Thrym Steals
Mjollnir
At length it so happened that Thor found an opportunity to steal
into
Jotunheim and glut his hatred of the Giants. He had lain down to
sleep, and
when he awoke he missed his hammer. Enraged beyond bounds, he at
once sought the advice of Loki, who promised to go out in search
of the
hammer provided Freyja would lend him her bird plumage. Freyja
being
willing, Loki flew off to Jotunheim and came into
the presence of Thrym, king of the Thursar, who was sitting on a
mound
braiding gold cords for his dogs and clipping the manes of his
horses.
“What news among the Æsir? What news among the Elves? And what
brings you to Jotunheim alone?” asked Thrym. “There is something
wrong
somewhere,” Loki answered; “you do not happen to have hidden
Thor’s
hammer, do you?” “Yes,” retorted Thrym, “I have hidden it eight
miles deep
in the earth, and no man will get it before he brings me Freyja to
wife.” Loki
brought the bad news back to Asgard. He then went with Thor to ask
Freyja
if she would consent to become the wife of Thrym; highly incensed,
she
gave them a curt “No” for answer. The Æsir accordingly met in
conclave to
determine what steps were to be taken; no one was able to suggest
anything to the purpose until Heimdal proposed that they should
dress Thor
to take the place of Freyja, decking him out to that end with the
Necklace of
the Brisings and other appropriate ornaments. Thor pronounced the
plan
far beneath his dignity but at last gave in; so they dressed him
in bridal
linen, adorned him with the Necklace of the Brisings, hung
jingling keys at
his belt, put a kerchief on his head, and wrapped him in the long
garments
of a woman. Loki, in the habit of a handmaiden, followed in his
train.
Hitching Thor’s goats to the cart, the two drove off at a pace
that split
mountains asunder and struck the earth into flames. As they drew
near the
domain of the Thursar king, Thrym bade the Giants rise to their
feet and
deck the benches for the coming of the bride. “In my possession
are
cows with gold horns, black bulls, heaps of treasure, and mounds
of
jewels,” said Thrym; “Freyja is now my sole desire.” When evening
had
come, food was borne in before the two guests. Thor by himself ate
a
whole ox, eight salmon, and all of the delicacies prepared for the
women,
and washed it all down with three crocks of mead. “Did any one
ever see a
bride take bigger and harder bites or drink more mead?” asked
Thrym. “For
eight days on end,” answered Loki, “Freyja has not tasted a
morsel, so
great has been her longing after Jotunheim.” Thrym now bowed his
head
beneath the kerchief to kiss the bride; but she shot such piercing
glances
upon him that he started back. “Why does Freyja look so grim? Her
eyes
dart fire.” “Eight nights on end,” answered Loki, “Freyja has not
slept a
wink, so great has been her longing after Jotunheim.” Just at that
moment
the hideous old grandmother came in and asked for a bridal gift.
Thrym
gave commands that Mjollnir should be borne in and laid on the
bride’s lap
so that the wedding might go forward. When Thor once more beheld
his
hammer, his heart laughed within him. First he slew Thrym, then
the old
beldame, and thereafter he crushed into atoms all the kindred of
the
Giants. Thus Thor got his hammer back again after all.
Sources:
Peter
Andreas Munch: Norse Mythology: Legends of Gods
and Heroes. The American-Scandinavian Foundation, New
York. 1926, pp. 76-78.
Henry Adam Bellows:
The Poetic Edda. The
American-Scandinavian Foundation, New York, 1923, pp. 174 ff.
E-books
Back to the main page