The children of Odin - Germanic Mythology

138
CHILDREN OF ODIN
The Giant took up the flooring and showed him the mile-
wide kettle down in the cellar. Thor stooped down and took the
kettle by the Brim. He lifted it slowly as if with a mighty effort.
"You can lift, but can you carry it?" said the Giant.
"I will try to do that," said Thor. He lifted the kettle up and
placed it on his head. He strode to the door and out of the house
before the Giant could lay hands on him. Then when he was
outside he started to run. He was across the mountain before
he looked behind him. He heard a yelping and a screaming
and he saw the Giant crone with the bunch of heads running,
running after him. Up hill and down dale Thor raced, the mile-
wide kettle on his head and the Giant crone in chase of him.
Through the deep forest he ran and over the high mountain,
but still Bunch-of-Heads kept him in chase. But at last, jimiping
over a lake, she fell in and Thor was free of his pursuer.
And so back to the ^sir and the Vanir Thor came in triumph,
carrying on his head the mile-wide kettle. And those of the .^Esir
and the Vanir who had laughed most at Loki's mockeries rose
up and cheered for him as he came in. The mead was brewed,
the feast was spread, and the greatest banquet that ever the
Kings of the Giants gave to the Dwellers in Asgard was eaten in
gladness.
A strange and silent figure sat at the banquet. It was the
figure of a Giant and no one knew who he was nor where he had
come from. But when the banquet was ended Odin, the Eldest
of the Gods, turned towards this figure and said, "O Skyrmit,