_Thrymskvida_.
1. Then Wing-Thor was angry when he awoke, and missed his hammer. He
shook his beard, he tossed his hair, the son of Earth groped about
for it.
2. And first of all he spoke these words: "Hear now, Loki, what I
tell thee, a thing that no one in earth or heaven above has heard:
the Asa has been robbed of his hammer!"
3. They went to the dwelling of fair Freyja, and these words he
spoke first of all: "Wilt thou lend me, Freyja, thy feather dress,
to see if I can find my hammer?"
4. _Freyja_. "I would give it thee, though it were of gold; I would
grant it, though it were of silver."
5. Then Loki flew, the feather-coat rustled, until he came out of
Asgard and into Jötunheim.
6. Thrym, lord of the Giants, sat on a howe; he twisted golden bands
for his greyhounds and trimmed his horses' manes.
7. _Thrym_. "How is it with the Aesir? How is it with the Elves? Why
art thou come alone into Jötunheim?"
_Loki_. "It is ill with the Aesir, it is ill with the Elves; hast
thou hidden the Thunderer's hammer?"
8. _Thrym_. "I have hidden the Thunderer's hammer eight miles below the
earth. No man shall bring it back, unless he bring me Freyja to wife."
9. Then Loki flew, the feather-coat rustled, until he came out of
Jötunheim and into Asgard. Thor met him in the middle of the court,
and these words he spoke first:
10. "Hast thou news in proportion to thy toil? Tell me from on high
thy distant tidings, for a sitting man often breaks down in his story,
and he who lies down falls into falsehood."
11. _Loki_. "I bring news for my toil: Thrym, lord of the Giants,
has thy hammer; no man shall bring it back, unless he take him Freyja
as a bride."
12. They went to see fair Freyja, spoke to her first of all these
words: "Bind on the bridal veil, Freyja, we two must drive to
Jötunheim."
13. Angry then was Freyja; she panted, so that all the hall of the
Aesir trembled, and the great Brising necklace fell: "Eager indeed
for marriage wouldst thou think me, if I should drive with thee
to Jötunheim."
14. Then all the Aesir went into council, and all the Asynjor to
consultation, and the mighty Gods discussed how they should recover
the Thunderer's hammer.
15. Then spoke Heimdal, whitest of the Aesir; he could see into the
future like the Vanir: "Let us bind on Thor the bridal veil; let him
have the great necklace Brising.
16. "Let the keys jingle, and let women's weeds fall about his knees;
let us put broad stones on his breast, and a hood dexterously on
his head."
17. Then spoke Thor, the mighty Asa: "Vile would the Aesir call me,
if I let the bridal veil be bound on me."
18. Then spoke Loki, Laufey's son: "Speak not such words, Thor! soon
will the Giants dwell in Asgard, unless thou bring home thy hammer."
19. Then they bound on Thor the bridal veil, and the great necklace
Brising; they let the keys jingle and women's weeds fall about
his knees, and they put broad stones on his breast, and the hood
dexterously on his head.
20. Then spoke Loki, Laufey's son: "I also will go with thee as thy
maiden; we two will drive together to Jötunheim."
21. Then the goats were driven out, urged forward in their harness;
well must they run. Rocks were riven, the earth burned in name:
Odin's son was driving into Jötunheim.
22. Then spoke Thrym, lord of the Giants: "Stand up, giants, and
strew the benches! They are bringing me now Freyja my bride, Njörd's
daughter from Noatun.
23. "Gold-horned kine run in the court, oxen all-black, the giant's
delight. I have many treasures, I have many jewels, Freyja only
is lacking."
24. The guests assembled early in the evening, and ale was carried
to the Giants. One ox did Sif's husband eat, and eight salmon, and
all the dishes prepared for the women; three casks of mead he drank.
25. Then spoke Thrym, lord of the Giants: "Who ever saw a bride eat
so eagerly? I never saw a bride make such a hearty meal, nor a maid
drink so deep of mead."
26. The prudent handmaid sat near, and she found answer to the Giant's
words: "Eight nights has Freyja eaten nothing, so eager was she to
be in Jötunheim."
27. He looked under the veil, he longed to kiss the bride, but
he started back the length of the hall: "Why are Freyja's eyes so
terrible? Fire seems to burn from her eyes."
28. The prudent handmaid sat near, and she found answer to the Giant's
speech: "Eight nights has Freyja had no sleep, so eager was she to
be in Jötunheim."
29. In came the Giants' wretched sister, she dared to ask for a bridal
gift: "Take from thine arms the red rings, if thou wouldst gain my
love, my love and all my favour."
30. Then spoke Thrym, lord of the Giants: "Bring the hammer to hallow
the bride. Lay Mjöllni on the maiden's knee, hallow us two in wedlock."
31. The Thunderer's heart laughed in his breast, when the bold of
soul felt the hammer. Thrym killed he first, the lord of the Giants,
and all the race of the Giants he struck.
32. He slew the Giants' aged sister, who had asked him for a bridal
gift. She got a blow instead of shillings, and a stroke of the hammer
for abundance of rings. So Odin's son got back his hammer.