Лайон Спрэг Де Камп Array - The Incomplete Enchanter

Down went the man with a squeal. Skrymir calmly kicked him from the path of his guests. The six giants burst into bubbling laughter, rolling in their seats and clapping each other on the back, their argument forgotten.

«Hai, Skridbaldnir!» Skrymir was gripping another giant on the bench by the arm. «How’s every little thing wit’ you? Commere, I wantcha to meet a friend of mine. This here guy’s Asa-Thor!»

Skridbaldnir turned. Shea noticed that he was slenderer than Skrymir, with ash-blond hair, the pink eyes of an albino, and a long, red ulcerated nose.

«He’s a frost giant,» whispered Thjalfi, «and that gang over there are fire giants.» He waved a trembling hand towards the other side of the table, where a group of individuals like taller and straighter gorillas were howling at each other. They were shorter than the other giants, not much more than eight feet tall. They had prognathous jaws and coarse black hair where their bodies were exposed. They scratched ceaselessly.

Halfway down the hall, at one side, sat the biggest hill giant of all, in a huge chair with interwoven serpents carved on the legs and arms. His costume was distinguished from those of the other giants in that the bone skewers through his topknot had rough gold knobs on their ends. One of his lower snag teeth projected for several inches beyond his upper lip. He looked at Skrymir and said: «Hai, bud. I see you got some kids witcha. It ain’t a good idea to bring kids to these feeds; they learns bad language.»

«They ain’t kids,» said Skrvmir. They’re a couple of men and a couple of Æsir. I told ’em they could come wit’ me. That okay, boss?»

Utgardaloki picked his nose and wiped his fingers on his greasy leather jacket before replying; «I guess so. But ain’t that one with the red whiskers Asa-Thor?»

«You are not mistaken,» said Thor.

«Well, well, you don’t say so. I always thought Thor was a big husky guy.»

Thor stuck out his chest, scowling. «It is ill to jest with the Æsir, giant.»

«Ho, ho, ain’t he the cutest little fella?» Utgardaloki paused to capture a small creeping thing that had crawled out of his left eyebrow and crack it between his teeth.

«A fair arrangement,» murmured Loki in Shea’s ear. «They live on him; he lives on them.»

Utgardaloki continued ominously: «But whatcha doing here, you? This is a respectable party, see, and I don’t want no trouble.»

Thor said; «I have come for my hammer, Mjöllnir.»

«Huh? What makes ya think we got it?»

«Ask not of the tree where it got its growth or of the gods their wisdom. Will you give it up, or do I have to fight you for it?»

«Aw, don’t be like that, öku-Thor. Sure, I’d give you your piddling nutcracker if I knew where it was.»

«Nutcracker! Why you —»

«Easy!» Shea could hear Loki’s whisper. «Son of Odinn, with the strong use strength; with the liar, lies.» He turned to Utgardaloki and bowed mockingly: «Chief of giants, we thank you for your courtesy and will not trouble you long. Trusting your word, lord, are we to understand that Mjöllnir is not here?»

«’Taint here as far as I know,» replied Utgardaloki, spitting on the floor and rubbing his bare foot over the spot, with just a hint of uneasiness.

«Might it not have been brought hither without your knowledge?»

Utgardaloki shrugged. «How in hell should I know? I said as far as I knew. This is a hell of a way to come at your host.»

«Evidently there is no objection should the desire come upon us to search the place.»

«Huh? You’re damn right there’s objections! This is my joint and I don’t let no foreigners go sniffing around.»

Loki smiled ingratiatingly. «Greatest of the Jötun, your objection is but natural with one who knows his own value. But the gods do not idly speak; we believe Mjöllnir is here, and have come in peace to ask it, rather than in arms with Odinn and his spear at our head, Heimdall and his great sword and Ulir’s deadly bow. Now you shall let us search for the hammer, or we will go away and return with them to make you such a feasting as you will not soon forget. But if we fail to find it we will depart in all peace. This is my word.»

«And mine!» cried Thor, his brows knitting. Beside him Shea noticed Thjalfi’s face go the colour of skimmed milk and was slightly surprised to find himself unafraid. But that may be because I don’t understand the situation, he told himself.

Utgardaloki scratched thoughtfully, his lips working. «Tell you what,» he said at last. «You Æsir are sporting gents, ain’t you?»

«It is not to be denied,» said Loki guardedly «that we enjoy sports.»

«I’ll make you a sporting proposition. You think you are great athaletes. Well, we got some pretty tough babies here, too. We’ll have some games, and if you beat us at even one of ’em; see, I’ll let you go ahead and search. If you lose, out you get.»

«What manner of games?»

«Hell, sonny, anything youse want.»

Thor’s face had gone thoughtful. «I am not unknown as a wrestler,» he remarked.

«Awright,» said Utgardaloki. «We’ll find someone to rassle you down. Can you do anything else?»

Loki spoke up. «I will meet your best champion at eating and our man Thjalfi here will run a race with you. Asa-Thor also will undertake any trial of strength you care to hold.»

«Swell. Me, I think these games are kid stuff, see? But it ought to be fun for some of the gang to see you take your licking. HAI! Bring Elli up here; here’s a punk that wants to rassle!»

With a good deal of shouting and confusion a space was cleared near the Fire in the centre of the hall. Thor stood with fists on hips, waiting the giant’s champion There came forward, not a giant, but a tall old woman. She was at least a hundred, a hunched bag of bones covered by thin, almost transparent skin, as wrinkled as the surface of a file.

Thor shouted: «What manner of jest is this, Utgardaloki? It is not to be said that Asa-Thor wrestles with women.»

«Oh, don’t worry none, kid. She likes it don’tcha, Elli?»

The crone bared toothless gums. «Yep,» she quavered. «And many’s the good man I put down, heh, heh.»

«But—» began Thor.

«Y’aint scared to work up a reputation, are you?»

«Ha! Thor afraid? Not of aught the giant kindred can do.» Thor puffed out his chest.

«I gotta explain the rules.» Utgardaloki put a hand on the shoulder of each contestant and muttered at them.

Shea felt his arm pinched and looked into the bright eyes of Loki. «Great and evil is the magic in this place,» whispered Uncle Fox, «and I misdoubt me we are to be tricked, for never have I heard of such a wrestling. But it may be that the spells they use are spells against gods alone and not for the eyes of men. Now I have here a spell against spells, and while these contests go forward you shall take it.» He handed Shea a piece of very thin parchment, covered with spidery runic writing.

«Repeat it forward, then backward, then forward again, looking as you do at the object you suspect of being an illusion. It may be you will see on the wall the hammer we seek.

«Wouldn’t the giants hide it away, sir?»

«Not with their boasting and vainglorious habit. It —»

«Awright,» said Urgardaloki in a huge voice, «go!»

Thor, roaring like a lion, seized Elli as though he intended to dash her brains out on the floor. But Elli might have been nailed where she was. Her rickety frame did not budge. Thor fell silent, wrenching at the crone’s arms and body. He turned purple in the face from the effort; the giants around murmured appreciatively.

Shea glanced at the slip Loki had given him. The words were readable, though they seemed to consist of meaningless strings of syllables — «Nyi — Nidi — Nordri — Sudri, Austri — Vestri — Altjof — Dvalinn.» He obediently repeated it according to the directions, looking at a giant’s club that hung on the wall. It remained a giant’s club. He turned back to the wrestling where Thor was puffing with effort, his forehead beaded with sweat.