Þrymskviða

Wild was Vingthor

when he awoke,

And when his mighty

hammer he missed;

He shook his beard,

his hair was bristling,

As the son of Jorth

about him sought.

Hear now the speech

that first he spake:

"Harken, Loki,

and heed my words,

Nowhere on earth

is it known to man,

Nor in heaven above:

our hammer is stolen."

To the dwelling fair

of Freyja went they,

Hear now the speech

that first he spake:

"Wilt thou, Freyja,

thy feather-dress lend me,

That so my hammer

I may seek?"

"Thine should it be

though of silver bright,

And I would give it

though 'twere of gold."

Then Loki flew,

and the feather-dress whirred,

Till he left behind him

the home of the gods,

And reached at last

the realm of the giants.

Thrym sat on a mound,

the giants' master,

Leashes of gold

he laid for his dogs,

And stroked and smoothed

the manes of his steeds.

Thrym spake:

"How fare the gods,

how fare the elves?

Why comst thou alone

to the giants' land?"

Loki spake:

"III fare the gods,

ill fare the elves!

Hast thou hidden

Hlorrithi's hammer?"

Thrym spake:

"I have hidden

Hlorrithi's hammer,

Eight miles down

deep in the earth;

And back again

shall no man bring it

If Freyja I win not

to be my wife."

Then Loki flew,

and the feather-dress whirred,

Till he left behind him

the home of the giants,

And reached at last

the realm of the gods.

There in the courtyard

Thor he met:

Hear now the speech

that first he spake:

"Hast thou found tidings

as well as trouble?

Thy news in the air

shalt thou utter now;

Oft doth the sitter

his story forget,

And lies he speaks

who lays himself down."

Loki spake:

"Trouble I have,

and tidings as well:

Thrym, king of the giants,

keeps thy hammer,

And back again

shall no man bring it

If Freyja he wins not

to be his wife."

Freyja the fair

then went they to find

Hear now the speech

that first he spake:

"Bind on, Freyja,

the bridal veil,

For we two must haste

to the giants' home."

Wrathful was Freyja,

and fiercely she snorted,

And the dwelling great

of the gods was shaken,

And burst was the mighty

Brisings' necklace:

"Most lustful indeed

should I look to all

If I journeyed with thee

to the giants' home."

Then were the gods

together met,

And the goddesses came

and council held,

And the far-famed ones

a plan would find,

How they might Hlorrithi's

hammer win.

Then Heimdall spake,

whitest of the gods,

Like the Wanes he knew

the future well:

"Bind we on Thor

the bridal veil,

Let him bear the mighty

Brisings' necklace;

"Keys around him

let there rattle,

And down to his knees

hang woman's dress;

With gems full broad

upon his breast,

And a pretty cap

to crown his head."

Then Thor the mighty

his answer made:

"Me would the gods

unmanly call

If I let bind

the bridal veil."

Then Loki spake,

the son of Laufey:

"Be silent, Thor,

and speak not thus;

Else will the giants

in Asgarth dwell

If thy hammer is brought not

home to thee."

Then bound they on Thor

the bridal veil,

And next the mighty

Brisings' necklace.

Keys around him

let they rattle,

And down to his knees

hung woman's dress;

With gems full broad

upon his breast,

And a pretty cap

to crown his head.

Then Loki spake,

the son of Laufey:

"As thy maid-servant thither

I go with thee;

We two shall haste

to the giants' home."

Then home the goats

to the hall were driven,

They wrenched at the halters,

swift were they to run;

The mountains burst,

earth burned with fire,

And Othin's son

sought Jotunheim.

Then loud spake Thrym,

the giants' leader:

"Bestir ye, giants,

put straw on the benches;

Now Freyja they bring

to be my bride,

The daughter of Njorth

ut of Noatun.

"Gold-horned cattle

go to my stables,

Jet-black oxen,

the giant's joy;

Many my gems,

and many my jewels,

Freyja alone

did I lack, methinks."

Early it was

to evening come,

And forth was borne

the beer for the giants;

Thor alone ate an ox,

and eight salmon,

All the dainties as well

that were set for the women;

And drank Sif's mate

three tuns of mead.

Then loud spake Thrym,

the giants' leader:

"Who ever saw bride

more keenly bite?

I ne'er saw bride

with a broader bite,

Nor a maiden who drank

more mead than this!"

Hard by there sat

the serving-maid wise,

So well she answered

the giant's words:

"From food has Freyja

eight nights fasted,

So hot was her longing

for Jotunheim."

Thrym looked 'neath the veil,

for he longed to kiss,

But back he leaped

the length of the hall:

"Why are so fearful

the eyes of Freyja?

Fire, methinks,

from her eyes burns forth."

Hard by there sat

the serving-maid wise,

So well she answered

the giant's words:

"No sleep has Freyja

for eight nights found,

So hot was her longing

for Jotunheim."

Soon came the giant's

luckless sister,

Who feared not to ask

the bridal fee:

"From thy hands the rings

of red gold take,

If thou wouldst win

my willing love,

(My willing love

and welcome glad.)"

Then loud spake Thrym,

the giants' leader:

"Bring in the hammer

to hallow the bride;

On the maiden's knees

let Mjollnir lie,

That us both the band

of Vor may bless."

The heart in the breast

of Hlorrithi laughed

When the hard-souled one

his hammer beheld;

First Thrym, the king

of the giants, he killed,

Then all the folk

of the giants he felled.

The giant's sister

old he slew,

She who had begged

the bridal fee;

A stroke she got

in the shilling's stead,

And for many rings

the might of the hammer.

And so his hammer

got Othin's son.