Note: Þór is the Old Norse spelling of Thor.

One night, while Þór slept a giant stole Mjolnir. In the morning, when Þór realized his hammer was gone he lost his mind. The ground moved and the trees shook from his rage. Sunna, the goddess of the sun, was so scared she went home early causing the sky to turn black. The sky frightened by the sudden darkness and Þór’s bellows cried cold hard rain that flooded the land. The human priests hid the people away. They thought Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods, had come.

Þór, at last, calmed down. He knew without his hammer he couldn’t protect Asgard and the humans from the Frost Giants. They would bring famine and plague to everyone. They would destroy everything. Þór vowed to get back Mjolnir if it took his life to do it.

Þór knew he needed cunning to find Mjolnir. The most cunning person he knew was Loki, known as the doer of good and the doer of evil. Loki could find one hundred ways to do something when the next most cunning person could only find three. His wits were as sharp as a knife. He had as many tricks as an ocean has drops of water.

“Loki,” called Þór. “Mjolnir disappeared. Help me find it!”

Loki sat for a time then said, “Your hammer brings great fear to the giants. I think it is they who have stolen it. Let me look into it and we can plan from there.”

Loki went to Freya, queen of Seider, war, and love. “Freya, Þór’s hammer is missing. Will you lend me your cloak that let’s you fly so I may search for it?” he asked.

“I will,” she replied. “If it was gold I would loan it to you, for we must get back Mjolnir.

Loki wrapped himself in the cloak. There was a puff of smoke. Where Loki, the doer of good and the doer of evil, had stood was a golden hawk. Loki flew away, leaving the realm of Asgard, and finally reached the realm of the giants.

Thrym was King of the Giants. His house was at the top of one of the large mountains. He sat outside, making gold chains for his dogs. When Loki landed on a tree branch, Thrym knew him right away.

“How do the gods fair?” he asked. “And what can you tell me of the elves?”

“Not well,” replied Loki, “and the elves are almost as bad. Mjolnir is missing. Have you heard it?”

“I did not hear it because I was there,” replied Thrym. “Until Freya is my wife, It is mine. I buried it deep where not even the elves can go.”

No matter how Loki tried to trick Thrym, the giant would not tell where the hammer was hid. Finally, the giant roared in anger, “Away with you! if you want the precious hammer then bring Freyja to me to wife.”

Loki shook his head and flew away

Þór was waiting when Loki landed beside him. “Did you find it?” he asked.

Loki replied, “The Giant king Thrym has buried it where the even the elves will not find it. He says that he will return it when Freyja is his wife.”

Þór was happy. Freyja would marry Thrym and Mjolnir would return to him. He was surprised that Freyja was angry when she heard the good news.

“You are out of your mind! You stupid oaf. What in all the nine worlds makes you think I would ever bed a giant, much less marry one? Has all your drinking made your head soft? It must have if you think I will put on a wedding dress and veil and marry such an ugly creature.” She slapped Þór. “Get out of my home and stay out until you’ve sobered up.”

Loki draped the cloak he had borrowed across a chair as they left.

“What now?” Þór moaned. “We’ll never get Mjolnir now. Freyja is so selfish.”

“I am out of ideas. We will have to ask the others what to do,” Loki said.

Loki and Þór went to Valholl, the home of Odin, the All Father, and asked him. He called all the gods together for a meeting.

It was Heimdall, the watcher of the world, who knows the future who devised a plan.

He said: “Þór, will put on a wedding dress and veil. We will give him pretty necklaces and braid flowers in his hair and jewels in his beard. He will marry Thrym to get Mjolnir.”

“WHAT!” Þór bellowed. “I will not give up my manhood.” From the corner of his eye he saw Loki stifling laughter. He spun to face him. His face filled with rage. He shook his fist at Loki and yelled, “You did this to embarrass me. You arranged it all. I don’t know how, but you did. When I figure it out I will pound you to sand.”

The gods were almost rolling on the floors in laughter. Odin, after many minutes, got them to settle down. Þór was so mad he cried.

Loki stepped beside him and rested a hand on Þór’s shoulder. “Þór, I’ll go with you dressed as a bridesmaid. With our trick, we will deceive Thrym the thief and take what’s yours. If we fail, the giants will wield Mjolnir against Asgard itself. Once they smash down our walls who will protect the humans from them?”