Norse Myth: Thor, You're Not So Tough Quiz

Answer: That he wanted to kill giants

With his new hammer, Mjolnir, Thor intended to flex his muscles and kill some giants. As he prepared to leave Asgard, Thor told the other gods that "however few they [the giants] are, they are too many."

Loki told Thor that he would need sharp wits if visiting Utgard, and so offered to accompany him. Thor knew that Loki was evil and malicious, but recognized that he would be a good companion.

Answer: Goats

The two gods could see that the farm was poor, yet Loki was still shocked to hear that the family had no meat to offer them. Thor, grateful for the farmer's hospitality, quickly slaughtered his two goats and prepared them to be cooked.

Most chariots mentioned in Norse mythology are pulled by horses (e.g. those which pull the chariots of Night and Day, as well as Odin's steed, Sleipnir). Frey's chariot was pulled by Gullinbursti, the boar.

Answer: He was a very fast runner

Thor, as mentioned, killed his two goats, which provided the meal for him, Loki and the farmer's family. He instructed the family that they should eat all the flesh, but should leave the bones to one side. Thor asked this because he intended to use the bones to bring his goats back to life.

However, the hungry Thialfi could not resist cracking open the leg bone of one of the goats to eat the marrow within. When Thor revitalized his goats, he found one was lame. He did not have the heart to severely punish the family, but felt that Thialfi would be a useful companion due to his speed.

Some accounts claim that Thialfi's sister, Roskva, was also taken by Thor and Loki. It is told in some versions of the story that Loki whispered evil words into Thialfi's ear, convincing him to eat the marrow of the goat.

Answer: A giant's glove

Thor had left his goats and chariot in the hands of the farmer whose children he had taken with him. The farmer and his wife were grateful that their children's lives were spared, but were saddened that they had to leave.

When they came to a river which divided Midgard and Jotunheim, the travellers rowed an abandoned boat to the shore. It was judged that it was too late to complete their journey to Utgard and so shelter was found.

Answer: A giant snoring

After Loki claimed that he did "not want to become carrion", he, Thor, Roskva and Thialfi found a "great hall" where they spent their night. After being shaken by the first "earthquake", the group found their way into a small "side chamber" in the hall.

As mentioned before, the great hall was a glove, and the side chamber was a thumb compartment. Thor sat guard by the entranceway to the thumb with Mjolnir whilst the others slept.

Answer: Utgard-Loki

It was Skrymir's glove that the group had slept in and it was Skrymir's snore that the group mistook for an earthquake. This tale is rather inconsistent when describing Skrymir's size - his glove is said to be large enough to fit Valhalla into, but Skrymir himself is only as large as a tall tree.

Thor was initially hostile towards Skrymir, who had kept him awake all night with his snoring, but he accepted the giant's company on the next part of their trip.

Answer: He asked if a leaf had fallen on his head

This incident belittled the God of Thunder even further. Skrymir had travelled with Thor, Loki, Thialfi and Roskva, but the group could not bear the volume of the giant's snore. For this reason, Thor tried to kill Skrymir using Mjolnir. Mjolnir had never failed Thor before, and so it came as a massive shock when the mighty hammer failed to get rid of the giant not once, not twice, but three times. Skrymir mistook the force of Mjolnir to be a leaf, then an acorn, then the droppings of a bird.

Before leaving the four travellers, Skrymir advised Thor to either turn back or be courteous to the giants of Utgard, as they would not suffer a "small fry" like him.

Answer: He could eat faster than anyone else

The travellers were stunned at the sizes of the buildings in Utgard and each had to slide through the gates as Thor was unable (as were the others) to force his way in.

Utgard-Loki talked to them in a dismissive tone, and asked what their talents were. When Loki claimed to be able to eat faster than all others, Utgard-Loki put him against Logi. Logi consumed all the food and the bones in the container, as well as the container itself, and defeated Loki.

Answer: That he had a longer beard than any other man

After claiming that he could drink more than any other, Thor was given the sconce-horn to prove this. Utgard-Loki claimed that all giants in Utgard could empty this vast horn in three or less draughts. However, Thor was unable to empty the horn.

Presented with the cat of Utgard-Loki, Thor attempted to prove his strength by lifting it off the ground, but he was unable, as the paws of the cat remained in contact with the floor. Utgard-Loki said that this was a test for giant *children*.

As another test of strength, Thor was made to wrestle Utgard-Loki's foster mother - a very elderly woman. Embarrassingly, Thor was bested in this contest too.

Answer: Anger - he had been tricked

Utgard-Loki accompanied the travellers out of Utgard. Thor was ready to admit that he had been defeated, but Urgard-Loki (earlier Skrymir) suddenly admitted that Thor had been tricked.

When Thor had earlier tried to kill the sleeping giant, the force of Mjolnir was transferred to a nearby mountain. The force of Thor's hammer created three square-shaped valleys in the mountain.

Loki too had been tricked, as Logi was actually fire, and was therefore unable to be bested in a competition of consuming matter.

Thialfi, who had claimed to be faster than any other, was beaten by the giant, Hugi. However, Hugi was Utgard-Loki's thoughts, and so it was impossible for Thialfi to outrun him.

Thor had also been tricked in his later tasks, as the horn he drank from held the world ocean. The giant cat of Utgard-Loki was actually Jormungand, and the foster mother of the giant king whom Thor wrestled was actually old age - something no man can overcome. The giants were terrified by the amount Thor actually did drink, and that he was able to lift Jormungand even slightly.