WROTH was then Wing-Thor when he awoke
And found himself of his hammer bereft.
His beard he shook, and his locks he tossed,
And the Son of Earth groped round and round.
This was the word that first he spoke:
"Hearken now, Loki, what now I tell,
Which no one knows, nor on earth below,
Nor in upper heaven. The God's hammer is stolen!

 

Then to fair Freyja's bower they went,
And this was the word that first he spoke:
"Wilt thou lend me, Freyja, thy feather-fell
That I my hammer may find again?"

 

"Ay, I would give it thee were it of gold,
And ay would grant it thee were it of silver!"

 

Then flew Loki, the feather-fell rustled,

Till forth he came from the garth of the Gods,

And in he came to the Giant-land.

Thrym sat on a howe, the Lord of Giants,

Golden bands for his greyhounds plaiting,

And clipping even the manes of his mares.

This was the word that first he spoke:

"How is't with the Gods, how is't with the elves?

Why com'st thou alone into Giant-land?"

 

"'Tis ill with the Gods, 'tis ill with the elves,

Hast thou not hidden the Thunderer's hammer?"

 

"I have hidden the Thunderer's hammer
Eight miles deep down under the earth.
Never a man shall gain it back
Except he bring me Freyja to wife!"

 

Then flew Loki, the feather-fell rustled,
Till forth he came from the Giant-land,
And in he came to the garth of the Gods.
Thor he met amidst of the court,—
This was the word that first he spoke:
"Hast thou tidings to pay thy toil?
Speak out thy news where aloft thou flyest,
For he who speaks sitting oft halts in his story,
And he who speaks lying oft stoops to a lie."

 

"I have tidings to pay my toil,

Thrym has thy hammer, the Lord of Giants,

Never a man shall gain it back

Except he bring him Freyja to wife."

 

Then to fair Freyja's bower they went,—
This was the word that first he spoke:
"Make ready, Freyja, thy bridal veil,
We two must drive into Giant-land.''

 

Wroth was Freyja and breathed such rage
That all the hall of the Gods was shaken,
That the mighty necklace Brising shivered:
"Wondrous mad for a husband I were,
If I drove with thee into Giant-land."

 

Straight were the Gods at the moot assembled,
And the Goddesses all in council together.
The mighty Gods debated on this,
How should the Thunderer's hammer be won?

Then spake Heimdall, the whitest of Gods—
He knew the future like other Wanes—
"Let us bind on Thor the bridal veil,
Set on him the mighty necklace Brising,
Let us hang at his belt the dangling keys,
And women's weeds cast over his knee,
And clasp on his breast the jewels broad,
And deck his head with a maiden's hood."

 

Then spake Thor, the mighty God:

"The Gods will give me a craven's name

If I am bound with the bridal veil."

 

Then spake Loki, Laufey's son:
"Be silent, Thor! nor speak on this wise.
The Giants will make their home in Asgard,
Except thou win back thy hammer again."

 

They bound on Thor the bridal veil,
Laid on him the mighty necklace Brising,
They hung at his belt the dangling keys,
And women's weeds cast over his knee,
They clasped on his breast the jewels broad,
And decked his hi ad with a maiden's hood.

 

Then spake Loki, Laufey's son:

"I will go with thee to be thy bridesmaid,

We two must drive into Giant-land."

 

Quickly the goats were homeward driven,

Yoked were they hastily, well could they run;

The rocks were rent, earth broke into flame,

Drove Odin's son into Giant-land.

 

Then spake Thrym, the Lord of Giants:

"Rise up now, Giants! and strew the benches.

Now shall ye bring me Freyja to wife,

The daughter of Njord out of Noatun.

 

Here in the garth go the golden-horned kine,
Coal-black oxen, the joy of the Giant;
Heaps of treasure I own, and jewels,
Freyja alone was lacking to me."

 

They came full early at eventide,

And before the Giants the ale was borne.

One whole ox Thor devoured, eight salmon,

All the dainties the women should eat,

Three gallons of mead Sif’s husband[1] did drink.

 

Then spake Thrym, the Lord of Giants:
"When saw'st thou a bride eat more eagerly?
I saw never a bride eat more heartily,
Nor a maiden drink so deep of mead!"

 

In readiness sat the cunning bridesmaid,—
Thus she answered the Giant's speech:
"For eight days Freyja might not eat,
So great was her longing for Giant-land."

 

Thrym stooped 'neath the veil, he was fain to kiss her,
But he started back to the end of the hall:
"Why gleam so fiercely the eyes of Freyja?
Fire methinks from her eyes is flashing!"

 

In readiness sat the cunning bridesmaid,—
Thus she answered the Giant's speech:
"For eight nights Freyja might not sleep,
So great was her longing for Giant-land."

 

In came the Giants' ancient sister,

Boldly begging the bridal fee:

"Take from thine arms the rings so red,

If thou wilt ever win my love,

My love and eke my favour!"

 

Then spake Thrym, the Lord of Giants:
"Bear in the hammer to hallow the bride;
Mjollnir shall lie on the maiden's knee,
Var shall hallow our hands in wedlock."

 

The heart of the Thunderer laughed in his breast
As his hammer hard he felt with his hand.
Thrym slew he first, the Lord of Giants,
Then all the race of the Giants he smote.

 

He slew the Giants' ancient sister,

Her who had begged for the bridal fee;

Blows she got for her shilling fee,

And hammer strokes for her heaps of rings.

So came Odin's son by his hammer again.

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[1] Sif's husband, i.e., Thor.