1 Wielder Thor
   Awoke angry
   missed his hammer
   mighty thunderer,
   ruffled his mane
   and red whiskers,
   son of Earth took
   to searching about.
  
2 These words uttered
   Thor first speaking:
   'Hark you, Loki,
   hear what I say,
   nowhere to see
   neither on Earth
   nor in high heaven;
   hammer is stolen!
  
3. Off to fair-faced
   Freya's palace,
   these words uttered
   Thor first speaking:
   'Would fetch, Freya,
   your feather pelt
   to help me find
   my hammer, stolen!'
  
Freya spoke:
  
4. 'Thee would I give it
   though it were gold
   or either silver
   I would give it.'
  
5. Off flew Loki
   - feather pelt thundered -
   out and away
   from Asgard's ramparts,
   journeyed into
   giants' domain.
  
Thrym said:

7. 'How fare Aesir,
   how fare elves?
   Why have you journeyed
   to giants' domain?
  
Loki said:

   'Ill fare Aesir,
   elves are ill;
   hammer missing,
   have you hid it?
  
Thrym said:

8 'Hammer, tell Thor,
   hidden have I
   eight rasts deep
   under dark earth;
   under it stays
   unless one bring me
   first the fair-faced
   Frey as bride.'
  
9 Off flew Loki
   - feather pelt thundered -
   journeyed out from
   giants' domain
   in again over
   Asgard's ramparts.
  
   Mid-burg waiting
   met him there Thor,
   these words he uttered
   then first speaking:
  
10 'Message have you
   to match your toil?
   Tell us aloft
   your tidings' burden;
   seated messengers
   say more than truth,
   lying down messengers
   lie every word.'
  
Loki said:

11 'Toil have I had
   and tale worth telling:
   your hammer Thrym holds,
   high chief giant;
   under earth stays
   unless one bring him
   first the fair-faced
   Freya as bride.'
  
12 Forth to fair-faced
   Freya, greet her;
   these words uttered
   Thor first speaking:
   'Bind you, Freya
   in bridal linen,
   journey we two
   to giants' domain.'
  
13 Angry Freya
   only snorted;
   Aesir trembled
   all together;
   broke she Brisings'
   brilliant necklace:
   'Man-eager would you
   make me appear,
   journey with you
   to giants' domain!'
  
14 Aesir every
   one to meeting,
   gods and goddesses
   great ones taking
   weighty counsel,
   worry together,
   Thor, his hammer
   how recover?
  
15 Word from Heimdal
   whitest of gods,
   second-sighted
   seer, like the Vanir:
  
   'Bind on Thor's brow
   bridal linen!
   knot great Brisings'
   necklace on him.'
  
16 Household key-chain
   hang from his belt,
   in queen-clothing
   clad to his shins,
   breast-adorning
   brooch upon him,
   finest headgear
   to finish off!
  
17 Then shouted Thor,
   thunder-voiced god:
   Arrant quean-man
   Aesir will call me
   if I let bind
   bride-linen on me!
  
18 Loud spoke Loki
   Laufey's son,
   'Think again, Thor,
   thrust down your words!
   Enter will giants
   Asgard's ramparts
   hither, unless home
   hammer is fetched.'
  
19 Bound then was Thor
   with bridal linen,
   knotted great Brisings'
   necklace on him,
   household key-chain
   hung from his belt,
   clad to his shins
   in queen-clothing,
   breast-adorning
   brooch upon him,
   finest headgear
   to finish off.
  
20 'Listen,' said Loki
   Laufey's son,
   'Maidservant must I
   make me with you,
   journey together
   to giants' domain!'
  
21 Goats out grazing,
   grooms fetch them in,
   harnessed, hitched up
   haul Thor's wagon.
   Broke mountain tops,
   blazed over fields,
   journeyed Odin's son
   into giants' domain.
  
22 Charged his men, Thrym,
   chief of giants:
   'Stand up, mighty ones,
   strew the benches!
   Forth comes fair-faced
   Freya, my queen,
   Njord of Noatun's
   noble daughter.
  
23 Gold-horn cattle
   graze my pastures,
   black-coated oxen
   brighten my days;
   jewels, treasures
   jammed in my boxes,
   lack I only
   the lovely Freya.'
  
24 On to evening,
   early came guests,
   beakers of ale
   borne in for giants.
   Ate one whole ox
   and eight salmon,
   finished off dainties
   furnished for ladies,
   gulped Sif's husband
   three gallons of mead.
  
25 Jaw fell of Thrym,
   giants' chieftain:
   'Ever did bride
   eat more keenly?
   Bride have I not seen
   bite more hugely
   nor maid empty
   mead horns as she!'
  
26 Sharp-wit servant
   sat close at hand,
   able-worded
   to answer giant:
   'Fair-faced Freya
   fasted eight days,
   journey-eager
   for giants' domain.'
  
27 Lifted linen,
   looked for a kiss,
   blinked, rebounded
   back through the hall:
   'Fearsome, flaming
   are Freya's eyes;
   always burn they
   so awesome bright?'
  
28 Sharp-wit servant
   sat close at hand,
   able-worded
   to answer giant:
   'Freya, wakeful,
   fair one, eight nights,
   journey-eager
   for giants' domain.'
  
29 In then comes Thrym's
   ugly sister,
   boldly bride-gift
   bade them give her:
   'Reach me red-gold
   rings from your arms,
   give for my gracious
   good will and love:
   love and good will
   look both for gifts.'
  
30 Charged his men, Thrym,
   chief of giants:
   'Bring in hammer
   bride to hallow,
   lay in her lap
   lordly Mjollnir,
   vow we together
   Var to witness.'
  
31 Bosom laughter
   bellowed from Thor,
   heart of iron
   hammer brandished.
   First he felled Thrym
   foremost giant,
   all his kin then
   in order laid.
  
32 Slew the sister,
   sullen old maid,
   bride gift gave her
   begged at table,
   stroke on the head
   instead of coin,
   blow of hammer
   for bounty of rings.
  
   Home came Odin's son's
   hammer again.