have travelled through each of the nine worlds and am acquainted with all that they contain."

Thor then began to question him on a variety of subjects, respecting the names which they bore in the different worlds, and the dwarf's answers showed that each class of beings, the Aser, the Genii of fire, the Vaner, the Giants, the Elves, the Dwarfs, Men, and the spirits of the dead, had their particular language; a superstition, remarks Magnussen, which prevailed amongst many heathen nations, and particularly with the ancient Greeks and the Hindoos.

Thor's questions related to the earth, heaven, the moon, the sun, the clouds, wind, calms, the sea, fire, forests, night, grain, ale, &c.

The dwarf, carried away by his wisdom, dwelt so long on these subjects, that he did not perceive the approach of day until the sun fell on him, and he was turned at once to a stone.12

Thor remarked that he had never found so much wisdom in any breast, but that the dwarf had suffered himself to be taken in like a fool.

The above tale is taken from the Alvis-maal, in the poetic Edda. Like many other of the poems

12 No dwarf or evil spirit of any kind could endure the light of the sun, but if surprised by it was instantly converted

to stone.

of the same collection, it is in the form of a dialogue, and the tale seems designed merely as an attractive mode of conveying the mythological and other information which it contains.

The most celebrated, however, of Thor's adventures, was his journey to Giant-land, to which, on account of its length, we shall devote the ensuing chapter, following Oehlenschläger's poetical paraphrase of the account given in the prose Edda.

CHAPTER V.

THOR'S JOURNEY TO JOTUNHEIM, OR GIANT-LAND.

I. THOR SETS OUT ON ADVENTURES WITH LOKE.

THERE was at Upsala, in Sweden, a temple sacred to Odin, which exceeded all others in magnificence. Kings and Jarls and distinguished warriors from every part of the world frequented it, and no place in Midgard was more especially under the protection of Odin. Thor and Frigga were also worshipped there, and the priestesses of Frigga were king's daughters.

Utgardelok, the prince of darkness and king of the giants, blinded by his rancorous hatred to the Aser, and desirous of putting a mortal affront on their chief, repaired to this temple, put out the sacred fire, and laid the whole edifice in ruins.

When Odin learned this he lost no time to summon the Aser to council, and declared to them, in full assembly, what had happened. The Aser were filled with indignation, and called loudly for vengeance on the dark king.

anger

When they had sate down to table, Thor's was so great that he spake not a word, but struck his brow with his clenched hand, revolving in his mind how he might best chastise the insolence of Utgardelok. As soon as the repast was ended, and the Valkyrs had filled horns of mead for each of the guests, Thor announced his intention to drive his car, and, having harnessed his goats, and nailed on their golden shoes, and called to AsaLoke, who always sat next to him at Odin's table, to accompany him, he wound the leathern reins round his waist, and taking Miölner in his hand, drove towards the bridge Bifrost.1

Adown the painted way
As drove th' impetuous god,
The red flames, lambent, play
Along the wheel-tracks broad.
Heimdall his horn blew loud,
The god with sleepless eye,
Seven maids submissive bow'd
As the gold car flew by.

On earth some meteor dire

Men thought then to behold;

1 The bridge Bifrost, or the rainbow, was the bridge over which the gods passed on their way from heaven to earth. Heimdall was the warder of the gods and had his station on its summit. The seven maids were the seven colours of the rainbow.

The heavens were fraught with fire,
In peals the thunder roll'd :
Swift as enamour'd swan,

Passed on the Aser's car,
With Thor, the Giant-Bane,2

And Loptur thro' the air.

Oehlenschläger.

Asa-Loke, who, although the Thunderer had said nothing, suspected his purpose, and who, notwithstanding repeated chastisements, could never be taught to hold his tongue, began now tauntingly to propose a journey to Utgard,3 remarking that although the trip might be attended with some hazard, the giant king was well worth the seeing. Thor answered him shortly that he cared very little for Utgardelok, and that he had only to fling his hammer to crush him and his whole train of trolds and dwarfs.

So spake the god of war
And fearlessly drove on,
With Loptur in his car,

To earth's green regions down:
The little birds sang sweet,

The trees, in reverence, bow'd,

2 One of the epithets applied to Thor.

3 Utgard, literally the outermost dwelling, was the frozen circle of rocks which was supposed to surround the universe, the residence of giants and evil spirits.