Salek Atesh
Active Member
"Yet remains that one of the Æsir who is called Týr: he is most daring, and best in stoutness of heart, and he has much authority over victory in battle; it is good for men of valor to invoke him. It is a proverb, that he is Týr-valiant, who surpasses other men and does not waver. He is wise, so that it is also said, that he that is wisest is Týr-prudent. This is one token of his daring: when the Æsir enticed Fenris-Wolf to take upon him the fetter Gleipnir, the wolf did not believe them, that they would loose him, until they laid Týr's hand into his mouth as a pledge. But when the Æsir would not loose him, then he bit off the hand at the place now called 'the wolf's joint;' and Týr is one-handed, and is not called a reconciler of men." -Prose Edda, Gylfaginning, Chapter 25 (emphasis added)
That was not the deal. The Gods promised to free Fenrir, and had the God of Oaths place his arm in his mouth as a sign of good faith, as proof that they would untie him as they swore to do. It was not a case of "untie me or I get your arm", but rather, "give me your arm as a sign that you will keep your word to untie me." Tyr is the one to risk his arm, for Tyr is God of Oaths, and thus Fenrir thinks Tyr cannot possibly decieve him.
The arm was like a clause on a contract, dictating what would happen if the Aesir failed to uphold their end of the deal.
But Tyr does decieve, and as Prose Edda states, Tyr is now one-handed and is not a reconsiler of men. He's lost his domain over Oaths.
Edit: Another translation, possibly clearer, reads that Tyr is "not considered to be a promoter of settlements between people". Prose Edda is clear: Tyr severed his connection with Oathmaking.
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