Poetic Edda
In Grímnismál, Bragi is named "the most pre-eminent of poets" within a list of superlatives that also includes Odin as the foremost of the Æsir and Sleipnir as the best of horses.
It is unclear if the passage refers to the god Bragi or to the historical skald Bragi Boddason.
Yggdrasill’s ash is the most pre-eminent of trees,
as is Skidbladnir of ships,
Odin of the Æsir, Sleipnir of horses,
Bilrost of bridges, Bragi of poets,
Habrok of hawks, and Garm of dog
In Lokasenna, Bragi is among the first to exchange words with Loki after Loki gains entry to the Æsir by invoking his blood-brotherhood with Odin and is served a drink by Víðarr. It further emerges that Iðunn is his wife and that Bragi is said to have killed her brother. As the exchange escalates, Bragi is repeatedly taunted by Loki for his cowardliness and lack of martial prowess, and the confrontation is ultimately curtailed when Iðunn intervenes, urging him to restrain himself and to remember Loki's kinship with the gods.
Given Bragi's role in skaldic poetry as a figure who welcomes dead kings to Valhalla, it is noteworthy that he is the first of the feasting gods to address Loki upon his entry into Ægir's hall and is singled out for particular invective in Loki's opening speech to the assembled gods.
Bragi said:
‘A horse and a sword I’ll give you from my possessions,
and Bragi will recompense you with a ring too,
so you don’t repay the Æsir with hatred;
don’t make the gods exasperated with you!’
Loki said:
‘Both horses and arm-rings you’ll always
be short of, Bragi;
of the Æsir and the elves who are in here,
you’re the wariest of war
and shyest of shooting.’
Bragi said:
‘I know if I were outside, just as now I am inside
Ægir’s hall,
your head I’d be holding in my hand;
I’d see that as reward for your lies.’
Loki said:
‘You’re brave in your seat, but you won’t be doing that,
Bragi the bench-ornament!
You go and fight, if you are so furious,
the truly bold man doesn’t think twice!’
Idunn said:
‘I beg you, Bragi, that kin ties will hold
between the children and those who are adopted,
so you shouldn’t speak words of blame to Loki
in Ægir’s hall.’
A passage in Sigrdrífumál describes runes being carved on a wide range of objects: on the sun itself, on the ear of one of the sun-horses and the hoof of the other, on Sleipnir's teeth, on a bear's paw, an eagle's beak, a wolf's claw, and several other things, including Bragi's tongue. The runes are then shaved off, mixed with mead, and distributed so that the Æsir, elves, Vanir, and humans each receive a share. These are identified as speech runes, birth runes, ale runes, and magic runes. The precise meaning of this episode remains unclear.
‘“On a shield”, he said, “[the runes] should be cut,
the one which stands before the shining god,
on Arvak’s ear and Alsvinn’s hoof,
on that wheel which turns under [H]rungnir’s chariot,
on Sleipnir’s teeth and on the sledges’ strap-bands;
on the bear’s paw and on Bragi’s tongue,
on the wolf ’s claw, and the eagle’s beak,
on bloody wings and at the end of the bridge,
on hands which deliver and on the trail of a helpful man,
