One day, a great distance from Asgard near Jotunheim, Thor and his companions Loki and Hoenir were on a journey toward a mountainous region. They were low on supplies but with luck on their side they came upon a herd of oxen. They killed an ox and put it on the fire but to their amazement it would not cook. Then, from above, they heard a voice seemingly coming from a great eagle that claimed to be the giant Thjazi. He said it was his magic keeping the meat from cooking and if the gods would allow him his fill of meat he would lift the spell.
The three gods angrily agreed but when Loki noticed the giant was taking the best parts of the kill he grew enraged and picking up a sturdy branch from the ground leaped at the great eagle attempting a killing blow. Thjazi however grabbed the branch with his mighty talons and bore Loki high into the sky as Thor and Hoenir looked on in disbelief.
Loki begged Thjazi to set him down but the giant refused unless the god agreed to bring the goddess Idun to him with her apples of immortality. Loki agreed to this and the giant set him free.
When Loki, Thor and Hoenir returned to Asgard with many stories to tell Loki kept his dealings with Thjazi secret and began plotting how to trick the goddess Idun.
The next day Loki went to speak with Idun and told her that beyond the gates of Asgard he had found fruit even more precious than hers. He said he could take her there so she could compare these fruit to her own. She agreed and followed the trickster god to where Thjazi in his eagle form awaited.
The giant grasped Idun and flew quickly from Asgard toward Thunder-Home, his hall high in the mountains amongst the cold clouds and blowing snow.
It didn't take the other gods long to miss the presence of Idun. Their skin began to wrinkle and their hair began to turn grey. Their immortality was waning.
Almost right away they suspected Loki. His mischief was always causing strife in the realm of the gods.
Threatened with great pain and death Loki admitted what he had done and the other gods demanded he bring back Idun and her magical fruit. He immediately agreed and Freya lent him her falcon feathers so he could soar to Thunder-Home in the shape of a falcon.
When Loki arrived at the giant's fortress he discovered Idun alone for Thjazi was out on his boat fishing. Delighting in his luck, the trickster quickly turned Idun into a nut and flew with haste back toward Asgard.
Unfortunately the giant returned early and finding his stolen bride missing he realized what must have happened. Thjazi immediately transformed into an eagle and flew in pursuit of Loki and Idun.
From Asgard the other gods witnessed the chase and could tell Loki was in trouble. Although he was nearing the walls of Asgard the giant was catching up at an alarming rate.
Quickly the gods began piling wood against the walls of their kingdom. Loki crossed over the threshold just in time as they lit the kindling and flames reached high into the sky.
Unfortunately for Thjazi he was flying so fast in pursuit of Loki that he couldn't stop in time to avoid the blaze. Thjazi knew this would be his last flight as he was consumed by the flames.
