When they came to the Hel-gate, he made the girths fast and pricked the steed with his spurs the steed leaped so hard over the gate that it came nowhere near to it. In chapter 49, the story of Baldr's death, Odin lends the horse to Hermóðr so that he can travel to Hel to ask for Baldr's return. Loki is also mentioned as the horse's father in Völuspá hin skamma, and a kenning for Loki is Kinsman of Sleipnir. Somewhat later Loki gave birth to a foal, which was named Sleipnir. He flew into a giant rage, but was dispatched by Thor. The absence of his horse caused the builder to fall behind on the work, and he was unable to keep his end of the agreement. Loki changed himself into a mare and lured the stallion away from the site. Since it was Loki who advised them to allow the builder the use of his horse, they ordered him to come up with a plan to delay the construction. With the help of the stallion the work progressed rapidly, and when the citadel was nearly completed within the allotted time, the gods began to worry. He asked them if they would allow his horse Svaðilfari to help him, and Loki advised it, and his petition was granted. A giant builder had offered to build a citadel for the gods in exchange for Freyja and the sun and the moon. The origin of Sleipnir is told by Snorri in chapter 42. Snorri Sturluson in Gylfaginning, chapter 15, says that Sleipnir is one of the horses the Æsir ride each day to their tribunal at the Urðarbrunnr, but he is not found in the list of horses of the Æsir in Grímnismál 30. The poem Sigrdrífumál states that runes are carved into Sleipnir's teeth. In Baldrs draumar Odin saddles Sleipnir and rides into Niflheimr to question a völva about the nature of his son's baleful dreams. It is the best of horses according to Grímnismál. "Slippy." The eight-legged, gray horse of Odin.
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