Photo by unknown, fireprayer above the door of a forge in Skaraborg, Västergötland, Sweden
Fire prayer
There is power in cuss words, and especially in the ones for the reproductive organs, and not only because these organs have the power of reproduction, of course - here's a traditional fire prayer from Stenkyrka on Gotland, 1930:
Aske balltaske fitte ballmus aldrig må elden slockne i mitt hus
It is almost identic to the one from Skaraborg on the photo above.
Here is my English translation:
Ashes ballsack cunt fat-pussy never must the fire burn out in my house
To many heathens - and also to many Christians in the old farming society - fire equals Loke (often perceived as female when dealt with in this shape).
It is my conviction that the only reason there are no placenames proving any pre-Christian Loke cult, as is the case with all the other known gods, is that he was venerated only in the forge and at home by the hearth - there are a couple of known examples where he got an offering of flour when the housewife made porridge in the morning.
