Now the dishes at the feast were served in a huge way, as befitted the
table of giants: great beeves roasted whole, on platters as wide across
as a ship's deck; plum puddings as fat as feather beds, with plums as
big as footballs; and a wedding cake like a snow-capped hay mow. The
giants ate enormously. But to Thor, because they thought him a dainty
maiden, they served small bits of everything on a tiny gold dish. Now
Thor's long journey had made him very hungry, and through his veil he
whispered to Loki, "I shall starve, Loki! I cannot fare on these
nibbles. I must eat a goodly meal as I do at home." And forthwith he
helped himself to such morsels as might satisfy his hunger for a little
time. You should have seen the giants stare at the meal which the dainty
bride devoured!
For first under the silver veil disappeared by pieces a whole roast ox.
Then Thor made eight mouthfuls of eight pink salmon, a dish of which he
was very fond. And next he looked about and reached for a platter of
cakes and sweetmeats that was set aside at one end of the table for the
lady guests, and the bride ate them all. You can fancy how the damsels
drew down their mouths and looked at one another when they saw their
dessert disappear; and they whispered about the table, "Alack! if our
future mistress is to sup like this day by day, there will be poor cheer
for the rest of us!" And to crown it all, Thor was thirsty, as well he
might be; and one after another he raised to his lips and emptied three
great barrels of mead, the foamy drink of the giants.
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