Thrymskvida

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The Þrymskviða ("Song of Thrymr") or Hammersheimt ("Homecoming of the hammer") is an Old Norse song of the gods of the Edda of the Codex regius . In terms of content, the theft of the Thorhammer Mjölnir by the giant Thrymr is described in 32 stanzas in the meter Fornyrðislag and how Thor , disguised as a bride, gets his hammer back. The plot is characterized by a burlesque, fluctuating style in which the protagonists Thor, Thrymr and Loki act in an exaggerated manner. The subject matter of the song belongs to the kind of Thors myths within the mythological poems of Norse literature .

Due to the lack of reception of the figure of the giant Thrymr in the corpus of the rest of Nordic mythological literature, such as in the Skaldik, and especially because of the lack of it in Snorri Sturluson ( Prose Edda ), the song is dated rather late to the end of the 12th to the beginning of the 13th century . Jan de Vries alternatively cites the possibility that the lack of reception in the sources of Icelandic origin (Snorri) may indicate that the song was not written in Iceland and therefore only became known there late. The song has enjoyed greater popularity and reception in the form of ballads and folk song arrangements in Scandinavia since the 15th century.

As the antipode of Thor , Thrymr steals his attributive hammer. Thrymr suggests to Loki to trade Mjölnir in if Freyja would marry Thrymr. Thor takes on the deal as a pretense: He disguises himself as Freyja and moves to the giant ice fortress with Loki, who is disguised as his servant. Thrymr reacts suspiciously, but is repeatedly calmed down by Loki. Thrymr is dismayed that the “bride” - Thor in disguise - eats a whole ox and eight salmon at the wedding meal and drinks three barrels of mead , which Loki explains with the fact that the supposed Freyja did not eat any food for eight days because of excitement have. Through Loki's (over) eloquence, Thrymr is moved to hand over the hammer to the "bride". As soon as Thor has his hammer in his hands again, he immediately kills all the giants of the Thrymrs family present. Thrymr is one of the slain.

literature