The text of this Lay rests only on R, leaf 17; nowhere else is even its story quoted or hinted at. Snorri himself, who took such pleasure in Thor's adventures, does not know this one. The first time that any notice of it occurs is in a Ballad of the sixteenth century Danish Collections (Svaning's and Wedel's), called Tord af Havsgaard. It is probably derived from our vellum, for the theory that it could have been handed down uncorrupt by Danish tradition from the heathen days is certainly untenable; the very names Havsgaard and Locke point unmistakably to Icelandic sixteenth century pronunciation. The easy style, the humorous subject, and markedly ballad-like form of this which grieved me more, nor that I could blame thee more for, Weyland! There is no man here that can reach thee from horseback, nor so strong that he could shoot thee from below when thou soarest up there against the clouds.'

Laughing Weyland rose into the air, but Nidad sat behind in sorrowful mood. Then spake Nidad, lord of the Niars: 'Rise up, Thankred, thou best of my thralls, bid Bodwild, the white-browed fair-clad maiden, to come and speak to her father.' Then said Nidad, lord of the Niars: 'Is it true, Bodwild, that which is told me, did ye sit together, thou and Weyland, in the island?' Then said Bodwild: 'That which is told thee, Nidad, is true; I sat with Weyland in the island a little hour; would I never had. I could not prevail against him, I might not prevail against him.'

Lay are such as to render it a fit subject for a Renaissance ballad. The story tells itself. The title is from R. The text is as well pre-, served as any old poem we know.

 

Þryms-kviða or Lay of Thrym

This version includes the text of the poem in Old Icelandic, which has been omitted here.

Wroth waxed Wing-Thor when he awoke and missed his Hammer; he shook his beard and tossed his locks, the Son of Earth groped about him with his hands, and this was the first word that he spoke: 'Hearken now, O Loki, to what I am telling thee, a thing unheard of either on earth or in the heavens above. Thor has been robbed of his Hammer!'

They went to the fair Freya's bower, and this was the first word that he spoke: 'Wilt thou lend me thy feather-fell, Freya, that I may be able to find my Hammer ?'—Quoth Freya: 'Yea, I would give it thee though it were of gold, and grant it thee even though it were of silver.'

Then away flew Loki, the feather-fell rattled, till he won out of Ansgard and won into Giant-land. Thrym, the Giants' lord, was sitting on a howe plaiting golden leashes for his grey-hounds, and trimming the manes of his horses; and this was the first word that he spoke: 'How goes it with the Anses? How goes it with the Elves? Why hast thou come alone into Giant-land ?'—Quoth Loki, Laufey's son: 'It goes ill with the Anses! It goes ill with the Elves! Hast thou hidden

the Thunderer's hammer?'—Quoth Thrym, lord of Giants: 'Yea, I have hidden the Thunderer's hammer eight miles deep under the earth. No man shall ever bring it back, save he bring me Freya to wife.'

Then away flew Loki—the feather-fell rattled—till he won out of Giant-land, and won into Ansgard. Thor met him in the gate, and this was the first word that he spake: 'Hast thou good news for thy toil? Tell me all thy tidings from the sky, for he that speaks sitting down often stumbles in his speech, and he that speaks lying down is often guilty of a lie.'—Quoth Loki, Laufey's son: 'I have good news for my toil. Thrym, the Giant lord, has thy Hammer. No man shall ever bring it back, save he bring him Freya to wife.'

They went to the fair Freya's bower, and this was the first word that he [Thor] spake: 'Take thy bride's veil, Freya, we two must drive to Giant-land.'

Wroth waxed Freya, and snorted with rage; the hall of the Anses shook all over, the great Brising necklace snapped, and this was the first word that she spoke: 'Sure I were proved the man-maddest of women, should 1 drive with thee to Giant-land.'

At once the Anses all went into council, and all the goddesses into parley; the mighty Gods took counsel together how they might get back the Thunderer's hammer.

Then Heimdall spake, the whitest of the Anses; he had great foresight, as all the other Wanes have: 'Let us wrap Thor in the bride's veil, let him have the great Brising necklace, let the bunch of keys rattle down from his girdle, and a woman's coats fall about his knees, and fasten the broad stones [brooches] on his breast, and wind the hood neatly about his head.'

Then up spake Thor, that doughty God: 'Surely the Anses would call me lewd fellow, if 1 were to let myself be wrapped in a bride's veil.'

Then up spake Loki, Laufey's son: 'Speak not so, O Thor, for the Giants will soon dwell in Ansgard save thou get back thy Hammer.'

Then they wrapped Thor in the bride's veil, and gave him the great Brising necklace, let the keys rattle down from his girdle, and the woman's coats fall about his knees, and fastened the broad stones [brooches] at his breast, and wound the hood neatly about his head.

Then spake Loki, Laufey's son: 'I will follow thee as bridesmaid; we two will drive to Giant-land.'

The goats were fetched out at once, they were harnessed to the carpoles, that they might run swiftly. The rocks were rent, the earth blazed in flame, as Woden's son drove into Giant-land.

Up spake Thrym, the Giant lord: 'Stand up, my giants all, and strew the benches, they are bringing me Freya to wife, the daughter of Niord, of Noatown. There are here in the yard gold-horned kine, and black unspotted oxen, the delight of the Giant lord. I have treasures in store, I have jewels in store, I lack nought but Freya.'

Early in the evening the guests gathered, and ale was served to the Giants. Sif s husband [Thor] ate for his share a whole ox, eight salmon, all the dainties cooked for the ladies, and drank three casks of mead.

Up spake Thrym, the Giant lord: 'Was ever a bride so sharply set? I have never seen a bride take such big mouthfuls, nor a maid drink so deep of mead.'

The quick-witted bridesmaid, sitting by, found ready answer to the Giant's speech: 'Freya has not eaten for eight days, so eager was she to be in Giant-land.'

He [Thrym] bent down under the veil, wishing to kiss the bride, but he started back the whole length of the hall. 'Why are Freya's eyes so awful? it seems as if flames were darting from her eyes.'

The quick-witted bridesmaid, sitting by, found ready answer to the Giant's speech: 'Freya has not slept for eight nights, so eager was she to be in Giant-land.'

In came the Giants' aged sister (mother?) begging boldly for a bridal fee: 'Take the red-rings off thine arm if thou wouldst win my love, my love and all my heart besides!'

Up spake Thrym, the Giant lord: 'Bring in the Hammer to hallow the bride, lay the Miollni on the Maid's lap. Hallow our hands together in wedlock!'

The heart of the Thunderer laughed in his breast when he felt the hard Hammer with his hands. First he slew Thrym, the Giant lord, and then smote the whole race of Giants. He slew the Giants' aged sister (mother?) who had begged a bridal-fee of him; she got a pound instead of pence, and hammer strokes instead of rings.

This is how Woden's son got back his Hammer. (Minstrel's epilogue.)