us tree. Under it Skyrmir sat down. "I'll sleep
before I eat," he said, "but you can open my wallet, my little men, and
make your meal out of it." Saying this, he stretched himself out, and in
a few minutes Thor and Loki and the lad Thialfi heard the same sounds as
kept them awake the night before, sounds that were like forests moaning
and cataracts falling. It was Skyrmir's snoring.

Thor and Loki and the lad Thialfi were too hungry now to be disturbed by
these tremendous noises. Thor tried to open the wallet, but he found it
was not easy to undo the knots. Then Loki tried to open it. In spite of
all Loki's cunning he could not undo the knots. Then Thor took the
wallet from him and tried to break the knots by main strength. Not even
Thor's strength could break them. He threw the wallet down in his rage.

The snoring of Skyrmir became louder and louder. Thor stood up in his
rage. He grasped Mioelnir and flung it at the head of the sleeping Giant.

The hammer struck him on the head. But Skyrmir only stirred in his
sleep. "Did a leaf fall on my head?" he said.

He turned round on the other side and went to sleep again. The hammer
came back to Thor's hand. As soon as Skyrmir snored he flung it again,
aiming at the Giant's forehead. It struck there. The Giant opened his
eyes. "Has an acorn fallen on my forehead?" he said.

Again he went to sleep. But now Thor, terribly roused, stood over his
head with the hammer held in his hands. He struck him on the forehead.
It was the greatest blow that Thor had ever dealt.

"A bird is pecking at my forehead--there is no chance to sleep here,"
said Skyrmir, sitting up. "And you, little men, did you have breakfast
yet? Toss over my wallet to me and I shall give you some provision." The
lad Thialfi brought him the wallet. Skyrmir opened it, took out his
provisions, and gave a share to Thor and Loki and the lad Thialfi. Thor
would not take provision from him, but Loki and the lad Thialfi took it
and ate. When the meal was finished Skyrmir rose up and said, "Time for
us to be going toward Utgard."

As they went on their way Skyrmir talked to Loki. "I always feel very
small when I go into Utgard," he said. "You see, I'm such a small and a
weak fellow and the folk who live there are so big and powerful. But you
and your friends will be welcomed in Utgard. They will be sure to make
little pets of you."

And then he left them and they went into Utgard, the City of the Giants.
Giants wer