Thor and Tyr Face the Anger of Hymir

The Aesir gods invited Aegir, the sea giant to dine with them. Aegir had such a good time that he said he would like to invite the Aesir to his home for a feast, but he had no kettle large enough to hold the mead the gods would imbibe. Tyr knew where such a kettle existed: his father, the giant Hymir, owned one. Thor and Tyr set out to get it.

Thor and Tyr Go to Hymir’s Hall

Hymir the giant owned the cauldron, called “Mile-Deep.” It was the only vessel that could hold enough mead for everyone invited to Aegir’s party. When Thor and Tyr arrived at Hymir’s home, they learned the giant was out fishing. Hymir’s wife, who was nicer than most giants, invited the two gods to rest. Thor and Tyr entered the home, and she warned them that if Hymir found them in the house, he would be angry. Hymir’s glance could kill anyone he directed it at. The two Aesir could hide behind the kettles in the back of the house.

The Glance That Shattered the Kettles

When Hymir returned, Thor and Tyr hid as instructed. Hymir’s wife tried to break the news softly to Hymir, but he was a giant with boundless rage. He cast his glance at the beam holding the kettles. The light from his eyes broke the beam, and eight kettles fell to the floor. Only one, the hardest-hammered, stayed whole.

Thor and Tyr at Hymir’s Table

With time, Hymir calmed down. He was polite to Thor and Tyr and invited them to eat. Because he was unlucky while fishing, he had three oxen prepared for the meal. Thor ate two of the oxen by himself, which caused Hymir’s rage to rekindle. The giant bellowed that Thor would need to provide for his own meals in the future if the god insisted on eating so much. Thor agreed to Hymir’s conditions.

Author note: In the Poetic Edda poem Hymiskviða, this visit leads straight into Thor’s fishing adventure with Hymir. Snorri’s Prose Edda tells the fishing trip on its own and leaves out the kettle.