and Ormt, and the two streams Kerlaug, to the trysting place.

Thor, who was honoured as the highest god in Norway, came second in
the trilogy of all the other countries, and was called "old Thor,"
because he is supposed by some mythologists to have belonged to an
older dynasty of gods, and not on account of his actual age, for he
was represented and described as a man in his prime, tall and well
formed, with muscular limbs and bristling red hair and beard, from
which, in moments of anger, the sparks flew in showers.

"First, Thor with the bent brow,
In red beard muttering low,
Darting fierce lightnings from eyeballs that glow,
Comes, while each chariot wheel
Echoes in thunder peal,
As his dread hammer shock
Makes Earth and Heaven rock,
Clouds rifting above, while Earth quakes below."

Valhalla (J. C. Jones).

The Northern races further adorned him with a crown, on each point
of which was either a glittering star, or a steadily burning flame,
so that his head was ever surrounded by a kind of halo of fire,
his own element.

Thor's Hammer

Thor was the proud possessor of a magic hammer called Mioelnir
(the crusher) which he hurled at his enemies, the frost-giants,
with destructive power, and which possessed the wonderful property
of always returning to his hand, however far away he might hurl it.

"I am the Thunderer!
Here in my Northland,
My fastness and fortress,
Reign I forever!

"Here amid icebergs
Rule I the nations;
This is my hammer,
Mioelnir the mighty;
Giants and sorcerers
Cannot withstand it!"

Saga of King Olaf (Longfellow).

As this huge hammer, the emblem of the thunderbolts, was generally
red-hot, the god had an iron gauntlet called Iarn-greiper, which
enabled him to grasp it firmly. He could hurl Mioelnir a great distance,
and his strength, which was always remarkable, was doubled when he
wore his magic belt called Megin-gioerd.

"This is my girdle:
Whenever I brace it,
Strength is redoubled!"

Saga of King Olaf (Longfellow).

Thor's hammer was considered so very sacred by the ancient Northern
people, that they were wont to make the sign of the hammer, as the
Christians later taught them to make the sign of the cross, to ward
off all evil influences, and to secure blessings. The same sign
was also made over the newly born infant when water