Thor’s trip to Jotunheim - Part Six

 

The chief of the giants turned to Thialfi. “What can you do?”

“I am the swiftest runner among all the people in my country.” Thialfi replied.

The chief of the giants then called Hugi to compete with Thialfi.

They came to a huge open space in the back of the banquet hall which was to be the race ground.

The first time, Thialfi ran fast, but Hugi was faster. So much so that Hugi reached the goal and ran back and met Thialfi who was halfway to the goal.

The king of giants asked Thialfi to try again.

This time Thialfi ran as fast as an eagle flew before swooping down on its prey. But Thialfi was still a bow-shot from the goal when Hugi reached it.

The third time, Thialfi was too tired and could not even run a little further away from the starting line when Hugi had already reached the finish line.

The giants realized that Thialfi could not run and the running competition was stopped.

The chief of giants set a competition for Thor. “How would you like to prove your worth, Thor?”

Thor studied the king and nodded. “I would like to have a drinking match with any of you.”

Thor suggested this competition because he did not want to perform anything more worthy than that before these giants.

The chief of giants and the other giants then went back to the banquet hall.

“Bring the cup of penance.” The chief of giants told his people.

Adapted from Norse Mythology

Thor’s trip to Jotunheim - Part Five

The streets of the huge city were gloomy. Thor and his friends walked on and finally came up to a huge building where the doors were open.

“Let us go inside that.” Thor told his friends.

They agreed.

Inside the place, they found that it was a banquet hall. There was a massive table in the centre of the hall and stone thrones around the table. There were giants sitting on the stone thrones around the table.

One of the giants looked like the leader and so Thor went to him and greeted him.

The giant carelessly studied Thor. “I am not going to ask you any questions about your journey. I know that you are Thor. And the others are your friends.” The giant waved at the table. “We have a rule that only the worthy can sit on this table. So if you wish to sit here, you should be able to prove your worth by some feat.” The giant studied Thor. “What are you going to do?”

Loki came forward. “I am known to eat food very fast.” Loki studied the giants. “Keep some food before me and I can eat it faster than any one of your giants.”

The chief giant nodded. “That is a good trait.” The giant turned to his people. “Get Logi here.”

Logi was a thin giant who came to the table.

A huge trough of meat was placed on the table and Loki was on one side and Logi was on the other side.

The competition started and both of them ate as fast as possible and it almost seemed like Loki and Logi met at the middle of the table eating exactly half.

But it was found that Loki had eaten only the meat, but Logi had eaten the bones too.

So Logi was decided to be the winner of this competition.

Adapted from Norse Mythology

Thor’s trip to Jotunheim - Part Four

Thor threw his Miolnir at the giant.

The giant turned and smirked. “Did a leaf touch me?”

Thor caught the Miolnir which always returned to his hand and was shocked. But Thor threw his hammer again.

The giant caught his forehead. “I think an acorn fell on my head.”

Thor threw the Miolnir again, the hardest that he could manage.

The giant laughed out aloud. “There must be a bird on that tree that let a feather fall on my face.”

The giant then turned and walked towards the forest. But before that, the giant gave a word of advice to Thor. “Thor, you think I am a tall man, but there are much taller giants than me. Turn back now and be satisfied with what you have learnt from your trip to Jotunheim.”

Thor shook his head and shouted after the giant. “I will never turn back. We will meet again and there is something that we will learn from each other at that time.” 

The giant did not reply and walked into the forest.

Thor and his friends looked for the giant in the forest and then when they could not find the giant, they continued their journey.

It was noon, when Thor and his friends reached the end of the forest. After the forest was a vast barren plain land and a great city stood there.

Thor and his friends came to the city and found that the gates of the city were closed. But the space between the bars of the closed doors was so huge that Thor and his friends were able to pass through the space between the gates.

Thor and his friends easily went inside the city.

Adapted from Norse Mythology