Thor and the Giants
Based upon the Eddas, text mostly gained from Heroic Tales Of The Norse

Thor and Loki set out for Utgard riding high in Thor's brazen chariot. It was drawn by the two goats so fierce and wild that none save Thor dared drive them. Broad were his chariot wheels, and loud they thundered as he journeyed down toward Midgard far below. Men, hearing the sound looked up toward heaven, thinking it thundered, but seeing the sky was clear they muttered among themselves with awe, "It is the chariot wheels of Thor we hear; where is he journeying now?"

Far, far from Asgard is the land where the giants dwell; those two lands lie as far apart as the world is wide. All day Thor and Loki drove, thundering, on, and still were scarcely halfway toward their journey's end.

As night drew down they neared a lonely wood, and saw not far away a peasant's hut. "There we will rest till morning comes," said Thor.

He hid his goats and chariot in the wood, and he and Loki took the appearance of two wanderers, with cloaks and broad-brimmed hats. Thus disguised they came to the hut and asked for food and shelter for the night.

The peasant willingly promised shelter, but for food, he had none to give them, so he said. He and his wife and children all were hungry even then, and there was nothing in the house to eat, nor would there be until the morrow.

"That is soon mended," Thor said. "I will supply the food."

At once he went back to the wood, and with his hammer Mjolnir struck the goats so they fell down dead. He then took off the meat from the bones and gave it to the peasant's wife to cook, but the bones and skins he wrapped together, and put them in a corner of the hut; and he warned all not to touch those things or the anger of the gods would fall upon them.

As soon as the meat was cooked they all sat down to eat, but Thor and Loki ate so fast and mightily that there was little left for the peasants. Then they all lay down and slept, all save the peasant's son Thialfi. He too lay down, but he was still so hungry that he could not sleep. He twisted and turned, and always his thoughts were of the bones that lay in the corner of the hut. At last, toward the middle of the night, he rose, and crept to where they lay; he felt about until he found a thigh bone. This he broke in two, and sucked out the marrow. Then he was satisfied, and put back the broken bone back whence he had taken it, and lay down, and this time slept.

Early next morning Thor awoke, and went to the corner where he had left the bones. He raised his hammer high, and muttered magic words, and called on the goats to rise. Then was seen a most wondrous thing, for the dead bones arose, and placed themselves in order, and at once were clothed with flesh and skin and hair; there stood the goats alive and strong and well, as they had been before, save that one limped because its thigh bone had been broken.

When Thor saw that he was filled with rage, and cried out, "Someone has disobeyed me, and for this all must die." And he would at once have killed the peasant and his wife and their children, too, with Mjolnir, but they fell on their knees and begged so piteously for mercy that his heart was softened; and he said, "Ye shall live, but Thialfi I will take with me as my servant. If he serves me faithfully, all is well; but if he disobeys me, he shall die." Then he again hid his two goats in the wood where he had left his chariot, and made ready to set out. (Thialfi's sister Roskva was also accepted as a bondservant, she was charged with watching his chariot and goats until his return)

The peasants wept because their son was leaving them, but Thor paid no heed to their weeping. He bade Thialfi catch him by the belt, and at once set off, with the boy holding fast to him, and Loki beside him keeping pace with him.

Fast, fast the Asas journeyed on. Thialfi was swift of foot, swifter indeed than any other in the world, but even he would have been left behind except that he still clung to Thor's belt, and so was carried on with him.

When evening came again the gods looked about for a place to sleep. Not far away they saw a curious looking house. It had no doors; the entrance-way gaped wide. Within there was a mighty hall, with five rooms opening out from it. Four rooms were longer and narrower than the fifth; the fifth was broad and short. The house lay vacant and Thor bade his companions enter in and sleep, but he himself, he said, would keep watch outside, for fear of danger.

So, all night, Thor stood on guard beside the entranceway, with the stars overhead (those sparks from Muspellheim) and his hammer Mjolnir in his hand, but all was quiet. Then suddenly, just before morning broke a mighty sound arose; Thor could not tell whence it came nor what it was. It came and died away, and came again, on and on, while the sky slowly brightened overhead, and Muspellheim's stars grew dim.

At last the morning came, and Thor saw, stretched out across a near-by plain a mighty giant. He slept, and as he slept he snored, and this snoring was the sound that Thor had heard.

Even as the Asa stood looking in wonder at the mighty form, the giant woke, and yawned, and stretched himself, and rose. His feet were on the earth, but his head and shoulders towered up, mountain high, toward the heavens.

Then Thor, holding his hammer ready to defend himself shouted, "Who art thou, great one there above?"

The giant answered, "Skrymir is my name, and I am a Jotun. Who art thou small one there below, and wither goest thou?"

Thor replied, "I am Asa Thor, the Thunderer, and as to where I go, I am on my way to Jotunheim."

"Then thou are going my way," the giant cried, "and we can journey on together; that is, if thou canst keep pace with me, for methinks thy stride is somewhat short."

Thor answered, "It hath never yet been found that a giant could outspeed an Asa. I will go with thee, and my companions, too. They are asleep nearby, and I will call them.

Skrymir said, "And I, before I go, must find the glove I dropped last night." He looked about, then cried, "Ah, here it is, and stooping toward the house where Loki and Thialfi lay asleep, he made as though to pick it up. Then suddenly Thor saw it was not a house at all, but a giant glove. The part he had though a hall was the part that fitted around the giant's palm, and the back of his hand. The longer rooms were the fingers, and the shorter one, the thumb.

In haste Thor cried, "Be careful, Skrymir! My companions are asleep in there."

At this the giant shouted with mighty laughter so that the skies re-echoed with the sound. "Is it so!" he cried, and carefully he lifted the glove, and shook it upside down over his open hand. Then out into his palm dropped Loki and Thialfi. Amazed, they looked about, and when they saw how far they were above the ground they shook with fear.

Still carefully Skrymir set them down close to where Thor was standing. And he said, "Come, ye small ones, since ye are awake, let us eat together."

To this they all agreed, though still with some fear on Thialfi's part. Thor set out a portion of meat that he had hidden in his bag the night before, and Skrymir from his bag set out a mighty share.

So they ate, and afterward Skrymir said, "Let us put what is left in my bag, and I will carry it." And this he did, drawing tight the cord of the bag and throwing it across his shoulder. After that the four journeyed on until night; then Skrymir flung the bag down on the ground, and laid himself down beside it, and he said, "Eat if ye will, but I am not hungry," and with that he stretched himself out and fell asleep, and snored so that the tree above him shook.

Thor went to where the giant had thrown down the sack, and tried to loosen the cord that held the mouth of it drawn together; but the cord was so stiff he could not. Again, and still again he tried, with growing rage, but still the cord held the bag close shut. Then Thor saw that he had been tricked, and going to where the giant lay, he raised his hammer high, and struck him such a blow, it seemed as though the Jotun's skull must have cracked under it. But Skrymir only unclosed his eyes and brushed his hand across his forehead. "Something fell on my forehead," he muttered sleepily; "it must have been a leaf!"

Gloomily Thor returned to his companions. Hungry they slept that night; only Thor slept not. He sat awake, and thought, and ever as he thought his anger grew. At last he rose again, and went to where the giant lay, and struck him a blow even mightier than before, but this time Skrymir did not even unclose his eyes, but muttered as if in sleep, "There must be an oak-tree overhead; methinks I felt an acorn fall upon my forehead."

Thor went back to his place again, but with the earliest beam of morning light he rose, and tightened his belt of strength, and came where Skrymir lay, and this time struck him such a blow that the earth shook with it.

Skrymir sprang up and looked about, and rubbed his forehead. "It must be there is a bird's nest overhead," he said, "for it felt as though a twig or feather fell upon me." Then he took up his bag. "Here we part, Asa Thor," he said. "Thy way lies yonder, and this way is mine. But before I go, one word of warning to thee. When thou hast come to Jotunheim boast not too loudly of thy deeds, for the Jotuns there love not the sound of boasting."

Still Thor spoke no word, and the giant turned, and strode away so fast he soon was lost to sight among the mountains toward the south.

But Thor and his comrades followed a course that took them toward the north, nor was it long before they came to the great gates of Jotunheim. Thor would have opened them, but they were too heavy even for his strength, and in the end he and his comrades were obliged to creep between the bars. So they entered the giants' city, and presently saw the great palace where the king lived, Utgard-Loki he was called.

They went on into the hall, and found the king feasting there and others with him. When he saw Thor he cried, "Welcome Asa Thor! We had heard of thy coming and of thy mighty deeds, but thou art somewhat small; smaller, indeed than I had thought to see thee; thy companions, too; but doubtless your powers are greater than your size. What are the special things for which ye are most famous?"

Asa Loki said, "I am most famous for my eating. Choose from among yourselves the one who can eat the most, and let us try our powers against each other."

Utgard-Loki said, "Logi, here beside me, is perhaps our greatest of our eaters." and he bade the servants bring a trough and set it in the hall. This they did and the trough was filled with oxen roasted. Logi and Loki took their places, one at each end, and at the given word they both began to eat. Fast, fast they devoured that which was before them, and met in the middle of the trough, but Loki had only eaten the meat, but Logi had devoured the bones and trough as well. Nothing was left behind him from his end of the trough even to the center.

Utgard-Loki said, "It would seem that Logi is the victor. But it may be there is some other thing in which ye can excel." And he turned to Thialfi and asked, "What is thy special skill?"

"I," Thialfi answered him, "am a runner, and I can outrun the swiftest one on earth."

"Then Hugi shall race with thee," said the king.

The course was soon laid out, and the two runners stood side by side, ready to set out. The word was spoken and away they sped.

Thialfi was swift, but Hugi was swifter. Scarce was Thialfi halfway round the course when Hugi reached the goal. Utgard-Loki cried, "Swifter must thou run if thou wouldst win the race, Thialfi."

Then once again the two set forth. Thialfi now sped swifter than the flight of the swiftest bird; his feet scarce seemed to touch the ground, but Hugi was at the goal before him.

Utgard-Loki laughed aloud and Thor ground his teeth in rage. "Now once more!" cried the king.

Again the two set forth. Thialfi ran swifter than he had ever run before; the very wind could scarce keep pace with him, but even so Hugi outran him.

Louder still laughed the king. "Small honor have ye won as yet in Jotunheim," he cried; "but thou oh Thor! Thou perchance canst better thy comrades. How wilt thou show thy skill and strength?"

Then Thor cried out, "Bring me a drinking horn, and I will show ye how the Asas drink."

Then the king gave command and his cup-bearer brought a great drinking-horn into the hall.

Utgard-Loki said, "This, Thor, is mine own special drinking-horn; we Jotuns find it not over-large. There are those among us who can drain it at one draught. Others drink twice or even thrice before they can empty it, but thou, who art an Asa, will no doubt find it an easy task to drain it at one drinking."

Thor took the horn up in his hands and lifted it, and it was heavier than he thought. He set it to his lips and drank, and drank, until his breath failed him, but when he lowered it it seemed as full as when he had taken it up. Then once again he drank, and drank, and drank until his head seemed bursting, but when he looked the drink was scarce lowered in the horn. The Asa's heart grew fierce with shame, and Utgard-Loki cried, "It would seem thou hast left overmuch for the third draught, Oh Asa Thor!"

Thor answered not, but once again he drank till he could drink no more, and even still the horn was not emptied.

Then the king said, "Truly thy thirst was small, oh Thor, if in three draughts thou couldst not drain the horn." Proudly Thor answered, "We in Asgard would not call such drinking small; our size, indeed, is less than yours, but we regard strength more than size. Give me some task by which to show my strength and it may be ye will not find it lacking."

The king said, "In yonder corner lies our old house cat. Some of us think it not too great a task to lift it from the floor. Let us see if thy strength is equal to that; if so then I will set some harder task for thee, but let that come first. I would not, indeed, have asked this thing of thee, except that thy powers seem somewhat less than I had thought."

Thor said, "Where is the cat?"

Utgard-Loki called, and out from the corner crept a great beast, long and lean and gray. "This is the one which I spoke," said the king.

Thor bent and seized the cat and strove to lift it from the floor, strove till the sweat ran down from him like water, and his heart seemed bursting in his breast; but for all his striving one of the cat's feet always kept its hold upon the floor.

Then in his rage and shame he cast the beast from him, and he cried, "Twice have I failed, and I am ashamed. Ye of Jotunheim may think little of me, but now choose from among yourselves someone to wrestle with me; it may be that I will show myself better than ye think."

But the king made no reply. Pale was his face, and pale were all the Jotuns. Silent they sat and strangely they gazed at Thor. Then at last Utgard-Loki stirred and spoke.

"Before we choose a champion to wrestle with thee, Asa Thor," he said, "let us see if thou canst throw my old foster-mother Elli. She is strong though old, and many brave wrestlers hath she overthrown."

Thor's face grew red with anger, but he said, "Since I have failed twice it may be only fair to require this thing of me. Call her in, and after I have thrown her one of yourselves perchance will wrestle with me."

"That will we do," the king said, and again he called, and now there tottered into the hall an old hag so bent and thin and crooked that it seemed a cruel thing to strive with her. Gently Thor laid his hands upon her, but at once her arms were wrapped about him, strong as iron bands. He would have pushed her off, but she drew him to her, and her arms bound him tighter and tighter, till his joints cracked, and his breath whistled in his throat. Slowly she bent him back and back till he groaned aloud, and sank down on his knees, and yielded to her.

Then loudly laughed the king. "Three times hast thou failed, oh Asa Thor," he cried, "but even so thou hast done better than thou canst know. Now thou shalt strive no more, but we will feast in peace and friendship."

Then at once a great meal was spread, and all took their places at the board with Thor at the king's right hand. Two days and nights they feasted there; then Utgard-Loki said, "The time hath come for thee to leave us, Thor, thou and thy companions with thee. No longer canst thou tarry here in Jotunheim. Come! Let us go, and I will open the gates for you."

So they set forth, the king and the other three, and Utgard-Loki opened the gates for them, and they passed through. Then Thor turned and called to the king, "Little of honor have gained in thy hall, oh king, and much of shame, but when I come again I may show myself mightier than ye think me now."

But Utgard-Loki answered, "Never again, oh Thor, shalt thou set foot in Jotunheim. With mighty spells will we protect it from thee. Great have been thy deeds within our walls, and had we known thy powers never shouldst thou have entered here.

"The giant Skrymir who met thee on thy way was I myself, though that thou couldst not know because I had disguised myself. The fastening of my bag was not of cord as it appeared, but of steel. Didst thou note the great rock that stood there in my hall and the three dents in it? Those dents were made by thy hammer. When it seemed that Mjolnir struck my forehead it was that rock it struck. The least of those three blows would have crushed even my skull. Logi, who ate with Loki, was fire that devours all things, even wood and bones. It was my thoughts that outran Thialfi, though by my magic I gave them shape and called them by the name Hugi.

"When thou didst think to drain my drinking-horn its end was in the sea, though that thou couldst not know. So greatly didst thou drink that the whole sea was lowered. The thing I called a cat was the great Midgard Serpent that encircles the world and holds it together. Scarce could it keep one foot on the ground. Hadst thou lifted it higher the whole world would have fallen apart. Great was our fear when we beheld that feat of thine.

"Old Elli whom I called my foster-mother was old age, before whom even the mightiest must fall."

"Farewell, oh Asa Thor! Farewell! Search as thou wilt, thou never again shalt find the gates of Jotunheim. Our spells shall hide it safe from all thy seeking."

Even as he spoke the gates clanged shut, leaving Thor and his comrades on the outer side. Then Thor in his fury, hearing how he had been tricked, swung high his hammer meaning to destroy the giant; but Utgard-Loki was gone; gone was the gateway; where it had been a mountain and a voice that cried, "Farewell! Farewell! Return to Asgard Asa Thor and boast there, if thou wilt, but never again shalt thou come into Jotunheim."

(The traveled back to Asgard, collecting the chariot and Roskva)