Retold in our own words from Rasmus Björn Anderson’s translation of the Younger Edda (Project Gutenberg) · Published 31 October 2026
Out with Hymer
Literature Thor went out of Midgard looking like a young man, and came in the evening to a giant called Hymer. Snorri Sturluson, The Younger Edda (the Prose Edda), trans. Rasmus B. Anderson, Project Gutenberg ↗
Literature In the morning Hymer rowed out to fish. He said Thor would be little help, as he was so small and young. Snorri Sturluson, The Younger Edda (the Prose Edda), trans. Rasmus B. Anderson, Project Gutenberg ↗
Literature Far out at sea, Thor put an ox-head on a very strong line for bait and cast it overboard. Snorri Sturluson, The Younger Edda (the Prose Edda), trans. Rasmus B. Anderson, Project Gutenberg ↗
The catch
Literature The Midgard-serpent took the bait. Thor pulled so hard that both his feet went through the boat and he stood on the bottom of the sea. Snorri Sturluson, The Younger Edda (the Prose Edda), trans. Rasmus B. Anderson, Project Gutenberg ↗
Literature Hymer grew pale with fear. Just as Thor lifted his hammer, the giant cut the line, and the serpent sank back into the sea. Snorri Sturluson, The Younger Edda (the Prose Edda), trans. Rasmus B. Anderson, Project Gutenberg ↗
Literature The storyteller says he thinks the Midgard-serpent still lives and lies in the ocean. Snorri Sturluson, The Younger Edda (the Prose Edda), trans. Rasmus B. Anderson, Project Gutenberg ↗
Thor fishing in stone?
History One reading of the second face that Steinforth discusses is Thor fishing for the Midgard-Serpent. Dirk H. Steinforth, Thorvald’s Cross: the Viking-Age cross-slab ‘Kirk Andreas MM 128’ and its iconography (Archaeopress), free sample ↗
Some readers see this story carved on the back of Thorwald’s Cross at Andreas. Others see a Christian figure there. The Thorwald’s Cross guide gives both readings.
Follow the thread
Snorri Sturluson, The Younger Edda (the Prose Edda), trans. Rasmus B. Anderson, Project Gutenberg ↗
Retellings are in our own words. Every sentence above carries a label (History, Literature or Tradition) and a link to the source it was checked against. A legend is not a historical record.
Source method & more reading ↗