tanding posted at the door, to strike a fire
from flints as a timely safeguard against demons, and kindle it in the
entrance. Then he made others bear a light before him, and stooped his
body through the narrow jaws of the cavern, where he beheld a number of
iron seats among a swarm of gliding serpents. Next there met his eye a
sluggish mass of water gently flowing over a sandy bottom. He crossed
this, and approached a cavern which sloped somewhat more steeply.
Again, after this, a foul and gloomy room was disclosed to the visitors,
wherein they saw Utgarda-Loki, laden hand and foot with enormous chains.
Each of his reeking hairs was as large and stiff as a spear of cornel.
Thorkill (his companions lending a hand), in order that his deeds might
gain more credit, plucked one of these from the chin of Utgarda-Loki,
who suffered it. Straightway such a noisome smell reached the
bystanders, that they could not breathe without stopping their noses
with their mantles. They could scarcely make their way out, and were
bespattered by the snakes which darted at them on every side.

Only five of Thorkill's company embarked with their captain: the poison
killed the rest. The demons hung furiously over them, and cast their
poisonous slaver from every side upon the men below them. But the
sailors sheltered themselves with their hides, and cast back the venom
that fell upon them. One man by chance at this point wished to peep out;
the poison touched his head, which was taken off his neck as if it had
been severed with a sword. Another put his eyes out of their shelter,
and when he brought them back under it they were blinded. Another thrust
forth his hand while unfolding his covering, and, when he withdrew his
arm, it was withered by the virulence of the same slaver. They besought
their deities to be kinder to them; vainly, until Thorkill prayed to
the god of the universe, and poured forth unto him libations as well
as prayers; and thus, presently finding the sky even as before and the
elements clear, he made a fair voyage.

And now they seemed to behold another world, and the way towards the
life of man. At last Thorkill landed in Germany, which had then been
admitted to Christianity; and among its people he began to learn how
to worship God. His band of men were almost destroyed, because of
the dreadful air they had breathed, and he returned to his country
accompanied by two men only, who had escaped the worst. But the corrupt
matte