Thrymskviða eðr Hamarsheimt

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 The Lay of Thrym,

or the Hammer recovered.

    

1. Wroth was Vingthor,

when he awoke,

and his hammer

missed;

his beard he shook,

his forehead struck,

the son of earth

felt all around him;

 

2. and first of all

these words he uttered:

“Hear now, Loki!

what I now say,

which no ones knows

anywhere on earth,

nor in heaven above;

the As’s hammer is stolen!”

 

3. They went to the fair

Freyja’s dwelling,

and he these words

first of all said:

“Wilt thou me, Freyja,

thy feather-garment lend,

that perchance my hammer

I may find?”

 

Freyja

4. “That I would give thee,

although of gold it were,

and trust it to thee,

though it were of silver.”

 

5. Flew then Loki -

the plumage rattled -

until he came beyond

the Æsir´s dwellings,

and came within

the Jötun´s land.

 

6. On a mound sat Thrym,

the Thursar’s lord,

for his greyhounds

plaiting gold bands

and his horses’

manes smoothing.

 

7. “How goes it with the Æsir

How goes it with the Alfar,

Why art thou come alone

to Jötunheim?”

 

Loki

8. “Ill it goes with the Æsir,

Ill it goes with the Alfar.

Hast thou Hlorridi’s

hammer hidden?”

 

Thrym

9. “I have Hlorridi’s

hammer hidden

eight rasts

beneath the earth;

it shall no man

get again,

unless he bring me

Freyja to wife.”

 

10. Flew then Loki -

the plumage rattled -

until he came beyond

the Jötun’s dwellings,

and came within

the Æsir’s courts;

there he met Thor,

in the middle court,

who these words

first of all uttered.

 

11. “Hast thou had success

as well as labour?

Tell me from the air

the long tidings.

Oft of him who sits

are the tales defective,

and he who lied down

utters falsehood.”

Loki

      

12. “I have had labour

and success:

Thrym has thy hammer,

the Thursar’s lord.

It shall no man

get again,

unless he bring him

Freyja to wife.”

      

13. They went the fair

Freyja to find;

and he those words

first of all said:

“Bind thee, Freyja,

in bridal raiment,

we two must drive

to Jötunheim.”

 

13. Wroth then was Freyja,

and with anger chafed,

all the Æsir’s hall

beneath her trembled:

in shivers flew the famed

Brisinga necklace.

“Know me to be

of women lewdest,

if with thee I drive

to Jötunheim.”[1]

 

15. Straightway went the Æsir

all to counsel,

and the Asyniur

all to hold converse;

and deliberated

the mighty gods,

how they Hlorridi’s

hammer might get back.

 

16. Then said Heimdall,

of Æsir brightest -

he well foresaw,

like other Vanir -

“Let us clothe Thor

with bridal raiment,

let him have the famed

Brisinga necklace.

   

17. “Let by his side

keys jingle,

and woman’s weeds

fall round his knees,

but on his breast

place precious stones,

and a neat coif

set on his head.”

 

18. Then said Thor,

the mighty As:

“Me the Æsir will

call womanish,

if I let myself be clad

in bridal raiment.”

 

19. Then spake Loki,

Laufey’s son:

“Do thou, Thor! refrain

from suchlike words:

forthwith the Jötuns will

Asgard inhabit,

unless thy hammer thou

gettest back.”

 

20. Then they clad Thor

in bridal raiment,

and with the noble

Brisinga necklace,

let by his side

keys jingle,

and woman’s weeds

fall round his knees:

and on his breast

places precious stones,

and a neat coif

sat on his head.

 

21. Then said Loki,

Laufey’s son:

“I will with thee

as a servant go:

we two will drive

to Jötunheim.”

 

22. Straightway were the goats

homeward driven,

hurried to the traces;

they had fast to run.

The rocks were shivered,

the earth was in a blaze;

Odin’s son drove

to Jötunheim.

 

23. Then said Thrym,

the Thursar’s lord:

“Rise up, Jötuns!

and the benches deck,

now they bring me

Freyja to wife,

Niörd’s daughter,

from Noatún.

 

24. “Hither to our court let bring

gold-horned cows,

all-black oxen,

for the Jötuns’ joy.

Treasures I have many,

necklaces many,

Freyja alone

seemed to me wanting.”

 

25. In the evening

they early came,

and for the Jötuns

beer was brought forth.

Thor alone an ox devoured,

salmons eight,

and all the sweetmeats

women should have.

Sif’s consort drank

three salds of mead.

 

26. Then said Thrym,

the Thursar’s prince:

“Where hast thou seen brides

eat more voraciously?

I never saw brides

feed more amply,

nor a maiden

drink more mead.”

 

27. Sat the all-crafty

serving-maid close by,

who words fitting found

against the Jötun’s speech:

“Freyja has nothing eaten

for eight nights,

so eager was she

for Jötunheim.”

 

28. Under her veil he stooped

desirous to salute her,

but sprang back

along the hall.

“Why are so piercing

Freyja’s looks?

Methinks that fire

burns from her eyes.”

 

29. Sat the all-crafty

serving-maid close by,

who words fitting found

against the Jötun’s speech:

“Freyja for eight nights

has not slept,

so eager was she

for Jötunheim.”

 

30. In came the Jötun’s

luckless sister,

for a bride-gift

she dared to ask:

“Give me from they hands

the ruddy rings,

if thou wouldst gain

my love,

my love

and favour all.”

 

31. Then said Thrym,

the Thursar’s lord:

“Bring the hammer in,

the bride to consecrate;

lay Mjöllnir

on the maiden’s knee;

unite us each with other

by the hand of Vör.

 

32. Laughed Hlorridi’s

soul in his breast,

when the fierce-hearted

his hammer recognized.

He first slew Thrym,

the Thursar’s lord,

and the Jötun’s race

all crushed;

 

33. He slew the Jötun´s

aged sister,

her who a bride-gift

had demanded;

she a blow got

instead of skillings,

a hammer’s stroke

for many rings.

So got Odin’s son

his hammer back.

 

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[1] A rather awkward story about Freyja and the Brisinga men is given in “Northern Mythology,” I, p. 32 note* from Olaf Triggvason’s Saga, reprinted in Snorri’s Edda,  edit. Rask p. 354. According to an allusion to it in Beowulf, where it is called Brôsinga men, it had come to be possessed by Hermanric.