The Book of Viking Myths by Peter Archer

Author:Peter Archer
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Adams Media
Published: 2017-02-12T16:00:00+00:00

Arriving at Utgard

The next day the companions reached a great fortress. It was so large that they had to bend their necks all the way back to look up at it. It was far greater than anything that could have been built by the hand of man. Clearly, this was the stronghold of Utgarda-Loki.

They tried to open the door but could not budge it. Finally, they squeezed through the bars and found themselves in a great hall in which many folk, all of them giants, were sitting. At the far end of the hall, a great giant was sitting in a wooden chair. Slowly they paced the hall and, arriving before the giant leader, hailed him as Utgarda-Loki.

However, he ignored them at first. Finally he said, grinning contemptuously, “Am I right that this little fellow who I see before me is the famous Thor? The god of whom so many great deeds are spoken? There must be more to you than meets the eye! But all who stay in this hall with us must show they have primacy in some skill or other. What skill are you unsurpassed in?”

Thor was silent, but Loki spoke up. “I have the skill of eating,” he said. “I can devour the meat that lies on this table”—he gestured to the great table at which the giants were seated—“faster than any of you.”

Utgarda stared at him hard. “That would be an accomplishment indeed!” he said. He called to one of the giants, a being called Logi, which means “fire.” Logi and Loki seated themselves at opposite ends of the table, and when Utgarda gave the signal, they began to eat. Loki reached the middle of the table, having eaten all the meat that was on his half. But Logi had eaten not only the meat but also the bones and the table itself.

Utgarda grunted. “It seems Loki has lost that contest,” he observed. He pointed to Thjalfi. “What can that youngster do?”

Thjalfi had long, clean limbs. He said he would run a race against any Utgarda might name. The giant called a small fellow whom he named Hugi. The company went outdoors, where there was a broad plain. Thjalfi and Hugi crouched in their positions and when Utgarda cried the word, they ran swiftly. But Hugi ran so fast that when Thjalfi reached the end of the race, Hugi was already standing there waiting for him.

In the second race, Thjalfi fell even farther behind his opponent; at the end, he trailed by the distance of a long bow shot. And in the third race, by the time Hugi had reached the end, the panting Thjalfi was not even at the halfway mark.

“The lad has lost,” declared Utgarda. He turned to Thor. “Now we come to you, god of Asgard. There are many tales of your deeds. What skill do you propose to show us?”

“Drinking!” replied Thor.

“Well spoke!” declared Utgarda. He commanded his cupbearer to bring Thor the horn from which his followers usually drank at their feasts.

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