The Lay of Thrym

Forums ► Norse Paganism ► The Lay of Thrym
Reply to this post oldest 1 newest Start a new thread

Pages: oldest 1 newest

The Lay of Thrym
By:
Post # 1
I rewrote it a tad bit from more traditional stories. The dialogue between characters was keep the same in order to keep authenticity. I've provided a synopsis at the end for those with less than par reading skills.

The Lay of Thrym

The Lay of Thrym

Thor awoke with a start. His hammer, Mjollnir, was missing. He shook his head angrily, groping around for it.

He then shouted for Loki, "My hammer has been stolen! No one in heaven nor Earth can know what a loss this is for me!"

They both rushed to Freyja's shining halls.

"Freyja," said Thor, "will you lend me your
feathered coat to help me find my hammer?"

Freyja said, "I would lend it to you, even if it were made of gold or silver."

Thor recieved the coat and brought it to Loki. Loki, put on the feathered coat and flew from Asgard, to Jotunheim, land of the giants.

Thrym, the lord of giants, sat upon a mound, smoothing his horses' manes and twisting golden halters for his hounds. He said, "How are the Aesir? How are the elves? Why have you come to Jotunheim?"

Loki said, "It is ill with the Aesir; it is ill with the elves. Tell me, have you hidden the Thunderer's hammer?"

Thyrm responded, "yes I have the hammer. I've hidden it eight leagues deep in the earth. No one can win it back from me, unless he brings me the beautiful Freyja as a bride."

Loki nodded and flew away, the feathered coat rustling in the wind. He left the world of giants and winged his way back to the world of the gods.

Loki had returned. Thor then meet him in middle court. "Were your labors successful? Tell me tidings before you land. For sitting causes one to forget, and lying causes one to lie."

Loki said, "Yes, my labors met with success. Thrym, the lord of giants, has your hammer; but no one can win Mjöllnir from him, unless he brings to him fair Freyja as a bride."

Forthwith they rushed to find fair Freyja. "Dress yourself in bridal linen," said Thor. "You and I are on our way to Jotunheim."

To Freyja boiled in a rage. The halls of Asgard shook with her anger. Her fury causing the necklace of the Brisings to break apart. "You may call me man-crazy, if I go with you to Jotunheim," she shouted.

Straight away all the gods and goddesses converged to discuss how they could recover Thor's hammer.

Heimdall, the fairest of the gods, like all the Vanir could see into the future. "Let us dress Thor in bridal linen," he said, "and let him wear the necklace of the Brisings. Then, tie housewife's keys about his waist, and pin bridal jewels upon his breast. Let him wear women's clothes, with a dainty hood on his head."

The Son of Odin, mightiest of gods, wielder of Mjollnir, replied, "The gods will make fool of me being womanly if I put on bridal linen."

Then Loki said, "Thor, be still! With such foolish words the giants will soon be living here in Asgard if you do not get your hammer from them."

So ,they dressed Thor in bridal attire, tied the necklace of Brisings around his neck and housewife's keys about his waist.

They pinned bridal jewels upon his breast, and dressed him in women's clothes, with a dainty hood on his head.

Then Loki, son of Laufey, said, "I will accompany you as your maid-servant. Together we shall travel to Jotunheim."

Forthwith the goats were to be harnessed. The mountains trembled, and the earth burned with fire as Odin's son rode to Jotunheim.

Thrym, said to his kin, "Stand up, you Jotuns, and put straw on the benches. They are bringing fair Freyja, daughter of Njord from Noatun, to be my bride. I have golden-horned cattle grazing in my yard. They are pure-black oxen, a joy to giants. I have treasures aplenty and rule over great riches. Freyja is the only thing that I lack."

Thor and Loki, disguised as Freyja and a maid-servant, arrived at the place of the giant.

Day soon became evening, and ale was brought to the giants' table. There, Thor ate an ox and eight whole salmons, in addition to all the dainties that were served to the women. Furthermore, he drank three measures of mead.

Thrym, the lord of giants, said, "Have you ever seen a bride eat and drink so heartily?"

The maid-servant cleverly answered with: "Freyja was so eager to come to Jotunheim that she has eaten nothing for eight nights."

Thrym stooped beneath his bride's veil, wanting to kiss her, then jumped back the whole length of the hall. "Why are Freyja's eyes so fearful?" he said. "I think that fire is flaming from her eyes."

The maid-servant wisely answered the giant thus: "Freyja was so eager to come to Jotunheim that she has not slept for eight nights."

Then a poor sister of one of the giants came in and dared to beg a gift from the bride. "If you want my love and friendship then give me the gold rings from your fingers," she said snootily.

Then Thrym stood and said, "Bring me the hammer to bless the bride. Lay Mjollnir on the maiden's lap, let the two of us thus be hallowed in the name of Vor, goddess of vows!"

When Thor saw the hammer his heart laughed within him, and he took courage.

He first slew Thrym, the lord of giants, then he crushed all the giant's kin.

Finally he slew the old giantess who had begged for a bridal gift.

Instead of coins she got the crack of the hammer. Instead of rings she received the mark of Mjollnir.

Thus, Thor won back his hammer.

Synopsis

Thor's hammer had been stolen. The hammer is the known as the defence of Asgard, and for good reason. He felt distressed and angry about this occurrence. He called upon Loki to question whether he had stole it as a prank. Loki, had done no such thing. So, Thor went to Freyja asking for her feathered coat (used to fly, or wing, between realms). She lent it to him and he lent it to Loki. Loki flew to Jotunheim and confronted the giant, Thrym. He asked him if he was guilty of stealing the hammer, to which he admitted he was. Thrym then demanded that he be given Freyja's hand in marriage in exchange for Mjollnir. Loki returned to Asgard with the news. Freyja raged and declined the notion. The gods and goddessed then congregated to decide how to get the hammer back. It was decided, with much reluctance from Thor, that Thor would be dressed as Freyja to trick the giants. Loki occupanied him as a female maid-servant. When they arrived at the place of the Jotuns, Thor consumed large amounts of food and mead. Then, Thrym gave Thor (disguised as Freyja) Mjollnir and proclaimed their marriage. Thor then murdered all of the giants as penance for the theft.
Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: The Lay of Thrym
By:
Post # 2

Wow. This is amazing. I love it!

Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: The Lay of Thrym
By:
Post # 3
I wish we could vote on threads-I'd label this as perfect.
Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: The Lay of Thrym
By: Moderator / Adept
Post # 4
A very nice story. I've not heard it before. Did you write it yourself? Your profile says that you enjoy writing. However, whether you did or did not, it's a good story.
Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: The Lay of Thrym
By: / Knowledgeable
Post # 5

The Lay of Thrym is an old, old Norse tale. But Runed went through it and made it simpler for modern english.

Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Re: The Lay of Thrym
By: / Novice
Post # 6
I definitely liked this! Thank you for this wonderful post!
Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Reply to this post oldest 1 newest Start a new thread

Pages: oldest 1 newest