But just think about the implications of this. This is a world in which animals, plants, objects, _everything_ has a soul, a soul able to be reasoned with and to make agreements with the gods. So imagine being something like, say, a sword with a soul. Your purpose as a sword is to be sharp, and to be a weapon. And now a fiercely protective goddess is telling you, "You will *forget* your purpose, if ever you should meet my son; if you do what you were made to do, I will visit unimaginable punishment on you. Yes or no?" Not that this violation of purpose matters to Frigg, extorting perfect safety for her son from all the world.