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The wolf was fostered by the Asas at home, and Tyr was the only one who had the courage to go
to him and give him food. When the gods saw how much he grew every day, and all prophecies declared that
he was predestined to become fatal to them, they resolved to make a very strong fetter, which they called
Lading.
They brought it to the wolf, and bade him try his strength on the fetter. The wolf, who did not think it
would be too strong for him, let them do therewith as they pleased. But as soon as he spurned against it the
fetter burst asunder, and he was free from Lading.
Then the asas made another fetter, by one−half stronger,
and this they called Drome. They wanted to wolf to try this also, saying to him that he would become very
famous for his strength, if so strong a chain was not able to hold him. The wolf thought that this fetter was
indeed very strong, but also that his strength had increased since he broke Lading. He also took into
consideration that it was necessary to expose one's self to some danger if he desired to become famous; so he
let them put the fetter on him.
When the asas said they were ready, the wolf shook himself, spurned against
and dashed the fetter on the ground, so that the broken pieces flew a long distance. Thus he broke loose out of
Drome. Since then it has been held as a proverb, "to get loose out of Lading" or "to dash out of Drome,"
whenever anything is extraordinarily hard.
The asas now began to fear that they would not get the wolf
bound. So Alfather sent the youth, who is called Skirner, and is Frey's messenger, to some dwarfs in
Svartalfheim, and had them make the fetter which is called Gleipner. It was made of six things:
of the
footfalls of cats, of the beard of women, of the roots of the mountain, of the sinews of the bear, of the breath
of the fish, and of the spittle of the birds. If you have not known this before, you can easily find out that it is
true and that there is no lie about it, since you must have observed that a woman has no beard, that a cat's
footfall cannot be heard, and that mountains have no roots; and I know, forsooth, that what I have told you is
perfectly true, although there are some things that you do not understand.
Then said Ganglere: This I must
surely understand to be true. I can see these things which you have taken as proof. But how was the fetter
smithied? Answered Har: That I can well explain to you. It was smooth and soft as a silken string.
How
strong and trusty it was you shall now hear. When the fetter was brought to the asas, they thanked the
messenger for doing his errand so well. Then they went out into the lake called Amsvartner, to the holm
(rocky island) called Lyngve, and called the wolf to go with them. They showed him the silken band and bade
him break it, saying that it was somewhat stronger than its thinness would lead one to suppose. Then they
handed it from one to the other and tried its strength with their hands, but it did not break. Still they said the
wolf would be able to snap it. The wolf answered: It seems to me that I will get no fame though I break
asunder so slender a thread as this is. But if it is made with craft and guile, then, little though it may look, that
band will never come on my feet.
Then said the asas that he would easily be able to break a slim silken band,
since he had already burst large iron fetters asunder. But even if you are unable to break this band, you will
have nothing to fear from the gods, for we will immediately loose you again.
The wolf answered: If you get
me bound so fast that I am not able to loose myself again, you will skulk away, and it will be long before I
get any help from you, wherefore I am loth to let this band be laid on me; but in order that you may not
accuse me of cowardice, let some one of you lay his hand in my mouth as a pledge that this is done without
deceit.
The one asa looked at the other, and thought there now was a choice of two evils, and no one would
offer his hand, before Tyr held out his right hand and laid it in the wolf's mouth. But when the wolf now
began to spurn against it the band grew stiffer, and the more he strained the tighter it got. They all laughed
except Tyr; he lost his hand. When the asas saw that the wolf was sufficiently well bound, they took the chain
which was fixed to the fetter, and which was called Gelgja, and drew it through a large rock which is called
Gjol, and fastened this rock deep down in the earth.
Then they took a large stone, which is called Tvite, and
drove it still deeper into the ground, and used this stone for a fastening−pin. The wolf opened his mouth
terribly wide, raged and twisted himself with all his might, and wanted to bite them; but they put a sword in
his mouth, in such a manner that the hilt stood in his lower jaw and the point in the upper, that is his gag. He
howls terribly, and the saliva which runs from his mouth forms a river called Von.
There he will lie until
Ragnarok. Then said Ganglere: Very bad are these children of Loke, but they are strong and mighty. But why
did not the asas kill the wolf when they have evil to expect from him? Har answered: So great respect have
the gods for their holiness and peace−stead, that they would not stain them with the blood of the wolf, though
prophecies foretell that he must become the bane of Odin.
