near, asleep and snoring heavily. Then Thor knew that this was the noise
he had heard during the night. He immediately girded on his belt of
prowess which had the virtue of increasing his strength. The giant awoke
and stood up, and it is said that for once Thor was too frightened to
use his hammer, and he therefore contented himself with inquiring the
giant's name.

"My name," replied the giant, "is Skrymir. As for you it is not
necessary I should ask your name. You are the god Thor. Tell me, what
have you done with my glove?"

Then Skrymir stretched out his hand and took it up, and Thor saw that
what he and his companions had taken for a hall in which they had passed
the night, was the giant's glove, the chamber into which they had
retreated being only the thumb.

Skrymir asked whether they might not be friends, and Thor agreeing, the
giant opened his bag and took out something to eat. Thor and his
companions also made their morning meal, but eat in another place. Then
Skrymir, proposing that they should put their provisions together, and
Thor assenting to it, put all into one bag, and laying it on his
shoulder marched before them, with huge strides, during the whole day.
At night he found a place where Thor and his companions might rest under
an oak. There, he said, he would lie down and sleep.

"You take the bag," said he, "and make your supper."

He was soon asleep, and, strange as it may seem, when Thor tried to open
the bag he could not untie a single knot nor loose the string. Enraged
at this he seized his hammer, swayed it in both his hands, took a step