But it was no easy task, and with all their efforts they failed to open it.  Not a knot could they untie, and their fingers were chafed and aching.

Neither were they more able to awaken Skyrmner, and Thor’s anger waxed exceedingly fierce.  “You shall pay for this,” said he, flinging his hammer at the giant.

Skrymner half opened the eye nearest to Thor, and said in a very sleepy voice, “Why will the leaves drop off the trees?” And then he snored as loudly as before.

Thor picked up his hammer, and approaching nearer drove it into the hinder part of the giant’s head, who again, half waking up, muttered, “How troublesome the dust is!”

Thor was exceedingly astonished at this, but thought nevertheless that he would once more make trial of his power; so coming up close to Skrymner he struck with such force as to drive the hammer up to the handle in the giant’s cheek.

Then Skrymner opened both eyes, and lazily lifting his finger to his face said, “I suppose there are birds about, for I fancied I felt a feather fall.”

Now was Thor fairly disconcerted; and the next morning, when the giant told him that they must now part, as his road led him another way, he was by no means ill-pleased, and he let Skrymner go without so much as bidding him “good speed.”  Skrymner, however, seemed not to notice that Thor was glad to be quit of his company, and gave him some very friendly advice before he left him.

“If you will take my advice,” said the giant, “you will give up this thought of visiting Utgard.  The people there are all giants of greater stature even than I, and they make nothing of little men, such as you are.  Nay, more, you yourself are likely to fare but badly amongst them, for I see that you are rather apt to think too much of yourself and to take too much upon you.  Be wise while there is time, think of what I say, and don’t go near the city.”

“But I will go there,” shouted Thor, almost choked with rage; “I will go in spite of all the Joetuns of Joetunheim.  None shall hinder me, and the giants shall see and wonder at the mighty power of the god Thor.”

And as he spoke the rising sun fell full upon the city of Utgard, whose huge brazen gates glittered in the sunlight.  Even though they were so far away, Thor could see how high they were; and as he drew nearer, their vast size filled him with amazement; but when he reached them his wonder was beyond all words, for he and his companions seemed no larger than grasshoppers, in comparison with their height.

The gates were not open, for it was yet early; so Thor and his comrades crept through the bars, and entered the city.  As they passed along the streets the houses were so tall that it was only by crossing to the opposite side of the broad road that they were able to see the windows in the topmost stories.  And the streets were so wide that it was quite a journey across them.

Once a mouse darted out of a hole, and Raska screamed, for she thought it was a grisly bear.  The mouse also shrieked and made much more noise than Raska, as well it might, for a cat so huge that Thialfe half thought it must be the monster of Midgard seized it, and giving it a pat with one of its paws laid it dead on the pavement.