"What a fool I have been," said Asa Thor, aloud, "to allow myself to be deceived by a mountain giant!" "Ah," answered a voice from above, "I told you, you would learn to know yourself better by your journey to Jötunheim. It is the great use of travelling." Thor turned quickly round again, thinking to see Skrymir behind him; but, after looking on every side, he could perceive nothing, but that a high, cloud-capped mountain, which he had noticed on the horizon, appeared to have advanced to the edge of the plain. PART II. THE SERPENT AND THE KETTLE. Thor turned away from Giant-land, and on the road homeward he passed through the Sea-King's dominions. There he found that Ægir the Old was giving a banquet to all the Æsir in his wide coral-caves. At a little distance Thor stood still to listen and to look. It was a fair sight: cave within cave stretched out before him decked with choicest shells, whilst far inward lay the banqueting-hall, lighted with shining gold; white and red coral-pillars stood at uneven distances; the bright-browed Æsir reclined at the board on soft water couches; Ægir's daughters--the fair-haired waves--murmured sweet music as they waited on their guests; and little baby-ripples ran about laughing in all the corners. Thor walked through the caves and entered the hall. As he did so Odin looked up from his place at Ægir's right hand, and said,-- "Good evening, son Thor; how has it fared with you in Jötunheim?" Thor's face grew a little cloudy at this question, and he only answered,-- "Not as it ought to have done, father." Then he placed himself amongst Ægir's guests. "In my dominions," said King Ægir, looking all round, "an extraordinary thing has happened." "And what may that be, brother?" asked Niörd. "From the shores of Jötunheim," answered Ægir, "the sea has run back a quarter of a mile, drawing itself away as if a giant were drinking it in." "Is that all you have got to say, father?" said a tall Wave, as she swept her hair over the Sea-King's shoulder, and peeped up from behind him; "is that all you know of the wonders which are going on in your deep home? Listen." Then Ægir bent forward on his seat; the Æsir all ceased speaking, and drew in their breath; the waves raised their arched necks, and were still, listening. From a great way off came the sound of a sullen swell. "Who is that speaking?" asked Odin. "That is Jörmungand speaking," said Thor. "And what does he say, Thor?" "He says that I could not conquer him." "Pass round the foaming mead," cried Ægir, who saw that it was time to turn the conversation. But alas! Ægir's mead-kettle was so small, that before it had gone half down the table it stood empty before Tyr. "There is a giant called Hymir," remarked Tyr, "who lives far over the stormy waves to eastward at the end of heaven." The Æsir all looked up. "He has a kettle," Tyr went on to say, "which is a mile deep, and which would certainly hold mead enough for all this company."