hrough the Giants' Realm. The heights and the chasms of that dread land
made his spirits mount up like fire. He saw the whirlpools and the
smoking mountains and had joy of these sights. Higher and higher he
soared until, looking toward the South, he saw the flaming land of
Muspelheim. Higher and higher still he soared. With his falcon's eyes he
saw the gleam of Surtur's flaming sword. All the fire of Muspelheim and
all the gloom of Joetunheim would one day be brought against Asgard and
against Midgard. But Loki was no longer dismayed to think of the ruin of
Asgard's beauty and the ruin of Midgard's promise.

He hovered around one of the dwellings in Joetunheim. Why had he come to
it? Because he had seen two of the women of that dwelling, and his rage
against the Asyniur and the Vanir was such that the ugliness and the
evil of these women was pleasing to him.

He hovered before the open door of the Giant's house and he looked upon
those who were within. Gerrioed, the most savage of all the Giants, was
there. And beside him, squatting on the ground, were his two evil and
ugly daughters, Gialp and Greip.

They were big and bulky, black and rugged, with horses' teeth and hair
that was like horses' manes. Gialp was the uglier of the two, if one
could be said to be uglier than the other, for her nose was a yard long
and her eyes were crooked.

What were they talking about as they sat there, one scratching the
other? Of Asgard and the Dwellers in Asgard whom they hated. Thor was
the one whom they hated most of all, and they were speaking of all they
would like to do to him.

"I would keep Thor bound in chains," said Gerrioed the Giant, "and I
would beat him to death with my iron club."

"I would grind his bones to powder," said Greip.

"I would tear the flesh off his bones," said Gialp. "Father, can you not
catch this Thor and bring him to us alive?"

"Not so long as he has his hammer Mioelnir, and the gloves with which he
grasps his hammer, and the belt that doubles his strength."

"Oh, if we could catch him without his hammer and his belt and his
gloves," cried Gialp and Greip together.

At that moment they saw the falcon hovering before the door. They were
eager now for something to hold and torment and so the hearts of the
three became set upon catching the falcon. They did not stir from the
place where they were sitting, but they called the child Glapp, who was
swinging from the roof-tree, and they bade him go