Frey did not speak, but he thought the day of Ragnaroek was far off. "I
cannot live without Gerda," he said, as he turned away.

There was one in Asgard who was called Skirnir. He was a venturesome
being who never cared what he said or did. To no one else but Skirnir
could Frey bring himself to tell of the trouble that had fallen on
him--the trouble that was the punishment for his placing himself on the
seat of the All-Father.

Skirnir laughed when he heard Frey's tale. "Thou, a Van, in love with a
maid of Joetunheim! This is fun indeed! Will ye make a marriage of it?"

"Would that I might even speak to her or send a message of love to her,"
said Frey. "But I may not leave my watch over the Elves."

"And if I should take a message to Gerda," said Skirnir the Venturesome,
"what would my reward be?"

"My boat Skidbladnir or my boar Golden Bristle," said Frey.

"No, no," said Skirnir. "I want something to go by my side. I want
something to use in my hand. Give me the magic sword you own."

Frey thought upon what his father said, that he would be left weaponless
on the day of Ragnaroek, when the Giants would make war upon the Gods and
when Asgard would be endangered. He thought upon this, and drew back
from Skirnir, and for a while he remained in thought. And all the time
thick-set Skirnir was laughing at him out of his wide mouth and his blue
eyes. Then Frey said to himself, "The day of Ragnaroek is far off, and I
cannot live without Gerda."

He drew the magic sword from his belt and he placed it in Skirnir's
hand. "I give you my sword, Skirnir," he said. "Take my message to
Gerda, Gymer's daughter. Show her this gold and these precious jewels,
and say I love her, and that I claim her love."

"I shall bring the maid to you," said Skirnir the Venturesome.

"But how wilt thou get to Joetunheim?" said Frey, suddenly remembering
how dark the Giants' land was and how terrible were the approaches to
it.

"Oh, with a good horse and a good sword one can get anywhere," said
Skirnir. "My horse is a mighty horse, and you have given me your sword
of magic. Tomorrow I shall make the journey."

Skirnir rode across Bifroest, the Rainbow Bridge, laughing out of his
wide mouth and his blue eyes at Heimdall, the Warder of the Bridge to
Asgard. His mighty horse trod the earth of Midgard, and swam the river
that divides Midgard, the World of Men, from Joetunheim, the Realm of the
Giants. He rode on heedlessly and recklessly,