12 - Myth Selections

Sif's Hair & the Treasures of the Gods

Sif was the wife of mighty Thor, the thunder-god, and she was very proud of her beautiful golden hair, which she combed and braided with great care. One morning when she awoke she was filled with grief and dismay to find that her lovely hair had been cut off in the night, while she slept. Her husband happened to be away that day, but when he came home late at night, Sif was careful to keep out of his sight, she felt so ashamed of her shorn head.

Thor, however, soon called for Sif, and when he saw what had been done to her, he was very angry. Now Thor had a quick temper; everyone feared his fierce anger. "Who could have done this wicked deed?" thought he. "There is only one among all the Aesir who would think of doing such a thing!"

Thor lost no time in finding Loki, and that mischief god had to admit that he was the guilty one, but he begged Thor to give him just a few days, and he promised to get something for Sif that would make her look more beautiful than ever. So Thor decided to give him a chance to try, and commanded him to give back to Sif her golden hair.

Now Loki knew a place where some wonderful workmen lived, so he went off, as fast as he could go, to Niflheim, the home of the dwarfs, under the earth, and asked one of them to make quickly some golden hair for Sif. Besides this, he asked for two gifts to carry to the gods Odin and Frey, so that they might be on his side if Thor should bring his complaint before the Aesir.

Loki did not have to wait long before the dwarf brought him a quantity of beautiful hair, spun from the finest golden thread. It had the wonderful power of growing just like real hair, as soon as it touched any one's head. Besides this, there was a spear for Odin, which never missed its aim, no matter how far it was thrown, and for Frey, a ship that could sail through the air as well as the sea. Although it was large enough to hold all the gods and their horses, yet it could be folded so that it was small enough to put in one's pocket.

Loki was greatly pleased with these wonderful presents, and declared that this dwarf must be the most skillful workman of them all. Now it happened that another dwarf, named Brock, heard him say this, and he told Loki that he was sure he and his brother could make more wonderful things than these.

Loki did not believe that could be done, but he told Brock to try his skill; the Aesir should judge between them and the one who should fail in the trial must lose his head.

Then Brock called his brother, Sindri, and they set to work at once. They first built a great fire, and Sindri threw into it a lump of gold; then he told Brock to blow the bellows while he went out, and be sure not to stop blowing until he should come back.

Brock thought this an easy task, but his brother had not long been gone when a huge fly came in and buzzed about his face, and bothered him so that he could hardly keep on blowing; still he was able to finish his work, so that when Sindri came back, they took out of the fire an enormous wild boar, which gave out light, and could travel through the air with wonderful speed.

On the second day Sindri threw another lump of gold into the fire, and left his brother to blow the bellows. Again the buzzing, stinging fly came, and was even more troublesome than before; but Brock tried very hard to be patient, and was able to bear it without stopping his work until Sindri returned. Then they took from the fire a magic ring of gold, from which eight new rings fell off every week.

The third day a lump of iron was put into the fire, and Brock was again left alone. In came the cruel fly, — have you guessed that it was really that mischief-maker Loki? He bit the poor little dwarf so hard on the forehead that the blood ran down into his eyes, and blinded him so that he could no longer see to do his work.

Poor Brock had to stop just before Sindri came home, but not before the hammer which they were making in the fire was nearly finished, only the handle came out rather too short. This magic hammer was named Miolnir. It had the power of never missing its mark, and would always return to the hand which threw it.

When Loki appeared at last before the Aesir, with the two dwarf brothers and their gifts, it was declared that they had made the finest things, for the hammer, which was given to Thor, would surely be most useful in keeping the giants out of Asgard.

When Loki found that the judgment was against him, he started to run away; but Thor soon made him turn back by threatening to throw his hammer after him.

Then Loki had to collect his wits, and think of some way to escape losing his head, instead of making the dwarfs pay the forfeit, as he had expected. At last he told Brock and Sindri that they could have his head, according to the agreement, but as nothing had been said about his neck, they could not, of course, touch that.

Thus the wily Loki, by his wit, saved his life.

Foster, Mary, and Mabel Cummings. Asgard Stories Tales from Norse Mythology. 1st ed. Silver, Burdett and Company, 1901. 33-7. eBook. Digitized by Google.

The Theft of Thor's Hammer

"Come, Loki, are you ready? My goats are eager to be off!" cried Thor, he sprang into his chariot, and away they went, thundering over the hills. All day long they journeyed, and at night they lay down to rest by the side of a brook.

When Baldur, the bright sun-god, awoke them in the morning, the first thing Thor did was to reach out for Miolnir, his magic hammer, which he had carefully laid by his side the night before.

"Why, Loki!" cried he. "Alas, my hammer is gone! Those evil frost giants must have stolen it from me while I slept. How shall we hold Asgard against them without my hammer? They will surely take our stronghold!"

"We must go quickly and find it!" replied Loki. "Let us ask Freyja to lend us her falcon garment."

Now the goddess, Freyja, had a wonderful garment made of falcon feathers, and whoever wore it looked just like a bird. As you- may suppose, this was sometimes a very useful thing. So Thor and Loki went quickly back to Asgard, and drove with all speed to Freyja's palace, where they found her sitting among her maidens. "Asgard is in great danger!" said Thor, "and we have come to you, fair goddess, to ask if you will lend us your falcon garment, for my hammer has been carried off, and we must go in search of it."

"Surely," answered Freyja, "I would lend you my falcon cloak, even if it were made of gold and silver!" Then Loki quickly dressed himself in Freyja's garment and flew away to the land of the frost giants, where he found their king making collars of gold for his dogs, and combing his horses. As Loki came near, he looked up and said, "Ah, Loki, how fare the mighty gods in Asgard?"

"The Aesir are in great trouble," replied Loki, "and I am sent to fetch the hammer of Thor."

"And do you think I am going to be foolish enough to give it back to you, after I have had all the trouble of getting it into my power?" said the king. "I have buried it deep, deep, down in the earth, and there is only one way by which you can get it again. You must bring me the goddess Freyja to be my wife!"

Loki did not know what to say to this, for he felt sure that Freyja would never be willing to go away from Asgard to live among the fierce giants; but as he saw no chance of getting the hammer, he flew back to Asgard, to see what could be done.

Thor was anxiously looking out for him. "What news do you bring, Loki?" cried he. "Have you brought me my hammer again?"

"Alas, no!" said Loki. "I bring only a message from the giant king. He will not give up your hammer until you persuade Freyja to marry him!"

Then Thor and Loki went together to Freyja's palace, and the fair goddess greeted them kindly, but when she heard their errand, and found they wished her to marry the cruel giant, she was very angry, and said to Thor, "You should not have been so careless as to lose your hammer; it is all your own fault that it is gone, and I will never marry the giant to help you get it again."

Thor then went to tell Father Odin, who called a meeting of all the Aesir, for it was a very serious matter they were to consider. If the king of the giants only knew the power of the mighty hammer, he might storm Asgard, and carry off the fair Freyja to be his bride.

So the Aesir met together in their great judgment hall, in the palace of Gladsheim; long and anxiously they talked over their peril, trying to find some plan for saving Asgard from these enemies. At last Heimdall, the faithful watchman of the rainbow bridge, proposed a plan.

"Let us dress Thor," said he, "in Freyja's robes, braid his hair, and let him wear Freyja's wonderful necklace, and a bridal veil!"

"No, indeed!" cried Thor, angrily, "you would all laugh at me in a woman's dress; I will do no such thing! We must find some other way." But when no other way could be found, at last Thor was persuaded to try Heimdall's plan, and the Aesir went to work to dress the mighty thunder-god like a bride. He was the tallest of them all, and, of course, he looked very queer to them in his woman's clothes, but he would be small enough beside a giant. Then they dressed Loki to look like the bride's waiting-maid, and the two set off for Utgard, the stronghold of the giants.

When the giant king saw them coming he bade his servants make ready the wedding feast, and invited all his giant subjects to come and celebrate his marriage with the lovely goddess Freyja.

So the wedding party sat down to the feast, and Thor, who was always a good eater, ate one ox and eight salmon, and drank three casks of mead. The king watched him, greatly surprised to see a woman eat so much, and said: —

"Where hast thou seen

Such a hungry bride!"

But the watchful Loki, who stood near by, as the bride's waiting-maid, whispered in the king's ear, "Eight nights has Freyja fasted and would take no food, so anxious was she to be your bride!"

This pleased the giant, and he went toward Thor, saying he must kiss his fair bride. But when he lifted the bridal veil, such a gleam of light shot from Thor's eyes "that the king started back, and asked why Freyja's eyes were so sharp.

Again Loki replied, "For eight nights the fair Freyja has not slept, so greatly did she long to reach here!" This again pleased the king, and he said, "Now let the hammer be brought and given to the bride, for the hour has come for our marriage!"

All this time Thor was so eager to get his treasure back that he could hardly keep still, and if it had not been for what the wily Loki said, he might have been found out too soon. But at last the precious hammer was brought and handed to the bride, as was always the custom at weddings; as soon as Thor grasped it in his hand, he threw off his woman's robes and stood out before the astonished giants.

Then did the mighty Thunderer sweep down his foes, and many of the cruel frost giants were slain. Once more the sacred city of Asgard was saved from danger, for Thor was its defender, and he was careful never again to let his magic hammer be taken from him.

Besides the hammer, Thor had two other precious things, his belt of strength, which doubled his power when he tightened it, and his iron glove, which he put on when he was going to throw the hammer.

"I am the God Thor,

I am the War God,

I am the Thunderer!

Here in my Northland,

My fastness and fortress,

Reign I forever!

"Here amid icebergs

Rule I the nations;

This is my hammer,

Miolnir the mighty;

Giants and sorcerers

Cannot withstand it!

"These are the gauntlets

Wherewith I wield it,

And hurl it afar off;

This is my girdle,

Whenever I brace it

Strength is redoubled!"

— Longfellow

Foster, Mary, and Mabel Cummings. Asgard Stories Tales from Norse Mythology. 1st ed. Silver, Burdett and Company, 1901. 33-7. eBook. Digitized by Google.

Loki's Children and the Binding of Fenrir

I. Loki’s Children

Iduna's Apples

Odin, the wise father of the gods, started off one day on a journey through Midgard, the world of men, to see how his people were getting on, and to give them help. He took with him his brother Honir, the light-giver, and Loki, the fire-god. Loki, you know,' was always ready to go wherever he could have any fun or do any mischief. All the morning they went about among the homes of Midgard, and whenever Odin found busy, faithful workers, he was sure to leave behind some little thing which would hardly be noticed, a straw in the farmer's barn, or a kernel of grain in the furrow by the plow, or a bit of iron at the blacksmith's forge; but always happiness and plenty followed his little gift.

At noontime Loki was so hungry that he begged Odin to stop for dinner; so when they came to a shady spot by the bank of a river, the three gods chose it for their resting-place.

Odin threw himself down under a tree and began to read his little book of runes, or wise sayings, but Loki began to make a fire and get ready for the feast. Then he started off to a farmhouse near by, leaving Honir to cook the meat which they had brought.

As Loki came near the farmhouse, he thought to himself, "I will change myself into a cat, and then I can have a better chance to spy about." So he changed himself into a black cat, and jumping upon the kitchen window-sill, he saw the farmer's wife taking some cakes out of the oven. They smelled so good and looked so tempting that Loki said to himself, "What a prize those cakes would be for our dinner!"

Just then the woman turned back to the oven to get more cakes, and Loki snatched those which she had laid on the table. The good housewife soon missed her cakes; she looked all about, and could not think what had become of them, but just as she was taking the last lot from the oven, she turned quickly around, and saw the tail of a cat whisking out of the window.

"There!" cried she, "that wicked black cat has stolen my nice cakes. I will go after him with my broom!" But by the time she reached the door all she could see was a cow walking in her garden, and when she came there to drive her away, nothing was to be seen except a big raven and six little ones flying overhead.

Then the mischievous Loki went back to the river bank, where he had left his two friends, and showed them the six cakes, boasting of the good joke he had played upon the poor woman. But Odin did not think it was a joke. He scolded Loki for stealing, and said, " It is a shame for one of the Aesir to be a thief! Go back to the farmhouse, and put these three black stones on the kitchen table."

Loki knew that the stones meant something good for the poor woman, and he did not wish to go back to the house; but lie had to do as the Allfather told him. As he went along he heard his friends the foxes, who put their heads out of their holes and laughed at his tricks, for the foxes thought Loki was the biggest thief of them all.

Changing himself into an owl, Loki flew in at the kitchen window, and dropped from his beak the three stones, which, when they fell upon the white table, seemed to be three black stains.

The next time the good woman came into her kitchen, she was surprised to find that the dinner was all cooked. And so the wonderful stones that Odin had sent brought good luck; the housewife always found her food ready cooked, and all her jars and boxes filled with good things to eat, and never again was in need.

The other women all said she was the best housekeeper in the village, but one thing always troubled her, and that was the table with the three black stains. She scrubbed, and scrubbed, but could never make it white again.

And now we must go back to Loki. He was very hungry by this time, and hoped that Honir would have the meat nicely cooked when he came back to the river bank, but when they took it out of the kettle, they found it was not cooked at all. So Odin went on reading his book of runes, not thinking about food, while Honir and Loki watched the fire, and at the end of an hour they looked again at the meat.

"Now, it will surely be done this time!" said Loki, but again they were disappointed, for the meat in the kettle was still raw. Then they began to look about to see what magic might be at work, and at last spied a big eagle sitting on a tree near the fire. All at once the bird spoke, and said, "If you will promise to give me all the meat I can eat, it shall be cooked in a few minutes."

The three friends agreed to this, and in a short time, as the bird had promised, the meat was well done. Loki was so hungry he could hardly wait to get it out of the kettle, but suddenly the eagle pounced down upon it, and seized more than half, which made Loki so angry that he took up a stick to beat the bird, and what do you think happened? Why, the stick, as soon as it touched the bird's back, stuck fast there, and Loki found he could not let go his end of it. Then away flew the eagle, carrying Loki with him, over the fields and over the tree-tops, until it seemed as though his arms would be torn from his body. He begged for mercy, but the bird flew on and on. At last Loki said, "I will give you anything you ask, if you will only let me go!"

Now the eagle was really the cruel storm giant Thiassi, and he said, "I will never let you go until you promise to get for me, from Asgard, the lovely goddess Iduna, and her precious apples!"

When Odin and Honir saw Loki whisked off through the air, they knew that the eagle must be one of their giant enemies, so they hurried home to Asgard to defend their sacred city. Just as they came to Bifrost, the rainbow bridge, Loki joined them; but he took care not to tell them how the eagle came to let him go.

Odin felt sure that Loki had been doing something wrong, but knowing very well that Loki would not tell him the truth, he made up his mind not to ask any questions.

II.

The goddess Iduna, whom Loki was to tempt away out of Asgard, was the dearest of them all. She was the fair goddess of spring and of youth, and all the Aesir loved her. Her garden was the loveliest spot, with all sorts of bright, sweet flowers, birds singing by day and night, little chattering brooks under the great trees, and everything happy and fresh. The gods loved to go and sit with Iduna, and rest in her beautiful garden, within the walls of Asgard.

There was another delightful thing in the garden, and that was Iduna's casket. This was a magic box filled with big, golden-red apples, which she always gave her friends to taste. These wonderful apples were not only delicious to eat, but whoever tasted them, no matter how tired or feeble he might be, would feel young and strong again. So the dwellers in Asgard ate often of this wonderful fruit, which kept them fresh and young, fit to help the people in the world of Midgard. The casket in which Iduna kept her apples was always filled, for whenever she took out one, another came in its place; but no one knew where it came from, and only the goddess of youth, herself, could take the apples from the box, for if any one else tried, the fruit grew smaller and smaller, as the hand came nearer, until at last it vanished away.

A few days after Loki's bargain with the giant Thiassi, Iduna was in her bright garden one morning, watering the flowers, when her husband, Bragi, came to say good-by to her, because he must go on a journey.

Loki watched him start off, and thought, "Now, here is my chance to tempt Iduna away from Asgard." After a while he went to the garden, and found the lovely goddess sitting among her flowers and birds. She looked up at Loki with such a sweet smile, as he came near, that he felt almost ashamed of his cruel plan; but he sat down on a grassy bank, and asked Iduna for one of her magic apples.

After tasting it, he smacked his lips, saying, "Do you know, fair Iduna, as I was coming home toward Asgard one day, I saw a tree full of apples which were really larger and more beautiful than yours; I do wish you would go with me and see them."

"Why, how can that be?" said Iduna, "for Father Odin has often told me that my apples were the largest and finest he ever saw. I should so like to see those others, and I think I will go with you now, to compare them with mine."

"Come on, then!" said Loki; "and you'd better take along your own apples, so that we can try them with the others."

Now Bragi had often told Iduna that she must never wander away from home, but, thinking it would do no harm to go such a little way, just this once, she took the casket of apples in her hand and went with Loki. They had hardly passed through the garden gate, when she began to wish herself back again, but Loki, taking her by the hand, hurried along to the rainbow bridge.

They had no sooner crossed over Bifrost than Iduna saw a big eagle flying toward them. Nearer and nearer he came, until at last he swooped down arid seized poor Iduna with his sharp talons, and flew away with her to his cold, barren home. There she stayed shut up for many long dreary months, always longing to get back to Asgard, to see Bragi and her lovely garden.

The giant Thiassi had long been planning that if he could only once get the fair goddess of youth in his power, he would eat her magic apples, and so get strength enough to conquer the Aesir; but now, after all, she would not give him even one of them, and when he put his hand into the casket, the apples grew smaller and smaller, until at last they vanished, so that he could not get even a taste.

This cruel storm giant kept poor Iduna closely shut up in a little rock chamber, hoping that someday he could force her to give him what he wanted. All day long she heard the sea beating on the rocks below her gloomy cell, but she could not look out, for the only window was a narrow opening in the rock, high up above her head. She saw no one but the giant, and his serving-women, who waited upon her.

When these women first came to her, Iduna was surprised to see that they were not ugly or stern looking, and, when she looked at their fair, smiling faces, she hoped they would be friendly and pitiful to her in her trouble. She begged them to help her, and, with many tears, told them her sad story; but still they kept on smiling, and when they turned their backs, Iduna saw that they were hollow. These were the Ellewomen, who had no hearts, and so could never be sorry for any one. When one is in trouble, it is very hard to be with Ellewomen.

Every day the giant came to ask Iduna, in his terrible voice, if she had made up her mind to give him the apples. Iduna was frightened, but she always had courage enough to say "No," for she knew it would be false and cowardly to give to a wicked giant these precious gifts which were meant for the high gods. Although it was hard to be a prisoner, and to see no one but the cold, fair Ellewomen who kept on smiling at her tears, she knew it was far better to belong to the bright ^Esir, even in prison, than to be a giant, or an Ellewoman, no matter how free or smiling they might be.

III.

All this while the dwellers in Asgard were sad and lonely without their dear Iduna. At first they went to her garden, as before, but they missed the bright goddess, and soon the garden itself grew dreary. The fresh green leaves turned brown and fell, the flowers faded, no new buds opened. No bird-songs were heard, and the saddest thing of all was that now the gods had no more of the wonderful apples to keep them fresh and strong, while two strangers, named Age and Pain, walked about the city of Asgard, and the Aesir felt themselves growing tired and feeble.

Every day they watched for Iduna's return; at last, when day after day had passed, and still she did not come, a meeting of all the gods and goddesses was called to talk over what they should do, and where they should search for their lost sister.

Loki, you may be sure, took care not to show himself at the meeting; but when it was found out that Iduna had last been seen walking with him, Bragi went after him, and brought him in before all the ^Esir.

Then Father Odin, who sat on his high throne, looking very tired and sad, said: "Oh, Loki, what is this that you have done? You have broken your promise of brotherhood, and brought sorrow upon Asgard I Fail not to bring home again our sister, or else come not yourself within our gates!"

Loki knew well that this command must be obeyed, and besides, even he was beginning to wish for Iduna again; so, borrowing the cloak of falcon feathers which belonged to the goddess Freyja, he put it on and set out for Utgard and the castle of the giant Thiassi, which was a gloomy cave in a high rock by the sea, and there he found poor Iduna shut up in prison.

By good luck, the giant was away fishing when Loki arrived, so he was able to fly in, without being seen, through the narrow opening in Iduna's rock cell. You would have taken him to be just a falcon bird, but Iduna knew it was really Loki, and was filled with joy to see him. Without stopping to talk, Loki quickly changed her into a nut, which he held fast in his falcon claws, and flew swiftly northward, over the sea, toward Asgard. He had not gone far when he heard a rushing noise behind them, and he knew it must be the eagle. Faster and faster flew the falcon with his precious nut; but the fierce eagle flew still faster after them.

Meanwhile, for five days, the dwellers in Asgard gathered together on the city walls, gazing southward, to watch for the coming of the birds, while Loki and Iduna, chased by Thiassi, the eagle, flew over the wide sea separating Utgard, the land of the giants, from Asgard. Each night the eagle was nearer his prey, and the watchers in the city were filled with fear lest he should overtake their friends.

At last they thought of a plan to help Iduna: .gathering a great pile of wood by the city walls, they set fire to it. When Loki reached the place he flew safely through the thick smoke and flame, for you know he was the god of fire, and dropped down into the city with his little nut held fast in his falcon claws. But when the heavy eagle came rushing on after them, he could not rise above the heat of the fire, and, smothered by the smoke, fell down and was binned to death.

There was great joy in Asgard at having the dear Iduna back again; her friends gathered around her, and she invited them all into her garden, where the withered trees and flowers began to sprout and blossom; the gay birds came back, singing and building their nests, and the happy little brooks went dancing under the trees.

Iduna sat with Bragi among her friends, and they all feasted upon her golden apples; she was so thankful to be free, and at home in her garden again. Once more the Aesir became young and strong, and the two dark strangers went away, for happiness and peace had come back to Asgard.

Foster, Mary, and Mabel Cummings. Asgard Stories Tales from Norse Mythology. 1st ed. Silver, Burdett and Company, 1901. 62-75. eBook. Digitized by Google.

The Building of Asgard's Wall

"Whose is that horse Sleipnir, and what is there to say about it?"

"You have no knowledge of Sleipnir, nor do you know the circumstances attending his birth; but it must seem to you worth the telling."

In the beginning, when the town of the gods was building, when the gods had established Midgard and made Valhal, there came a certain builder and offered to make them a burg, in three half years, so excellent that it should be perfectly safe against the mountain-giants and frost-giants, even though they should get within Midgard. But he demanded as his reward, that he should have Freyja, and he wanted the sun and moon besides. Then the asas came together and held counsel, and the bargain was made with the builder that he should get what he demanded if he could get the burg done in one winter; but if on the first day of summer any part of the burg was unfinished, then the contract should be void.

It was also agreed that no man should help him with the work. When they told him these terms, he requested that they should allow him to have the help of his horse, called Svadilfare, and at the suggestion of Loki this was granted him.

On the first day of winter he began to build the burg, but by night he hauled stone for it with his horse. But it seemed a great wonder to the asas what great rocks that horse drew, and the horse did one half more of the mighty task than the builder. The bargain was firmly established with witnesses and oaths, for the giant did not deem it safe to be among the asas without truce if Thor should come home, who now was on a journey to the east fighting trolls.

Toward the end of winter the burg was far built, and it was so high and strong that it could in nowise be taken. When there were three days left before summer, the work was all completed excepting the burg gate. Then went the gods to their judgment-seats and held counsel, and asked each other who could have advised to give Freyja in marriage in Jotunheim, or to plunge the air and the heavens in darkness by taking away the sun and the moon and giving them to the giant; and all agreed that this must have been advised by him who gives the most bad counsels, namely, Loki, son of Laufey, and they threatened him with a cruel death if he could not contrive some way of preventing the builder from fulfilling his part of the bargain, and they proceeded to lay hands on Loki. He in his fright then promised with an oath that he should so manage that the builder should lose his wages, let it cost him what it would.

And the same evening, when the builder drove out after stone with his horse Svadilfare, a mare suddenly ran out of the woods to the horse and began to neigh at him. The steed, knowing what sort of horse this was, grew excited, burst the reins asunder and ran after the mare, but she ran from him into the woods. The builder hurried after them with all his might, and wanted to catch the steed, but these horses kept running all night, and thus the time was lost, and at dawn the work had not made the usual progress. When the builder saw that his work was not going to be completed, he resumed his giant form.

When the asas thus became sure that it was really a mountain-giant that had come among them, they did not heed their oaths, but called on Thor. He came straightway, swung his hammer, Mjolnir, and paid the workman his wages,— not with the sun and moon, but rather by preventing him from dwelling in Jotunheim; and this was easily done with the first blow of the hammer, which broke his skull into small pieces and sent him down to Niflhel.

But Loki had run such a race with Svadilfare that he some time after bore a foal. It was gray, and had eight feet, and this is the best horse among gods and men. Thus it is said in the Vala's Prophecy:

Then went the gods.

The most holy gods,

Onto their judgment-seats,

And counseled together

Who all the air

With guile had blended

Or to the giant race

Oder's may had given.

Broken were oaths,

And words and promises,—

All mighty speech

That had passed between them.

Thor alone did this,

Swollen with anger.

Seldom sits he still

When such things he hears.

Sturluson, Snorri. Translated by Anderson, Rasmus. The Prose Edda. Chicago: S.E. Griggs & Company, 1879. 109-12. eBook. Digitized by Google.

Thor's Journey to Utgard

THOR AND SKRYMIR

I. A BACKWARD SPRING

One spring the giants had been behaving very badly. The storm giants had gone to the far north and troubled the great eagle, Hraesvelgr. They made him fly many times, although they knew that every time he lifted his wings, the icy winds rushed out from his feathers and froze the twelve great rivers of the north. The frost giants laughed to see great blocks of ice floating down to destroy the homes of men; and the mountain giants tossed snow and ice from their shoulders upon the plowed fields.

The cold lasted so long that farmers could hardly prepare the ground for seed. After the seed had been sown, the cold winds kept it from sprouting. After it had begun to grow, the storms beat down the young crops, and seemed likely to destroy them all.

Except Balder the Good, and Frey, the gentle sun god, rough Thor was the only god who really cared for the farmers. He was sometimes very boisterous, but had a kind heart. It made him sad to see the poor farmers work so hard and get so little; and he wanted to do something to help them. So he harnessed his two goats to his iron chariot, took his iron gloves, his girdle of strength, and his hammer; and, with Loki for a traveling companion, set out for the land of the giants.

II. THE SUPPER IN THE COTTAGE

At the close of the first day, they came to a cottage in the edge of a wood. They stopped and asked food and shelter for themselves and their goats. Shelter the poor people gladly gave them; but they had no food. It was a long way to another house, and Thor and Loki were tired and hungry. Thor raised his hammer, and killed his goats. The cottager dressed the meat; his wife cooked it; and there was soon a great platter of goat's flesh steaming on the table.

Thor asked the man and his wife and their two children to have supper with himself and Loki. It was a rare treat to the children, who had seldom tasted meat. Thor said the bones must be left unbroken and thrown into the goatskins, which he had spread before the fireplace, because he had a use for them afterward. While Thor was talking with the father and mother, Loki whispered to the children that the choicest part was hidden within the bones. The boy, Thialfi, broke a thigh bone, ate the marrow, and threw the pieces on the heap, with the others.

In the morning, Thor and Loki rose early and began to prepare for their journey. The cottager and his family wondered what Thor would do with his iron chariot, since the goats had been killed and eaten. They were amazed to see him strike the goatskins with his hammer, and astonished to see the goats jump up as lively as if they themselves had had warm shelter and good food, instead of having made supper for others. Thor harnessed the goats to his chariot, and started to drive away; but one of the goats limped badly. Thor saw at once that its thigh bone had been broken. He raised his hammer in anger. The poor people fell on their knees and begged for mercy. Thialfi confessed his disobedience; and Thor forgave the offense on condition that Thialfi and his sister, Roskva, should be his servants forever. As there was no other way to save the lives of either themselves or their children, the parents consented. Then Thor relented a little, and said the children might come home often. He charged the man to take good care of his goats until his return; and, with Loki, Thialfi, and Roskva, he started on foot for the land of the giants.

III. THE SNORING GIANT

The four traveled all day through a bleak and desolate country. At sunset, the prospect was still more dismal; and, to add to their discomfort, a thick gray mist settled down upon them. For a long time they wandered about in search of shelter for the night. At last Thor saw the dim outline of a queer-shaped house. The entrance was very wide and high, and seemed to take up the whole side of the house. They went in, but found it empty. They lay down on the floor, and soon fell asleep.

They were waked by a strange trembling of the house. They were frightened by rumbling noises frequently repeated and greatly prolonged. Believing this to be an earthquake, and fearing the walls might fall and crush them, Thor sent Loki, Thialfi, and Roskva into a wing of the house, while he grasped his hammer and guarded the main entrance.

In the early morning, they continued their journey. They had gone but a little way, when they saw a steep hill directly in their path. As they came nearer, they noticed that the hill trembled, and they heard again the rumbling noises of the night before. Suddenly they heard a great sigh, and saw a giant raise his head. Then they knew that what had seemed a hill was the prostrate body of a giant, and that the trembling of the house and the sounds they had mistaken for an earthquake had been caused by his snoring.

The giant looked about as if he had lost something. His eyes rested upon Thor and his companions, and he exclaimed, "What have you little fellows done with my glove?" Before they could answer that they had not seen his glove, he said, "Oh, here it is!" and, reaching out, picked up the house in which they had spent the night. The wing in which they had taken refuge from the supposed earthquake was the thumb of the glove. The giant recognized Thor, and seemed very glad to see him. He kindly asked where they were going, and when, he found they were on the way to Utgard, the realm of the giants, he offered to be their guide, and said his name was Skrymir.

IV. NIGHT IN THE WOODS

They walked all day together. At night Skrymir said he was more sleepy than hungry, and gave his bag of food to Thor to divide with his companions. Thor pulled the string, and tugged at the knot, but could not unfasten the bag. With an abundant supply of food in his hands, he could neither eat nor give to the others. Worn out with walking and long fasting, the gods and their servants tried to rest. But the giant had begun to snore, and sleep was impossible. Disgusted and angry, Thor drew tighter his girdle of strength, and hurled his hammer at the giant's head. Skrymir woke enough to rub the place with his hand and ask sleepily whether a leaf had fallen on his head.

At midnight, the snoring was terrific. Thor dealt a fearful blow on the giant's crown. Skrymir, roused from sleep, said that he thought an acorn had fallen.

Toward morning, it seemed to the tired gods that they must get a little sleep. Thor threw his hammer with all his might at the giant's temple. Skrymir rose and said quietly: "Some birds must have dropped a piece of stick from their nest, for my temple is bruised. We must go now; I to the north, and you to the east. You will soon come to Utgard. There you will find men larger than I. Be careful not to offend them." The giant disappeared in the woods, and the gods kept on as directed.

V. SPORTS AT UTGARD

At noon they came in sight of Utgard. No one noticed their approach. When they knocked at the gate, no one came to admit them. So they slipped between the bars, and went to the palace of the prince of the giants. He was sitting on his throne, and many of his warriors and courtiers were resting on stone benches in the great hall. For a long time no notice was taken of the intruders, and then all the giants stared in surprise at the unbidden guests. The prince addressed them as "little people," and said: "I know you, Thor, and you can do more than one would think from your appearance. Now tell me what each one can do; for no one is welcome here, unless he is good for something."

Loki, who was almost famished, boasted of his ability to eat.

The prince at once ordered meat; and the trial began between Loki and the prince's cook, Logi.

A wooden platter, filled with meat, was placed between them. Loki ate rapidly, and met his opponent at the middle of the dish; but, to his great surprise, he found that while he had eaten the meat, Logi had devoured meat, bones, and platter, too.

Thialfi said he was swift of foot.

"Very well," said the prince; "run a race with Hugin."

At the first trial, Hugin reached the goal a little in advance of Thialfi. "Very good," said the prince; "try again." The second time, Thialfi was still further behind; and, at the third trial, he had run only half the course when Hugin reached the goal.

Thor, who was very thirsty, said he could drink a great deal.

The prince ordered a servant to bring a drinking horn, which, he said, some could empty at one draught, many at two, and he was a poor drinker indeed who could not drain it at three.

Thor looked at the horn. It was long, but very narrow; and he thought his task an easy one. But the first draught barely uncovered the rim; the second only a little more; and the third lowered the liquid, perhaps, two or three inches. Much chagrined, Thor set the horn down, and began to boast of his strength. The prince told him to pick up the gray cat that lay at the foot of the throne.

At the first trial, he hardly moved the cat. Then he seized her firmly about the middle, and made her arch her back. The third time, he lifted one paw from the ground.

Very angry, Thor's eyes flashed lightnings. "Let me wrestle with one of your courtiers," he cried.

The prince thoughtfully stroked his beard. "Try first," he replied, "what you can do against my old nurse, Elli."

A feeble, bent old woman entered the hall and took strong Thor in her grasp. Thor used all his might, but she compelled him to sink down on one knee.

"Enough !" cried the prince. "Sit down now to the feast."

VI. Skrymir's Magic

The strangers were well cared for that night; and, the next morning, the prince himself led them out as far as the wood.

"This," said he, "is the boundary of my domain. You would never have crossed it, had I known you were so powerful. Let me tell you the tricks I have played on you.

"It was I who met you in the forest. Three times Thor struck me with his hammer. The first blow would have killed me, had I not shoved a mountain between us. The second was a terrible shock, though the mountain broke the force of the blow. The third crashed through the mountain and bruised my temple. As you go back, you will see three great fissures cut in the solid rock, one of which reaches the home of the black elves; and they were all made by the blows of your hammer.

"Loki had an excellent appetite; but my cook, Logi, who was matched against him, is wildfire, which swallows up everything in its path.

"Thialfi runs well; but Hugin, who is my thought, has no rival.

"The end of the long drinking horn touched the ocean. Thor drank so much that every shore was uncovered. "The gray cat was the Midgard serpent. Thor lifted her so far that the great serpent almost escaped its prison at the bottom of the sea.

"Elli, my poor old nurse, is old age, who at last conquers every one. Thor fought bravely; but the bravest are at last overcome by old age.

"Go now, and seek no more to bring your farmers within my realm. Mine are the eternal rocks and ice rivers. Though you rend them with thunderbolts, there will be no place for your precious grains to take root."

Thor raised his hammer to punish the giant, but he was gone. The glittering walls of the palace had vanished. There was only a rock-strewn waste covered with clouds and mist.