~
Heathen Stories and New Myths ~
A poetic re-writing of The Lay of Thrym
Thor’s Hammer Stolen
After a long day
Of feasting and drinking,
Thor had made his way home,
Passing through the gates of Thrudvang.
He followed the road leading to Bilskirnir,
Walking through the court yard,
Toward the family hearth.
Thor greeted his lovely wife,
And soon they both retired to bed,
It was not long before he was asleep.
The Giant Thrym
Had obtained the services of Loki,
Playing on his evil mind,
To bring trouble among the Gods.
One night Loki snuck into Bilskirnir,
While Thor and Sif slept,
Quietly Loki took Thor’s Hammer
From were it was sitting next to him.
Early the next morning Thor awoke,
He reached for his Hammer
As he always does,
But it was not there,
Sitting up with a start,
He looked around the room.
Stopping to think, Thor said,
I know I had a lot to drink,
Before at the feast,
So getting up he started to search for his Hammer.
When he could not find his Hammer,
Thor was in a rage,
Asgard and the Gods will be in danger,
If the Jotnar find out.
Thor left Bilskirnir,
Tracing his tracks from the night before,
Stopping and asking the Gods and Goddesses as he passed by,
But no one had seemed to have seen it.
The only one who could have taken the Hammer,
Would have been Loki, thought Thor,
He soon went looking for Loki,
Upon finding him,
Thor said, Loki, Someone has stolen my Hammer,
And I have looked everywhere for it.
Lying Loki said, Let us go to Sessrumnir,
To see Lady Freyja,
And see if maybe she can help.
Arriving at Sessrumnir,
Loki asked Lady Freyja,
If he could borrow her falcon skin?
Because someone had stolen Thor’s Hammer.
Lady Freyja then went and got her falcon skin,
Loki taking the skin and putting it on,
Changed into a falcon and flew away,
Flying out over the skies of Midgard,
Loki flew until he reached Jotunheim.
Loki soon saw the Giant Thrym,
He was sitting on top hill,
Loki landed near Thrym.
Thrym asked Loki,
So how does it fare with the Gods,
And with the Elves?
And what brings you alone to this place?
Loki said, Things are not going well with the Gods or the Elves,
The plan that we had to take his Hammer are not working out,
In what way, said Thrym,
All is well for me.
Not for me, said Loki.
I must return with the Hammer, or Thor
Will smash my head in and kill me,
He already figured out that I helped take it.
I have the Hammer well hidden,
It is eight-miles deep in the earth,
I will not give him
His Hammer back,
Unless he brings me the Lady Freyja,
To be my wife.
Loki arriving back at Bilskirnir,
Thor asking him what he found out,
Loki lying said, I have found out who has stolen your Hammer,
Who was has taken it then, asked Thor?
The Giant Thrym has taken it back,
And he will only give it back,
If the Lady Freyja will be his wife.
Going to Sessrumnir,
Loki and Thor told the Lady Freyja,
What Thrym had said.
The Lady Freyja
Became very angry at this,
What would people think if I ran to Jotunheim?
No I will not go, yelled Lady Freyja,
I think you both had better leave.
It was not long before the Aesir and the Asynjur
Gathered in council to see what can be done
To bring Thor’s hammer back.
After much discussion,
Heimdall stood up and said,
Let us send Thor,
Dressed as Lady Freyja, in her stead.
The council of Gods starting to laugh at the thought,
Thor’s face becoming bright red,
He was standing in shocked embarrassment,
Surly you're joking, stated Thor!
The Gods seeing that this was a good idea,
agreed with Heimdall,
Then let us dress him as befitting a bride to be,
Said Heimdall,
It was not long before Thor looked the part.
Loki told Thor that he would go with him,
And would be his maidservant,
They both made ready to go to Jotunheim.
Thrym impatiently waited, wondering if she would come,
He kept telling himself
That she would come,
And she would be his wife.
In a few days' time Thrym was informed
That the Lady Freyja was coming.
Excited and happy,
Thrym had a wedding feast prepared.
Thor and Loki soon arrived,
They made their way into Thrym’s hall,
Thrym had lead Thor to sit next to him,
And Loki sat down across from them.
Thor became hungry
From the smell of the feast,
Seeing an ox prepared and ready to eat on the table,
Thor then ate the whole ox,
And eight salmons as well,
Then he took all the foods prepared for the ladies of the hall,
To wash it all down, he drank three horns of mead.
Thrym did not know what to make of this,
Well now, said Thrym,
Who has seen a bride do such a thing?
Loki said, The bride has not eaten or drunk
anything for eight nights
In her hurry to make it to the wedding.
Thrym then wanted to kiss his bride to be,
Then he leaned over and lifted the bridal veil,
Shocked at what he saw, Thrym jumped back from Thor.
Backing away,
Thrym said, Her eyes! What’s wrong with them?
Loki said, She has not slept a wink in the past eight nights,
Thinking of you and the wedding to come.
After recovering,
Thrym said, Bring the Hammer out,
So that it may hallow the bride,
Place it between her knees,
So that the Goddess Var,
May hear our wedding oath,
And bless us this day.
As soon as Thor’s Hammer,
Was placed in his lap,
Thor grabbing hold of his Hammer,
Stood up and pulled the veil from his face.
Thor then killed the giant Thrym first,
Smashing his skull,
And then he killed the other giants in the hall.
Then Thor with his Hammer in hand,
And Loki,
Made their way back to Asgard.
©
Robert Etter
Author of
"A Devotional: Honoring Thor and Family"
and "Thor,
Midgard's Veurr, and the Fylgja",
Both together in one book:
Thor,
God Of The Common Man
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