5.6 The Adventures of Thor

The Adventures of Thor

The following myths come from the Prose Edda. For an in-text citation, please use the chapter/paragraph number, such as this example (Prose Edda 22).

Image of Frigg, Thor, and Odin from Olaus Magnus's A Description of the Northern Peoples
Image of Frigg, Thor, and Odin from Olaus Magnus’s A Description of the Northern Peoples, Public Domain via Wikipedia

Thor and Thjalfi

44. Then spoke Thridi: “Now it is evident that he is resolved to know this matter, though it seem not to us a pleasant thing to tell. This is the beginning of this tale: Thor drove forth with his goats and chariot, and with him that Áesir called Loki; they came at evening to a farmer’s home, and there received a night’s lodging. About evening, Thor took his goats and slaughtered them both; after that they were flayed and borne to the caldron. When the cooking was done, then Thor and his companion sat down to supper. Thor invited to meat with him the farmer and his wife, and their children: the farmer’s son was called Thjálfi, and the daughter Röskva. Then Thor laid the goat-hides farther away from the fire, and said that the farmer and his servants should cast the bones on the goat-hides. Thjálfi, the farmer’s son, was holding a thigh-bone of the goat, and split it with his knife and broke it for the marrow.

“Thor stayed there overnight; and in the before dawn he rose up and clothed himself, took the hammer Mjöllnir, swung it up, and consecrated the goat-hides; straightway the goats rose up, and then one of them was lame in a hind leg. Thor discovered this, and declared that the farmer or his household could not have dealt wisely with the bones of the goat: he knew that the thighbone was broken. There is no need to make a long story of it; all may know how frightened the farmer must have been when he saw how Thor let his brows sink down before his eyes. Thor clenched his hands on the hammer-shaft so that the knuckles whitened; and the farmer and all his household did what was to be expected: they cried out, prayed for peace, offered in recompense all that they had. But when he saw their terror, then the fury departed from him, and he became appeased, and took of them in atonement their children, Thjálfi and Röskva, who then became his bond-servants; and they follow him ever since.

Thor and Skrymir

45. “Thereupon he left his goats behind, and began his journey eastward toward Jötunheim and clear to the sea; and then he went out over the sea, that deep one; but when he came to land, he went up, and Loki and Thjálfi and Röskva with him. Then, when they had walked a little while, there stood before them a great forest; they walked all that day till dark. Thjálfi was swiftest-footed of all men; he bore Thor’s bag, but there was nothing good for food. As soon as it had become dark, they sought themselves shelter for the night, and found before them a certain hall, very great: there was a door in the end, of equal width with the hall, wherein they took up quarters for the night. But about midnight there came a great earthquake: the earth rocked under them exceedingly, and the house trembled. Then Thor rose up and called to his companions, and they explored farther, and found in the middle of the hall a side-chamber on the right hand, and they went in thither. Thor sat down in the doorway, but the others were farther in from him, and they were afraid; but Thor gripped his hammer-shaft and thought to defend himself. Then they heard a great humming sound, and a crashing.

“But when it drew near dawn, then Thor went out and saw a man lying a little way from him in the wood; and that man was not small; he slept and snored mightily. Then Thor thought he could perceive what kind of noise it was which they had heard during the night. He girded himself with his belt of strength, and his divine power waxed; and on the instant the man awoke and rose up swiftly; and then, it is said, the first time Thor’s heart failed him, to strike him with the hammer. He asked him his name, and the man called himself Skrýmir,–‘but I have no need,’ he said, ‘to ask you for your name; I know that you are Thor. But what? Have you dragged away my glove?’ Then Skrýmir stretched out his hand and took up the glove; and at once Thor saw that it was that which he had taken for a hall during the night; and as for the side-chamber, it was the thumb of the glove. Skrýmir asked whether Thor would have his company, and Thor assented to this. Then Skrýmir took and unloosened his provision wallet and made ready to eat his morning meal, and Thor and his fellows in another place. Skrýmir then proposed to them to lay their supply of food together, and Thor assented. Then Skrýmir bound all the food in one bag and laid it on his own back; he went before during the day, and stepped with very great strides; but late in the evening Skrýmir found them night-quarters under a certain great oak. Then Skrýmir said to Thor that he would lay him down to sleep, ‘and do take the provision-bag and make ready for your supper.’

“Thereupon Skrýmir slept and snored hard, and Thor took the provision-bag and set about to unloose it; but such things must be told as will seem incredible: he got no knot loosened, so as to be looser than before. When he saw that this work might not avail, then he became angered, gripped the hammer Mjöllnir in both hands, and strode with great strides to that place where Skrýmir lay, and smote him in the head. Skrýmir awoke, and asked whether a leaf had fallen upon his head; or whether they had eaten and were ready for bed? Thor replied that they were just then about to go to sleep; then they went under another oak. It must be told you, that there was then no fearless sleeping. At midnight Thor heard how Skrýmir snored and slept fast, so that it thundered in the woods; then he stood up and went to him, shook his hammer eagerly and hard, and smote down upon the middle of his crown: he saw that the face of the hammer sank deep into his head. And at that moment Skrýmir awoke arid said: ‘What is it now? Did some acorn fall on my head? Or what is the news with you, Thor?’ But Thor went back speedily, and replied that he was then but new-wakened; said that it was then midnight, and there was yet time to sleep.

“Thor meditated that if he could get to strike him a third blow, never should the giant see himself again; he lay now and watched whether Skrýmir were sleeping soundly yet. A little before day, when he perceived that Skrýmir must have fallen asleep, he stood up at once and rushed over to him, brandished his hammer with all his strength, and smote upon that one of his temples which was turned up. But Skrýmir sat up and stroked his cheek, and said: ‘Some birds must be sitting in the tree above me; I imagined, when I awoke, that some dirt from the twigs fell upon my head. Are you awake, Thor? It will be time to arise and clothe us; but now you have no long journey forward to the castle called Utgard. I have heard how you have whispered among yourselves that I am no little man in stature; but you shall see taller men, if you come into Utgard. Now I will give you wholesome advice: do not conduct yourselves boastfully, for the henchmen of Utgard-Loki will not well endure big words from such swaddling-babes. But if not so, then turn back, and I think it were better for you to do that; but if you will go forward, then turn to the east. As for me, I hold my way north to these hills, which you may how see.’ Skrýmir took the provision-bag and cast it on his back, and turned from them across the forest; and it is not recorded that the Æsir bade him god-speed.

Thor, Loki, and Thjalfi contest against Utgard-Loki in Utgard

46. “Thor turned forward on his way, and his fellows, and went onward till mid-day. Then they saw a castle standing in a certain plain, and set their necks down on their backs before they could see up over it. They went to the cattle; and there was a grating in front of the castle-gate, and it was closed. Thor went up to the grating, and did not succeed in opening it; but when they struggled to make their way in, they crept between the bars and came in that way. They saw a great hall and went thither; the door was open; then they went in, and saw there many men on two benches, and most of them were big enough. Thereupon they came before the king Utgard-Loki and saluted him; but he looked at them in his own good time, and smiled scornfully over his teeth, and said: ‘It is late to ask tidings of a long journey; or is it otherwise than I think: that this toddler is Thor? Yet you mayest be greater than you appear to me. What manner of accomplishments are those, which you and your fellows think to be ready for? No one shall be here with us who knows not some kind of craft or cunning surpassing most men.’

“Then spoke Loki to Utgard-Loki: ‘I know such a trick, which I am ready to try: that there is no one within here who shall eat his food more quickly than I.’ Then Utgard-Loki answered: ‘That is a feat, if you accomplish it; and this feat shall accordingly be put to the proof.’ He called to the farther end of the bench, that he who was called Logi should come forth on the floor and try his prowess against Loki. Then a trough was taken and borne in upon the hall-floor and filled with flesh; Loki sat down at the one end and Logi at the other, and each ate as fast as he could, and they met in the middle of the trough. By that time Loki had eaten all the meat from the bones, but Logi likewise had eaten all the meat, and the bones with it, and the trough too; and now it seemed to all as if Loki had lost the game.

“Then Utgard-Loki asked what yonder young man could play a, pointing at Thjalfi; and Thjálfi answered that he would undertake to run a race with whomsoever Utgard-Loki would bring up. Then Utgard-Loki said that that was a good accomplishment, and that there was great likelihood that he must be swift if he were to perform that feat; yet he would speedily see to it that the matter should be tested. Then Utgard-Loki arose and went out; and there was a good course to run on over the level plain. Then Utgard-Loki called to him a certain lad, who was named Hugi, and commanded him run a match against Thjálfi. Then they held the first heat; and Hugi was so much ahead that he turned back to meet Thjálfi at the end of the course. Then said Utgard-Loki: ‘You will need to lay yourself forward more, Thjálfi, if you are to win the game; but it is none the less true that never have any men come hither who seemed to me fleeter of foot than this.’ Then they began another heat; and when Hugi had reached the course’s end, and was turning back, there was still a long bolt-shot to Thjálfi. Then spoke Utgard-Loki: ‘Thjálfi appears to me to run this course well, but I do not believe of him now that he will win the game. But it will be made manifest presently, when they run the third heat.’ Then they began the heat; but when Hugi had come to the end of the course and turned back, Thjálfi had not yet reached mid-course. Then all said that that game had been proven.

“Next, Utgard-Loki asked Thor what feats there were which he might desire to show before them: such great tales as men have made of his mighty works. Then Thor answered that he would most willingly undertake to contend with any in drinking. Utgard-Loki said that might well be; he went into the hall and called his serving-boy, and bade him bring the sconce-horn which the henchmen were wont to drink off. Straightway the serving-lad came forward with the horn and put it into Thor’s hand. Then said Utgard-Loki: ‘It is held that this horn is well drained if it is drunk off in one drink, but some drink it off in two; but no one is so poor a man at drinking that it fails to drain off in three.’ Thor looked upon the horn, and it did not seem big to him; and yet it was somewhat long. Still he was very thirsty; he took and drank, and swallowed enormously, and thought that he should not need to bend oftener to the horn. But when his breath failed, and he raised his head from the horn and looked to see how it had gone with the drinking, it seemed to him that there was very little space by which the drink was lower now in the horn than before. Then said Utgard-Loki: ‘It is well drunk, and not too much; I should not have believed, if it had been told me, that Thor could not drink a greater drink. But I know that you will wish to drink it off in another drink.’ Thor answered nothing; he set the horn to his mouth, thinking now that he should drink a greater drink, and struggled with the drink until his breath gave out; and yet he saw that the tip of the horn would not come up so much as he liked. When he took the horn from his mouth and looked into it, it seemed to him then as if it had decreased less than the former time; but now there was a clearly apparent lowering in the horn. Then said Utgard-Loki: ‘How now, Thor? You will not shrink from one more drink than may he well for you? If you now drink the third drink from the horn, it seems to me as if this must he esteemed the greatest; but you canst not be called so great a man here among us as the Æsir call you, if you give not a better account of yourself in the other games than it seems to me may come of this.’ Then Thor became angry, set- the horn to his mouth, and drank with all his might, and struggled with the drink as much as he could; and when he looked into the horn, at least some space had been made. Then he gave up the horn and would drink no more.

“Then said Utgard-Loki: Now it is evident that your prowess is not so great as we thought it to be; but will you try your hand at more games? It may readily be seen that you get no advantage.’ Thor answered: “I will make trial of yet other games; but it would have seemed wonderful to me, when I was at home with the Æsir, if such drinks had been called so little. But what game will you now offer me?’ Then said Utgard-Loki: ‘Young lads here are accustomed to do this act of small consequence: lift my cat up from the earth; but I should not have been able to speak of such a thing to Thor if I had not seen that you have far less in you than I had thought.’ Thereupon there leaped forth on the hall-floor a gray cat, and a very big one; and Thor went to it and took it with his hand down under the middle of the belly and lifted up. But the cat bent into an arch just as Thor stretched up his hands; and when Thor reached up as high as he could at the very utmost, then the cat lifted up one foot, and Thor got this game no further advanced. Then said Utgard-Loki: ‘This game went even as I had foreseen; the cat is very great, whereas Thor is low and little beside the huge men who are here with us.’

“Then said Thor: ‘Little as you call me, let anyone come up now and wrestle with me; now I am angry.’ Then Utgard-Loki answered, looking about him on the benches, and spoke: ‘I see no such man here within, who would not hold it a disgrace to wrestle with you;’ and yet he said: ‘Let us see first; let the old woman be called here, my nurse Elli, and let Thor wrestle with her if he will. She has thrown such men as have seemed to me no less strong than Thor.’ Straightway there came into the hall an old woman, stricken in years. Then Utgard-Loki said that she should grapple with Thor. There is no need to make a long matter of it: that struggle went in such a way that the harder Thor tried to throw her, the faster she stood; then the old woman grabbed him, and then Thor became weak on his feet, and their wrestling was very hard. Yet it was not long before Thor fell to his knee, on one foot. Then Utgard-Loki went up and commanded them to cease the wrestling, saying that Thor should not need to challenge more men of his body-guard to wrestling. By then it had passed toward night; Utgard-Loki showed Thor and his companions to a seat, and they tarried there the night long in good cheer.

47. “But at morning, as soon as it dawned, Thor and his companions arose, clothed themselves, and were ready to go away. Then came there Utgard-Loki and caused a table to be set for them; there was no lack of good cheer, meat and drink. So soon as they had eaten, he went out from the castle with them; and at parting Utgard-Loki spoke to Thor and asked how he thought his journey had ended, or whether he had met any man mightier than himself. Thor answered that he could not say that he had not got much shame in their dealings together: ‘I know that you will call me a man of little might, and I am not content with that.’ Then said Útgardi-Loki: ‘Now I will tell you the truth, now that you are out of the castle; and if I live and am able to prevail, then you shall never again come into it. I made deceptions and illusions ready against you; and I came upon you the first time in the wood, calling myself Skrymir, and when you would have unloosed the provision-bag, I had bound it with iron, and you did not find where to undo it. But next you did smite me three blows with the hammer; and the first was least, and was yet so great that it would have sufficed to slay me, if it had come upon me. Where you saw near my hall a saddle-backed mountain, cut at the top into three valleys, and one the deepest, those were the marks of your hammer. I brought the saddle-back before the blow, but you did not see that. So it was also with the games, in which you did contend against my henchmen: that was the first, which Loki did; he was very hungry and ate zealously, but his opponent was Logi who is “wild-fire,” and he burned the trough no less swiftly than the meat. But when Thjálfi ran the race with him called Hugi, that was my “thought,” and it was not to be expected of Thjálfi that he should match with his feet the swiftness of anyone’s thought.

“Moreover, when you did drink from the horn, and it seemed to you to go slowly, that was a wonder which I should not have believed possible: the other end of the horn was out in the sea, but you did not perceive it. But now, when you come to the sea, you shall be able to mark what a shrinking you have drunk in the sea: this is henceforth called “ebb-tides.”‘

“And again he said: ‘It seemed to me not less noteworthy when you did lift up the cat; and to tell you truly, then all were afraid who saw how you did lift one foot clear of the earth. That cat was not as it appeared to you: it was the Midgard Serpent, which lies about all the land, and scarcely does its length suffice to encompass the earth with head and tail. So high did you stretch up your arms that it was then but a little way more to heaven. It was also a great marvel concerning the wrestling-match, when you did withstand so long, and did not fall more than on one knee, wrestling with Elli, who is “Old Age;” since none can withstand old age. And now it is truth to tell that we must part; and it will be better on both sides that you never come again to seek me. Another time I will defend my castle with similar wiles or with others, so that you shall get no power over me.’

“When Thor had heard these sayings, he clutched his hammer and brandished it aloft; but when he was about to launch it forward, then he saw Utgard-Loki nowhere. Then he turned back to the castle, purposing to crush it to pieces; and he saw there a wide and fair plain, but no castle. So he turned back and went his way, till he was come back again to Thrúdvangar. But it is a true tale that then he resolved to seek if he might bring about a meeting between himself and the Midgard Serpent, which afterward came to pass. Now I think no one knows how to tell you more truly concerning this journey of Thor’s.”

 

Thor Seeks Out the Midgard Serpent

48. Then said Gangleri: “Very mighty is Utgard-Loki, and he deals much in wiles and in magic; and his might may be seen in that he had such henchmen as have great prowess. Now did Thor ever take vengeance for this?” Hárr answered: “It is not unknown that Thor did not stay at home long before he made ready for his journey so that he had with him no chariot and no goats and no retinue. He went out over Midgard in the guise of a young lad, and came one evening at twilight to a certain giant’s, who was called Hymir. Thor stayed as guest there overnight; but at dawn Hymir arose and clothed himself and made ready to row to sea a-fishing. Then Thor sprang up and was speedily ready, and asked Hymir to let him row to sea with him. But Hymir said that Thor would be of little help to him, being so small and a youth, ‘And you will freeze, if I stay so long and so far out as I am used to doing.’ But Thor said that he would be able to row far out from land, for the reason that it was not certain whether he would be the first to ask to row back. Thor became so enraged at the giant that he was forthwith ready to let his hammer crash against him; but he forced himself to wait. He asked Hymir what they should have for bait, but Hymir bade him get bait for himself. Then Thor turned away thither where he, saw a certain herd of oxen, which Hymir owned; he took the largest ox, called Himinbrjotr, and cut off its head and went therewith to the sea. By that time Hymir had shoved out the boat.

“Thor went aboard the skiff and sat down in the stern-seat, took two oars and rowed; and it seemed to Hymir that swift progress came of his rowing. Hymir rowed forward in the bow, and the rowing proceeded rapidly; then Hymir said that they had arrived at those fishing-banks where he was accustomed to anchor and angle for flat-fish. But Thor said that he desired to row much further, and they took a sharp pull; then Hymir said that they had come so far that it was perilous to abide out farther because of the Midgard Serpent. Thor replied that they would row a while yet, and so he did; but Hymir was then sore afraid. Now as soon as Thor had laid by the oars, he made ready a very strong fishing-line, and the hook was no less large and strong. Then Thor put the ox-head on the hook and cast it overboard, and the hook went to the bottom; and it is telling you the truth to say that then Thor beguiled the Midgard Serpent no less than Utgard-Loki had mocked Thor, at the time when he lifted up the Serpent in his hand.

“The Midgard Serpent snapped at the ox-head, and the hook caught in its jaw; but when the Serpent was aware of this, it dashed away so fiercely that both Thor’s fists crashed against the gunwale of the boat. Then Thor was angered, and took upon him his divine strength, braced his feet so strongly that he plunged through the ship with both feet, and dashed his feet against the bottom; then he drew the Serpent up to the gunwale. And it may be said that no one has seen very fearful sights who might not see that: bow Thor flashed fiery glances at the Serpent, and the Serpent in turn stared up toward him from below and blew venom. Then, it is said, the giant Hymir grew pale, became yellow, and was sore afraid, when he saw the Serpent, and how the sea rushed out and in through the boat. In the very moment when Thor clutched his hammer and raised it on high, then the giant fumbled for his fish-knife and hacked off Thor’s line at the gunwale, and the Serpent sank down into the sea. Thor hurled his hammer after it; and men say that he struck off its head against the bottom; but I think it were true to tell you that the Midgard Serpent yet lives and lies in the encompassing sea. But Thor swung his fist and brought it against Hymir’s ear, so that he plunged overboard, and Thor saw the soles of his feet. And Thor waded to land and then returned hom.”

Thor Wears A Wedding Dress

Note: The following poem is from the Poetic Edda, which unlike the Prose Edda is entirely in poetry. To cite this at the end of a sentence, simply put (Thrymskvitha 2), where the number matches the stanza. The name Thrymskvitha means “Lay or Song of Thrym,” and tells of the time the frost giant Thrym stole Thor’s hammer Mjollnir, and what Thor, Loki, and Freyja had to do to get it back–without Thor’s hammer, Asgard was open to the giants’ invasion.

Thrymskvitha, or The Lay of Thrym

1. Wild was Thor when he awoke,
And when his mighty hammer he missed;

He shook his beard, his hair was bristling,
As the son of Earth about him searched.

2. Hear now the speech that first he spoke:
“Harken, Loki, and heed my words,
Nowhere on earth is it known to man,
Nor in heaven above: our hammer is stolen.”

3. To the dwelling fair of Freyja went they,
Hear now the speech that first he spoke:
“Will you, Freyja, your feather-dress lend me,
That so my hammer I may seek?”

Freyja spoke:
4. “Yours should it be though of silver bright,
And I would give it though it were 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.

5. Thrym the giant 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 spoke:
6. “How fare the gods, how fare the elves?
Why come you alone to the giants’ land?”

Loki spoke:
“III fare the gods, ill fare the elves!
Have you hidden Thor’s hammer?”

Thrym spoke:
7. “I have hidden Thor’s hammer,
Eight miles down deep in the earth;
And back again shall no man bring it
If Freyja I become not my wife.”

8. 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 spoke:

9. “Have you found tidings as well as trouble?
Your news in the air shall you utter now;
Oft doth the sitter his story forget,
And lies he speaks who lays himself down.”

Loki spoke:
10. “Trouble I have, and tidings as well:
Thrym, king of the giants, keeps your hammer,
And back again shall no man bring it
If Freyja does not become his wife.”

11. Freyja the fair they then went to find
Hear now the speech that first he spoke:
“Bind on, Freyja, the bridal veil and dress,
For we two must go to the giants’ home.”

12. Wrathful was Freyja, and fiercely she snorted,
And the dwelling great of the gods was shaken,
And burst was Freya’s mighty Brisings’ necklace:
“Most wrong indeed should I look to all
If I journeyed with you to the giants’ home.”

13. 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 Thor’s hammer win.

14. Then Heimdall spoke, palest of the gods,
Like the Norns he knew the future well:
“Put on Thor the bridal veil and dress,
Let him bear Freya’s mighty Brisings’ necklace;

15. “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.”

16. Then Thor the mighty his answer made:
“Me would the gods unmanly call
If I let bind the bridal veil.”

17. Then Loki spoke, the son of Laufey:
“Be silent, Thor, and speak not thus;

Else will the giants in Asgard dwell
If your hammer is brought not home to you.”

18. Then bound they on Thor the bridal veil,
And next Freya’s mighty Brisings’ necklace.

19. Keys around him they let 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.

20. Then Loki spoke, the son of Laufey:
“As your maid-servant I will go with you;
We two shall go to the giants’ home.”

21. 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 Odin’s son sought Jotunheim.

22. Then loud spoke Thrym, the giants’ leader:
“Bestir you, giants, put straw on the benches;

Now Freyja they bring to be my bride,
The daughter of Njord out of Noatun.

23. “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.”

24. 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 Thor drank three tons of mead.

25. Then loud spoke Thrym, the giants’ leader:
“Who ever saw bride more keenly bite?
I never saw bride with a broader bite,
Nor a maiden who drank more mead than this!”

26. Hard by there sat Loki the serving-maid wise,
So well Loki answered the giant’s words:
“Freyja eight nights has fasted from food,
So hot was her longing for Jotunheim.”

27. Thrym looked beneath 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.”

28. Hard by there sat Loki the serving-maid wise,
So well Loki answered the giant’s words:
“Freyja has not slept for eight nights,
So hot was her longing for Jotunheim.”

29. Soon came the giant’s luckless sister,
Who feared not to ask the bridal fee:
“From your hands the rings of red gold take,
If you wouldst win my willing love,
(My willing love and welcome glad.)”

30. Then loud spoke Thrym, the giants’ leader:
“Bring in the hammer to consecrate the bride;
On the maiden’s knees let Mjollnir lie,
That us both the band of woman may bless.”

31. The heart in the breast of Thor 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.

32. The giant’s sister old he slew,
She who had begged the bridal fee;
A stroke she got instead of money,
And for many rings the might of the hammer.

33. And so Thor regained his hammer.


To cite this reading, use the following format:

Bellows, Henry Adams. Thrymskvitha, The Lay of Thrym: Introductory Note. The Poetic Edda. Internet Sacred Text Archive, sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe11.htm. https://sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe11.htm

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