One side of the Altuna Runestone, however, illustrates a legend recorded in the Hymiskviða of the Poetic Edda, in which the Norse god Thor fishes for Jörmungandr, the Midgard serpent.

[3] The Prose Edda provides the additional detail that while Thor was pulling on the line with Jörmungandr on the hook, his feet went through the bottom of the boat.

[5] The runic inscription suggests that those to whom the stone is dedicated, the father Holmfastr and his son Arnfastr, were burned,[6] possibly in a case of arson known as quickfire, a method commonly used in Scandinavian feuds.

)lituleturesaræisasþtenstæinʀþtiæftiʀsensinnfaþurfaðurulfasþHolmfast,arfastArnfast.uifasþtr fulkahþr kuþar litu resa sþten ʀþti sen faþur ulfasþ arfastVifastr, Folkaðr, Guðvarr(?)

had the stone raised in memory of their father Holmfastr, (and in memory of) Arnfastr.beþiBaðiʀfeþrkagfæðrgaʀburnubrunnu,e(n)en...[þæiʀ]baliBalli,fresþenFrøystæinn,liþliðlifsþen...Lifstæin[s...ristu].beþi feþrkag burnu e(n) ... bali fresþen liþ lifsþen... ...Baðiʀ fæðrgaʀ brunnu, en [þæiʀ] Balli, Frøystæinn, lið Lifstæin[s ristu].