THRYMSKVITHA (THE LAY OF THRYM)

1.  Wild was Vingthor   |   when he awoke,
      And when his mighty   |   hammer he missed;
    He shook his beard,   |   his hair was bristling,
    As the son of Jorth   |   about him sought.
2.  Hear now the speech   |   that first he spake:
    “Harken, Loki,   |   and heed my words,
    Nowhere on earth   |   is it known to man,
    Nor in heaven above:   |   our hammer is stolen.”
3.  To the dwelling fair   |   of Freyja went they,
    Hear now the speech   |   that first he spake:
    “Wilt thou, Freyja,   |   thy feather-dress lend me,
    That so my hammer   |   I may seek?”
Freyja spake:
4.  “Thine should it be   |   though of silver bright,
    And I would give it   |   though ’twere of gold.”
    Then Loki flew,   |   and the feather-dress whirred,
    Till he left behind him   |   the home of the gods,
    And reached at last   |   the realm of the giants.
5.  Thrym sat on a mound,   |   the giants’ master,
    Leashes of gold   |   he laid for his dogs,
    And stroked and smoothed   |   the manes of his steeds.
Thrym spake:
6.  “How fare the gods,   |   how fare the elves?
    Why comst thou alone   |   to the giants’ land?”
Loki spake:
    “Ill fare the gods,   |   ill fare the elves!
    Hast thou hidden   |   Hlorrithi’s hammer?”
Thrym spake:
7.  “I have hidden   |   Hlorrithi’s hammer,
    Eight miles down   |   deep in the earth;
    And back again   |   shall no man bring it
    If Freyja I win not   |   to be my wife.”
8.  Then Loki flew,   |   and the feather-dress whirred,
    Till he left behind him   |   the home of the giants,
    And reached at last   |   the realm of the gods.
    There in the courtyard   |   Thor he met:
    Hear now the speech   |   that first he spake:
9.  “Hast thou found tidings   |   as well as trouble?
    Thy news in the air   |   shalt thou utter now;
    Oft doth the sitter   |   his story forget,
    And lies he speaks   |   who lays himself down.”
Loki spake:
10. “Trouble I have,   |   and tidings as well:
    Thrym, king of the giants,   |   keeps thy hammer,
    And back again   |   shall no man bring it
    If Freyja he wins not   |   to be his wife.”
11. Freyja the fair   |   then went they to find;
    Hear now the speech   |   that first he spake:
    “Bind on, Freyja,   |   the bridal veil,
    For we two must haste   |   to the giants’ home.”
12. Wrathful was Freyja,   |   and fiercely she snorted,
    And the dwelling great   |   of the gods was shaken,
    And burst was the mighty   |   Brisings’ necklace:
    “Most lustful indeed   |   should I look to all
    If I journeyed with thee   |   to the giants’ home.”
13. Then were the gods   |   together met,
    And the goddesses came   |   and council held,
    And the far-famed ones   |   a plan would find,
    How they might Hlorrithi’s   |   hammer win.
14. Then Heimdall spake,   |   whitest of the gods,
    Like the Wanes he knew   |   the future well:
    “Bind we on Thor   |   the bridal veil,
    Let him bear the mighty   |   Brisings’ necklace;
15. “Keys around him   |   let there rattle,
    And down to his knees   |   hang woman’s dress;
    With gems full broad   |   upon his breast,
    And a pretty cap   |   to crown his head.”
16. Then Thor the mighty   |   his answer made:
    “Me would the gods   |   unmanly call
    If I let bind   |   the bridal veil.”
17. Then Loki spake,   |   the son of Laufey:
    “Be silent, Thor,   |   and speak not thus;
    Else will the giants   |   in Asgarth dwell
    If thy hammer is brought not   |   home to thee.”
18. Then bound they on Thor   |   the bridal veil,
    And next the mighty   |   Brisings’ necklace.
19. Keys around him   |   let they rattle,
    And down to his knees   |   hung woman’s dress;
    With gems full broad   |   upon his breast,
    And a pretty cap   |   to crown his head.
20. Then Loki spake,   |   the son of Laufey:
    “As thy maid-servant thither   |   I go with thee;
    We two shall haste   |   to the giants’ home.”
21. Then home the goats   |   to the hall were driven,
    They wrenched at the halters,   |   swift were they to
    run;
    The mountains burst,   |   earth burned with fire,
    And Othin’s son   |   sought Jotunheim.
22. Then loud spake Thrym,   |   the giants’ leader:
    “Bestir ye, giants,   |   put straw on the benches;
    Now Freyja they bring   |   to be my bride,
    The daughter of Njorth   |   out of Noatun.
23. “Gold-horned cattle   |   go to my stables,
    Jet-black oxen,   |   the giant’s joy;
    Many my gems,   |   and many my jewels,
    Freyja alone   |   did I lack, methinks.”
24. Early it was   |   to evening come,
    And forth was borne   |   the beer for the giants;
    Thor alone ate an ox,   |   and eight salmon,
    All the dainties as well   |   that were set for the
    women;
    And drank Sif’s mate   |   three tuns of mead.
25. Then loud spake Thrym,   |   the giants’ leader:
    “Who ever saw bride   |   more keenly bite?
    I ne’er saw bride   |   with a broader bite,
    Nor a maiden who drank   |   more mead than this!”
26. Hard by there sat   |   the serving-maid wise,
    So well she answered   |   the giant’s words:
    “From food has Freyja   |   eight nights fasted,
    So hot was her longing   |   for Jotunheim.”
27. Thrym looked ’neath the veil,   |   for he longed to kiss,
    But back he leaped   |   the length of the hall:
    “Why are so fearful   |   the eyes of Freyja?
    Fire, methinks,   |   from her eyes burns forth.”
28. Hard by there sat   |   the serving-maid wise,
    So well she answered   |   the giant’s words:
    “No sleep has Freyja   |   for eight nights found,
    So hot was her longing   |   for Jotunheim.”
29. Soon came the giant’s   |   luckless sister,
    Who feared not to ask   |   the bridal fee:
    “From thy hands the rings   |   of red gold take,
    If thou wouldst win   |   my willing love,
    (My willing love   |   and welcome glad.)”
30. Then loud spake Thrym,   |   the giants’ leader:
    “Bring in the hammer   |   to hallow the bride;
    On the maiden’s knees   |   let Mjollnir lie,
    That us both the hand   |   of Vor may bless.”
31. The heart in the breast   |   of Hlorrithi laughed
    When the hard-souled one   |   his hammer beheld;
    First Thrym, the king   |   of the giants, he killed,
    Then all the folk   |   of the giants he felled.
32. The giant’s sister   |   old he slew,
    She who had begged   |   the bridal fee;
    A stroke she got   |   in the shilling’s stead.
    And for many rings   |   the might of the hammer.
33. And so his hammer   |   got Othin’s son.