In Thrymskvida (Old Norse: Þrymskviða) we get to hear the story of how the jötun Thrym manages to steal Mjolnir. To give it back, the old jötun later demands the goddess Freyja’s hand in marriage. She is less than enthusiastic about the idea and the gods have to come up with another plan.
At the core of Thrymskvida lies many of the central concepts in the Old Norse myths. The evil and ugly jotnar are trying to force the gods into something, threatening everyone in the process. Thor then has to travel into the unknown chaos of Jotunheim where he ends up slaying a great family of jotnar.
As is often the case, Loki is also right in the middle of the events. However, quite innocent of any wrongdoing, this time.
The Lay of Thrym Compared to other Eddic Poems
Widely regarded as one of the best-written poems in the Poetic Edda, the Thrymskvida is an entertaining story. However it doesn’t contain the wealth of mythological references of poems like Vafthruthnirsmál or Grimnismál and as such, it is closer to Hymiskvida.
Some scholars have speculated that the unknown author of the poem could also have written the Skirnismál. This is based on the similar styles of the poems, but this is of course difficult to ever ascertain.
It is believed that the poem took its present form around the beginning of the 10th century. This makes it one of the oldest poems of the Poetic Edda collection of poems together with the Völuspá.
The below edition is based on the 1923 translation by Henry Adams Bellows, but I have taken the liberty of updating some of the language. However, I haven’t made changes to the use of kennings, for example as Thor is called Vingthor in the first verse.
Thrymskvida
1. Vingthor was furious | when he woke up,
And realized | his mighty hammer was missing;
He shook his beard, | his hair stood on end,
As he searched for it | all around him.
2. Listen to the words | he first spoke:
“Listen, Loki, | and pay attention to me,
No one on earth | or in the heavens knows,
Where our hammer | has been taken.”
3. They went to Freyja’s | beautiful home,
Listen to the words | he first spoke:
“Will you, Freyja, | lend me your feather cloak,
So I can search for | my hammer?”
Freyja spoke:
4. “It would be yours, | even if it were made of silver,
And I would give it | even if it were made of gold.”
Then Loki flew, | and the feather cloak rustled,
As he left the home | of the gods behind,
And finally reached | the land of the giants.
5. Thrym sat on a mound, | the leader of the giants,
With leashes of gold | for his dogs,
And he stroked and groomed | the manes of his horses.
Thrym spoke:
6. “How are the gods, | how are the elves?
Why have you come alone | to the land of the giants?”
Loki spoke:
“The gods are not well, | the elves are not well!
Have you hidden | Hlorrithi’s hammer?”
Thrym spoke:
7. “I have hidden | Hlorrithi’s hammer,
Eight miles deep | in the earth;
And no man will bring it back |
Unless I am given Freyja | as my wife.”
8. Then Loki flew, | and the feather cloak rustled,
As he left the land | of the giants behind,
And finally reached | the home of the gods.
There in the courtyard | he met Thor:
Listen to the words | he first spoke:
9. “Have you found news | as well as trouble?
Tell us your story | now;
Often the one who sits | forgets his tale,
And the one who lies down | speaks falsehoods.”
Loki spoke:
10. “I have trouble | and news as well:
Thrym, king of the giants, | has your hammer,
And no man will bring it back |
Unless he is given Freyja | as his wife.”
11. They went to find Freyja | the beautiful
Listen to the words | he first spoke:
“Put on, Freyja, | your bridal veil,
For we must hurry | to the land of the giants.”
12. Freyja was angry, | and she snorted fiercely,
And the great home | of the gods shook,
And the powerful | Brisings’ necklace broke:
“I would be very promiscuous |
If I traveled with you | to the land of the giants.”
13. Then the gods met | together,
And the goddesses gathered | for council,
And the famous ones | sought a plan,
To retrieve Hlorrithi’s | hammer.
14. Then Heimdall spoke, | the whitest of the gods,
He knew the future | as well as the Vanir:
“Let us put on Thor | the bridal veil,
Let him wear the powerful | Brisings’ necklace;
15. “Let keys jingle around his waist,
And let a dress hang down to his knees;
With broad gems on his chest,
And a pretty cap to top his head.”
16. Then Thor the mighty replied:
“The gods would call me unmanly
If I were to wear a bridal veil.”
17. Then Loki spoke, the son of Laufey:
“Be silent, Thor, and speak not thus;
Otherwise, the giants will dwell in Asgarth
If your hammer is not returned to you.”
18. So they dressed Thor in a bridal veil,
And next, the mighty Brisings’ necklace.
19. Keys jingled around his waist,
And a dress hung down to his knees;
With broad gems on his chest,
And a pretty cap to top his head.
20. Then Loki spoke, the son of Laufey:
“I will go with you as your maidservant;
We two will hurry to the giants’ home.”
21. Then the goats were driven home to the hall,
They pulled at their halters, they ran swiftly;
The mountains burst and the earth burned with fire,
And Thor, Othin’s son, sought Jotunheim.
22. Then Thrym, the giants’ leader, spoke loudly:
“Wake up, giants, put straw on the benches;
Now they bring Freyja to be my bride,
Njorth’s daughter from Noatun.
23. “Gold-horned cattle go to my stables,
Jet-black oxen, the giant’s joy;
Many my gems, and many my jewels,
But Freyja alone, I lacked, I think.”
24. Early in the evening, the beer for the giants was brought out;
Thor alone ate an ox, and eight salmon,
And all the delicacies set for the women;
And Thor, Sif’s mate, drank three tuns of mead.
25. Then Thrym, the giants’ leader, spoke loudly:
“Who ever saw a bride more eagerly eat?
I have never seen a bride with a broader bite,
Nor a maiden who drank more mead than this!”
26. Close by sat the wise serving-maid,
And she answered the giant’s words well:
“Freyja has fasted for eight nights from food,
For her longing for Jotunheim was so hot.”
27. Thrym looked under the veil, for he longed to kiss her,
But he leaped back the length of the hall:
“Why are Freyja’s eyes so fearful?
I think fire burns from her eyes.”
28. Close by sat the wise serving-maid,
And she answered the giant’s words well:
“Freyja has not slept for eight nights,
For her longing for Jotunheim was so hot.”
29. Soon came the luckless sister of the giant,
Who did not fear to ask for the bridal fee:
“Take the rings of red gold from your hands,
If you want to win my willing love,
(My willing love and welcome glad.)”
30. Then Thrym, the giant’s leader, spoke loudly:
“Bring in the hammer to bless the bride;
Let Mjollnir lie on the maiden’s knees,
So that both of us may be blessed by Vor.”
Hlorrithi’s heart laughed in his chest
When he saw his hard-souled hammer;
First he killed Thrym, the king of the giants,
Then he killed all the giant’s folk.
He also killed the giant’s old sister,
She who had begged for the bridal fee;
She got a blow in place of the money,
And for many rings, the power of the hammer.
And so Odin’s son got his hammer back.
Featured Image Credit: Lorenz Frølich, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
