"I have had labor
and success:
Thrym has thy hammer,
the Thursar's lord.
It shall no man
get again,
unless he bring him
Freyja to wife."
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 Joetunheim."
Wroth then was Freyja,
and with anger chafed;
all in AEsir'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 Joetunheim."
Straightway went the AEsir
all to council,
and the Asynjur
all to hold converse;
and deliberated
the mighty gods,
how they Hlorridi's
hammer might get back.
Then said Heimdall,
of AEsir brightest--
he well foresaw
like other Vanir--
"Let us clothe Thor
with bridal raiment,
let him have the famed
Brisinga necklace.
"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."
Then said Thor,
the mighty As:--
"Me the AEsir will
call womanish,
if I let myself be clad
in bridal raiment."
Then spake Loki,
Laufey's son:--
"Do thou, Thor! refrain
from such-like words;
forthwith the Joetuns will
Asgard inhabit,
unless thy hammer thou
gettest back."
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
placed precious stones,
and a neat coif
set on his head.
Then said Loki,
Laufey's son:--
"I will with thee
as a servant go;
we two will drive
to Joetunheim."
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 Joetunheim.
Then said Thrym,
the Thursar's lord:--
"Rise up, Joetuns!
and the benches deck,
now they bring me
Freyja to wife,
Njoerd's daughter,
from Noatun.
"Hither to our court let bring
gold-horned cows,
all-black oxen,
for the Joetuns' joy.
Treasures I have many,
necklaces many;
Freyja alone
seemed to me wanting."
In the evening
they early came,
and for the Joetuns
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.
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."
Sat the all-crafty
serving-maid close by,
who words fitting found
against the Joetun's speech:--
"Freyja has nothing eaten
for eight nights,
so eager was she
for Joetunheim."
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."
Sat the all-crafty
serving-maid close by,
who words fitting found
against the Joetun's speech:--
"Freyja for eight nights
has not slept,
so eager was she
for Joetunheim."
In came the Joetun's
luckless sister;
for a bride-gift
she dared to ask:--
"Give me from thy hands
the ruddy rings,
if thou wouldst gain
my love,
my love
and favor all."
Then said Thrym,
the Thursar's lord:--
"Bring the hammer in,
the bride to consecrate;
lay Mjoellnir
on the maiden's knee;
unite us each with other
by the hand of Voer."
Laughed Hlorridi's
soul in his breast,
when the fierce-hearted
his hammer recognized.
He first slew Thrym,
the Thursar's lord,
and the Joetun's race
all crushed;
He slew the Joetun'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.