(sensibilities) of bears, and the spittle of birds. When finished it was as smooth and
soft as a silken string. But when the gods asked the wolf to suffer himself to be bound
with this apparently slight ribbon, he suspected their design, fearing that it was made
by enchantment. He therefore only consented to be bound with it upon condition that
one of the gods put his hand in his (Fenris's) mouth as a pledge that the band was to
be removed again. Tyr (the god of battles) alone had courage enough to do this. But
when the wolf found that he could not break his fetters, and that the gods would not
release him, he bit off Tyr's hand, and he has ever since remained one-handed.
How Thor Paid The Mountain Giant His Wages.
Once on a time, when the gods were constructing their abodes and had already
finished Midgard and Valhalla, a certain artificer came and offered to build them a
residence so well fortified that they should be perfectly safe from the incursions of the
Frost giants and the giants of the mountains. But he demanded for his reward the
goddess Freya, together with the sun and moon. The gods yielded to his terms,
provided he would finish the whole work himself without any one's assistance, and all
within the space of one winter. But if any thing remained unfinished on the first day of
summer he should forfeit the recompense agreed on. On being told these terms the
artificer stipulated that he should be allowed the use of his horse Svadilfari, and this by
the advice of Loki was granted to him. He accordingly set to work on the first day of
winter, and during the night let his horse draw stone for the building. The enormous
size of the stones struck the gods with astonishment, and they saw clearly that the
horse did one half more of the toilsome work than his master. Their bargain however
had been concluded, and confirmed by solemn oaths, for without these precautions a
giant would not have thought himself safe among the gods, especially when Thor
should return from an expedition he had then undertaken against the evil demons.
As the winter drew to a close, the building was far advanced, and the bulwarks
were sufficiently high and massive to render the place impregnable. In short when it
wanted but three days to summer the only part that remained to be finished was the
gateway. Then sat the gods on their seats of justice and entered into consultation,
inquiring of one another who among them could have advised to give it away, or to
plunge the heavens in darkness by permitting the giant to carry away the sun and the
moon.
They all agreed that no one but Loki, the author of so many evil deeds, could
have given such bad counsel, and that he should be put to a cruel death if he did not
contrive some way to prevent the artificer from completing his task and obtaining the
stipulated recompense. They proceeded to lay hands on Loki, who in his fright
promised upon oath that, let it cost him what it would, he would so manage matters
that the man should lose his reward. That very night when the man went with
Svadilfari for building stone, a mare suddenly ran out of a forest and began to neigh.
The horse thereat broke loose and ran after the mare into the forest, which obliged the
man also to run after his horse, and thus between one and another the whole night
was lost, so that at dawn the work had not made the usual progress. The man seeing
that he must fail of completing his task, resumed his own gigantic stature, and the
gods now clearly perceived that it was in reality a mountain giant who had come
amongst them. Feeling no longer bound by their oaths, they called on Thor, who
immediately ran to their assistance, and lifting up his mallet, paid the workman his
wages, not with the sun and moon, and not even by sending him back to Jotunheim,
for with the first blow he shattered the giant's skull to pieces and hurled him headlong
into Niffleheim.
The Recovery Of The Hammer.
Once upon a time it happened that Thor's hammer fell into the possession of the
giant Thrym, who buried it eight fathoms deep under the rocks of Jotunheim. Thor
sent Loki to negotiate with Thrym, but he could only prevail so far as to get the giant's
promise to restore the weapon if Freya would consent to be his bride. Loki returned
and reported the result of his mission, but the goddess of love was quite horrified at
the idea of bestowing her charms on the king of the Frost giants. In this emergency
Loki persuaded Thor to dress himself in Freya's clothes and accompany him to
Jotunheim. Thrym received his veiled bride with due courtesy, but was greatly
surprised at seeing her eat for her supper eight salmons and a full grown ox besides
other delicacies, washing the whole down with three tuns of mead. Loki however
assured him that she had not tasted any thing for eight long nights, so great was her
desire to see her lover, the renowned ruler of Jotunheim. Thrym had at length the
curiosity to peep under his bride's veil, but started back in affright and demanded why
Freya's eyeballs glistened with fire. Loki repeated the same excuse and the giant was
satisfied. He ordered the hammer to be brought in and laid on the maiden's lap
Thereupon Thor threw off his disguise, grasped his redoubted weapon and
slaughtered Thrym and all his followers.
Frey also possessed a wonderful weapon, a sword which would of itself spread a
field with carnage whenever the owner desired it. Frey parted with this sword, but was
less fortunate than Thor and never recovered it. It happened in this way: Frey once
mounted Odin's throne, from whence one can see over the whole universe, and
looking round saw far off in the giant's kingdom a beautiful maid, at the sight of whom
he was struck with sudden sadness, insomuch that from that moment he could neither
sleep, nor drink, nor speak. At last Skirnir, his messenger drew his secret from him,
and undertook to get him the maiden for his bride, if he would give him his sword as a
reward. Frey consented and gave him the sword, and Skirnir set off on his journey and
obtained the maiden's promise that within nine nights she would come to a certain
place and there wed Frey. Skirnir having reported the success of his errand, Frey
exclaimed. -
"Long is one night,
Long are two nights,
But how shall I hold out three?
Shorter hath seemed
A month to me oft
Than of this longing time the half."
So Frey obtained Gerda, the most beautiful of all women, for his wife, but he lost
his sword.
This story, entitled Skirnir For, and the one immediately preceding it, Thrym's
Quida, will be found poetically told in Longfellow's Poets and Poetry of Europe.
Chapter XXXIX: Thor's Visit To Jotunheim
Thor's Visit To Jotunheim, The Giant's Country.
One day the god Thor, with his servant Thialfi, and accompanied by Loki, set out
on a journey to the giant's country. Thialfi was of all men the swiftest of foot. He bore
Thor's wallet, containing their provisions. When night came on they found themselves
in an immense forest, and searched on all sides for a place where they might pass the
night, and at last came to a very large hall, with an entrance that took the whole
breadth
of one end of the building. Here they lay down to sleep, but towards midnight
were alarmed by an earthquake which shook the whole edifice. Thor rising up called
on his companion to seek with him a place of safety. On the right they found an
adjoining chamber, into which the others entered, but Thor remained at the doorway
with his mallet in his hand, prepared to defend himself, whatever might happen. A
terrible groaning was heard during the night, and a dawn of day Thor went out and
found lying near him a huge giant, who slept and snored in the way that had alarmed
them so. It is said that for once Thor was afraid to use his mallet, and as the giant
soon waked up, Thor contended himself with simply asking his name.
"My name is Skrymir," said the giant, "but I need not ask thy name, for I know
that thou art the god Thor. But what has become of my glove?" Thor then perceived
that what they had taken overnight for a hall was the giant's glove, and the chamber
where his two companions had sought refuge was the thumb. Skrymir then proposed
that they should travel in company, and Thor consenting, they sat down to eat their
breakfast, and when they had done, Skrymir packed all the provisions into one wallet,
threw it over his shoulder, and strode on before them, taking such tremendous strides
that they were hard put to it to keep up with him. So they travelled the whole day, and
at dusk, Skrymir chose a place for them to pass the night in under a large oak tree.
Skrymir then told them he would lie down to sleep. "But take ye the wallet," he added,
"and prepare your supper."
Skrymir soon fell asleep and began to snore strongly but when Thor tried to open
the wallet, he found the giant had tied it up so tight he could not untie a single knot. At
last Thor became a wroth, and grasping his mallet with both hands he struck a furious
blow on the giant's head Skrymir awakening merely asked whether a leaf had not
fallen on his head, and whether they had supped and were ready to go to sleep. Thor
answered that they were just going to sleep, and so saying went and laid himself down
under another tree. But sleep came not that night to Thor, and when Skrymir snored
again so loud that the forest re-echoed with the noise, he arose, and grasping his
mallet launched it with such force at the giant's skull that it made a deep dint in it.
Skrymir awakening cried out, "What's the matter? are there any birds perched on this
tree? I felt some moss from the branches fall on my head. How fares it with thee,
Thor?" But Thor went away hastily, saying that he had just then awoke, and that as it
was only midnight, there was still time for sleep. He however resolved that if he had
an opportunity of striking a third blow, it should settle all matters between them. A little
before daybreak he perceived that Skrymir was again fast asleep, and again grasping
his mallet, he dashed it with such violence that it forced its way into the giant's skull up
to the handle. But Skrymir sat up, and stroking his cheek said, "An acorn fell on my
head. What! Art thou awake, Thor? Methinks it is time for us to get up and dress
ourselves; but you have not now a long way before you to the city called Utgard. I
have heard you whispering to one another that I am not a man of small dimensions;
but if you come to Utgard you will see there many men much taller than I. Wherefore I
advise you, when you come there, not to make too much of yourselves, for the
followers of Utgard-Loki will not brook the boasting of such little fellows as you are.
You must take the road that leads eastward, mine lies northward, so we must part
here."
Hereupon he threw his wallet over his shoulders, and turned away from them into
the forest, and Thor had no wish to stop him or to ask for any more of his company.
Thor and his companions proceeded on their way, and towards noon descried a
city standing in the middle of a plain. It was so lofty that they were obliged to bend
their necks quite back on their shoulders in order to see to the top of it. On arriving
they entered the city, and seeing a large palace before them with the door wide open,
they went in, and found a number of men of prodigious stature, sitting on benches in
the hall. Going further, they came before the king Utgard-Loki, whom they saluted with
great respect. The king, regarding them with a scornful smile, said, "If I do not mistake
me, that stripling yonder must be the god Thor." Then addressing himself to Thor, he
said, "Perhaps thou mayst be more than thou appearest to be. What are the feats that
thou and thy fellows deem yourselves skilled in, for no one is permitted to remain here
who does not, in some feat or other, excel all other men?"
"The feat that I know," said Loki, "is to eat quicker than any one else, and in this I
am ready to give a proof against any one here who may choose to compete with me."
"That will indeed be a feat," said Utgard-Loki, "if thou performest what thou
promisest, and it shall be tried forthwith."
He then ordered one of his men who was sitting at the farther end of the bench,
and whose name was Logi, to come forward and try his skill with Loki. A trough filled
with meat having been set on the hall floor, Loki placed himself at one end, and Logi at
the other, and each of them began to eat as fast as he could, until they met in the
middle of the trough. But it was found that Loki had only eaten the flesh, while his
adversary had devoured both flesh and bone, and the trough to boot. All the company
therefore adjudged that Loki was vanquished.
Utgard-Loki then asked what feat the young man who accompanied Thor could
perform. Thialfi answered that he would run a race with any one who might be
matched against him. The king observed that skill in running was something to boast
of, but if the youth would win the match he must display great agility. He then arose
and went with all who were present to a plain where there was good ground for
running on, and calling a young man named Hugi, bade him run a match with Thialfi.
In the first course Hugi so much outstripped his competitor that he turned back and
met him not far from the starting place. Then they ran a second and a third time, but
Thialfi met with no better success.
Utgard-Loki then asked Thor in what feats he would choose to give proofs of that
prowess for which he was so famous. Thor answered that he would try a drinking-
match with any one. Utgard-Loki bade his cupbearer bring the large horn which his
followers were obliged to empty when they had trespassed in any way against the law
of the feast. The cupbearer having presented it to Thor, Utgard-Loki said, "Whoever is
a good drinker will empty that horn at a single draught, though most men make two of
it, but the most puny drinker can do it in three."
Thor looked at the horn, which seemed of no extraordinary size though
somewhat long; however, as he was very thirsty, he set it to his lips, and without
drawing breath, pulled as long and as deeply as he could, that he might not be obliged
to make a second draught of it; but when he set the horn down and looked in, he could
scarcely perceive that the liquor was diminished.
After taking breath, Thor went to it again with all his might, but when he took the
horn from his
mouth, it seemed to him that he had drank rather less than before,
although the horn could now be carried without spilling.
"How now, Thor," said Utgard-Loki, "thou must not spare thyself; if thou meanest
to drain the horn at the third draught thou must pull deeply; and I must needs say that
thou wilt not be called so mighty a man here as thou art at home if thou showest no
greater prowess in other feats than methinks will be shown in this."
Thor, full of wrath, again set the horn to his lips, and did his best to empty it; but
on looking in found the liquor was only a little lower, so he resolved to make no further
attempt, but gave back the horn to the cupbearer.
"I now see plainly," said Utgard-Loki, "that thou art not quite so stout as we
thought thee; but wilt thou try any other feat, though methinks thou art not likely to bear
any prize away with thee hence."
"What new trial hast thou to propose?" said Thor.
"We have a very trifling game here," answered Utgard-Loki, "in which we
exercise none but children. It consists in merely lifting my cat from the ground; nor
should I have dared to mention such a feat to the great Thor if I had not already
observed that thou art by no means what we took thee for."
As he finished speaking, a large gray cat sprang on the hall floor. Thor put his
hand under the cat's belly and did his utmost to raise him from the floor, but the cat,
bending his back, had, notwithstanding all Thor's efforts, only one of his feet lifted up,
seeing which Thor made no further attempt.
"This trial has turned out," said Utgard-Loki, "just as I imagined it would. The cat
is large, but Thor is little in comparison to our men."
"Little as ye call me," answered Thor, "let me see who among you will come
hither now I am in wrath and wrestle with me."
"I see no one here," said Utgard-Loki, looking at the men sitting on the benches,
Age of Fable or Beauties of Mythology Page 42