Thor_and_Hymir

In Norse mythology the earth is surrounded by an ocean encircled by the giant snake Jörmungandr, also called Miðgarðsormr (ð = th of modern English), literally the snake of the middle dwelling, i.e. earth. One day, Thor, the god of thunder, went fishing for it – using a bull’s head as bait! When he pulled up Jörmungandr, ready to strike at it with his hammer Mjölnir, the crusher, his fishing companion, the giant Hymir, was so scarred that he cut the line, allowing the world-snake to sink back into the sea and continue its job of circling the globe and holding together the waters of the ocean.