| |
From the Icelandic by W. Herbert
WROTH waxed Thor, when his sleep was flown, | |
| And he found his trusty hammer gone; | |
| He smote his brow, his beard he shook, | |
| The son of earth ’gan round him look; | |
| And this the first word that he spoke: | 5 |
| “Now listen what I tell thee, Loke; | |
| Which neither on earth below is known, | |
| Nor in heaven above: my hammer’s gone.” | |
| Their way to Freyia’s bower they took, | |
| And this the first word that he spoke: | 10 |
| “Thou, Freyia, must lend a wingèd robe, | |
| To seek my hammer round the globe.” | |
| |
FREYIA sang. “That shouldst thou have, though ’t were of gold, | |
| And that, though ’t were of silver, hold.” | |
| |
| Away flew Loke; the winged robe sounds, | 15 |
| Ere he has left the Asgard grounds, | |
| And ere he has reached the Jötunheim bounds. | |
| High on a mount, in haughty state, | |
| Thrym, the king of the Thursi, sate; | |
| For his dogs he was twisting collars of gold, | 20 |
| And trimming the manes of his coursers bold. | |
| |
THRYM sang. “How fare the Asi? the Alfi how? | |
| Why com’st thou alone to Jötunheim now?” | |
| |
LOKE sang. “Ill fare the Asi; the Alfi mourn; | |
| Thor’s hammer from him thou hast torn.” | 25 |
| |
THRYM sang. “I have the Thunderer’s hammer bound | |
| Fathoms eight beneath the ground; | |
| With it shall no one homeward tread, | |
| Till he bring me Freyia to share my bed.” | |
| |
| Away flew Loke; the winged robe sounds, | 30 |
| Ere he has left the Jötunheim bounds, | |
| And ere he has reached the Asgard grounds. | |
| At Mitgard Thor met crafty Loke, | |
| And this the first word that he spoke: | |
| “Have you your errand and labor done? | 35 |
| Tell from aloft the course you run: | |
| For, setting oft, the story fails; | |
| And, lying oft, the lie prevails.” | |
| |
LOKE sang. “My labor is past, mine errand I bring; | |
| Thrym has thine hammer, the giant king: | 40 |
| With it shall no one homeward tread, | |
| Till he bear him Freyia to share his bed.” | |
| |
| Their way to lovely Freyia they took, | |
| And this the first word that he spoke: | |
| “Now, Freyia, busk, as a blooming bride; | 45 |
| Together we must to Jötunheim ride.” | |
| Wroth waxed Freyia with ireful look; | |
| All Asgard’s hall with wonder shook; | |
| Her great bright necklace started wide: | |
| “Well may ye call me a wanton bride, | 50 |
| If I with ye to Jötunheim ride.” | |
| The Asi did all to council crowd, | |
| The Asiniæ all talked fast and loud; | |
| This they debated, and this they sought, | |
| How the hammer of Thor should home be brought. | 55 |
| Up then and spoke Heimdallar free, | |
| Like the Vani, wise was he: | |
| “Now busk we Thor, as a bride so fair; | |
| Let him that great bright necklace wear; | |
| Round him let ring the spousal keys, | 60 |
| And a maiden kirtle hang to his knees, | |
| And on his bosom jewels rare; | |
| And high and quaintly braid his hair.” | |
| Wroth waxed Thor with godlike pride: | |
| “Well may the Asi me deride, | 65 |
| If I let me be dight as a blooming bride.” | |
| Then up spoke Loke, Laufeyia’s son: | |
| “Now hush thee, Thor; this must be done: | |
| The giants will strait in Asgard reign, | |
| If thou thy hammer dost not regain.” | 70 |
| Then busked they Thor, as a bride so fair, | |
| And the great bright necklace gave him to wear. | |
| Round him let ring the spousal keys, | |
| And a maiden kirtle hang to his knees, | |
| And on his bosom jewels rare; | 75 |
| And high and quaintly braided his hair. | |
| Up then arose the crafty Loke, | |
| Laufeyia’s son, and thus he spoke: | |
| “A servant I thy steps will tend, | |
| Together we must to Jötunheim wend.” | 80 |
| Now home the goats together hie; | |
| Yoked to the axle they swiftly fly. | |
| The mountains shook, the earth burned red, | |
| As Odin’s son to Jötunheim sped. | |
| Then Thrym, the king of the Thursi, said: | 85 |
| “Giants, stand up; let the seats be spread: | |
| Bring Freyia, Niorder’s daughter, down, | |
| To share my bed, from Noatun. | |
| With horns all gilt each coal-black beast | |
| Is led to deck the giants’ feast; | 90 |
| Large wealth and jewels have I stored; | |
| I lack but Freyia to grace my board.” | |
| Betimes at evening they approached, | |
| And the mantling ale the giants broached. | |
| The spouse of Sifia ate alone | 95 |
| Eight salmons, and an ox full-grown, | |
| And all the cates, on which women feed; | |
| And drank three firkins of sparkling mead. | |
| Then Thrym, the king of the Thursi, said: | |
| “Where have ye beheld such a hungry maid? | 100 |
| Ne’er saw I bride so keenly feed, | |
| Nor drink so deep of the sparkling mead.” | |
| Then forward leaned the crafty Loke, | |
| And thus the giant he bespoke: | |
| “Naught has she eaten for eight long nights, | 105 |
| So did she long for the nuptial rites.” | |
| He stooped beneath her veil to kiss, | |
| But he started the length of the hall, I wiss: | |
| “Why are the looks of Freyia so dire? | |
| It seems as her eyeballs glistened with fire.” | 110 |
| Then forward leaned the crafty Loke, | |
| And thus the giant he bespoke: | |
| “Naught has she slept for eight long nights, | |
| So did she long for the nuptial rites.” | |
| Then in the giant’s sister came, | 115 |
| Who dared a bridal gift to claim: | |
| “Those rings of gold from thee I crave, | |
| If thou wilt all my fondness have, | |
| All my love and fondness have.” | |
| Then Thrym, the king of the Thursi, said: | 120 |
| “Bear in the hammer to plight the maid; | |
| Upon her lap the bruiser lay, | |
| And firmly plight our hands and fay.” | |
| The Thunderer’s soul smiled in his breast, | |
| When the hammer hard on his lap was placed. | 125 |
| Thrym first, the king of the Thursi, he slew | |
| And slaughtered all the giant crew. | |
| He slew that giant’s sister old, | |
| Who prayed for bridal gifts so bold; | |
| Instead of money and rings, I wot, | 130 |
| The hammer’s bruises were her lot. | |
| Thus Odin’s son his hammer got. | |
| |
