The children of Odin - Germanic Mythology

ODIN THE WANDERER 131
"Still, one of us should go," Frey said.
"I will go to Hrymer's dwelling," said Thor, standing up. "I
will go to Hrymer's dwelling and get the mile-wide kettle from
him by force or cunning." He had been sitting subdued under
the mocking tales that Loki told of him and he was pleased
with this chance to make his prowess plain to the ^sir and the
Vanir. He buckled on the belt that doubled his strength.
He drew on the iron gloves that enabled him to grasp Miolnir.
He took his hammer in his hands, and he signed to the Giant
youth to come with him and be his guide.
The iEsir and the Vanir applauded Thor as he stepped out of
old iEgir's hall. But Loki, mischievous Loki, threw a gibe
after him. " Do not let the hammer out of your hands this time,
bride of Thrym," he shouted.
Thor, with the Giant youth to guide him, went through the
deepest forest and over the highest mountain. He came at last
to the Giant's dwelling. On a hillock before Hr3Tner's house was
a dreadful warden ; a Giant crone she was, with heads a-many
growing out of her shoulders. She was squatting down on her
ankles, and her heads, growing in bunches, were looking in
different directions. As Thor and the Giant youth came near
screams and yelps came from all her heads. Thor grasped his
hammer and would have flung it at her if a Giant woman,
making a sign of peace, had not come to the door of the
dwelling. The youthful Giant who was with Thor greeted her
as his mother.