THE LAY OF THRYM From the 'Elder Edda' Wroth was Vingthor, when he awoke, and his hammer missed; his beard he shook, his forehead struck, the son of earth felt all around him; And first of all these words he uttered:-- "Hear now, Loki! what I now say, which no one knows anywhere on earth, nor in heaven above: the As's hammer is stolen!" They went to the fair Freyja's dwelling, and he these words first of all said:-- "Wilt thou me, Freyja, thy feather-garment lend, that perchance my hammer I may find?" FREYJA "That I would give thee, although of gold it were, and trust it to thee, though it were of silver." Flew then Loki-- the plumage rattled-- until he came beyond the AEsir's dwellings, and came within the Joetun's land. On a mound sat Thrym, the Thursar's lord; for his greyhounds plaiting gold bands, and his horses' manes smoothing. THRYM "How goes it with the AEsir? How goes it with the Alfar? Why art thou come alone to Joetunheim?" LOKI "Ill it goes with the AEsir, Ill it goes with the Alfar. Hast thou Hlorridi's hammer hidden?" THRYM "I have Hlorridi's hammer hidden eight rasts beneath the earth; it shall no man get again, unless he bring me Freyja to wife." Flew then Loki-- the plumage rattled-- until he came beyond the Joetun's dwellings, and came within the AEsir's courts; there he met Thor, in the middle court, who these words first of all uttered:-- "Hast thou had success, as well as labor? Tell me from the air the long tidings. Oft of him who sits are the tales defective, and he who lies down utters falsehood." LOKI "I have had labor and success: Thrym has thy hammer, the Thursar's lord. It shall no man get again, unless he bring him Freyja to wife." They went the fair Freyja to find; and he those words first of all said:-- "Bind thee, Freyja, in bridal raiment: we two must drive to Joetunheim." Wroth then was Freyja, and with anger chafed; all in AEsir's hall beneath her trembled; in shivers flew the famed Brisinga necklace: "Know me to be of women lewdest, if with thee I drive to Joetunheim." Straightway went the AEsir all to council, and the Asynjur all to hold converse; and deliberated the mighty gods, how they Hlorridi's hammer might get back. Then said Heimdall, of AEsir brightest-- he well foresaw like other Vanir-- "Let us clothe Thor with bridal raiment, let him have the famed Brisinga necklace. "Let by his side keys jingle, and woman's weeds fall round his knees, but on his breast place precious stones, and a neat coif set on his head." Then said Thor, the mighty As:-- "Me the AEsir will call womanish, if I let myself be clad in bridal raiment."