d her as his mother.

"Son, come within," said she, "and you may bring your fellow farer with
you."

The Giant crone--she was Hrymer's grandmother--kept up her screaming and
yelping. But Thor went past her and into the Giant's dwelling.

When she saw that it was one of the Dwellers in Asgard who had come with
her son the Giant woman grew fearful for them both. "Hrymer," she said,
"will be in a rage to find one of the AEsir under his roof. He will
strive to slay you."

"It is not likely he will succeed," Thor said, grasping Mioelnir, the
hammer that all the Giant race knew of and dreaded.

"Hide from him," said the Giant woman. "He may injure my son in his rage
to find you here."

"I am not wont to hide from the Giants," Thor said.

"Hide only for a little while! Hide until Hrymer has eaten," the Giant
woman pleaded. "He comes back from the chase in a stormy temper. After
he has eaten he is easier to deal with. Hide until he has finished
supper."

Thor at last agreed to do this. He and the Giant youth hid behind a
pillar in the hall. They were barely hidden when they heard the clatter
of the Giant's steps as he came through the courtyard. He came to the
door. His beard was like a frozen forest around his mouth. And he
dragged along with him a wild bull that he had captured in the chase. So
proud was he of his capture that he dragged it into the hall.

"I have taken alive," he shouted, "the bull with the mightiest head and
horns. 'Heaven-breaking' this bull is called. No Giant but me could
capture it." He tied the bull to the post of the door and then his eyes
went toward the pillar behind which Thor and the Giant youth were
hiding. The pillar split up its whole length at that look from Hrymer's
eyes. He came nearer. The pillar of stone broke across. It fell with the
crossbeam it supported and all the kettles and cauldrons that were
hanging on the beam came down with a terrible rattle.

Then Thor stepped out and faced the wrathful Giant. "It is I who am
here, friend Hrymer," he said, his hands resting on his hammer.

Then Hrymer, who knew Thor and knew the force of Thor's hammer, drew
back. "Now that you are in my house, Asa Thor," he said, "I will not
quarrel with you. Make supper ready for Asa Thor and your son and
myself," said he to the Giant woman.

A plentiful supper was spread and Hrymer and Thor and the Giant youth
sat down to three whole roast oxen. Thor ate the whole of one ox.
Hrymer, who had eat