Then old AEgir’s brow grew dark, and his breath came quick and fast; and, had not Niord held the winds tightly clutched in his hand, there would have been a great uproar in the hall. Even as it was, the mermaids fled away in great fright, and the white-veiled Waves stopped dancing, and a strange silence fell upon all the company.
“Some enemy has done this!” crier AEgir, as soon as he could speak. “Some enemy has taken away my brewing-kettle; and, unless we can find it, I fear our feast will be but a dry one.”
Then Thor said,—
“If any one knows where this kettle is, let him speak, and I will bring it back; and I promise you you shall not wait long for the feast.”
But not one in all this company knew aught about the missing kettle. At last Tyr stood up and said,—
“If we cannot find the same vessel that our host has lost, mayhap we may find another as good. I know a dogwise giant who lives east of the Rivers Elivagar, and who has a strong kettle, fully a mile deep, and large enough to brew ale for all the world.”
“That is the very kettle we want!” cried Thor. “Think you that we can get it?”
“If we are cunning enough, we may,” answered Tyr. “But old Hymer will never give it up willingly.”
“Is it Hymer of whom you speak?” asked Thor. “Then I know him well; and, willingly or not willingly he must let us have his kettle. For what is a feast without the gladsome ale?”
Then Thor and Tyr set out on their journey towards the land of Elivagar; and they travelled many a league northwards, across snowy mountains and barren plains, until they came to the shores of the frozen sea. And there the sun rises and sets but once a year, and even in summer the sea is full of ice. On the lonely beach, stood Hymer’s dwelling,—a dark and gloomy abode. Tyr knocked at the door; and it was opened by Hymer’s wife, a strangely handsome woman, who bade them come in. Inside the hall they saw Hymer’s old mother, sitting in the chimney-corner, and crooning over the smouldering fire. She was a horribly ugly old giantess, with nine hundred heads; but every head was blind and deaf and toothless. Ah, me! what a wretched old age that must have been!