Chapter 3.pdf

Chapter 3 Stolen Thunder Thor had a hammer that he carried with him everywhere. It was called Mjöllnir [myoel-neer]. Mjöllnir was a magical weapon. It had been crafted by the dwarves in their underground workshop. When Thor threw the hammer, it would sail through the air and strike its target. There...

Chapter 3 Stolen Thunder Thor had a hammer that he carried with him everywhere. It was called Mjöllnir [myoel-neer]. Mjöllnir was a magical weapon. It had been crafted by the dwarves in their underground workshop. When Thor threw the hammer, it would sail through the air and strike its target. There would be a flash of lightning and a boom of thunder. Then, the hammer would fly back to Thor’s hand like a boomerang. Thor loved his hammer. He never went anywhere without it. He even slept with it. The first thing he did when he got up in the morning was grab Mjöllnir. But one morning, Thor woke up and found that Mjöllnir was gone. He looked everywhere but could not find it. “Loki!” said Thor. “Loki has stolen my hammer!” 28 Thor looked everywhere for his hammer but could not find it. 29 Thor found Loki. He took him by the throat and lifted him up so that his legs dangled in the air. Loki could barely breathe. “I... did... not... take... it,” he stammered. “Liar!” roared Thor. Thor glared at Loki and waited for the truth to come out. However, Loki said nothing. Thor waited a little longer. Still, Loki said nothing. Thor was puzzled. He began to think maybe Loki was telling the truth this time. (Every so often, Loki did tell the truth.) Thor set Loki down. He went to speak with Odin. Odin sent his two ravens out. They flew around the world and came back with a report. 30 Thor glared at Loki and waited for the truth to come out. 31 “It was Thrym, the giant,” the ravens said. “He stole the hammer.” Thrym was a giant who was quite ugly but very rich. Odin sent Loki to speak with Thrym. Loki made the long journey to the world of the giants. Thrym greeted him with a smile. “Hello, Loki,” he said. “How are the gods today?” “They are not well,” said Loki. “Someone has taken Thor’s hammer.” “What a pity!” said Thrym, but he did not seem too upset. Loki did not mince words. “Was it you?” he asked. Loki expected Thrym to deny it, but that is not what happened. 32 Odin sent Loki to speak with the giant, Thrym. 33 “Yes!” said Thrym. “I stole the hammer! I have buried it six miles underground, where no one can ever find it! ” Thrym paused briefly to cackle and enjoy his own villainy. Then, he spoke again. “Tell Thor he will never see his hammer again—unless...” “Unless what?” Loki asked. “Unless Freya will agree to marry me,” said Thrym. “Not likely,” said Loki. “She’s married already, you know.” “What do I care?” said Thrym. “It will never happen,” said Loki. “Then, I will keep Thor’s hammer,” said Thrym. “No Freya, no hammer!” 34 Thrym said he would return Thor’s hammer—but only if Freya would agree to marry him. 35 Loki went back and told the gods that Thrym had stolen the hammer. “He says he will give it back, on one condition,” Loki reported. “What is that?” Odin asked. “If Freya will agree to marry him.” “What?” said Freya. “I will never marry that disgusting beast! Never!” Odin was very wise. He had drunk from the famous Well of Wisdom. He had even traded one of his eyes in order to get more wisdom. But, even with all this wisdom, he was not sure how to get Thor’s hammer back. “What shall we do?” Odin asked the other gods. “How shall we get Thor’s hammer back?” There was a long silence. None of the other gods seemed to know what to do either. 36