Hrungnir took Gullfaxi and galloped quickly back to Jotunheim, where word of his duel with Thor spread amongst the giants. They thought this could be their opportunity to rid themselves of the scourge Thor was. Hrungnir was the strongest of them, and his defeat would likely mean the giants would have to fight Thor for eternity.
To ensure Hrungnir’s victory, the giants constructed a second hero to help him. They used clay at Grjotunagardar (“the courtyard of the rocky fields” or “stone fence house”) and made the figure of a man nine leagues (27 miles) high and three leagues (9 miles) wide under the arms. The only heart they could find large enough to give the golem life was a mare’s heart. Unfortunately, a mare’s heart is among the most cowardly of all hearts. They named him “Mokkurkalfi” (Cloud-calf).
In contrast, Hrungnir’s heart was made of stone and looked like the carved symbol with three sharp-pointed corners of the same name (Hrungnishjarta). Hrungnir’s head and shield were also made of stone. He carried a whetstone on his shoulder as a weapon. Standing at Grjotunagardar with his shield in front of him, Hrungnir was an imposing and intimidating presence.
Thor arrived at the dueling site with Thialfe the Swift.
Mokkurkalfi stood at Hrungnir’s side, shaking with fear. When he saw Thor, the clay-man peed his pants.
Thialfe ran to Hrungnir and laughed at him. “Thor has seen you, and yet, you hold your shield in front of you. Even now, he is traveling underground to attack you from underneath.”
Hrungnir put his shield on the ground and stood atop it. He held the whetstone ready. He thought he had prepared to face Thor.
Sources:
The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson, Penguin Classics (2005).
The Definitive Guide to Norse Mythology: The Gods Heroes, Monsters, and Legends of Viking Culture by Finn D. Moore (2022).
