Chapter 32

Chapter XXXII
Thor's Visit to Jotunheim One day the god Thor, accompanied by his servant Thialfi, and
also by Loki, set out on a journey to the giant's country.
Thialfi was of all men the swiftest of foot. He bore Thor's
wallet, containing their provisions. When night came on they
found themselves in an immense forest, and searched on all sides
for a place where they might pass the night, and at last came to
a very large hall, with an entrance that took the whole breadth
of one end of the building. Here they lay down to sleep, but
towards midnight were alarmed by an earthquake which shook the
whole edifice. Thor rising up called on his companion to seek
with him a place of safety. On the right they found an adjoining
chamber, into which the others entered, but Thor remained at the
doorway with his mallet in his hand, prepared to defend himself,
whatever might happen. A terrible groaning was heard during the
night, and at dawn of day Thor went out and found lying near him
a huge giant, who slept and snored in the way that had alarmed
them so. It is said that for once Thor was afraid to use his
mallet, and as the giant soon waked up, Thor contented himself
with simply asking his name. "My name is Skrymir," said the giant, "but I need not ask thy
name, for I know that thou art the god Tor. But what has become
of my glove?" Thor then perceived that what they had taken
overnight for a hall was the giant's glove and the chamber where
his two companions had sought refuge was the thumb. Skrymir then
proposed that they should travel in company, and Thor consenting,
they sat down to eat their breakfast, and when they had done,
Skrymir packed all the provisions into one wallet, threw it over
his shoulder, and strode on before them, taking such tremendous
strides that they were hard put to it to keep up with him. So
they travelled the whole day, and at dusk, Skrymir close a place
for them to pass the night in under a large oak-tree. Skrymir
then told them he would lie down to sleep. "But take ye the
wallet," he added, "and prepare your supper."Skrymir soon fell
asleep and began to snore strongly, but when Thor tried to open
the wallet, he found the giant had tied it up so tight he could
not untie a single knot. At last Thor became wroth, and grasping
his mallet with both hands he struck a furious blow on the
giant's head. Skrymir awakening merely asked whether a leaf had
not fallen on his head, and whether they had supped and were
ready to go to sleep. Thor answered that they were just going to
sleep, and so saying went and laid himself down under another
tree. But sleep came not that night to Thor, and when Skrymir
snored again so loud that the forest re-echoed with the noise, he
arose, and grasping