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The Story Thor was a good-natured, careless god, always ready for adventure, and never tired of trying his great strength. He could shoulder giant tasks with the greatest ease and slay bulls with his bare hands. For sport he sometimes rode among the cloud-veiled mountains, hurling his hammer at their peaks and cleaving them in twain.This adventurous god once visited Joturheim, the land of the giants. The king of the giants looked at him scornfully and said, "Is this stripling the mighty god, Thor? Perhaps you are mightier than you appear. What feats do you deem yourself skilled in?"
The king thereupon bade the cupbearer bring a drinking horn, and said, "Whosoever is a good drinker is able to drain this horn at a single draught." Thor placed the horn to his lips and drank long and deep, but when he removed it the liquid had scarcely diminished. Three times he tried to empty the horn and failed, and at last he threw it down in disgust. Next he was challenged to lift the king's cat from the ground. After a great effort he only managed to raise one of its paws. "Is this the mighty god we have been taught to fear?" scoffed the king.
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