THE TWENTY-SEVENTH FABLE.

Of the Journey undertaken by Thor, to go to fifh for the great Serpent.

I

Find by your account, fays Gangler, that the power of this King, you have been mentioning, must be very great, and there cannot be a ftronger proof it, than his having courtiers fo fkilful and dexterous in all refpects. But, tell me, did THOR never revenge this affront? 'Tis well known, fays Har, (though no body has talked of it) that Thor had refolved to attack the great Serpent, if an opportunity offered: with this view he fet out from ASGARD a fecond time, under the form of a young boy, in order to go to the Giant EYMER *. When he was got there, he befought the Giant, to permit him to go

* I here give this name as it is in the Icelandic: M. Mallet writes it HYMER. The Reader must not confound this name with that of the Giant YMI, or YMIR, mentioned in the fecond fable, &c.

T.

aboard

aboard his bark along with him, when he went a fishing. The Giant answered, that a little puny ftripling like him, could be of no use to him; but would be ready to die of cold, when they fhould reach the high feas, whither he usually went. Thor affured him that he feared nothing: and afked him what bait he intended to fish with. Eymer bade him to look out for fomething. Thor went up to a herd of cattle which belonged to the Giant, and feizing one of the oxen, tore off his head with his own hands; then returning to the bark where Eymer was, they fate down together. Thor placed himfelf in the middle of the bark, and plied both his oars at once: Eymer, who rowed alfo at the prow, faw with furprize how fwiftly Thor drove the boat forward, and told him, that by the land-marks on the coafts, he discovered that they were come to the most proper place to angle for flat fish. But Thor affured him that they had better go a good way further: accordingly they continued to row on, till at length Eymer told him if they did not stop, they would be in danger from the great Serpent of Midgard. Notwithstanding this, Thor perfifted in rowing further, and spite of the Giant, was a great while before he would lay down his cars. Then taking out a fishing line extremely ftrong, he fixed to

it the ox's head, unwound it, and caft it into the fea. The bait reached the bottom, the Serpent greedily devoured the head, and the hook stuck faft in his palate. Immediately the pain made him move with fuch violence, that Thor was obliged to hold faft with both his hands by the pegs which bear against the oars: but the ftrong effort he was obliged to make with his whole body, caufed his feet to force their way through the boat, and they went down to the bottom of the fea; whilft with his hands, he violently drew up the Serpent to the fide of the veffel. It is impoffible to exprefs the dreadful looks that the God darted at the Serpent, whilft the monster, raifing his head, fpouted out venom upon him in the meantime the Giant Eymer feeing, with affright, the water enter his bark on all fides, cut with his knife the ftring of the fishing-line, just as Thor was going to ftrike the Serpent with his mace. Upon this the monfter fell down again to the bottom of the fea: nevertheless, fome add that Thor darted his mace after him, and bruifed his head in the midft of the waves. But one may affert with more certainty, that he lives ftill in the waters

Then

*We fee plainly in the above fable the origin of those vulgar opinions entertained in the north, and which

Pon

Then Thor ftruck the Giant a blow with his fift, nigh the ear, and throwing his head into the fea, waded afterwards on foot to land.

Pontoppidan has recorded, concerning the CRAKEN, and that monftrous Serpent, described in his History of NORWAY.

T.

THE

THE TWENTY-EIGHTH FABLE.

CER

Of Balder the Good.

ERTAINLY, fays Gangler, this was a very great victory of THOR's. The dream which BALDER had one night, replies Har, was fomething fill more remarkable. This God thought that his life was in extreme danger: wherefore, telling his dream to the other Gods, they agreed to conjure away all the dangers with which Balder was threatened. Then FRIGGA exacted an oath of Fire, Water, Iron and other Metals, as alfo of Stones, Earth, Trees, Animals, Birds, Difeafes, Poifon and Worms, that none of them would do any hurt to Balder (A). This done, the Gods, together with Balder himfelf, fell to diverting themselves in their grand affembly, and Balder flood as a mark at which they threw, fome of them darts, and fome ftones, while others ftruck at him with a fword. But whatever they could do, none of them could