/late/ - Late Nights

Once Thor and Lokjr were traveling for Jotunheimr, far from the safety of Valhull. The sun-carriage already rode low in the sky, so the duo sought shelter in a local farm. As re-payment for the hosts kindness, Thor offered his goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjostr, for supper. This, only on if the bones would remain untouched.

The next morning Thor restored his goats back to life. Tanngrisnir sprang back to full vitality, but Tanngnjostr limped up instead. Thor knew what had happened: someone had drunk the bone marrow from Tanngnjostsrs leg. It could be no other than the farmers child, Thjalif and Rosvka. So, Thor decreed, the children would come instead of the goats. They would serve Thor and Lokjr until the goats were back to health.

The farmer, being a kind soul, could not refuse. However, him and wife made Thor swear no harm would come to the children. Thor agreed and he and his compatriots continued their journey to the realm of Jotunnar.

After a full day of traveling, the party tired once more. As luck would have it, they found a giant hall to rest in for the night.

The next morning they were awoken by a terrifying, earth-shaking rumbling. Thor, fearless as always, clutched his hammer and sought the source of the disturbance. It was no other than a Jotunn, asleep and loudly snoring. Thor was ready to swing his hammer, but did not get a chance. The Jotunn awoke and cheerfully greeted Thor.

"Ah, good morning!" the Jotunn said, "I am Skrymir. It is good to finally meet Thor Othinsonn." The Jotunn rose to his full length and grabbed his glove; the resting place for Thor and his party. "Allow me to accompany you to our Kingdom."

Another day of journeying was done. This time the quartet sought to rest under the branched of a venerable oak. Skrymir had carried the provisions for the day and went to sleep. Thus, it was left to Thor to open the knots on the Jotunns bags.

No matter how much Thor struggled, the knots would not give. Frustrated, Thor took Mjolnir in hand one more, and struck the Jotunn right on the head. The Jotunn awoke and laughingly asked if a leaf had fallen on his head.

Later in the night, Thor grew restless from the Jotunns snoring. Again Thor took his hammer and swung the Jotunn on the head. This time Skrymir asked if an acorn had fallen.

Just before dawn, Thor tried one, last time to end the Jotunns life. With all his might he swung Mjolnir. The Jotunn awoke groggily and asked if birds had roosted above him. Mayhap dirt fell from the tree on his head?

During the morning, Skrymir left the party and the latter traveled onwards. At midday the same day, they reached their destination: Castle Utgard.

Thor, Lokjr and their servants made their way to the dining hall. Here they were greeted by Utgarda-Loki. "It is good to finally see you, mighty Thor! Do tell, what took you so long? Perhaps your diminutive size got the better of you once more?"

Lokjr became angered and boasted no-one in the castle could eat faster than him. To this, Utgarda-Loki chuckled and called for the Jotunn Logi. "Proof your word, Lokjr, and beat Logi in an easting contest", the Jotunn said roaring with laughter.

Being of no little skill, Lokjr ate as fast as he could. But it was no use: by the time Lokjr had eaten half of the meat, Logi had devoured the meat, bone and even the trough itself. Lokjr admitted defeat.

Thjalfi, still guiltridden from three nights prior, offered to race anyone in the castle. Utgarda-Loki laughed again and called for Hugi. Hugi and Thjalfi raised three times, but Thjalfi was no match even once. The last round, Hugi even ran back to meet Thjalfi half-way.

Finally Thor spoke, and his thunderous voice roared through the castle: "I am Thor, son of Othin, in all the branches - and roots - of Yggdrasil there is no better drinker than I!" Amused by his guests fervor, Utgarda-Loki grabbed a drinking horn and gave it to Thor. "Only the mighty can empty this horn in one drink, two is fair - but three? No one takes three drinks to finish!" Utgarda-Loki said as he handed over the horn.

Thor drank until his breath gave out, but the liquor had barely lowered. Grumbling, Thor took another drink. This time, too, the drink hadn't lowered at all. Surprised and angry, Thor drunk once more, drinking until he nearly collapsed. Even this time, the liquid was still well in the horn.

"Disappointing," Utgarda-Loki proclaimed "perhaps this is not a stake suited for you? Instead, lift my cat from the ground to prove your strength." Thor grabbed the cat by its belly and lifted, but to no avail. The cat did not rise one inch by Thors efforts.

Thor became furious and accursed his host and his posse. "I will defeat any one of you in wrestling without effort or strife!", Thor shouted. In response Utgarda-Loki chose an old wife, Elli, as Thors opponent. At this, Thor became even more enraged, but Utgarda-Loki insisted it would be Elli. Even this contest Thor lost; finally, the Aesir admitted defeat.

The party rested at the castle for the night. The next day, as they were about to leaving, they ran into Utgarda-Loki. The latter wished to accompany them to the gates of the castle. Once at the gates, Utgarda-Loki began to speak:

"Now you have left my castle, I shall see to it you will never enter it again. The Aesir are mighty indeed. The knots to my bag were fashioned from iron and were almost undone at that. The three blows aimed at my head hit the mountain side instead. So mighty, these strikes, that the mountain was obliterated and three valleys stand in your wake."

"And Lokjr, too, is a formidable opponent. Eating at a pace almost as fast as fire itself. Even Thjalfi impressed us, racing against thought itself."

"Finally, son of Othin, most shocking to us was your performance. The horn we gave you was connected to the oceans of world. You drank with such ferocity, we were afraid you would drink it all! My cat was actually the world-serpent Jormungandr, which you raised out of the sea and into the sky. And, finally, you wrestled with old-age itself. Even here you held his own for a long, long time."

"Now, for your sake and for ours, leave, and never come back."

Realizing Thor lost only due to trickery, he became angered and wanted to destroy castle Utgard. When he turned to do so, however, it had disappeared and only an empty meadow surrounded the party.

Lokjr laughed and complimented Thor on his vigor, but insisted they should travel back. Thor accepted his friends praise and agreed it would be a mighty tale to tell. Both took one child on their back and hasted to Asgardr. Of course, stopping by the farmer to return Roskva and Thjalfi. The farmer was so impressed by his sons performance, he forgave him for injuring the Aesirs pet.

All six had a final meal together, again from Thors goats. This time Thjalfi did not drink from the goats bones. And so, Thor and Lokjr left the next morning, wishing the family a good harvest. As for Roskva and Thjalfi, they would never forget their adventure; inspiring them to never assume the worst.

What became of Thor and Lokjr? Well, that is a story for another time.

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>>4135

Here are some translator notes as an addendum:

Utgard (or Útgarðr) is the concept of the external realm, outside of safty, the outside (from home), etcetera. It returns regularly in Norse animism. Likewise Útgarða-Loki means so much as 'Loki of the outside'.

Skrýmir means boaster.

Logi means fire.

Hugi means thought.

Elli means age, or old age.

The exact connection between Útgarða-Lokjr and Lokjr (Lokjr being more phonetic, alternative spelling of Old Nordic Loki) is unclear. According to Dan McCoy the story has been heavily altered and filled with 'doggerel'. It definitely stands out amongst the other stories, both inside the Eddas and from other sources, due to joviality and lack of Wille/volition.

>>4132

Just as these stories were originally shared orally, I believe it is best to engage directly with the source. Give it your own swing and change details as you see fit: that is 'the point'. Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

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