him, when, miscalculating his distance, he suddenly found
himself a captive.

Attracted by the bird's bright eyes, Geirrod looked closely at it and
concluded that it was a god in disguise, and finding that he could
not force him to speak, he locked him in a cage, where he kept him
for three whole months without food or drink. Conquered at last by
hunger and thirst, Loki revealed his identity, and obtained his release
by promising that he would induce Thor to visit Geirrod without his
hammer, belt, or magic gauntlet. Loki then flew back to Asgard, and
told Thor that he had been royally entertained, and that his host had
expressed a strong desire to see the powerful thunder-god, of whom
he had heard such wonderful tales. Flattered by this artful speech,
Thor was induced to consent to a friendly journey to Joetun-heim,
and the two gods set out, leaving the three marvellous weapons at
home. They had not gone far, however, ere they came to the house of
the giantess Grid, one of Odin's many wives. Seeing Thor unarmed,
she warned him to beware of treachery and lent him her own girdle,
staff, and glove. Some time after leaving her, Thor and Loki came to
the river Veimer, which the Thunderer, accustomed to wading, prepared
to ford, bidding Loki and Thialfi cling fast to his belt.

In the middle of the stream, however, a sudden cloud-burst and freshet
overtook them; the waters began to rise and roar, and although Thor
leaned heavily upon his staff, he was almost swept away by the force
of the raging current.

"Wax not, Veimer,
Since to wade I desire
To the realm of the giants!
Know, if thou waxest,
Then waxes my asa-might
As high as the heavens."

Norse Mythology (R. B. Anderson).

Thor now became aware of the presence, up stream, of Geirrod's daughter
Gialp, and rightly suspecting that she was the cause of the storm, he
picked up a huge boulder and flung it at her, muttering that the best
place to dam a river was at its source. The missile had the desired
effect, for the giantess fled, the waters abated, and Thor, exhausted
but safe, pulled himself up on the opposite bank by a little shrub, the
mountain-ash or sorb. This has since been known as "Thor's salvation,"
and occult powers have been attributed to it. After resting awhile
Thor and his companions resumed their journey; but upon arriving at
Geirrod's house the god was so exhausted that he sank wearily upon
the only chair in