THE LAY OF THRYM
[Trarslation from the Edda songs on
which the Grethir and Völsunga Saga are based.]
1
Wrath Thor was waxen
Then when he woke up
And waking missed
His mighty hammer.
Bristled his beard thereat,
Broad about tossed his hair
As the great Earth-born
Groped round about him.
2
And this word he spake
Of all words the first word:
“Hearken thou, Loki,
To that when I speak now
For the like none hath heard
In the heaven above
Or the earth—of the God
Whose hammer got stolen.”
3
Forth then they went
To the fair house of Freyia
And this word he spake,
Of all words the first word:
“Lend to me, Freyia,
Thy feather-wrought shape
That that hammer of mine
I might get me again.”
4
“I would give it to thee
Though of gold it were wrought,
Were it of silver
Yet shouldst thou have it.”
Forth then flew Loki,
Whistled the Feather-shape
Until from the garth
Of the Gods he was gotten
And withinwards was come
To the world of the giants.
5
On mound was Thrym sitting,
Mighty lord of the giants,
For his bitches he twisted
The bright gold leashes,
And his mares' manes
Made equal duly.
6
“How fare the Æsir,
How fare the Elf-folk?
Why comest thou hither
To the home of the Giants?”
“Ill fare the Æsir,
Ill fare the Elf-folk;
Hast thou not hidden
The Hot-rider's hammer?”
7
“Yea, I have hidden
The Hot-rider's hammer;
Eight miles it lieth
Under the earth.
No man there is
Who ever may fetch it
But if he shall bring me
Freyia for bride.”
8
Forth then flew Loki,
Whistled the Feather-shape,
Until from the world
Of the giants he was gotten
And withinwards was come
To the garth of the Gods.
9
“Speedeth thine errand
After thy labour
Up there aloft?
Tell me long tidings;
Oft from the sitting one
Faileth the story,
Oft from the lying one
Lies bubble forth.”
10
“E'en after my labour
So has mine errand been;
Thrym has gotten thine hammer,
High lord of the giants.
No man there is
Who ever may fetch it
But if he shall bring him
Freyia for bride.”
11
Forth then they went
Fair Freyia to meet,
And this word he spake,
Of all words the first word:
“Bind on, O Freyia,
The linen of brides;
To the dwelling of giants
We twain shall drive thee.”
12
Wroth then waxed Freyia,
Fiercely she snorted,
The abode of the Æsir
All trembled beneath her,
The gem of the Brisings
Was bursten asunder.
“Me methinks deem ye
Mad with love-longing
That I should fare with you
To the world of the giants.”
13
The Gods on a time
At the Thing were all gathered,
And the Goddesses there
Were gathered together,
And this thing the great Gods
Had to talk over there:
How they might lay hand
On Hot-rider's hammer.
14
Then spake Heimdall,
Whitest of high Gods,
Wise in what should be
As any God was:
“Bind we on Thor then
Linen that brides bear,
Let him have the great gem
Of the Brisings hung on him.
15
“Let us hand to him
Tinkle of keys
Let women's weed
Fall wide o'er his knee,
Set on his breast
Broad stones and bright,
Tire his head
Trimly and fair.”
16
Then spake Thor,
God of the Thunder:
“Craven the Æsir
Should call me certes
If the linen of brides
I should let bind upon me.
17
Then spake Loki,
Son of Laufey:
“Hold thy peace, Thor,
Of such words as these;
Doubtless the giants
Asgard shall dwell [in]
But if thou shalt have
Thine hammer to thee.”
18
Bound they on Thor then
Linen that brides bear,
Bound they upon him
The gem of the Brisings,
Hung they unto him
Tinkle of keys,
Let women's weed
Fall wide o'er his knee,
Set on his breast
Broad stones and bright,
Tire his head
Trimly and fair.
19
Then spake Loki
Wise son of Laufey
“I will go with thee,
Thy waiting woman;
We two shall drive
To the dwelling of giants.”
20
Then were the he-goats
Straight driven homewards,
Swift in the yoke,
Strong to run well.
Hills brake asunder,
Earth burned aflaming
And Odin's son wended
To the world of the giants.
21
Then loud spake Thrym
Lord of the giants:
“Stand up, ye giant folk
Strew ye the benches,
For now wendeth hither
Freyia to wed me
The daughter of Niord
Noatown's dweller.
22
“Here in my garth
Go the kine gold-horned,
Oxen all black
Bring the giants disport,
Many good things
Many gems have,
Freyia alone
Was all I thought lacking.”
23
In the evening betimes
Were they brought thither
And in to the giant folk
Now was the ale brought;
Sif's husband alone
Ate up an ox there
Eight salmon therewith
And all the sweet things
That the women's due were,
And drank out three mead-tuns.
24
Loud spake Thrym
Lord of the giants:
“Who e'er saw brides
Bite any keener?
Ne'er saw I brides
Broader mouthed bite,
Nor more mead than that
Drunk by a maid.”
25
There sat the wily
Waiting-maid by him
And found out a word
For the giant's word ready:
“Naught at all Freyia
For eight nights hath eaten,
Such longing had she
For the home of the giants.”
26
He stooped 'neath the linen
Sore longing to kiss her,
But backward he leaped
Endlong the hall:
“Why are Freyia's eyes
So fierce unto me?
Methinks from those eyes
Fire flamed forth.”
27
There sat the wily
Waiting-maid by him
And found a word
For the giant's word ready:
“Nought at all Freyia
For eight nights hath slept
Such longing had she
For the home of the giants.”
28
In slunk the wretch,
The giant's sister,
And dared to bid
For the bride-fee there:
“Give from thy hands
The gold rings ruddy
If thou wouldst win
Goodwill of me
Goodwill of me,
And my loving kindness.”
29
Then loud spake Thrym,
Lord of the giants:
“Bear in the hammer
The bride to hallow,
Lay ye Miolnir,
On the knees of the maiden,
And hallow us both
To the hands of Varar.”
30
Laughed then Hot-rider's
Heart in the breast of him,
When hardly of heart
His hammer he caught up:
Thrym got he first slain,
Lord of the giants,
Then all the kin
He crushed of the giant folk.
31
Slew he the old crone
The giant's sister,
She who had bidden
Give forth the bride-fee;
Smiting her lot was
Instead of silver,
And the hammer's stroke
For store of gold rings.
So came Odin's son
In the end by his hammer.
