brows sank over his eyes, and he
grasped his hammer so hard that his knuckles grew white. The terrified
peasant fell down on his face before him; and when Thor lifted the
hammer to destroy him the whole household wept aloud and begged for
mercy, promising to give him all they had in the world as an
atonement.

When Thor saw their terror, his anger left him, and he agreed to take
as a ransom the children of the peasant, a boy and girl, called
Thialfi and Roskva. And they became his servants, and have been always
in his company since that time.

Leaving his goats in charge of the peasant, Thor went forward towards
Giantland, accompanied by Loki and the two children; and the boy
Thialfi, who was the fleetest of foot of all living creatures, carried
Thor's bag.

After walking all day through a bleak and barren country wrapped in a
thick mist, they came at nightfall to a great wood, which seemed to
offer neither provisions, nor roof to shelter under for the night.

At length, after searching about for a very long time, they came to
what seemed to be a large hall of misty and uncertain shape, the door
of which was as wide as the whole building.

So they entered, and, finding everything within empty and dark, they
determined to go no farther, and stretched themselves, hungry and
weary as they were, upon the ground.

In the middle of the night they were awakened by what seemed to be a
great earthquake. The earth trembled beneath them and the house shook.

Calling upon his companions, Thor arose, and fearing lest the roof
should fall upon them he drew them into an inner room and, seating
himself in the doorway, took up his hammer and prepared to defend
himself and them, if anything should befall. But nothing further
happened save a renewed trembling of the ground and a curious,
regularly recurring sound, like a loud groan or roar.

When it began to grow light Thor went out and saw, not far off, a huge
giant lying on the ground fast asleep; and he understood that it was
his snores which had caused the ground to shake and which had sounded
like a roar or groan.

Suddenly the giant awoke and sprang up, so quickly that Loki and the
children, who had followed Thor, jumped behind a tree. But Thor, who
was afraid of nothing, only grasped his hammer tightly and asked his
name.

"I am called Skrymir," said the giant, looking down at him, and,
catching sight of his hammer, of which all in heaven and earth had
heard, he went