Þrymskviða

The Lay of Thrym

Kvädet om Trym

32 stanzas

Summary

A

Þrymskviða is one of the most famous and entertaining poems in the Poetic Edda. Thor wakes to find his hammer Mjölnir stolen. Loki flies to Jötunheimr in Freyja's feather-cloak and learns that the giant Þrymr has buried the hammer eight leagues underground. The price for its return: Freyja as bride.

Freyja refuses with such force that her necklace Brísingamen bursts. Heimdallr proposes disguising Thor as a bride with veil, keys, and Brísingamen. Loki accompanies him as handmaiden. At Þrymr's hall the 'bride' devours an entire ox, eight salmon, and three casks of mead. Loki explains it away: Freyja has not eaten for eight nights out of longing.

When Þrymr lifts the veil to kiss the bride he recoils from the burning eyes beneath. Loki: she has not slept for eight nights. Þrymr orders Mjölnir brought and laid in the bride's lap to hallow the wedding. Thor's heart laughs in his breast (stanza 27). He seizes the hammer, strikes Þrymr dead, and slays the entire giant-kin.

The poem is unusual in its consistently comic tone. It contains no prose interludes and maintains fornyrðislag throughout.

The story

Reiðr var þá Vingþórr,er hann vaknaðiok síns hamarsum saknaði;skegg nam at hrista,skör nam at dýja,réð Jarðar burrum at þreifask.

Wrathful was Vingþórrwhen he awokeand found his hammermissing;he shook his beard,he tossed his hair,the son of Earthgroped all around him.

English translation: own translation.

Ok hann þat orðaallz fyrst um kvað:"Heyrðu, Loki,hvat ek nú mæli,er eigi veitjarðar hverginé upphimins:áss er stolinn hamri!"

And these were the wordshe spoke first of all:"Hear me, Loki,what I now tell you,which no one knowsanywhere on earthor up in heaven:a god has had his hammer stolen!"

English translation: own translation.

Gengu þeir fagraFreyju túna,ok hann þat orðaallz fyrst um kvað:"Muntu mér, Freyja,fjaðrhams ljá,ef ek þinn hamarfæ at hitta?"

They went to the faircourts of Freyja,and he these wordsspoke first of all:"Will you, Freyja,lend me the feather-cloak,if I can findyour hammer?"

English translation: own translation.

"Þó mynda ek gefa þér,þótt ór gulli væri,ok þó selja,þótt ór silfri væri."

"I would give it to youeven if it were of gold,and lend it to youeven if it were of silver."

English translation: own translation.

Fló þá Loki,fjaðrhamr dunði,unz fyr útan komása garðaok fyr innan komjötna heima.Þrymr sat á haugi,þursa dróttinn.

Then Loki flew,the feather-cloak roaring,until he passed beyondthe courts of the Æsirand came withinthe realms of the giants.Þrymr sat on a mound,lord of the thurses.

English translation: own translation.

Þrymr sat á haugi,þursa dróttinn,greyjum sínumgullbond sneriok mörum sínumman jafnaði.Auðr átti hann gnóga,gull nauðigr var.

Þrymr sat on a mound,lord of the thurses,braiding gold collarsfor his houndsand trimming the manesof his horses.He possessed wealth in plenty,gold pressed thick upon him.

English translation: own translation.

"Hverr er ása?Hverr er álfa?Hví ertu einn kominní Jötunheima?"

"How fare the Æsir?How fare the elves?Why have you come aloneto Jötunheimr?"

English translation: own translation.

"Illt er með ásum,illt er með álfum.Hefir þú Hlórriðahamar um folginn?""Ek hefi Hlórriðahamar um folginnátta röstumfyr jörð neðan;hann engi maðraftr um heimtir,nema færi mérFreyju at kván."

"It goes ill among the Æsir,ill among the elves.Have you hidden Hlórriði'shammer?""I have hidden Hlórriði'shammereight leaguesbeneath the earth;no manshall retrieve itunless he brings meFreyja as my bride."

English translation: own translation.

Fló þá Loki,fjaðrhamr dunði,unz fyr útan komjötna heimaok fyr innan komása garða.Þar mœtti hann Þórá miðjum vegi,hann þat orðaallz fyrst um kvað:

Then Loki flew,the feather-cloak roaring,until he passed beyondthe realms of the giantsand came withinthe courts of the Æsir.There he met Thorin the middle of the road,and these wordshe spoke first of all:

English translation: own translation.

"Hefir þú erindisem erfiði?Segðu á loftilöngar tíðindi.Oft sitjandisögur um fellrok liggandilygi um bellr."

"Have you a missionas well as toil?Tell your tidingswhile aloft in the air.Often the seated manlets stories slip,and the recumbent manbelches forth lies."

English translation: own translation.

"Þrymr hefir þinn hamar,þursa dróttinn;hann engi maðraftr um heimtir,nema honum færiFreyju at kván."

"Þrymr has your hammer,lord of the thurses;no manshall retrieve itunless he brings himFreyja as his bride."

English translation: own translation.

Gengu þeir fagraFreyju at finna,ok hann þat orðaallz fyrst um kvað:"Bittu þik, Freyja,brúðar líni,vit skulum akatvau í Jötunheima."

They went to findthe fair Freyja,and he these wordsspoke first of all:"Dress yourself, Freyja,in bridal linen,we two shall rideto Jötunheimr."

English translation: own translation.

Reiðr varð þá Freyjaok fnasaði,allr ása salrundir bifðisk;stökk þat it miklamen Brísinga:"Mik veiztu verðavergjarnasta,ef ek ek með þérí Jötunheima."

Freyja grew wrathfuland snorted with rage,the whole hall of the Æsirshook beneath her fury;the great necklaceBrísingamen burst asunder:"You know it would make methe most man-crazed of womenif I rode with youto Jötunheimr."

English translation: own translation.

Þá kváðusk æsirallir á þingiok ásynjurallar á máli,hvé þeir Hlórriðahamar um sœtti.

Then all the Æsirgathered at the assemblyand all the goddessesheld council together,deliberating howto retrieve Hlórriði's hammer.

English translation: own translation.

Þá kvað þat Heimdallr,hvítastr ása,vissi hann vel framsem vanir aðrir:"Bindum við Þór þábrúðar líni,hafi hann it miklamen Brísinga."

Then Heimdallr spoke,whitest of the Æsir,with foresight clearas the other Vanir:"Let us dress Thorin bridal linen,let him wear the greatBrísingamen."

English translation: own translation.

"Látum und honumlínu hrynja,hafi hann brúðarlín á höfði,látum á honumlykla hrynja,kvennváðir fallium kné honum,en á brjóstibreiðar steinar,ok hagligaum höfuð typpum!"

"Let linenfall about him,let him wear the bridalveil on his head,let keys jingleat his side,women's clothing fallto his knees,and on his chestbroad gemstones,and skillfullywe crown his head!"

English translation: own translation.

Hljóp þá Loki,lævíss aesir,en þeir Jötunheimá hið forna gengu;riðu þeir hart,en hlóðu fjöll,brann jörð loga,fór Ásgarðr at skjálfa.

Loki leapt forward,the cunning one among the Aesir,and they drove toward Jötunheimralong the ancient road;they rode hard,the mountains cracked,the earth burned with fire,Ásgarðr shook.

English translation: own translation.

Þrymr sat á haugi,þursa dróttinn,grey sínagullböndum batt;meri sínarat mana jafnar,kýr sínargullhornaðar.

Þrymr sat on his mound,lord of the thurses,his houndshe bound with golden chains;his mareswere matched in their manes,his cowswere golden-horned.

English translation: own translation.

Hvat er með ásum?Hvat er með álfum?Hví ertu einn kominní Jötunheima?Þrymr mælti þá,þursa dróttinn:'Á ek gull gnógtok Freyju vantar.'

What is afoot among the Aesir?What is afoot among the elves?Why have you come aloneto Jötunheimr?Þrymr spoke then,lord of the thurses:'I have gold in plenty;only Freyja was lacking.'

English translation: own translation.

Snemma um kvelditkómu þar tiliotna þjóðarok öl krefjast;einn ox átátta laxa,krásir allarþær er konur skyldu.

Early in the eveningthere camethe throng of giantscalling for ale;one whole ox she ate,eight salmon,all the daintiesthat were set aside for women.

English translation: own translation.

Át vætr Freyjafyr átta nætr,svá var hon óðfúsí Jötunheima;en hon drakkþrjár ambáttiraf meði mjaðar,hvat máttu þat þursar þiggja?

Freyja ate nothingfor eight nights,so eager was sheto reach Jötunheimr;and she drankthree casksof mead:how could the giants endure that sight?

English translation: own translation.

Þá kvað þat Þrymr,þursa dróttinn:'Hvar sastu brúðirbíta hvassara?Sák-a ek brúðirbíta breiðara,né inn meira mjöðmey of drekka.'

Then Þrymr spoke,lord of the thurses:'Where have you seen a bridebite more keenly?I have never seen a bridebite so broadly,or a maidendrink more mead.'

English translation: own translation.

Sat in alsnotraambótt fyrir,er orð of fannvið jötuns máli:'Óðfús er Freyjaí Jötunheima,átta nætrsvaf hon aldregi.'

The all-cunning handmaiden sat forwardand found wordsto answer the giant's speech:'Freyja is eagerto reach Jötunheimr;for eight nightsshe did not sleep at all.'

English translation: own translation.

Lítr nam und línuLoki at sjá,brúðr var Þrymrat búa við kyssa;hlaup hann aftrof höll alla:'Hví eru öndóttaugu Freyju?'

Þrymr lifted the veilto kiss the bride;he leapt backacross the entire hall:'Why are Freyja's eyesso terrible to look upon,as though fireburned within them?'

English translation: own translation.

Sat in alsnotraambótt fyrir,er orð of fannvið jötuns máli:'Óðfús er Freyjaí Jötunheima,átta nætrsvaf hon aldregi,þvíat hon önd er,ögn er í augum.'

The all-cunning handmaiden sat forwardand found wordsto answer the giant's speech:'Freyja is eagerto reach Jötunheimr;for eight nightsshe did not sleep at all,that is why she is fierce,and fire burns in her eyes.'

English translation: own translation.

Þá kvað þat Þrymr,þursa dróttinn:'Berið inn hamarbrúði at vígja,leggið Mjöllnií meyjar kné,vígið okkr samanVárar hendi!'

Then Þrymr spoke,lord of the thurses:'Bring in the hammerto hallow the bride,lay Mjölnirin the maiden's lap,wed us togetherby the hand of Vár!'

English translation: own translation.

Hlóg Hlórriðahugr í brjósti,er harðhugaðrhamar þekkði;Þrym drap hann fyrstan,þursa dróttinn,ok ætt jötunsalla lamði.

Hlórriði's heartlaughed in his breastwhen the fierce onerecognized the hammer;he struck Þrymr first,lord of the thurses,and all the race of giantshe crushed.

English translation: own translation.

Drap hann ina aldrnujötna systur,hon er brúðféarof beðit hafði;hon skel hlautfyr skelling,en hömrumhogg fyr hringa.

He struck the oldsister of giants,she who had askedfor bridal gifts;she got a blowinstead of gifts,and hammer-strokesinstead of rings.

English translation: own translation.

Svá kom Óðins sonrendur at hamri,er hann Þrym hafðiþursa dróttinof vegit fyrstanok ætt jötunsalla lamití Jötunheimum.

So Odin's songot his hammer back,when he had Þrymr,lord of the thurses,struck down firstand all the raceof giantscrushed in Jötunheimr.

English translation: own translation.

Svá kom Óðins sonraptr í goðheima,er hann hamar hafðiof heiðan heim.Fór hann allr þaðaní Ásgarðr upp,ok þar dvalðistdigurleikr ása.

So Odin's son returnedto the home of the godswhen he had the hammerback from the heathen land.He traveled from thereup to Ásgarðrand there he remained,the mighty one of the Aesir.

English translation: own translation.

Þrymskviða er þetta.Þat er upp of rekitok hér af lýkt,lykðusk af vísum.Nú er kveðitkvæði þessa,er Þrymr hafðiþjafið Mjöllni.

This is Þrymskviða.It has been performedand here concluded,concluded in verses.Now is sungthis songof how Þrymrstole Mjölnir.

English translation: own translation.

Svá fékk Hlórriðihamar sinn aptr.Þat er sannast sagtat sínum degi.Freyja nam hlæja,fagr í sinni röð,en Þrymr firðistfrá fjöldi þursa.

So Hlórriði won backhis hammer.That is the truest tellingof that day.Freyja laughed,fair in her place,and Þrymr passed awayamong the throng of thurses.

English translation: own translation.

Key concepts

Mjölnir , Thor's hammer, the poem's central object; its theft drives the entire plot
Brísingamen , Freyja's necklace that bursts from her fury (stanza 13) and is then worn by the disguised Thor
fjaðrhamr , the feather-cloak Freyja lends to Loki; enables flight to Jötunheimr
fornyrðislag , the narrative metre Þrymskviða uses throughout
Heimdallr , the god who proposes the disguise plan; called 'whitest of the Æsir'
Þrymr , the giant-king who steals Mjölnir and demands Freyja as bride; slain by Thor at the wedding feast

Interpretive traditions

A What we know

Þrymskviða is preserved solely in Codex Regius (GKS 2365 4to). It is absent from AM 748 I 4to.

The poem's fornyrðislag metre is consistent throughout the text, unlike most dialogue poems which use ljóðaháttr.

The motif of the cross-dressed god recovering a stolen object has parallels in other Indo-European traditions, including Vedic tradition.

Brísingamen is mentioned in several independent sources (Sörla þáttr, Húsdrápa, Gylfaginning), confirming that the necklace was an established part of the Freyja tradition.

B What we think we know

The dating of Þrymskviða is among the most debated in Eddic scholarship. Older research (Bugge, Mogk) dated it late (13th century, possibly influenced by ballad tradition); more recent scholarship (de Vries, Turville-Petre) has argued for an earlier date, perhaps 10th century.

Whether the poem's comic tone reflects a carnivalesque or parodic tradition within Old Norse culture, or represents a late literary play with mythological material, is subject to discussion.

Heimdallr's epithet 'whitest of the Æsir' and the comparison with the Vanir (stanza 15) have been linked to the theory that Heimdallr was originally a Vanir god. The evidence is indirect.

The relationship between Thor's disguise and Old Norse conceptions of cross-dressing and ergi is complex. A male god donning women's clothing should be deeply shameful, yet the poem treats it humorously.

C What we do not know

Whether Þrymskviða draws on an older myth of Mjölnir's theft also found in other (lost) versions, or whether the poem is a unique composition, cannot be determined with current source material.

The exact ritual or social context for the poem's performance is unknown. Its comic character has prompted suggestions of entertainment poetry at feast-gatherings, yet none can be substantiated.

Stanza 27's 'Hlóg Hlórriða hugr í brjósti' (Thor's heart laughed in his breast) is one of the most memorable lines in Eddic poetry. Whether it had a specific formulaic function in oral tradition or is a unique poetic expression remains an open question.

Sources and further reading

Primary sources

Neckel, Gustav, och Hans Kuhn. 1983. Edda: Die Lieder des Codex Regius nebst verwandten Denkmälern. 5. uppl. Heidelberg: Winter.

Translations

Bellows, Henry Adams (trans.). 1923. The Poetic Edda. New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation. (PD)
Larrington, Carolyne (trans.). 2014. The Poetic Edda. Rev. ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Scholarly works

Lindow, John. 2001. Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Simek, Rudolf. 1993. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Angela Hall. Cambridge: D. S. Brewer.
de Vries, Jan. 1956–1957. Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte. 2 vols. Berlin: de Gruyter.
Turville-Petre, E. O. G. 1964. Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
Clunies Ross, Margaret. 1994–1998. Prolonged Echoes: Old Norse Myths in Medieval Northern Society, vols. I–II. Odense: Odense University Press.
McKinnell, John. 2014. Essays on Eddic Poetry. Ed. Donata Kick and John D. Shafer. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.