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Hrugner

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in Norse mythology. Thor, the mightiest of the Asas, had gone on a journey to kill magicians and giants. Odin rode on his wonderful horse Sleipnerto Jotunheim, and thus came to the mightiest and most frightful of giants, Hrugner. Odin began to boast of his horse, and Hrugner, to punish him, pursued him on his own horse, Guldfaxi. Odin, however, had such a start of Hrugner that the latter could not overtake him, although he followed him to the walls of Asgard. Here the gods invited him to their drinking-bout, which invitation he accepted. He became drunk, and began to tell what wondrous things he intended to do. The Asas, tired of his boasting, mentioned Thor's name, and suddenly the mighty hero appeared, raised his frightful miolner, and inquired who had invited the boasting giant. Hrugner argued with Thor that it would be small honor to him to kill him unarmed, and challenged Thor to a duel on the boundary of Griotunagarder. This Thor accepted.

The giants in Jotunheim. now made a monstrous man of clay, and not finding a heart strong enough, they took out that of a horse, and called him Mokkurkalfi. Hrugner also armed himself. His head, heart, and club were all of stone. Thus armed, he waited for Thor. Thor came with thunder and lightning, and threw his hammer at the giant. The latter threw his club at Thor. The two frightful weapons struck each other in the air. The stone club burst, a part falling on the earth, the other striking Thor on his head and stunning him. The hammer of Thor shattered the head of Hrugner so that he fell, his monstrous foot resting on Thor's neck. The huge man of clay fell at Thialfi's hand. None of the Asas could remove Hrugner's foot from Thor's neck until Magni, a son of Thor, came and lifted off the foot without any exertion. Thor presented him with the giant's horse, Guldfaxi.