Thor's Wedding | Þrymskviða | Signal from Asgard

Signal from Asgard presents: The Lay of Thrym

Thor woke to find Mjölnir gone—stolen in the night, no sign of the thief. Without his hammer, Asgard stood defenseless. Loki borrowed Freyja's falcon cloak and flew to Jötunheim, where he found the giant Þrymr sitting on a burial mound, braiding gold. He said that he has the hammer and will only return it if Freyja comes as his bride.

Freyja's rage shook the hall when they asked. The gods assembled in crisis. Heimdall proposed the solution: let Thor wear the bridal veil. Thor roared at the indignity, but Loki cut through his pride: "Wear the dress—or wear our death." Thor chose survival over shame, donned Brísingamen and bridal garments, and rode with Loki to the giant's hall.

Þrymr called for Mjölnir to sanctify the wedding. They laid the hammer on the bride's lap. Thor's hand closed around the handle. The veil fell. The hall learned what thunder sounds like indoors.

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LYRICS:

Thor woke; his hand lay bare
Mjölnir gone from thunder’s care
Red beard shook, his brow burned hot
Someone dared what should not be sought

He searched the hall from beam to stone
Turned each bench and Odin’s throne
No sign, no trace, no shattered door
So Thor strode hard to Loki’s floor

Mjölnir lost, the gods grow thin
Without the hammer, giants grin
Take the thunder from its lord
And Asgard stands without its sword

“Lend your cloak of feathered flight,”
They asked of Freyja, fair and bright
“Though gold it be and dear to me,
Take it—speed is destiny.”

Loki wore the falcon’s guise
Flew to where Jötunn mountains rise
There Þrymr sat on burial mound
Braiding gold, with pride unbound

Þrymr laughed with giant’s cheer:
“Why comes Loki alone here?”
“Ill fare gods and ill fare all—
Hast thou made the hammer fall?”

“Aye,” said Þrymr, swollen proud
Eight leagues down beneath the ground
None shall claim its crushing might
Unless I choose the wedding rite

Bring me Freyja, bright and fair
Bind her to my giant chair
Then the hammer shall return
No other price will I discern

Swift flew Loki, sharp with spite
Back to Asgard’s golden height
Thor asked once before he’d land:
“Speak, those who sit speak half a plan.”

Þrymr has it, buried deep.
He will not bend nor bargain cheap
Only bride-price he will take
Freyja for the hammer’s sake

Freyja’s rage shook hall and beam
Brísingamen split at seam
“Would you name me base or loose
To wed a giant, dull and brute?”

The gods assembled, grim and pressed
Heimdall saw what none confessed:
“Let Thor wear the bridal guise
Thus shall cunning conquer size.”

Bind Brísingamen at his throat
Keys at belt and bridal coat
Veil and cap and maiden’s name
Let shame become the winning flame

Thor roared loud with wounded pride:
“Gods will mock me far and wide!”
Loki cut with colder breath:
“Wear the dress—or wear our death.”

Better shame than shattered wall
Better veil than giant thrall
Power bends when pride must break
This is the choice that gods must make

Goats were yoked, the chariot flew
Mountains split where wheels ran through
Earth burned black beneath the ride
A bride approached with thunder’s stride

Evening fell, the feast was laid
“Bride” sat down with hunger unafraid
An ox was gone in single span
Eight salmon stripped by maiden-hand

Three great vats of mead ran dry
Þrymr stared with widening eye:
“Where have I seen a bride so fed?
What kind of woman sits instead?”

Loki spoke with honeyed tone:
Eight nights fasting she has known
So fierce her longing for this day
Hunger drove all sleep away.

Þrymr bent to steal a kiss
Leapt back hard at sight of this
“Why her eyes like fire burn?”
“Eight nights sleepless, thus they turn.”

Then his sister, grasping, small
Asked for rings before them all
Thor said nothing, jaw set tight
The storm was waiting for its night

“Bring the hammer,” Þrymr cried
Lay it on the maiden’s side
Let Vár bless the wedding tie
So oath and bond are sanctified

They brought Mjölnir into hal
Laid it low on bridal shawl
Thunder laughed beneath the veil
Steel remembered who would fail

Thor rose up, the veil was torn
Maiden gone—the storm reborn
First blow split the giant king
Second taught his kin the thing

Not for mockery, not for spite
But law restored through thunder’s might
Sister begged for gold and grace
The hammer answered in its place

None escaped that shattered hall
Some were struck and some did fall
Those who fled into the night
Learned to fear the Storm's return

Steal from gods and pay the cost
Mock the storm and all is lost
Wit may win where strength would fail
Even thunder wears a veil

Better shame than power gone
Better bend than Asgard torn
Thor wore dress and bore the jest
And saved the worlds by swallowing pride

Home he rode with hammer sure
Loki laughed at giant’s cure
Mjölnir rang in Asgard’s hand
Thunder whole across the land

#thor #mjolnir #thrymskvitha #loki #norsemythology