thin the horn and laughed. "Drained, Asa Thor!" said
the Giant King. "Look into the horn again. You have hardly drunk below
the brim."

And Thor looked into it and saw that the horn was not half emptied. In a
mighty rage he lifted it to his lips again. He drank and drank and
drank. Then, satisfied that he had emptied it to the bottom, he left the
horn on the ground and walked over to the other side of the hall.

"Thor thinks he has drained the horn," said one of the Giants, lifting
it up. "But see, friends, what remains in it."

Thor strode back and looked again into the horn. It was still half
filled. He turned round to see that all the Giants were laughing at him.

"Asa Thor, Asa Thor," said the Giant King, "we know not how you are
going to deal with us in the next feat, but you certainly are not able
to drink against the Giants."

Said Thor: "I can lift up and set down any being in your hall."

As he said this a great iron-colored cat bounded into the hall and stood
before Thor, her back arched and her fur bristling.

"Then lift the cat off the ground," said the Giant King.

Thor strode to the cat, determined to lift her up and fling her amongst
the mocking Giants. He put his hands to the cat, but he could not raise
her. Up, up went Thor's arms, up, up, as high as they could go. The
cat's arched back went up to the roof, but her feet were never taken off
the ground. And as he heaved and heaved with all his might he heard the
laughter of the Giants all round him.

He turned away, his eyes flaming with anger. "I am not wont to try to
lift cats," he said. "Bring me one to wrestle with, and I swear you
shall see me overthrow him."

"Here is one for you to wrestle with, Asa Thor," said the King. Thor
looked round and saw an old woman hobbling toward him. She was
blear-eyed and toothless. "This is Ellie, my ancient nurse," said the
Giant King. "She is the one we would have you wrestle with."

"Thor does not wrestle with old women. I will lay my hands on your
tallest Giants instead."

"Ellie has come where you are," said the Giant King. "Now it is she who
will lay hands upon you."

The old woman hobbled toward Thor, her eyes gleaming under her falling
fringes of gray hair. Thor stood, unable to move as the hag came toward
him. She laid her hands upon his arms. Her feet began to trip at his. He
tried to cast her from him. Then he found that her feet and her hands
were as strong against his as bands and stakes