bluewaterrider
Senior Member
Thor in the land of the giants
(part 2 of 3)
The group proceeded on to Utgard, but when they arrived they found the gates locked. Thor tried with all his might to pry open the gates but they did not budge. However they found that by wriggling and squeezing they could just manage to get through the bars and into the courtyard of Utgard. As they entered the great hall of the giants the giant stared at the puny beings with contempt. The giant's chief, Utgard-Loki, bared his huge teeth at the travelers, "Surely this puny person could not be the famous Thor?" said the chief in surprise, 'Why you are as tiny as a mouse!"
"I am no mouse, " replied Thor in anger, "I am the mighty Thor!"
"Well then, " said the chief, "If you want to remain here you will have to entertain us with feats of strength or skill."
Loki the Mischief Maker was bringing up the rear, he could feel hias stomach rumbling with hunger.
"I'm so hungry I could out eat a giant!" he said without thinking.
A giant by the name of Logi was chosen to compete with Loki in the eating contest. An enormous dish was piled with meats and was placed on the floor between the two competitors. Loki was a god known for his ferocious appetite, even rivaling that of Thor, Loki's appetite was fuelled by the fact that he had had no supper or breakfast. The giant and the god both started at either end, Loki gobbled the meat down and met the giant in the middle- it was a tie. However, were Loki had only eaten the meat the giant had also eaten the bones and the dish. Loki had lost his contest.
The next to compete was Thailfi, Thailfi said that he would be willing to race against any of the giants, for he was lean and a very fast runner never having lost a race. The giants cleared a track for the race, and a giant by the name of Hugi was chosen as Thailfi's competitor. As the race began Thailfi was so fast that you could barely see him move, unfortunately the giant was faster, taking huge strides were Thailfi only took little ones. Hugi was so much faster than Thailfi that he actually turned around at the end of the race and met Thailfi halfway. Thailfi had also lost his contest.
Now is was Thor's turn to compete against a giant. Thor was very thirsty, as thirsty as the god Loki was hungry.
"How about a drinking match?" suggested Thor.
So the giants brought out a enormous drinking horn, filled to the brim with mead.
"A truly good drinker would be able to finish off this mead in one draught," said the chief of the giants, "Though of course many can only manage it in two. No one I know is as feeble as to need three draughts. " said the chief and gave a bellowing laugh.
Thor did not think that the horn looked very big so he set about to finish it off in one great gulp. However, it was not as easy as it looked, Thor tried and tried with all his considerable might, taking one great gulp after another. Finally Thor could not take it anymore for want of breath. But when he looked the level of the mead in the horn had hardly dropped. Thor tried his luck again, but to no avail, when Thor could hardly take it anymore the level of the mead had only fallen a little. Refusing to give up Thor tried yet again, Thor drank and drank until he thought that he would burst. Splattering mead everywhere and decidedly out of breath Thor at last gave in, but the horn was still not empty.
Utgard-Loki looked at Thor in scorn, "Why do you bother when obviously you are such a feeble man? The great Thor! It hardly seems worth your while to attempt any other feat."
"I shall try any feat you set before me!" said Thor defiantly.
"Very well," said Utgard-Loki, "Their is a game that some of our youngsters play, their is not much to the game really, all you have to do is lift that grey cat of the ground, I would not normally suggest it to a god of your reputation and.....might, but you do not seem as strong as others make you out to be."
Thor approached the big cat, wrapping his arms around the cat's stomach he tried to lift it off the ground, but no matter how hard he pulled the cat only arched his back higher and higher, finally only being able to lift one of the cat's paws Thor's strength finally gave in.
"No matter Thor," said the chief of the gaints in his most condescending tone, "After all it is rather a big cat."
By this point Thor was in an uncontrollable rage.