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The rock crumbled in pieces and fell, but the goblet was whole as ever. "What a very stout fellow you are!" cried Hymer in glee. "Go home now, and tell the good Asa-folk that you cannot even break a goblet!" "Let me try once more," said Thor, amazed, but not disheartened. "Throw it against Hymer's forehead," whispered some one over his shoulder. "It is harder than any rock."
But he knew that his rude strength would count as nothing if matched with their skill and weapons: hence he deemed it wise to treat the two Asas as his friends, and to meet them with cunning and strategy. "Welcome to my hall!" he cried. "Fear no hurt from Hymer, for he was never known to harm a guest." And Thor and Tyr were given the warmest seats at the fireside.
The giant got back to the boat, however, and they rowed to land, taking the two whales with them. When they reached shore Thor was still filled with rage at the meddlesome giant, because he had lost him the serpent, but he quietly picked up the boat and carried it home, Hymer taking the whales.
"Where are they?" roared Hymer, stamping so furiously, that even his deaf old mother seemed to hear, and lifted up her heads. "They are under the kettles, at the gable-end of the hall," answered the woman. Hymer cast a wrathful glance towards the place.
Late in the afternoon of the seventh day, they reached some pasture lands belonging to the giant Hymer, and saw a herd of the giants cattle browsing upon the short grass which grew in the sheltered nooks among the hills. "Ah!" cried Loki; "after fasting for a week we shall now have food in abundance. Let us kill and eat."
Early the next morning, before the sun was up, Thor heard Hymer getting ready for a day of fishing. He dressed himself quickly and went out to the giant. "Good morning, Hymer," he said pleasantly. "I am fond of fishing; let me row out to sea with you."
Tyr went before him, and cleared the way; and Hymer gazed after him in utter amazement. The two Asa-folk had fairly won the brewing-kettle. In due time they reached old AEgir's hall, where the guests were still waiting for them. Some said that they had been gone three days, but most agreed that it was only three hours.
When Thor saw these great beasts, he ran quickly towards them, and seizing the largest one, which Hymer called the Heaven-breaker, he twisted off his head as easily as he would that of a small fowl, and ran back with it to the boat. Hymer looked at him in anger and amazement, but said nothing; and the two pushed the boat off from the shore.
He strode out of the hall without another word, and began getting his boat ready for a sail. But Thor followed him. "It is a fine day for fishing," said Thor gayly. "How I should like to go out with you!" "Such little fellows as you would better stay at home," growled Hymer. "But let me go with you," persisted Thor. "I can certainly row the boat while you fish."
Hymer turned, and looked at it with his piercing, icy glance, and in an instant it snapped into a thousand pieces; the beam overhead broke, and eight kettles fell with a crash on the stone floor. Only one out of the eight remained unbroken, and from it Thor and Tyr came forth.
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