Thor’s Hammer Is Stolen
The Day Mjölnir Went Missing
Thor’s stolen hammer is one of the funniest surviving Norse stories. Thor wakes to find Mjölnir missing. The giant Thrym will return it only if he receives Freyja as his bride, so Thor disguises himself as Freyja and attends the wedding. The plan nearly collapses when the “bride” eats an ox, eight salmon and drinks three barrels of mead. Once Mjölnir is placed in Thor’s lap for the ceremony, the comedy ends with a thunderous victory.The story survives in the Eddic poem Þrymskviða. Thor immediately demands Loki’s help. Loki borrows Freyja’s feather cloak, flies to Jötunheim and finds Thrym sitting on a burial mound, proudly decorating his dogs and horses.
Thrym admits hiding the hammer eight leagues beneath the earth. He refuses to return it unless Freyja marries him. Loki flies home with the demand. Thor and Loki tell Freyja to dress as a bride, but she becomes so furious that the gods’ hall shakes and her Brísingamen necklace springs apart. She will not be traded away.The gods hold a council. Heimdall proposes dressing Thor as the bride. Thor worries that everyone will mock him, but Loki reminds him that giants may soon invade Asgard without its defender. They cover Thor with a veil, add jewellery and household keys, place Brísingamen on him and dress Loki as a maid.
At the feast, Thor’s appetite shocks the wedding party. He devours an ox, eight salmon and all the food intended for the women, then drinks three casks of mead. Thrym asks why Freyja is so hungry. Loki replies that she has not eaten for eight nights because she was desperate to meet him.Thrym lifts the veil to kiss his bride and recoils from Thor’s blazing eyes. Loki quickly claims that Freyja has not slept for eight nights because of excitement. Each excuse turns Thor’s obvious behaviour into proof of devotion.
Before the disguise can fail, Thrym orders Mjölnir brought in to bless the marriage. The hammer is placed on the bride’s knees. Thor’s heart laughs when he feels it again. He grips his weapon, kills Thrym and defeats the giant household.
⬅ Back
Meet Jocelyn
The curious mind behind Mythfits Society
Hi! I’m Jocelyn, and I created Mythfits Society to make discovering ancient myths easier, more interesting and much more fun.
Read My Story