Freyr sits upon Hliðskjálf and gazes across the worlds. He sees a radiant woman, the giantess Gerðr, and falls immediately in love. He sends his servant Skírnir to woo her on his behalf. Skírnir travels to the realm of giants and eventually wins Gerðr's consent.
Þat er sagt at Freyr gekk einn dag til Hliðskjálfs ok leit þaðan of alla heima. Hann leit í Jötunheima ok sá þar konu fagra, þá er hon gekk frá skála föður síns. Af því er hann sá hana, þá varð hann brátt hugsjúkr af ástar þrá.
It is said that Freyr went one day to Hliðskjálf and gazed from there across all the worlds. He looked into Jötunheimr and saw a fair woman as she walked from her father's hall. From the moment he saw her, he was at once stricken with longing.
Freyr sendi Skírni, þjón sinn, til Jötunheims at biðja Gerðar honum til handa. Skírnir fór ok fékk honum hennar heit, en því til gengis gaf Freyr Skírni sverð sitt, þat er sjálft vegr.
Freyr sent his servant Skírnir to Jötunheimr to ask for Gerðr's hand on his behalf. Skírnir went and obtained her promise, but in exchange Freyr gave Skírnir his sword, the one that fights of its own accord.
Eddic quotations
Segðu mér þat, Skírnir, áðr þú sér af soðli / ok stígir fóti niðr: / hvers ertu á ferð / eða hví ferr þú svá / einn í þursa þjóð?
Tell me this, Skírnir, before you leave the saddle and set foot down: what is your errand, and why do you travel alone among the race of giants?