Thor," Hrymer said at
last. "Well, do you think you are powerful enough to break the cup that
is before you?"

Thor took up the cup and with a laugh he hurled it against the stone
pillar of the house. The cup fell down on the floor without a crack or a
dint in it. But the pillar was shattered with the blow.

The Giant laughed. "So feeble are the folk of Asgard!" he said.

Thor took up the cup again and flung it with greater force against the
stone pillar. And again the cup fell to the ground without a crack or a
dint.

Then he heard the woman who was the mother of the Giant youth sing
softly, as she plied her wheel behind him:

Not at the pillar of the stead,
But at Hrymer's massy head:
When you next the goblet throw,
Let his head receive the blow.

Thor took the cup up again. He flung it, not at the pillar this time,
but at Hrymer's head. It struck the Giant full on the forehead and fell
down on the floor in pieces. And Hrymer's head was left without a dint
or a crack.

"Ha, so you can break a cup, but can you lift up my mile-wide kettle?"
cried the Giant.

"Show me where your mile-wide kettle is and I shall try to lift it,"
cried Thor.

The Giant took up the flooring and showed him the mile-wide kettle down
in the cellar. Thor stooped down and took the kettle by the brim. He
lifted it slowly as if with a mighty effort.

"You can lift, but can you carry it?" said the Giant.

"I will try to do that," said Thor. He lifted the kettle up and placed
it on his head. He strode to the door and out of the house before the
Giant could lay hands on him. Then when he was outside he started to
run. He was across the mountain before he looked behind him. He heard a
yelping and a screaming and he saw the Giant crone with the bunch of
heads running, running after him. Up hill and down dale Thor raced, the
mile-wide kettle on his head and the Giant crone in chase of him.
Through the deep forest he ran and over the high mountain, but still
Bunch-of-Heads kept him in chase. But at last, jumping over a lake, she
fell in and Thor was free of his pursuer.

And so back to the AEsir and the Vanir Thor came in triumph, carrying on
his head the mile-wide kettle. And those of the AEsir and the Vanir who
had laughed most at Loki's mockeries rose up and cheered for him as he
came in. The mead was brewed, the feast was spread, and the greatest
banquet that ever the Kings of the Giants gave to the Dwellers in As