self on Odin's lofty
seat. He looked out on the world. He saw Midgard, the World of Men, with
its houses and towns, its farms and people. Beyond Midgard he saw
Joetunheim, the Realm of the Giants, terrible with its dark mountains and
its masses of snow and ice. He saw Freya as she went upon her
wanderings, and he marked that her face was turned toward Asgard and
that her steps were leading toward the City of the Gods. "I have
contented myself by looking from Hlidskjalf," said Frey to himself, "and
no harm has come to me."

But even as he spoke his gaze was drawn to a dwelling that stood in the
middle of the ice and snow of Joetunheim. Long he gazed upon that
dwelling without knowing why he looked that way. Then the door of the
house was opened and a Giant maiden stood within the doorway. Frey gazed
and gazed on her. So great was the beauty of her face that it was like
starlight in that dark land. She looked from the doorway of the house,
and then turned and went within, shutting the door.

Frey sat on Odin's high seat for long. Then he went down the steps of
the Tower and passed by the two wolves, Geri and Freki, that looked
threateningly upon him. He went through Asgard, but he found no one to
please him in the City of the Gods. That night sleep did not come to
him, for his thoughts were fixed upon the loveliness of the Giant maid
he had looked upon. And when morning came he was filled with loneliness
because he thought himself so far from her. He went to Hlidskjalf again,
thinking to climb the Tower and have sight of her once more. But now the
two wolves, Geri and Freki, bared their teeth at him and would not let
him pass, although he spoke to them again in the language of the Gods.

He went and spoke to wise Nioerd, his father. "She whom you have seen, my
son," said Nioerd, "is Gerda, the daughter of the Giant Gymer. You must
give over thinking of her. Your love for her would be an ill thing for
you."

"Why should it be an ill thing for me?" Frey asked.

"Because you would have to give that which you prize most for the sake
of coming to her."

"That which I prize most," said Frey, "is my magic sword."

"You will have to give your magic sword," said his father, the wise
Nioerd.

"I will give it," said Frey, loosening his magic sword from his belt.

"Bethink thee, my son," said Nioerd. "If thou givest thy sword, what
weapon wilt thou have on the day of Ragnaroek, when the Giants will make
war upon the Gods?"