_Ty_.
"Yes, friend! if we stratagem' employ." Rapidly they drove forward
that day from Asgard, till to the giant's home they came.
7. Thor stalled his goats, splendid of horn, then turned him to the
hall that Hymir owned. The son his granddam found to him most
loathful; heads she had nine hundred.
8. But another came all-golden forth, fair-browed, bearing the
beer-cup to her son:
9. "Ye Jotuns' kindred! I will you both, ye daring pair, under the
kettles place. My husband is oftentimes niggard towards guests, to
ill-humour prone."
10. But the monster, the fierce-souled Hymir, late returned home
from the chase. He the hall entered, the icebergs resounded, as the
churl approached; the thicket on his cheeks was frozen.
11. "Hail to thee, Hymir! be of good cheer: now thy son is come to
thy hall, whom we expected from his long journey; him accompanies our
famed adversary, the friend of man, who Veor hight.
12. See where they sit under the hall's gable, as if to shun thee:
the pillar stands before them." In shivers flew the pillar at the
Jotun's glance; the beam was first broken in two.
13. Eight kettles fell, but only one of them, a hard-hammered
cauldron, whole from the column. The two came forth, but the old Jotun
with eyes surveyed his adversary.
14. Augured to him his mind no good, when he saw the giantess's
sorrow on the floor coming. Then were three oxen taken, and the Jotun
bade them forthwith be boiled.
15. Each one they made by the head shorter, and to the fire
afterwards bore them. Sif's consort ate, ere to sleep he went,
completely, he alone, two of Hymir's beeves.
16. Seemed to the hoary friend of Hrungnir Hlorridi's refection full
well large: "We three to-morrow night shall be compelled on what we
catch to live."
17. Veor said he would on the sea row, if the bold Jotun him would
with baits supply: "To the herd betake thee, (if thou in thy courage
trustest, crusher of the rock-dwellers!) for baits to seek.
18. I expect that thou wilt bait from an ox easily obtain." The
guest in haste to the forest went, where stood an all-black ox before
him.
19. The Thursar's bane wrung from an ox the high fastness of his two
horns. "To me thy work seems worse by far, ruler of keels! than if
thou hadst sat quiet."
20. The lord of goats the apes' kinsman besought the horse of plank
farther out to move; but the Jotun declared his slight desire farther
to row.
21. The mighty Hymir drew, he alone, two whales up with his hook;
but at the stern abaft Veor cunningly made him a line.
22. Fixed on the hook the shield of men, the serpent's slayer, the
ox's head. Gaped at the bait the foe of gods, the encircler beneath of
every land.[30]
23. Drew up boldly the mighty Thor the worm with venom glistening,
up to the side; with his hammer struck, on his foul head's summit,
like a rock towering, the wolf's own brother.
24. The icebergs resounded, the caverns howled, the old earth shrank
together: at length the fish back into ocean sank.[31]
25. The Jotun was little glad, as they rowed back, so that the
powerful Hymir nothing spake, but the oar moved in another course.
26. "Wilt thou do half the work with me, either the whales home to
the dwelling bear, or the boat fast bind?"
27. Hlorridi went, grasped the prow, quickly, with its hold-water,
lifted the water-steed, together with its oars and scoop; bore to the
dwelling the Jotun's ocean-swine, the curved vessel, through the
wooded hills.
28. But the Jotun yet ever frowned, to strife accustomed, with Thor
disputed, said that no one was strong, however vigorously he might
row, unless he his cup could break.
29. But Hlorridi, when to his hands it came, forthwith brake an
upright stone in twain; sitting dashed the cup through the pillars:
yet they brought it whole to Hymir back.
30. Until the beauteous woman gave important, friendly counsel,
which she only knew: "Strike at the head of Hymir, the Jotun with food
oppressed, that is harder than any cup."
31. Rose then on his knee the stern lord of goats, clad in all his
godlike power. Unhurt remained the old man's helm-block, but the round
wine-bearer was in shivers broken.
32. "Much good, I know, has departed from me, now that my cup I see
hurled from my knees." Thus the old man spake: "I can never say again,
beer thou art too hot.
33. "Now 'tis to be tried if ye can carry the beer-vessel out of our
dwelling." Ty twice assayed to move the vessel, yet at each time stood
the kettle fast.
34. Then Modi's father by the brim grasped it, and trod through the
dwelling's floor. Sif's consort lifted the kettle on his head, while
about his heels its rings jingled.
35. They had far journeyed before Odin's son cast one look backward:
he from the caverns saw, with Hymir from the east, a troop of
many-headed monsters coming.
36. From his shoulders he lifted the kettle down; Miollnir hurled
forth towards the savage crew, and slew all the mountain-giants, who
with Hymir had him pursued.
37. Long they had not journeyed when of Hlorridi's goats one lay
down half-dead before the car. It from the pole had sprung across the
trace; but the false Loki was of this the cause.
38. Now ye have heard,--for what fabulist can more fully tell--what
indemnity he from the giant got: he paid for it with his children
both.[32]
39. In his strength exulting he to the gods' council came, and had
the kettle, which Hymir had possessed, out of which every god shall
beer with Oegir drink at every harvest-tide.