Thor Rowing

High replied: ‘It is no secret, even among those who are not
scholars, that Thor achieved redress for this expedition that has
just been recounted, and did not stay at home long before setting
out on his journey so hastily that he had with him no chariot and
no goats and no companionship. He went out across Midgard
having assumed the appearance of a young boy, and arrived one
evening at nightfall at a certain giant’s; his name was Hymir. Thor
stayed there as a guest for the night. And at dawn Hymir got up
and dressed and got ready to row out to sea fishing. And Thor
sprang up and was soon ready and asked Hymir to let him row out
to sea with him. But Hymir said there would not be much
advantage in having him along since he was small and just a
youth.

‘“And you’ll get cold if 1 stay out as long and as far as I am used
to do.”

‘But Thor said he need not hesitate to row out from shore since
it was not certain whether it would be he that would first beg to
row back; and Thor got angry with the giant so that he was on the
point of letting the hammer crash down on him straight away, but
he decided to hold back since he was planning to try his strength
elsewhere. He asked Hymir what they were to use as bait, but
Hymir told him to get his own bait. Then Thor went off to where
he could see a certain herd of oxen belonging to Hymir. He took
the biggest ox, called Himinhriot, and tore off its head and took it
down to the sea. Hymir had now launched the boat. Thor went
aboard and took his seat in the well of the boat, took two oars and
rowed, and Hymir thought there was some impetus from his
rowing. Hymir was rowing forward in the bows and the rowing
progressed fast. Then Hymir said they had reached the fishing
ground where he usually sat catching flat fish, but Thor said he
wanted to row much further, and they did another spurt of
rowing. Then Hymir said they had got so far out that it was
dangerous to be further out because of the Midgard serpent. But
Thor said he would row on a bit and did so, but Hymir was then
very unhappy. And when Thor had shipped his oars, he got out a
line that was pretty strong, and the hook was no smaller or less
mighty-looking. On to this hook Thor fastened the ox-head and
threw it overboard, and the hook went to the bottom. And then it
is true to say that Thor fooled the Midgard serpent no less than
Utgarda-Loki had made a laughing-stock of Thor when he was
lifting the serpent up with his hand. The Midgard serpent stret-
ched its mouth round the ox-head and the hook stuck into the
roof of the serpent’s mouth. And when the serpent felt this, it
jerked away so hard that both Thor’s fists banged down on the
gunwale.


- Prose Edda, Gylfaginning