þrymskviða: Texts and Translations

1. Wroth was the Thunderer when he awakened

aud missed his hammer, the mighty Mjollnir.[1]

His beard was quivering, his locks were shivering,-

as he groped around him the Son of Earth.[2]

2. 'List now, Loki, to this I shall tell thee!'

these, first of all his words, he spake

' no wight in high heaven or earth yet weens it :

The god of Thunder is reft of his hammer.'

3. Then sought they the shining . halls of Freyja,

and these, first of all his words, spake Thor :

'Wilt than, Freyja, lend me thy feather-coat,

that perchance I may find my hammer?'

Freyja.

4. ‘I would give it thee though 'twere golden,

still would I grant it though 'twere silver !'

Away flew Loki, the feather-coat rustled,

till he came without the dwellings of Asgarth,

came within the Jotun realms.

5. Thrym[3] sat on a mound, the lord of giants,

for his grayhounds twisting golden circlets,

smoothing over the manes of his steeds.

Thrym.

6. ' How do the gods fare ? how do the elves fare ?

Why alone art come into Jotunheim ?

Loki.

Ill do the gods fare, ill do the elves fare.

Speak ! hast thou hidden the Thunderer's hammer ?

Thrym.

7. 'Yea, I have hidden the Thunderer's hammer

eight miles under, deep in the earth :

and never a being back shall win it

till he bring me as bride fair Freyja.'

8. Away flew Loki, the feather-coat rustled,

till he came without the realms of the Jotuns,

came within the garths of the gods.

There 'midst the courts the Thunderer met he,

and these, first of all his words, spake Thor.

9. ' Hast thou had issue meet for thy labour ?

Tell out aloft and at length thy tidings.

For oft when sitting a tale is broken ;

oft when resting a lie is spoken.'

Loki.

10. 'I have had toil and issue also.

Thrym has thy hammer, lord of giants :

never a being back shall win it

till he bring him as bride fair Freyja.'

11. Forthwith went they to find fair Freyja,

and these, first of all his words, spake Thor :

' Bind thee, Freyja, in bridal linen,

we twain must drive into Jotunheim.'

12. Wroth then was Freyja; fiercely she panted;

the halls of Asgarth all trembled under,

burst that mighty necklet of Brisings.[4]

'Know me to be most wanton of women

if I drive with thee into Jotunheim.'

13. Straight were gatherecj all gods at the doomstead ;

goddesses all were in speech together ;

and the mighty Powers upon this took counsel,

how the Thunderer's hammer they should win again.

14. Spake then Heimdal, of gods the fairest ;

even as the Wanes could he see far forward

' Come bind we Thor in bridal linen,

let him wear the mighty Brisinga-men.

15. Let us cause the keys to jingle under him,

weeds of a woman to dangle round him,

and over his breast lay ample jewels,

and daintily let us hood his head.'

16. Spake the Thunderer of gods the sturdiest :

' Womanish then the Powers will call me

if I let me be bound in bridal linen.'

17. Spake then Loki, the son of Laufey:[5]

'Silence, Thor! with words so witless!

Soon shall the Jotuns dwell in Asgarth

unless thou get thee again thy hammer.'

18. Then bound they Thor in bridal linen,

eke with the mighty Brisinga-men.

19. They caused the keys to jingle under him,

weeds of a woman to dangle round him,

and over his breast laid ample jewels

and daintily they hooded his head.

20. Spake then Loki, the son of Laufey :

'I will fare with thee as thy serving-maiden:

we twain will drive into Jotunheim.'

21. Forthwith the goats were homeward driven,

sped to the traces, well must they run !

Rent were the mountains, earth was aflame ;

fared Odin's son into Jotunheim.

22. Spake then Thrym, the lord of giants :

'Stand up, Jotuns ! and strew the benches !

Now shall ye bring me as bride fair Freyja,

daughter of Njord, from Noatun.

23.'Golden-horned kine are found in my dwellings

and oxen all swarthy, the joy of the giant.

I own many treasures I rule many riches,

and Freyja alone to me seems lacking.'

24. Swiftly drew the day to evening,

borne was the ale cup forth to the Jotuns,

Thor ate an ox and eight whole salmon,

with dainties all as should a damsel,

three full cups of mead he quaffed.

25. Spake then Thrym, the lord of giants,

1 Didst ever see damsel eat so bravely ?

Ne'er have I seen one bite so boldly,

nor a maiden quaff more cups of mead !'

26. All crafty sat by the serving-maiden,

who answer found to the giant's asking :

'Nought has Freyja these eight nights eaten,

so sore her yearning for Jotunheim.'

27. Stooped then Thrym 'neath the veil, to kiss her,

back he leapt the hall's whole length :

'Why are fair Freyja's eyes so fearful?[6]

Meseems from those eyes a fire[7] is flaming.'

28. All crafty sat by the serving-maiden,

who answer found to the giant's asking :

'Not a whit has Freyja these eight nights slumbered,

so sore her yearning for Jotunheim.'

29. In came the wretched sister of Jotuns

and dared to beg for a bridal token :

'Take the red rings from off thy fingers

if thou wilt win thee mine affection,

mine affection, all my favour !'

30. Spake then Thrym, the lord of giants:'

Bring in the hammer, the bride to hallow.[8]

Mjollnir lay on the knee of the maiden !

Hallow us twain with the hand of the Troth-goddess!'[9]

31. Laughed in his breast the heart of the Thunderer;

strong was his soul when he spied his hammer.

He first smote Thrym, the lord of giants,

and all the Jotun's kindred crushed.

32. Smote he the ancient sister of Jotuns,

her who had begged for a bridal token.

She got but a stroke in the place of shillings ;

Mjollnir's mark and never a ring.

And thus Thor won him again his hammer.

[1] Mjollnir, the Crusher, Thor's thunder hammer; see Vm. 51, Ls. st. 57.

[2] Earth, or Jord, a wife of Odin ; see Ls. st. 26, Hrbl. 56.

[3] Thrym's name, like that of other Jotuns, signifies noise; see Vm. st. 29.

[4] Necklet of Brisings. This famous mythological treasure, called Brisingamen,

like many others, was won from the dwarfs ; see Intro.

[5] 17. Loki, see Ls. and Introd. Laufey, or Leaf-isle, Loki's mother; also called

Nál or Pine-needle, by Snorri.

[6] Eyes so fearful. When Thor was angry he let his bushy brows drop over his eyes" so that you could scarce get a glimpse of them" (Snorri).

[7] Eldr, a word missing in R supplied by paper MSS.

[8] Thor was called on by the old Norse peasants to bless their marriage feasts with his hammer.

[9] Trothgoddess, or Var, was the guardian of oaths and plightings.

Þrymskviða The Lay of Thrym
	BACK 1908 Olive Bray The Lay of Thrym HOME
	1. Wroth was the Thunderer when he awakened aud missed his hammer, the mighty Mjollnir.[1] His beard was quivering, his locks were shivering,- as he groped around him the Son of Earth.[2] 2. 'List now, Loki, to this I shall tell thee!' these, first of all his words, he spake ' no wight in high heaven or earth yet weens it : The god of Thunder is reft of his hammer.' 3. Then sought they the shining . halls of Freyja, and these, first of all his words, spake Thor : 'Wilt than, Freyja, lend me thy feather-coat, that perchance I may find my hammer?' Freyja. 4. ‘I would give it thee though 'twere golden, still would I grant it though 'twere silver !' Away flew Loki, the feather-coat rustled, till he came without the dwellings of Asgarth, came within the Jotun realms. 5. Thrym[3] sat on a mound, the lord of giants, for his grayhounds twisting golden circlets, smoothing over the manes of his steeds. Thrym. 6. ' How do the gods fare ? how do the elves fare ? Why alone art come into Jotunheim ? Loki. Ill do the gods fare, ill do the elves fare. Speak ! hast thou hidden the Thunderer's hammer ? Thrym. 7. 'Yea, I have hidden the Thunderer's hammer eight miles under, deep in the earth : and never a being back shall win it till he bring me as bride fair Freyja.' 8. Away flew Loki, the feather-coat rustled, till he came without the realms of the Jotuns, came within the garths of the gods. There 'midst the courts the Thunderer met he, and these, first of all his words, spake Thor. 9. ' Hast thou had issue meet for thy labour ? Tell out aloft and at length thy tidings. For oft when sitting a tale is broken ; oft when resting a lie is spoken.' Loki. 10. 'I have had toil and issue also. Thrym has thy hammer, lord of giants : never a being back shall win it till he bring him as bride fair Freyja.' 11. Forthwith went they to find fair Freyja, and these, first of all his words, spake Thor : ' Bind thee, Freyja, in bridal linen, we twain must drive into Jotunheim.' 12. Wroth then was Freyja; fiercely she panted; the halls of Asgarth all trembled under, burst that mighty necklet of Brisings.[4] 'Know me to be most wanton of women if I drive with thee into Jotunheim.' 13. Straight were gatherecj all gods at the doomstead ; goddesses all were in speech together ; and the mighty Powers upon this took counsel, how the Thunderer's hammer they should win again. 14. Spake then Heimdal, of gods the fairest ; even as the Wanes could he see far forward ' Come bind we Thor in bridal linen, let him wear the mighty Brisinga-men. 15. Let us cause the keys to jingle under him, weeds of a woman to dangle round him, and over his breast lay ample jewels, and daintily let us hood his head.' 16. Spake the Thunderer of gods the sturdiest : ' Womanish then the Powers will call me if I let me be bound in bridal linen.' 17. Spake then Loki, the son of Laufey:[5] 'Silence, Thor! with words so witless! Soon shall the Jotuns dwell in Asgarth unless thou get thee again thy hammer.' 18. Then bound they Thor in bridal linen, eke with the mighty Brisinga-men. 19. They caused the keys to jingle under him, weeds of a woman to dangle round him, and over his breast laid ample jewels and daintily they hooded his head. 20. Spake then Loki, the son of Laufey : 'I will fare with thee as thy serving-maiden: we twain will drive into Jotunheim.' 21. Forthwith the goats were homeward driven, sped to the traces, well must they run ! Rent were the mountains, earth was aflame ; fared Odin's son into Jotunheim. 22. Spake then Thrym, the lord of giants : 'Stand up, Jotuns ! and strew the benches ! Now shall ye bring me as bride fair Freyja, daughter of Njord, from Noatun. 23.'Golden-horned kine are found in my dwellings and oxen all swarthy, the joy of the giant. I own many treasures I rule many riches, and Freyja alone to me seems lacking.' 24. Swiftly drew the day to evening, borne was the ale cup forth to the Jotuns, Thor ate an ox and eight whole salmon, with dainties all as should a damsel, three full cups of mead he quaffed. 25. Spake then Thrym, the lord of giants, 1 Didst ever see damsel eat so bravely ? Ne'er have I seen one bite so boldly, nor a maiden quaff more cups of mead !' 26. All crafty sat by the serving-maiden, who answer found to the giant's asking : 'Nought has Freyja these eight nights eaten, so sore her yearning for Jotunheim.' 27. Stooped then Thrym 'neath the veil, to kiss her, back he leapt the hall's whole length : 'Why are fair Freyja's eyes so fearful?[6] Meseems from those eyes a fire[7] is flaming.' 28. All crafty sat by the serving-maiden, who answer found to the giant's asking : 'Not a whit has Freyja these eight nights slumbered, so sore her yearning for Jotunheim.' 29. In came the wretched sister of Jotuns and dared to beg for a bridal token : 'Take the red rings from off thy fingers if thou wilt win thee mine affection, mine affection, all my favour !' 30. Spake then Thrym, the lord of giants:' Bring in the hammer, the bride to hallow.[8] Mjollnir lay on the knee of the maiden ! Hallow us twain with the hand of the Troth-goddess!'[9] 31. Laughed in his breast the heart of the Thunderer; strong was his soul when he spied his hammer. He first smote Thrym, the lord of giants, and all the Jotun's kindred crushed. 32. Smote he the ancient sister of Jotuns, her who had begged for a bridal token. She got but a stroke in the place of shillings ; Mjollnir's mark and never a ring. And thus Thor won him again his hammer. [1] Mjollnir, the Crusher, Thor's thunder hammer; see Vm. 51, Ls. st. 57. [2] Earth, or Jord, a wife of Odin ; see Ls. st. 26, Hrbl. 56. [3] Thrym's name, like that of other Jotuns, signifies noise; see Vm. st. 29. [4] Necklet of Brisings. This famous mythological treasure, called Brisingamen, like many others, was won from the dwarfs ; see Intro. [5] 17. Loki, see Ls. and Introd. Laufey, or Leaf-isle, Loki's mother; also called Nál or Pine-needle, by Snorri. [6] Eyes so fearful. When Thor was angry he let his bushy brows drop over his eyes" so that you could scarce get a glimpse of them" (Snorri). [7] Eldr, a word missing in R supplied by paper MSS. [8] Thor was called on by the old Norse peasants to bless their marriage feasts with his hammer. [9] Trothgoddess, or Var, was the guardian of oaths and plightings.
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