Viktor Rydberg's Investigations into Germanic Mythology, Vol. II

27. Loki Cuts Off the Hair of Sif, the Dis of Vegetation. Thereafter, Ivaldi's son
Völund forged locks of gold for her, which took root and grew like natural hair.
28. The World-Endangering Wager. Loki devised a plan that seemed to be of
great benefit for the gods, but actually was calculated to cause enmity between the gods
and the Nature-smiths, as well as among them separately. 16 He sought out Mimir's son
Brokk, wanting to strike a bet that Sindri, Mimir's most artistic son, could not make three
treasures as good as those created by the sons of Ivaldi, specifically Sif's golden hair, the
spear Gungnir, and the ship Skidbladnir. Loki wagered his head. Brokk, who would
happily have the head of the world-endangering deceiver, took the bet. Sindri forged the
boar Slidrugtanni for Frey and Freyja, the ring Draupnir for Odin, and for Thor, an iron
hammer that could not be stolen, but would return by itself to its owner's hand. Since the
gods were the only ones who could compare the worth of these treasures, they agreed to
pronounce a judgment in the matter after performing tests.
29. The Giant Hrungnir in Asgard. Odin tested his horse Sleipnir, and on that
occasion saw the giant Hrungnir, who was the finest fighter and owned the best horse in
Jotunheim. Hrungnir mounted his horse and raced him into Asgard, where he, even
though an enemy of the gods, was received according to the dictates of hospitality and
entertained with mead. Over the drinking-horn, he boasted about his strength and
threatened his hosts, until Thor came in. Then he lowered his tone and made reference to
guests' rights in order to save his life. He declared that he was weaponless, but if Thor
would agree to meet him on his own mark in Jotunheim, they could set a time for it. Thor
accepted his challenge.
30. The Iron Hammer Proven. Thor went to meet Hrungnir. Egil could not
accompany him to the meeting, because when Thor came to his citadel, he was out on
watch duty on the Elivogar. Therefore Thor took the young Thjalfi with him. In the battle
with Hrungnir, Thor fell to the ground wounded, but the iron-hammer, which he had
already cast, crushed Hrungnir's head and returned to Thor's hand. Thjalfi felled the claygiant
Mökkurkalfi.
31. Thor Rescues Egil. It was cold and storming during Thor's return trip. He
met an exhausted Egil and bore him in his basket over the Elivogar to his citadel.
32. Egil’s Star. On this occasion, Egil's toe was stricken with frostbite. Thor
broke it off and cast it into the heavens where it became Örvandil’s (the arrow-handler's)
star.
33. Groa’s Galder-chant. When Thor came to his citadel in Asgard, Egil's wife,
Groa, was there. She sang healing galder over Thor's wound, but from happiness forgot
the end of the galder-chant when she learned that Egil was safe and had been so honored.
34. The Mead and the Moon. In Ivaldi's kingdom, a mead-well named Byrgir,
whose waters granted poetic skill and happiness, came to light. Ivaldi kept the discovery
secret and, one moonless night, dispatched his children Hjuki and Bil 17 to drain the well
and return home with the mead, whose capacity would not diminish. The moon-god
Nep 18 saw the children as they wandered back with the supply. He took them and the
mead, and then presented the mead to the Aesir.
16 i.e. between Mimir's sons and the elves, the sons of Ivaldi.
17 Hjuki and Bil, who fetch the mead for their father, are the Jack and Jill of nursery rhyme. Bil is Idun.
After her, Bifrost is once called Bil-röst, Bil's way (Fáfnismál 15).
18 Nanna's father, Nep. Identical with Nokkvi, Gevar, and Mani, the Moon-god.