Thjalfe and his companion,
With their heads above water,
Got over the river,—
To Thor’s belt they clung.
Their strength was tested,—
Geirrod’s daughters made hard the stream
For the iron rod.
Angry fared Thor with the Gridarvol.
Nor did courage fail
Those foes of the giant
In the seething vortex.
Those sworn companions
Regarded a brave heart
Better than gold.
Neither Thor’s nor Thjalfe’s heart
From fear did tremble.
And the war companions—
Weapons despising—
’Mong the giants made havoc,
Until, O woman!
The giant destroyers
The conflict of helmets
With the warlike race
Did commence.
The giants of Iva’s[90] capes
Made a rush with Geirrod;
The foes of the cold Svithiod
Took to flight.
Geirrod’s giants
Had to succumb
When the lightning wielder’s[91] kinsmen
Closely pursued them.
Wailing was ’mongst the cave-dwellers
When the giants,
With warlike spirit endowed,
Went forward.
There was war.
The slayer of troll-women,
By foes surrounded,
The giant’s hard head hit.
With violent pressure
Were pressed the vast eyes
Of Gjalp and Greip
Against the high roof.
The fire-chariot’s driver
The old backs broke
Of both these maids
For the cave-woman.
The man of the rocky way
But scanty knowledge got;
Nor able were the giants
To enjoy perfect gladness.
Thou man of the bow-string!
The dwarf’s kinsman
An iron beam, in the forge heated,
Threw against Odin’s dear son.
But the battle-hastener,
Freyja’s old friend,
With swift hands caught
In the air the beam
As it flew from the hands
Of the father of Greip,—
His breast with anger swollen
Against Thruda’s[92] father.
Geirrod’s hall trembled
When he struck,
With his broad head,
’Gainst the old column of the house-wall.
Uller’s splendid flatterer
Swung the iron beam
Straight ’gainst the head
Of the knavish giant.
The crusher of the hall-wont troll-women
A splendid victory won
Over Glam’s descendants;
With gory hammer fared Thor.
Gridarvol-staff,
Which made disaster
’Mong Geirrod’s companion,
Was not used ’gainst that giant himself.