Stolen Thunder

0:16 - When Thor's hammer is stolen by the Giants, revenge is swift and terrible. In some versions of this Old Norse myth, Thor himself destroys the giant Din, but in Geraldine Jones' humorous account, the blow is struck by Odin, King of the Gods.
8:21 - Written by Geraldine Jones, Illustrated by Paul Bonner, Read by Tim Curry

[@michealjones9863]

I had this collection as a child my mother bought me cassette and mag every month till I had the lot! The nostalgia , 40 years suddenly feels like yesterday.

[@audreymattson5127]

Tim Curry knows how to make a story come to life. Such a brilliant man!! Thank you for sharing this!

[@JA268]

Tim's one of my favorite voice actors

[@trisF1981]

My Favorite story and favorite series of which I had when I was a kid 3 :)

[@YourBrotherTimothy]

Traditionally it was Thor who went as a bride to get his own hammer.

[@brothers.mcleod]

Such a great reader.

[@AnimeAngel88]

Any others read by Tim Curry?

[@oorrmmmmrroo1946]

Thor God of Thunder, woke up in Valhalla. It was a beautiful morning, and Thor was full of life. "Today I shall hammer on the mountains until the whole world shakes to the sound of my thunder! The noise will echo down the fjords and shatter icebergs in the Northern Sea." And he sprang out of bed. "Now where did I put that hammer!" But Thor's magic hammer - the underbolt -- was nowhere to be seen. He looked under his bed. He lifted up his clothes - the thunder clouds - which were scattered around his bedroom. He emptied his cavernous cupboards. He opened his door and his voice boomed through the great hall of Valhalla, "Where's my hammer?" In the end his friend Odin had to •n.. come and help him look - and realised that Thor's hammer had been stolen. "But who would dare to steal from Valhalla?" roared Odin, King of the Gods. "Who but the Giants?" said Loki, God of Mischief. So Odin comforted Thor, and tried to calm him down, while Loki borrowed the flying cloak from Queen Freya, wife of Odin. And Loki flew down to the Realm of Giants. The first person he met there was the giant Din. "Do you know where Thor's hammer is?" Loki asked. Din, the biggest and the dirtiest of the giants, grinned from ear to ear. He S9"atched himself, and a cloud of dust rose up and made him sneeze. But he wiped his nose on his sleeve and went on grinning. "Yes, I know where Thor's hammer is. It's buried, fifty fathoms deep under the ground. I know, because I put it there myself. And I won't give it back until Queen Freya comes down here to be my bride!" He laughed, opening a mouth as deep, dark and dirty as a cave, with teeth like broken rocks. "And when you send her, tell her to bring her flying cloak and her golden necklace. Haw! Haw!" Loki kept his temper, and smiled evenly. Then he flew back to Valhalla, and repeated the message to Odin, King of the Gods. "Din will not give back Thor's hammer unless we give him your wife, Freya, as a bride." Odin's eyes blazed with anger - grey and wild like the sea, then white and swirling like the sky, then hot and red as fire. "My wife as his bride!" "Ah," said Loki. "But I have a plan." Two bright shapes flew down through the clouds, and across a dark landscape to the door of Din the giant. Loki had brought a bride for Din, wrapped in the magic cloak and adorned with the gorgeous golden jewellery of Freya, Queen of the Gods. Then Din prepared a sumptuous wedding feast. The tables groaned under the weight of food and the barrels of red wine. All the giants were there (though none of them had washed specially) and their scrawny dog slunk under the tables, scrounging any food that was dropped. Din watched with delight as his bride sat down to eat. First she ate a side of roast beef, then a shoulder of pork, then a broiled swan - then she picked her teeth with a bladebone. And she drank so much wine that Din had to send out for more. "She's got quite an appetite, this Freya of yours," said Din. "How does she. keep her figure?" "That's easily explained," Loki replied smoothly. "She hasn't eaten all day because she's so thrilled at the thought of marrying you." Din blushed. "Well, well. So she wants me that much, does she?" "You've never seen a woman more excited! I almost think she must have been secretly in love with you for years · and years." Din jumped to his feet. "For that she deserves a kiss! Come here, my little sugar-mouse! " But his bride looked at Din with eyes . as blue and wild as the sea, which then turned as white and swirling as the sky, then as hot and red as fire. Din gulped and stepped back, rather alarmed. "Why is she looking at me like that?" He whispered to Loki. "Can't you tell?" answered Loki. "She couldn't sleep a wink last night, for the thought of you. And now she sees you, she can't take her eyes off you! " "Oh" said Din I nervously. "Good." As the banquet came to an end, Loki coughed politely and remarked, "I don't like to mention it on so happy an occasion, but do you think we could have Thor's hammer back now? That was the agreement." And Din clapped Loki on the back and roared, "Of course, Loki, old friend. A deal' s a deal - I get the woman, you get the hammer! Seivants! Bring me Thor's thunderbolt right away." . The doors opened wide and · grey hammer was carried · , staggered and grunted under its weight. . Then Din laid the hammer down in front of Loki. "How I wish Odin was here!" Din gloated, edging towards his bride. "I'd give anything to see his face when Freya sits on my lap and starts kissing me. "You have your wish!" bellowed the bride. And there, throwing off his disguise, stood Odin, King of the Gods! He snatched up the hammer. "And here- you shall have your kisses!" He swung the massive hammer in the air, and smashed it down three times on Din's fat head. Then Odin swept through the hall, felling giants on every side. Within seconds, all lay sprawling on the ground - and the dog gobbled up the rest of the banquet. Odin and Loki flew back to Valhalla, where Freya and Thor were waiting. "Thank heavens," she said. "I don't know why you're wearing that dress, dear, but I'm glad to see you've got Thor's hammer back. He's been impossible since it was stolen." With the hammer back in his hands, Thor was· happy again. He whooped with joy! And then he beat on the mountain tops until the whole world shook, and the thunder echoed down the fjords and shattered icebergs 'in the Northern Sea.

[@Joshua-jj4xn]

Incorrect