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Prose Edda - Anderson Trans.
Brage's Talk
Chapter 3
How Njord Got Skade To
Wife
Skade, the daughter of the giant Thjasse, donned her helmet, and byrnie,
and all her war-gear, and betook herself to Asgard to avenge her father's
death. The asas offered her ransom and atonement; and it was agreed to,
in the first place, that she should choose herself a husband among the asas,
but she was to make her choice by the feet, which was all she was to see
of their persons. She saw one man's feet that were wonderfully beautiful,
and exclaimed: This one I choose! On Balder there are few blemishes. But
it was Njord, from Noatun. In the second place, it was stipulated that the
asas were to do what she did not deem them capable of, and that was to make
her laugh. Then Loke tied one end of a string fast to the beard of a goat
and the other around his own body, and one pulled this way and the other
that, and both of them shrieked out loud. Then Loke let himself fall on
Skade's knees, and this made her laugh. It is said that Odin did even more
than was asked, in that he took Thjasse's eyes and cast them up into heaven,
and made two stars of them. Then said Æger: This Thjasse seems to me to
have been considerable of a man; of what kin was he? Brage answered: His
father's name was Olvalde, and if I told you of him, you would deem it very
remarkable. He was very rich in gold, and when he died and his sons were
to divide their heritage, they had this way of measuring the gold, that
each should take his mouthful of gold, and they should all take the same
number of mouthfuls. One of them was Thjasse, another Ide, and the third
Gang. But we now have it as a saw among us, that we call gold the mouth-number
of these giants. In runes and songs we wrap the gold up by calling it the
measure, or word, or tale, of these giants. Then said Æger: It seems to
me that it will be well hidden in the runes.
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