approaching dark winter season. I picture her being very similar to the depiction of the winter queen in the Chronicles of Narnia, both in demeanor and physical description. She is described as "a huntress, a dark magician, a giantess Goddess, ruling especially over mountains, wilderness, winter, revenge, knowledge, damage, justice, and independence. It is said that she gifted hunters with the bow and the skill to use it. The scythe, wolves and venomous snakes are sacred to her. Also sacred to her are skates, skis and snowshoes. She often did her hunting while on skis. All of Scandinavia is named after the Goddess Skadi, and she is said to dwell in the high snow-covered mountains there" (Sidhe). 

References

"The Gods and Goddesses of the Norse Religion." Wizardrealm. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://www.wizardrealm.com/norse/gods.html>.

"Norse Gods and Goddesses - Crystalinks." Crystalinks Home Page. Web. 07 Nov. 2010. <http://www.crystalinks.com/norsegods.html>.

Olson, Agnes D. "Skadi, the Norse Goddess of the Hunt and Scandinavian Winter, Agnes D. Olson, SciFi Fantasy Art." Elfwood - Science Fiction and Fantasy Art, FanArt & Stories. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://www.elfwood.com/~aolson/Skadi-the-Norse-Goddess-of-the-Hunt-and-Scandinavian-Winter.2531678.html>.

Sidhe, Fiana. "MatriFocus, Goddess in the Wheel of the Year -- "Skadi, Goddess of Winter"" MatriFocus Web Magazine for Goddess Women. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://www.matrifocus.com/SAM02/wheel.htm>.