I believe that a giant bird might have brought the crew to the Yggdrasil tree, and this could also help Luffy become recognized as the Sun God.

The giants’ reactions to the tree, the strange behavior of animals, and other inconsistencies could be due to the hallucinogenic effects of absinthe. In Norse mythology, a bird named Vidopnir lives in the Yggdrasil tree.

As Wikipedia notes:

“In both the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, a squirrel named Ratatoskr carries messages between an unnamed eagle and Nidhöggr, the serpent that lives below the world tree.”

There’s also mention of a bird guarding the gate of Hel, who is Loki’s daughter, suggesting a possible connection.

I think it would be funny if Loki represented the serpent and was treated like a classic, pre-timeskip villain, perhaps tricking the Strawhats while they were intoxicated.