As a beard was a sign for manlihood (Islandsaga: Njall was jeered at because he had none) - the long hair was a symbol for womanhood. So... depriving a goddess of (a part of her) womanhood was indeed an insult - and I guess this: if things wouldn't have been put straight again... a deep gender crisis amongst gods? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin1.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" /> (and no psychotherapeutic god in sight)
Oh, dear - I opened a box of Pandora - since this morning my colleagues and I are discussing Norse mythology hotly- if incest is better than killing e.g. Small troops invade religion and history shelves - quotes from this and that book are called all over the corridors... and I'm buried under books. ARGH!
On a more serious note: Sif's golden hair symbolized wheat and harvest in a natural rhythm, she was associated as Goddess of Harvest - so stealing her hair, was like stealing the harvest and endangering food in general. Though... I can't really understand this godly fuss - cause plundering, killing, piratery in greed for land, fame and riches was considered very manly <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
Please, keep this in mind => the vikings (vikingr = pirates, marine warrior) were only one tribe among the North-Germanic races - these myths were common amongst all Germanic tribes - and frankly: they all had something in common: violence even under the leading females.
Expansion due to primogenitur (Germanic birthright: only the oldest son is allowed to keep the land) and an exaggerated cultural dominance about the importance of having many sons was one of the reasons for Viking expansion (there were more, but I won't bore you with that) => sooooo, cutting off her hair should have been considered as a "natural act". <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif" alt="" />
Consolation by buying her a wig made out of pure gold => in order to stop blood feuds you could pay your way out - part of the Germanic laws. So. Loki saved his butt <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
