XVTHORD OF HAFSGAARD
Here we have the Old Norse Lay of Thrym (þrymskviða) recast and trolled forth by a mediæval minstrel. He has been faithful to the grim jollity of the original poem; but, as his lilting verse has lost the trenchant battle-axe swing of the old alliterative metre, so the tale he tells is shorn of the epic dignity surrounding Valhalla and the gods. On the restoration of the Thunderer’s hammer hangs the fate of the Æsir in their endless warfare with the Frost Giants; its loss is a calamity such as was never known in heaven nor earth. When Freyja is asked to play the Bride, her stamp shakes the celestial floor. When Thor drives to the wedding feast, earth burns under his chariot wheels. Whereas the Thord of the Ballad might, for aught we are told, be a mere bonnet-laird; and it is only by implication that we gather any idea of his hammer’s importance.
The erudite M. Pineau (Étude sur les Chants Populaires Scandinaves) is puzzled and pained by these variations and omissions—notably that of the Æsir’s council, and of Thor’s indignation at the idea of assuming bridal attire. “Don’ttell me,” he exclaims indignantly, “that this scene of all others could be forgotten by the popular imagination!” The Eddie Lays, according to him, jealously guarded by the priests, were never known to the people at large; and he goes so far as to declare that the source alike of Lay and Ballad must be sought in some older, and now non-existent, form of the story. M. Pineau, in short, is a Necessitarian, who will not allow free-will to poets. Why should not the minstrel pick and choose his incidents? Why, on M. Pineau’s own showing, should not the Lay have reached him in fragmentary form? The student must decide for himself; suffice it meanwhile to say that the Ballad is a capital one, and the “merry jest” at the end a racy substitute for the ferocious pun which concludes the original, at the expense of the Giant’s mother:
“For pence a pound was what she won.”
“For pence a pound was what she won.”
“For pence a pound was what she won.”
“For pence a pound was what she won.”
1It was Thord of Hafsgaard o’er the blowing meads did ride,There he lost his hammer of gold, and sought for it far and wide.2It was Thord of Hafsgaard spake with his brother bold:“Thou must fare to Norrefjeld, and seek my hammer of gold!”3It was little Loki that donned his feather-fell,Forth he flew to Norrefjeld, all over the salt sea-swell.4All in the castle-garth his garment changèd he,Then entered in the stone-built hall, the Giant-King to see.5“Now welcome, little Loki, be thou right welcome here!How fares the country round Hafsgaard, and the land that lies anear?”6“Well fares the country round Hafsgaard, and the land that lies anear,But Thord hath lost his hammer of gold, and therefore am I come here.”7“Never shall Thord have his hammer again, altho’ ye seek and strive!Under the earth ’tis buried deep, full fifty fathom and five!8“Never shall Thord have his hammer again (for ye shall buy it dear),Till ye bring me your sister Fredensborg, with all your goods and gear!”9It was little Loki that donned his feather-fell,Forth he flew on the homeward way, all over the salt sea-swell.10All in the castle-garth his garment changèd he,Then entered in the stone-built hall, his brother dear to see.11“Never shall Thord have his hammer again, altho’ we seek and strive,Under the earth ’tis buried deep full fifty fathom and five!12“Never shall Thord have his hammer again (for we must buy it dear),Till we take him our sister Fredensborg, with all our goods and gear!”13The maiden seated on the bench she up and spake to him:“Oh, give me to a christened man, and not to a goblin grim!”14“Now we will take our father, and comb his locks with care,And lead him up to Norrefjeld, all for a bride so fair!”15Now true is the tale I tell ye, they took that fair young bride,They spared no costly plenishing to deck her out with pride.16They seated her, that beauteous bride, upon the bridal-seat;Forth he came, the Giant-King, full fain the maid to greet.17An ox that lusty bride devoured, and thirty salted swine,And drank, ere she could slake her thirst, twelve tuns of good red wine!18The Giant-King he paced the floor, and wrathful was his mood:“Who e’er beheld a beauteous bride fall thus upon her food?”19Up spake little Loki, beneath his cloak smiled he:“For seven days she ate no meat, so sore she longed for thee!”20Stayed upon a mighty tree by seven champions bold,Up to the knees of the maiden they bore the hammer of gold.21Up she rose, the bride, and took the hammer in her hand;Good sooth, I say, she swung it light as a willow wand!22She slew the King o’ the Giants, that Troll so fierce and grim,And the lesser Trolls that sought the feast, she slew them after him.23It was little Loki that spake a merry jest:“Our father he is a widow now, to lead him home were best!”
1It was Thord of Hafsgaard o’er the blowing meads did ride,There he lost his hammer of gold, and sought for it far and wide.2It was Thord of Hafsgaard spake with his brother bold:“Thou must fare to Norrefjeld, and seek my hammer of gold!”3It was little Loki that donned his feather-fell,Forth he flew to Norrefjeld, all over the salt sea-swell.4All in the castle-garth his garment changèd he,Then entered in the stone-built hall, the Giant-King to see.5“Now welcome, little Loki, be thou right welcome here!How fares the country round Hafsgaard, and the land that lies anear?”6“Well fares the country round Hafsgaard, and the land that lies anear,But Thord hath lost his hammer of gold, and therefore am I come here.”7“Never shall Thord have his hammer again, altho’ ye seek and strive!Under the earth ’tis buried deep, full fifty fathom and five!8“Never shall Thord have his hammer again (for ye shall buy it dear),Till ye bring me your sister Fredensborg, with all your goods and gear!”9It was little Loki that donned his feather-fell,Forth he flew on the homeward way, all over the salt sea-swell.10All in the castle-garth his garment changèd he,Then entered in the stone-built hall, his brother dear to see.11“Never shall Thord have his hammer again, altho’ we seek and strive,Under the earth ’tis buried deep full fifty fathom and five!12“Never shall Thord have his hammer again (for we must buy it dear),Till we take him our sister Fredensborg, with all our goods and gear!”13The maiden seated on the bench she up and spake to him:“Oh, give me to a christened man, and not to a goblin grim!”14“Now we will take our father, and comb his locks with care,And lead him up to Norrefjeld, all for a bride so fair!”15Now true is the tale I tell ye, they took that fair young bride,They spared no costly plenishing to deck her out with pride.16They seated her, that beauteous bride, upon the bridal-seat;Forth he came, the Giant-King, full fain the maid to greet.17An ox that lusty bride devoured, and thirty salted swine,And drank, ere she could slake her thirst, twelve tuns of good red wine!18The Giant-King he paced the floor, and wrathful was his mood:“Who e’er beheld a beauteous bride fall thus upon her food?”19Up spake little Loki, beneath his cloak smiled he:“For seven days she ate no meat, so sore she longed for thee!”20Stayed upon a mighty tree by seven champions bold,Up to the knees of the maiden they bore the hammer of gold.21Up she rose, the bride, and took the hammer in her hand;Good sooth, I say, she swung it light as a willow wand!22She slew the King o’ the Giants, that Troll so fierce and grim,And the lesser Trolls that sought the feast, she slew them after him.23It was little Loki that spake a merry jest:“Our father he is a widow now, to lead him home were best!”
1It was Thord of Hafsgaard o’er the blowing meads did ride,There he lost his hammer of gold, and sought for it far and wide.
1
It was Thord of Hafsgaard o’er the blowing meads did ride,
There he lost his hammer of gold, and sought for it far and wide.
2It was Thord of Hafsgaard spake with his brother bold:“Thou must fare to Norrefjeld, and seek my hammer of gold!”
2
It was Thord of Hafsgaard spake with his brother bold:
“Thou must fare to Norrefjeld, and seek my hammer of gold!”
3It was little Loki that donned his feather-fell,Forth he flew to Norrefjeld, all over the salt sea-swell.
3
It was little Loki that donned his feather-fell,
Forth he flew to Norrefjeld, all over the salt sea-swell.
4All in the castle-garth his garment changèd he,Then entered in the stone-built hall, the Giant-King to see.
4
All in the castle-garth his garment changèd he,
Then entered in the stone-built hall, the Giant-King to see.
5“Now welcome, little Loki, be thou right welcome here!How fares the country round Hafsgaard, and the land that lies anear?”
5
“Now welcome, little Loki, be thou right welcome here!
How fares the country round Hafsgaard, and the land that lies anear?”
6“Well fares the country round Hafsgaard, and the land that lies anear,But Thord hath lost his hammer of gold, and therefore am I come here.”
6
“Well fares the country round Hafsgaard, and the land that lies anear,
But Thord hath lost his hammer of gold, and therefore am I come here.”
7“Never shall Thord have his hammer again, altho’ ye seek and strive!Under the earth ’tis buried deep, full fifty fathom and five!
7
“Never shall Thord have his hammer again, altho’ ye seek and strive!
Under the earth ’tis buried deep, full fifty fathom and five!
8“Never shall Thord have his hammer again (for ye shall buy it dear),Till ye bring me your sister Fredensborg, with all your goods and gear!”
8
“Never shall Thord have his hammer again (for ye shall buy it dear),
Till ye bring me your sister Fredensborg, with all your goods and gear!”
9It was little Loki that donned his feather-fell,Forth he flew on the homeward way, all over the salt sea-swell.
9
It was little Loki that donned his feather-fell,
Forth he flew on the homeward way, all over the salt sea-swell.
10All in the castle-garth his garment changèd he,Then entered in the stone-built hall, his brother dear to see.
10
All in the castle-garth his garment changèd he,
Then entered in the stone-built hall, his brother dear to see.
11“Never shall Thord have his hammer again, altho’ we seek and strive,Under the earth ’tis buried deep full fifty fathom and five!
11
“Never shall Thord have his hammer again, altho’ we seek and strive,
Under the earth ’tis buried deep full fifty fathom and five!
12“Never shall Thord have his hammer again (for we must buy it dear),Till we take him our sister Fredensborg, with all our goods and gear!”
12
“Never shall Thord have his hammer again (for we must buy it dear),
Till we take him our sister Fredensborg, with all our goods and gear!”
13The maiden seated on the bench she up and spake to him:“Oh, give me to a christened man, and not to a goblin grim!”
13
The maiden seated on the bench she up and spake to him:
“Oh, give me to a christened man, and not to a goblin grim!”
14“Now we will take our father, and comb his locks with care,And lead him up to Norrefjeld, all for a bride so fair!”
14
“Now we will take our father, and comb his locks with care,
And lead him up to Norrefjeld, all for a bride so fair!”
15Now true is the tale I tell ye, they took that fair young bride,They spared no costly plenishing to deck her out with pride.
15
Now true is the tale I tell ye, they took that fair young bride,
They spared no costly plenishing to deck her out with pride.
16They seated her, that beauteous bride, upon the bridal-seat;Forth he came, the Giant-King, full fain the maid to greet.
16
They seated her, that beauteous bride, upon the bridal-seat;
Forth he came, the Giant-King, full fain the maid to greet.
17An ox that lusty bride devoured, and thirty salted swine,And drank, ere she could slake her thirst, twelve tuns of good red wine!
17
An ox that lusty bride devoured, and thirty salted swine,
And drank, ere she could slake her thirst, twelve tuns of good red wine!
18The Giant-King he paced the floor, and wrathful was his mood:“Who e’er beheld a beauteous bride fall thus upon her food?”
18
The Giant-King he paced the floor, and wrathful was his mood:
“Who e’er beheld a beauteous bride fall thus upon her food?”
19Up spake little Loki, beneath his cloak smiled he:“For seven days she ate no meat, so sore she longed for thee!”
19
Up spake little Loki, beneath his cloak smiled he:
“For seven days she ate no meat, so sore she longed for thee!”
20Stayed upon a mighty tree by seven champions bold,Up to the knees of the maiden they bore the hammer of gold.
20
Stayed upon a mighty tree by seven champions bold,
Up to the knees of the maiden they bore the hammer of gold.
21Up she rose, the bride, and took the hammer in her hand;Good sooth, I say, she swung it light as a willow wand!
21
Up she rose, the bride, and took the hammer in her hand;
Good sooth, I say, she swung it light as a willow wand!
22She slew the King o’ the Giants, that Troll so fierce and grim,And the lesser Trolls that sought the feast, she slew them after him.
22
She slew the King o’ the Giants, that Troll so fierce and grim,
And the lesser Trolls that sought the feast, she slew them after him.
23It was little Loki that spake a merry jest:“Our father he is a widow now, to lead him home were best!”
23
It was little Loki that spake a merry jest:
“Our father he is a widow now, to lead him home were best!”