e is the earthen goblet from
which I drink my ale. Great men, like myself, can crush such goblets
between their thumbs and fingers; but such puny fellows as you will find
that they cannot break it by any means."

"Let me try!" cried Thor.

He took the great goblet in his hands, and threw it with all his
strength against a stone post in the middle of the hall. The post was
shattered into a thousand pieces, but the goblet was unharmed.

"Ha, ha!" laughed the giant. "Try again!"

Thor did so. This time he threw it against a huge granite rock that
stood like a mountain near the seashore. The rock crumbled in pieces and
fell, but the goblet was whole as ever.

"What a very stout fellow you are!" cried Hymer in glee. "Go home now,
and tell the good Asa-folk that you cannot even break a goblet!"

"Let me try once more," said Thor, amazed, but not disheartened.

"Throw it against Hymer's forehead," whispered some one over his
shoulder. "It is harder than any rock."

Thor looked, and saw that it was the giant's handsome wife who had
given him this kind advice. He took the goblet, and hurled it quickly,
straight at old Hymer's head. The giant had no time to dodge. The
vessel struck him squarely between the eyes, and was shattered into ten
thousand little pieces. But the giant's forehead was unhurt.

"That drink was rather hot!" cried Hymer, trying to joke at his ill
luck. "But it doesn't take a very great man to break a goblet. There
is one thing, however, that you cannot do. Yonder is my great
brewing-kettle, a mile deep. No man has ever lifted it. Now, if you will
carry it out of the hall, where it sits, you may have it for your own."

"Agreed!" cried Thor. "It is a fair bargain; and, if I fail, I will go
home and never trouble you again."

Then he took hold of the edge of the great kettle, and lifted it with
all his might. The floor of Hymer's hall broke under him, and the walls
and roof came tumbling down; but he turned the kettle over his head,
and walked away with it, the great rings of the vessel clattering at his
heels. Tyr went before him, and cleared the way; and Hymer gazed
after him in utter amazement. The two Asa-folk had fairly won the
brewing-kettle.

In due time they reached old AEgir's hall, where the guests were still
waiting for them. Some said that they had been gone three days, but most
agreed that it was only three hours. Be that as it may, AEgir's thralls,
Funfeng and Elder, brewed great store