THE CHILDREN OF ODINThe Book of Northern Myths

By Padraic Colum

Illustrated by Willy Pogany

Master storyteller Padraic Colum's rich, musical voice captures all themagic and majesty of the Norse sagas in his retellings of the adventuresof the gods and goddesses who lived in the Northern paradise of Asgardbefore the dawn of history. 

Here are the matchless tales of All-Father Odin, who crosses the RainbowBridge to walk among men in Midgard and sacrifices his right eye todrink from the Well of Wisdom; of Thor, whose mighty hammer defendsAsgard; of Loki, whose mischievous cunning leads him to treacheryagainst the gods; of giants, dragons, dwarfs and Valkyries; and of theterrible last battle that destroyed their world. 

These ancient stories from Northern Europe, which make up one of thegreat myth cycles of Western civilization, spring to life in _TheChildren of Odin_. This classic volume, first published in 1920 andreissued in 1962, is now available for the first time in paperback, illustrated with the original line drawings by Willy Pogany, to inspirea new generation of readers. 

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The late Padraic Colum was a poet, playwright, founder of the _IrishReview_ and a leader of the Irish Renaissance, but he is perhaps bestknown today for his outstanding books for children. He was awarded theRegina Medal in 1961 for his "distinguished contribution to children'sliterature, " honoring works like _The Children's Homer_, _The GoldenFleece_ (a Newbery Honor Book), _The Arabian Nights_, _The King ofIreland's Son_ and _Roofs of Gold_. 

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THE CHILDREN OF ODIN

The Book of Northern Myths

by

PADRAIC COLUM

illustrated byWilly Pogany

Collier BooksMacmillan Publishing CompanyNew York

Collier Macmillan PublishersLondon

Copyright Macmillan Publishing Company, a division ofMacmillan, Inc. , 1920; copyright renewed byPadraic Colum and Macmillan Publishing Company 1948All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproducedor transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic ormechanical, including photocopying, recording or by anyinformation storage and retrieval system, withoutpermission in writing from the Publisher. 

Macmillan Publishing Company866 Third Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10022Collier Macmillan Canada, Inc. 

_The Children of Odin_ is also published in ahardcover edition by Macmillan Publishing Company. First Collier Books edition 1984Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication DataColum, Padraic, 1881-1972. 

The children of Odin. 

Summary: A retelling of the Norse sagas about Odin, Freya, Thor, Loki and the other gods and goddesses wholived in Asgard before the dawn of history. 

1. Mythology, Norse--Juvenile literature. [1. Mythology, Norse] I. Pogany, Willy, 1882-1955, ill. II. Title. 

BL860. C63 1984b 293'. 13 83-20368ISBN 0-02-042100-1 (pbk. : alk. Paper)

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CONTENTS

PART I _The Dwellers in Asgard_

1. Far Away and Long Ago 3

2. The Building of the Wall 6

3. Iduna and Her Apples: How Loki Put the Gods in Danger 13

4. Sif's Golden Hair: How Loki Wrought Mischief in Asgard 27

5. How Brock Brought Judgment on Loki 34

6. How Freya Gained Her Necklace and How Her Loved One Was Lost to Her 44

7. How Frey Won Gerda, the Giant Maiden, and How He Lost His Magic Sword 51

8. Heimdall and Little Hnossa: How All Things Came to Be 62

9. The All-Father's Forebodings: How He Leaves Asgard 69

PART II _Odin the Wanderer_

1. Odin Goes to Mimir's Well: His Sacrifice for Wisdom 77

2. Odin Faces an Evil Man 82

3. Odin Wins for Men the Magic Mead 90

4. Odin Tells to Vidar, His Silent Son, the Secret of His Doings 99

5. Thor and Loki in the Giants' City 102

6. How Thor and Loki Befooled Thrym the Giant 116

7. Ægir's Feast: How Thor Triumphed 124

8. The Dwarf's Hoard, and the Curse that It Brought 136

PART III _The Witch's Heart_

1. Foreboding in Asgard 151

2. Loki the Betrayer 155

3. Loki Against the Æsir 164

4. The Valkyrie 169

5. The Children of Loki 174

6. Baldur's Doom 180

7. Loki's Punishment 193

PART IV _The Sword of the Volsungs and the Twilight of the Gods_

1. Sigurd's Youth 199

2. The Sword Gram and the Dragon Fafnir 208

3. The Dragon's Blood 215

4. The Story of Sigmund and Signy 223

5. The Story of Sigmund and Sinfiotli 233

6. The Story of the Vengeance of the Volsungs and of the Death of Sinfiotli 239

7. Brynhild in the House of Flame 245

8. Sigurd at the House of the Nibelungs 250

9. How Brynhild Was Won for Gunnar 255

10. The Death of Sigurd 260

11. The Twilight of the Gods 265

PART I

THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD

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FAR AWAY AND LONG AGO

Once there was another Sun and another Moon; a different Sun and adifferent Moon from the ones we see now. Sol was the name of that Sunand Mani was the name of that Moon. But always behind Sol and Maniwolves went, a wolf behind each. The wolves caught on them at last andthey devoured Sol and Mani. And then the world was in darkness and cold. 

In those times the Gods lived, Odin and Thor, Hödur and Baldur, Tyr andHeimdall, Vidar and Vali, as well as Loki, the doer of good and the doerof evil. And the beautiful Goddesses were living then, Frigga, Freya, Nanna, Iduna, and Sif. But in the days when the Sun and Moon weredestroyed the Gods were destroyed too--all the Gods except Baldur whohad died before that time, Vidar and Vali, the sons of Odin, and Modiand Magni, the sons of Thor. 

At that time, too, there were men and women in the world. But before theSun and the Moon were devoured and before the Gods were destroyed, terrible things happened in the world. Snow fell on the four corners ofthe earth and kept on falling for three seasons. Winds came and bleweverything away. And the people of the world who had lived on in spiteof the snow and the cold and the winds fought each other, brotherkilling brother, until all the people were destroyed. 

Also there was another earth at that time, an earth green and beautiful. But the terrible winds that blew leveled down forests and hills anddwellings. Then fire came and burnt the earth. There was darkness, forthe Sun and the Moon were devoured. The Gods had met with their doom. And the time in which all these things happened was called Ragnarök, theTwilight of the Gods. 

Then a new Sun and a new Moon appeared and went traveling through theheavens; they were more lovely than Sol and Mani, and no wolves followedbehind them in chase. The earth became green and beautiful again, and ina deep forest that the fire had not burnt a woman and a man wakened up. They had been hidden there by Odin and left to sleep during Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods. 

Lif was the woman's name, and Lifthrasir was the man's. They movedthrough the world, and their children and their children's children madepeople for the new earth. And of the Gods were left Vidar and Vali, thesons of Odin, and Modi and Magni, the sons of Thor; on the new earthVidar and Vali found tablets that the older Gods had written on and hadleft there for them, tablets telling of all that had happened beforeRagnarök, the Twilight of the Gods. 

And the people who lived after Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods, werenot troubled, as the people in the older days were troubled, by theterrible beings who had brought destruction upon the world and upon menand women, and who from the beginning had waged war upon the Gods. 

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THE BUILDING OF THE WALL

Always there had been war between the Giants and the Gods--between theGiants who would have destroyed the world and the race of men, and theGods who would have protected the race of men and would have made theworld more beautiful. 

There are many stories to be told about the Gods, but the first one thatshould be told to you is the one about the building of their City. 

The Gods had made their way up to the top of a high mountain and therethey decided to build a great City for themselves that the Giants couldnever overthrow. The City they would call "Asgard, " which means thePlace of the Gods. They would build it on a beautiful plain that was onthe top of that high mountain. And they wanted to raise round theirCity the highest and strongest wall that had ever been built. 

Now one day when they were beginning to build their halls and theirpalaces a strange being came to them. Odin, the Father of the Gods, wentand spoke to him. "What dost thou want on the Mountain of the Gods?" heasked the Stranger. 

"I know what is in the mind of the Gods, " the Stranger said. "They wouldbuild a City here. I cannot build palaces, but I can build great wallsthat can never be overthrown. Let me build the wall round your City. "

"How long will it take you to build a wall that will go round our City?"said the Father of the Gods. 

"A year, O Odin, " said the Stranger. 

Now Odin knew that if a great wall could be built around it the Godswould not have to spend all their time defending their City, Asgard, from the Giants, and he knew that if Asgard were protected, he himselfcould go amongst men and teach them and help them. He thought that nopayment the Stranger could ask would be too much for the building ofthat wall. 

That day the Stranger came to the Council of the Gods, and he swore thatin a year he would have the great wall built. Then Odin made oath thatthe Gods would give him what he asked in payment if the wall wasfinished to the last stone in a year from that day. 

The Stranger went away and came back on the morrow. It was the first dayof Summer when he started work. He brought no one to help him except agreat horse. 

Now the Gods thought that this horse would do no more than drag blocksof stone for the building of the wall. But the horse did more than this. He set the stones in their places and mortared them together. And dayand night and by light and dark the horse worked, and soon a great wallwas rising round the palaces that the Gods themselves were building. 

"What reward will the Stranger ask for the work he is doing for us?" theGods asked one another. 

Odin went to the Stranger. "We marvel at the work you and your horse aredoing for us, " he said. "No one can doubt that the great wall of Asgardwill be built up by the first day of Summer. What reward do you claim?We would have it ready for you. "

The Stranger turned from the work he was doing, leaving the great horseto pile up the blocks of stone. "O Father of the Gods, " he said, "OOdin, the reward I shall ask for my work is the Sun and the Moon, andFreya, who watches over the flowers and grasses, for my wife. "

Now when Odin heard this he was terribly angered, for the price theStranger asked for his work was beyond all prices. He went amongst theother Gods who were then building their shining palaces within the greatwall and he told them what reward the Stranger had asked. The Gods said, "Without the Sun and the Moon the world will wither away. " And theGoddesses said, "Without Freya all will be gloom in Asgard. "

They would have let the wall remain unbuilt rather than let the Strangerhave the reward he claimed for building it. But one who was in thecompany of the Gods spoke. He was Loki, a being who only half belongedto the Gods; his father was the Wind Giant. "Let the Stranger build thewall round Asgard, " Loki said, "and I will find a way to make him giveup the hard bargain he has made with the Gods. Go to him and tell himthat the wall must be finished by the first day of Summer, and that ifit is not finished to the last stone on that day the price he asks willnot be given to him. "

The Gods went to the Stranger and they told him that if the last stonewas not laid on the wall on the first day of the Summer not Sol or Mani, the Sun and the Moon, nor Freya would be given him. And now they knewthat the Stranger was one of the Giants. 

The Giant and his great horse piled up the wall more quickly thanbefore. At night, while the Giant slept, the horse worked on and on, hauling up stones and laying them on the wall with his great forefeet. And day by day the wall around Asgard grew higher and higher. 

But the Gods had no joy in seeing that great wall rising higher andhigher around their palaces. The Giant and his horse would finish thework by the first day of Summer, and then he would take the Sun and theMoon, Sol and Mani, and Freya away with him. 

But Loki was not disturbed. He kept telling the Gods that he would finda way to prevent him from finishing his work, and thus he would make theGiant forfeit the terrible price he had led Odin to promise him. 

It was three days to Summer time. All the wall was finished except thegateway. Over the gateway a stone was still to be placed. And the Giant, before he went to sleep, bade his horse haul up a great block of stoneso that they might put it above the gateway in the morning, and sofinish the work two full days before Summer. 

It happened to be a beautiful moonlit night. Svadilfare, the Giant'sgreat horse, was hauling the largest stone he ever hauled when he saw alittle mare come galloping toward him. The great horse had never seen sopretty a little mare and he looked at her with surprise. 

"Svadilfare, slave, " said the little mare to him and went frisking past. 

Svadilfare put down the stone he was hauling and called to the littlemare. She came back to him. "Why do you call me 'Svadilfare, slave'?"said the great horse. 

"Because you have to work night and day for your master, " said thelittle mare. "He keeps you working, working, working, and never lets youenjoy yourself. You dare not leave that stone down and come and playwith me. "

"Who told you I dare not do it?" said Svadilfare. 

"I know you daren't do it, " said the little mare, and she kicked up herheels and ran across the moonlit meadow. 

Now the truth is that Svadilfare was tired of working day and night. When he saw the little mare go galloping off he became suddenlydiscontented. He left the stone he was hauling on the ground. He lookedround and he saw the little mare looking back at him. He galloped afterher. 

He did not catch up on the little mare. She went on swiftly before him. On she went over the moonlit meadow, turning and looking back now andagain at the great Svadilfare, who came heavily after her. Down themountainside the mare went, and Svadilfare, who now rejoiced in hisliberty and in the freshness of the wind and in the smell of theflowers, still followed her. With the morning's light they came near acave and the little mare went into it. They went through the cave. ThenSvadilfare caught up on the little mare and the two went wanderingtogether, the little mare telling Svadilfare stories of the Dwarfs andthe Elves. 

They came to a grove and they stayed together in it, the little mareplaying so nicely with him that the great horse forgot all about timepassing. And while they were in the grove the Giant was going up anddown, searching for his great horse. 

He had come to the wall in the morning, expecting to put the stone overthe gateway and so finish his work. But the stone that was to be liftedup was not near him. He called for Svadilfare, but his great horse didnot come. He went to search for him, and he searched all down themountainside and he searched as far across the earth as the realm of theGiants. But he did not find Svadilfare. 

The Gods saw the first day of Summer come and the gateway of the wallstand unfinished. They said to each other that if it were not finishedby the evening they need not give Sol and Mani to the Giant, nor themaiden Freya to be his wife. The hours of the summer day went past andthe Giant did not raise the stone over the gateway. In the evening hecame before them. 

"Your work is not finished, " Odin said. "You forced us to a hardbargain and now we need not keep it with you. You shall not be given Soland Mani nor the maiden Freya. "

"Only the wall I have built is so strong I would tear it down, " said theGiant. He tried to throw down one of the palaces, but the Gods laidhands on him and thrust him outside the wall he had built. "Go, andtrouble Asgard no more, " Odin commanded. 

Then Loki returned to Asgard. He told the Gods how he had transformedhimself into a little mare and had led away Svadilfare, the Giant'sgreat horse. And the Gods sat in their golden palaces behind the greatwall and rejoiced that their City was now secure, and that no enemycould ever enter it or overthrow it. But Odin, the Father of the Gods, as he sat upon his throne was sad in his heart, sad that the Gods hadgot their wall built by a trick; that oaths had been broken, and that ablow had been struck in injustice in Asgard. 

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IDUNA AND HER APPLES: HOW LOKI PUT THE GODS IN DANGER

In Asgard there was a garden, and in that garden there grew a tree, andon that tree there grew shining apples. Thou knowst, O well-loved one, that every day that passes makes us older and brings us to that day whenwe will be bent and feeble, gray-headed and weak-eyed. But those shiningapples that grew in Asgard--they who ate of them every day grew never aday older, for the eating of the apples kept old age away. 

Iduna, the Goddess, tended the tree on which the shining apples grew. None would grow on the tree unless she was there to tend it. No one butIduna might pluck the shining apples. Each morning she plucked them andleft them in her basket and every day the Gods and Goddesses came to hergarden that they might eat the shining apples and so stay for everyoung. 

Iduna never went from her garden. All day and every day she stayed inthe garden or in her golden house beside it, and all day and every dayshe listened to Bragi, her husband, tell a story that never had an end. Ah, but a time came when Iduna and her apples were lost to Asgard, andthe Gods and Goddesses felt old age approach them. How all that happenedshall be told thee, O well beloved. 

Odin, the Father of the Gods, often went into the land of men to watchover their doings. Once he took Loki with him, Loki, the doer of goodand the doer of evil. For a long time they went traveling through theworld of men. At last they came near Jötunheim, the realm of the Giants. 

It was a bleak and empty region. There were no growing things there, noteven trees with berries. There were no birds, there were no animals. AsOdin, the Father of the Gods, and Loki, the doer of good and the doer ofevil, went through this region hunger came upon them. But in all theland around they saw nothing that they could eat. 

Loki, running here and running there, came at last upon a herd of wildcattle. Creeping up on them, he caught hold of a young bull and killedhim. Then he cut up the flesh into strips of meat. He lighted a fire andput the meat on spits to roast. While the meat was being cooked, Odin, the Father of the Gods, a little way off, sat thinking on the things hehad seen in the world of men. 

Loki made himself busy putting more and more logs on the fire. At lasthe called to Odin, and the Father of the Gods came and sat down near thefire to eat the meal. 

But when the meat was taken off the cooking-spits and when Odin went tocut it, he found that it was still raw. He smiled at Loki for thinkingthe meat was cooked, and Loki, troubled that he had made a mistake, putthe meat back, and put more logs upon the fire. Again Loki took the meatoff the cooking-spits and called Odin to the meal. 

Odin, when he took the meat that Loki brought him, found that it was asraw as if it had never been put upon the fire. "Is this a trick ofyours, Loki?" he said. 

Loki was so angry at the meat being uncooked that Odin saw he wasplaying no tricks. In his hunger he raged at the meat and he raged atthe fire. Again he put the meat on the cooking-spits and put more logson the fire. Every hour he would take up the meat, sure that it was nowcooked, and every time he took it off Odin would find that the meat wasas raw as the first time they took it off the fire. 

Now Odin knew that the meat must be under some enchantment by theGiants. He stood up and went on his way, hungry but strong. Loki, however, would not leave the meat that he had put back on the fire. Hewould make it be cooked, he declared, and he would not leave that placehungry. 

The dawn came and he took up the meat again. As he was lifting it offthe fire he heard a whirr of wings above his head. Looking up, he saw amighty eagle, the largest eagle that ever appeared in the sky. The eaglecircled round and round and came above Loki's head. "Canst thou not cookthy food?" the eagle screamed to him. 

"I cannot cook it, " said Loki. 

"I will cook it for thee, if thou wilt give me a share, " screamed theeagle. 

"Come, then, and cook it for me, " said Loki. 

The eagle circled round until he was above the fire. Then flapping hisgreat wings over it, he made the fire blaze and blaze. A heat that Lokihad never felt before came from the burning logs. In a minute he drewthe meat from the spits and found it was well cooked. 

"My share, my share, give me my share, " the eagle screamed at him. Heflew down, and seizing on a large piece of meat instantly devoured it. He seized on another piece. Piece after piece he devoured until itlooked as if Loki would be left with no meat for his meal. 

As the eagle seized on the last piece Loki became angry indeed. Takingup the spit on which the meat had been cooked, he struck at the eagle. There was a clang as if he had struck some metal. The wood of the spitdid not come away. It stuck to the breast of the eagle. But Loki did notlet go his hold on the spit. Suddenly the eagle rose up in the air. Loki, who held to the spit that was fastened to the eagle's breast, wasdrawn up with him. 

Before he knew what had happened Loki was miles and miles up in the airand the eagle was flying with him toward Jötunheim, the Realm of theGiants. And the eagle was screaming out, "Loki, friend Loki, I have theeat last. It was thou who didst cheat my brother of his reward forbuilding the wall round Asgard. But, Loki, I have thee at last. Know nowthat Thiassi the Giant has captured thee, O Loki, most cunning of thedwellers in Asgard. "

Thus the eagle screamed as he went flying with Loki toward Jötunheim, the Realm of the Giants. They passed over the river that dividesJötunheim from Midgard, the World of Men. And now Loki saw a terribleplace beneath him, a land of ice and rock. Great mountains were there:they were lighted by neither sun nor moon, but by columns of fire thrownup now and again through cracks in the earth or out of the peaks of themountains. 

Over a great iceberg the eagle hovered. Suddenly he shook the spit fromhis breast and Loki fell down on the ice. The eagle screamed out to him, "Thou art in my power at last, O thou most cunning of all the Dwellersin Asgard. " The eagle left Loki there and flew within a crack in themountain. 

Miserable indeed was Loki upon that iceberg. The cold was deadly. Hecould not die there, for he was one of the Dwellers in Asgard and deathmight not come to him that way. He might not die, but he felt bound tothat iceberg with chains of cold. 

After a day his captor came to him, not as an eagle this time, but inhis own form, Thiassi the Giant. 

"Wouldst thou leave thine iceberg, Loki, " he said, "and return to thypleasant place in Asgard? Thou dost delight in Asgard, although only byone-half dost thou belong to the Gods. Thy father, Loki, was the WindGiant. "

"O that I might leave this iceberg, " Loki said, with the tears freezingon his face. 

"Thou mayst leave it when thou showest thyself ready to pay thy ransomto me, " said Thiassi. "Thou wilt have to get me the shining apples thatIduna keeps in her basket. "

"I cannot get Iduna's apples for thee, Thiassi, " said Loki. 

"Then stay upon the iceberg, " said Thiassi the Giant. He went away andleft Loki there with the terrible winds buffeting him as with blows of ahammer. 

When Thiassi came again and spoke to him about his ransom, Loki said, "There is no way of getting the shining apples from Iduna. "

"There must be some way, O cunning Loki, " said the Giant. 

"Iduna, although she guards well the shining apples, is simple-minded, "said Loki. "It may be that I shall be able to get her to go outside thewall of Asgard. If she goes she will bring her shining apples with her, for she never lets them go out of her hand except when she gives them tothe Gods and Goddesses to eat. "

"Make it so that she will go beyond the wall of Asgard, " said the Giant. "If she goes outside of the wall I shall get the apples from her. Swearby the World-Tree that thou wilt lure Iduna beyond the wall of Asgard. Swear it, Loki, and I shall let thee go. "

"I swear it by Ygdrassil, the World-Tree, that I will lure Iduna beyondthe wall of Asgard if thou wilt take me off this iceberg, " said Loki. 

Then Thiassi changed himself into a mighty eagle, and taking Loki in histalons, he flew with him over the stream that divides Jötunheim, theRealm of the Giants, from Midgard, the World of Men. He left Loki on theground of Midgard, and Loki then went on his way to Asgard. 

Now Odin had already returned and he had told the Dwellers in Asgard ofLoki's attempt to cook the enchanted meat. All laughed to think thatLoki had been left hungry for all his cunning. Then when he came intoAsgard looking so famished, they thought it was because Loki had hadnothing to eat. They laughed at him more and more. But they brought himinto the Feast Hall and they gave him the best of food with wine out ofOdin's wine cup. When the feast was over the Dwellers in Asgard went toIduna's garden as was their wont. 

There sat Iduna in the golden house that opened on her garden. Had shebeen in the world of men, every one who saw her would have rememberedtheir own innocence, seeing one who was so fair and good. She had eyesblue as the blue sky, and she smiled as if she were remembering lovelythings she had seen or heard. The basket of shining apples was besideher. 

To each God and Goddess Iduna gave a shining apple. Each one ate theapple given, rejoicing to think that they would never become a dayolder. Then Odin, the Father of the Gods, said the runes that werealways said in praise of Iduna, and the Dwellers in Asgard went out ofIduna's garden, each one going to his or her own shining house. 

All went except Loki, the doer of good and the doer of evil. Loki sat inthe garden, watching fair and simple Iduna. After a while she spoke tohim and said, "Why dost thou still stay here, wise Loki?"

"To look well on thine apples, " Loki said. "I am wondering if the applesI saw yesterday are really as shining as the apples that are in thybasket. "

"There are no apples in the world as shining as mine, " said Iduna. 

"The apples I saw were more shining, " said Loki. "Aye, and they smelledbetter, Iduna. "

Iduna was troubled at what Loki, whom she deemed so wise, told her. Hereyes filled with tears that there might be more shining apples in theworld than hers. "O Loki, " she said, "it cannot be. No apples are moreshining, and none smell so sweet, as the apples I pluck off the tree inmy garden. "

"Go, then, and see, " said Loki. "Just outside Asgard is the tree thathas the apples I saw. Thou, Iduna, dost never leave thy garden, and sothou dost not know what grows in the world. Go outside of Asgard andsee. "

"I will go, Loki, " said Iduna, the fair and simple. 

Iduna went outside the wall of Asgard. She went to the place Loki hadtold her that the apples grew in. But as she looked this way and thatway, Iduna heard a whirr of wings above her. Looking up, she saw amighty eagle, the largest eagle that had ever appeared in the sky. 

She drew back toward the gate of Asgard. Then the great eagle swoopeddown; Iduna felt herself lifted up, and then she was being carried awayfrom Asgard, away, away; away over Midgard where men lived, away towardthe rocks and snows of Jötunheim. Across the river that flows betweenthe World of Men and the Realm of the Giants Iduna was borne. Then theeagle flew into a cleft in a mountain and Iduna was left in a cavernoushall lighted up by columns of fire that burst up from the earth. 

The eagle loosened his grip on Iduna and she sank down on the ground ofthe cavern. The wings and the feathers fell from him and she saw hercaptor as a terrible Giant. 

"Oh, why have you carried me off from Asgard and brought me to thisplace?" Iduna cried. 

"That I might eat your shining apples, Iduna, " said Thiassi the Giant. 

"That will never be, for I will not give them to you, " said Iduna. 

"Give me the apples to eat, and I shall carry you back to Asgard. "

"No, no, that cannot be. I have been trusted with the shining applesthat I might give them to the Gods only. "

"Then I shall take the apples from you, " said Thiassi the Giant. 

He took the basket out of her hands and opened it. But when he touchedthe apples they shriveled under his hands. He left them in the basketand he set the basket down, for he knew now that the apples would be nogood to him unless Iduna gave them to him with her own hands. 

"You must stay with me here until you give me the shining apples, " hesaid to her. 

Then was poor Iduna frightened: she was frightened of the strange caveand frightened of the fire that kept bursting up out of the earth andshe was frightened of the terrible Giant. But above all she wasfrightened to think of the evil that would fall upon the Dwellers inAsgard if she were not there to give them the shining apples to eat. 

The Giant came to her again. But still Iduna would not give him theshining apples. And there in the cave she stayed, the Giant troublingher every day. And she grew more and more fearful as she saw in herdreams the Dwellers in Asgard go to her garden--go there, and not beinggiven the shining apples, feel and see a change coming over themselvesand over each other. 

It was as Iduna saw it in her dreams. Every day the Dwellers in Asgardwent to her garden--Odin and Thor, Hödur and Baldur, Tyr and Heimdall, Vidar and Vali, with Frigga, Freya, Nanna, and Sif. There was no one topluck the apples of their tree. And a change began to come over the Godsand Goddesses. 

They no longer walked lightly; their shoulders became bent; their eyesno longer were as bright as dewdrops. And when they looked upon oneanother they saw the change. Age was coming upon the Dwellers in Asgard. 

They knew that the time would come when Frigga would be gray and old;when Sif's golden hair would fade; when Odin would no longer have hisclear wisdom, and when Thor would not have strength enough to raise andfling his thunderbolts. And the Dwellers in Asgard were saddened by thisknowledge, and it seemed to them that all brightness had gone from theirshining City. 

Where was Iduna whose apples would give back youth and strength andbeauty to the Dwellers in Asgard? The Gods had searched for her throughthe World of Men. No trace of her did they find. But now Odin, searchingthrough his wisdom, saw a means to get knowledge of where Iduna washidden. 

He summoned his two ravens, Hugin and Munin, his two ravens that flewthrough the earth and through the Realm of the Giants and that knew allthings that were past and all things that were to come. He summonedHugin and Munin and they came, and one sat on his right shoulder and onesat on his left shoulder and they told him deep secrets: they told himof Thiassi and of his desire for the shining apples that the Dwellers inAsgard ate, and of Loki's deception of Iduna, the fair and simple. 

What Odin learnt from his ravens was told in the Council of the Gods. Then Thor the Strong went to Loki and laid hands upon him. When Lokifound himself in the grip of the strong God, he said, "What wouldst thouwith me, O Thor?"

"I would hurl thee into a chasm in the ground and strike thee with mythunder, " said the strong God. "It was thou who didst bring it aboutthat Iduna went from Asgard. "

"O Thor, " said Loki, "do not crush me with thy thunder. Let me stay inAsgard. I will strive to win Iduna back. "

"The judgment of the Gods, " said Thor, "is that thou, the cunning one, shouldst go to Jötunheim, and by thy craft win Iduna back from theGiants. Go or else I shall hurl thee into a chasm and crush thee with mythunder. "

"I will go, " said Loki. 

From Frigga, the wife of Odin, Loki borrowed the dress of falconfeathers that she owned. He clad himself in it, and flew to Jötunheim inthe form of a falcon. 

He searched through Jötunheim until he found Thiassi's daughter, Skadi. He flew before Skadi and he let the Giant maid catch him and hold him asa pet. One day the Giant maid carried him into the cave where Iduna, thefair and simple, was held. 

When Loki saw Iduna there he knew that part of his quest was ended. Nowhe had to get Iduna out of Jötunheim and away to Asgard. He stayed nomore with the Giant maid, but flew up into the high rocks of the cave. Skadi wept for the flight of her pet, but she ceased to search and tocall and went away from the cave. 

Then Loki, the doer of good and the doer of evil, flew to where Idunawas sitting and spoke to her. Iduna, when she knew that one of theDwellers in Asgard was near, wept with joy. 

Loki told her what she was to do. By the power of a spell that was givenhim he was able to change her into the form of a sparrow. But before shedid this she took the shining apples out of her basket and flung theminto places where the Giant would never find them. 

Skadi, coming back to the cave, saw the falcon fly out with the sparrowbeside him. She cried out to her father and the Giant knew that thefalcon was Loki and the sparrow was Iduna. He changed himself into theform of a mighty eagle. By this time sparrow and falcon were out ofsight, but Thiassi, knowing that he could make better flight than they, flew toward Asgard. 

Soon he saw them. They flew with all the power they had, but the greatwings of the eagle brought him nearer and nearer to them. The Dwellersin Asgard, standing on the wall, saw the falcon and the sparrow with thegreat eagle pursuing them. They knew who they were--Loki and Iduna withThiassi in pursuit. 

As they watched the eagle winging nearer and nearer, the Dwellers inAsgard were fearful that the falcon and the sparrow would be caught uponand that Iduna would be taken again by Thiassi. They lighted great firesupon the wall, knowing that Loki would find a way through the fires, bringing Iduna with him, but that Thiassi would not find a way. 

The falcon and the sparrow flew toward the fires. Loki went between theflames and brought Iduna with him. And Thiassi, coming up to the firesand finding no way through, beat his wings against the flames. He felldown from the wall and the death that came to him afterwards was laid toLoki. 

Thus Iduna was brought back to Asgard. Once again she sat in the goldenhouse that opened to her garden, once again she plucked the shiningapples off the tree she tended, and once again she gave them to theDwellers in Asgard. And the Dwellers in Asgard walked lightly again, andbrightness came into their eyes and into their cheeks; age no moreapproached them; youth came back; light and joy were again in Asgard. 

[Illustration]

SIF'S GOLDEN HAIR: HOW LOKI WROUGHT MISCHIEF IN ASGARD

All who dwelt in Asgard, the Æsir and the Asyniur, who were the Gods andthe Goddesses, and the Vanir, who were the friends of the Gods and theGoddesses, were wroth with Loki. It was no wonder they were wroth withhim, for he had let the Giant Thiassi carry off Iduna and her goldenapples. Still, it must be told that the show they made of their wrathmade Loki ready to do more mischief in Asgard. 

One day he saw a chance to do mischief that made his heart rejoice. Sif, the wife of Thor, was lying asleep outside her house. Her beautifulgolden hair flowed all round her. Loki knew how much Thor loved thatshining hair, and how greatly Sif prized it because of Thor's love. Here was his chance to do a great mischief. Smilingly, he took out hisshears and he cut off the shining hair, every strand and every tress. She did not waken while her treasure was being taken from her. But Lokileft Sif's head cropped and bare. 

Thor was away from Asgard. Coming back to the City of the Gods, he wentinto his house. Sif, his wife, was not there to welcome him. He calledto Sif, but no glad answer came from her. To the palaces of all the Godsand Goddesses Thor went, but in none of them did he find Sif, hisgolden-haired wife. 

When he was coming back to his house he heard his name whispered. Hestopped, and then a figure stole out from behind a stone. A veil coveredher head, and Thor scarce knew that this was Sif, his wife. As he wentto her she sobbed and sobbed. "O Thor, my husband, " she said, "do notlook upon me. I am ashamed that you should see me. I shall go fromAsgard and from the company of the Gods and Goddesses, and I shall godown to Svartheim and live amongst the Dwarfs. I cannot bear that any ofthe Dwellers in Asgard should look upon me now. "

"O Sif, " cried Thor, "what has happened to change you?"

"I have lost the hair of my head, " said Sif, "I have lost the beautifulgolden hair that you, Thor, loved. You will not love me any more, and soI must go away, down to Svartheim and to the company of the Dwarfs. Theyare as ugly as I am now. "

Then she took the veil off her head and Thor saw that all her beautifulhair was gone. She stood before him, shamed and sorrowful, and he grewinto a mighty rage. "Who was it did this to you, Sif?" he said. "I amThor, the strongest of all the Dwellers in Asgard, and I shall see to itthat all the powers the Gods possess will be used to get your fairnessback. Come with me, Sif. " And taking his wife's hand in his, Thor wentoff to the Council House where the Gods and the Goddesses were. 

Sif covered her head with her veil, for she would not have the Gods andGoddesses look upon her shorn head. But from the anger in Thor's eyesall saw that the wrong done to Sif was great indeed. Then Thor told ofthe cutting of her beautiful hair. A whisper went round the CouncilHouse. "It was Loki did this--no one else in Asgard would have done adeed so shameful, " one said to the other. 

"Loki it was who did it, " said Thor. "He has hidden himself, but I shallfind him and I will slay him. "

"Nay, not so, Thor, " said Odin, the Father of the Gods. "Nay, no Dwellerin Asgard may slay another. I shall summon Loki to come before us here. It is for you to make him (and remember that Loki is cunning and able todo many things) bring back to Sif the beauty of her golden hair. "

Then the call of Odin, the call that all in Asgard have to harken to, went through the City of the Gods. Loki heard it, and he had to comefrom his hiding-place and enter the house where the Gods held theirCouncil. And when he looked on Thor and saw the rage that was in hiseyes, and when he looked on Odin and saw the sternness in the face ofthe Father of the Gods, he knew that he would have to make amends forthe shameful wrong he had done to Sif. 

Said Odin, "There is a thing that you, Loki, have to do: Restore to Sifthe beauty of her hair. "

Loki looked at Odin, Loki looked at Thor, and he saw that what was saidwould have to be done. His quick mind searched to find a way ofrestoring to Sif the beauty of her golden hair. 

"I shall do as you command, Odin All-Father, " he said. 

But before we tell you of what Loki did to restore the beauty of Sif'sgolden hair, we must tell you of the other beings besides the Gods andthe Goddesses who were in the world at the time. First, there was theVanir. When the Gods who were called the Æsir came to the mountain onwhich they built Asgard, they found other beings there. These were notwicked and ugly like the Giants; they were beautiful and friendly; theVanir they were named. 

Although they were beautiful and friendly the Vanir had no thought ofmaking the world more beautiful or more happy. In that way they differedfrom the Æsir who had such a thought. The Æsir made peace with them, andthey lived together in friendship, and the Vanir came to do things thathelped the Æsir to make the world more beautiful and more happy. Freya, whom the Giant wanted to take away with the Sun and the Moon as a rewardfor the building of the wall round Asgard, was of the Vanir. The otherbeings of the Vanir were Frey, who was the brother of Freya, and Niörd, who was their father. 

On the earth below there were other beings--the dainty Elves, who dancedand fluttered about, attending to the trees and flowers and grasses. TheVanir were permitted to rule over the Elves. Then below the earth, incaves and hollows, there was another race, the Dwarfs or Gnomes, little, twisted creatures, who were both wicked and ugly, but who were the bestcraftsmen in the world. 

In the days when neither the Æsir nor the Vanir were friendly to himLoki used to go down to Svartheim, the Dwarfs' dwelling below the earth. And now that he was commanded to restore to Sif the beauty of her hair, Loki thought of help he might get from the Dwarfs. 

Down, down, through the winding passages in the earth he went, and hecame at last to where the Dwarfs who were most friendly to him wereworking in their forges. All the Dwarfs were master-smiths, and when hecame upon his friends he found them working hammer and tongs, beatingmetals into many shapes. He watched them for a while and took note ofthe things they were making. One was a spear, so well balanced and madethat it would hit whatever mark it was thrown at no matter how bad theaim the thrower had. The other was a boat that could sail on any sea, but that could be folded up so that it would go into one's pocket. Thespear was called Gungnir and the boat was called Skidbladnir. 

Loki made himself very agreeable to the Dwarfs, praising their work andpromising them things that only the Dwellers in Asgard could give, things that the Dwarfs longed to possess. He talked to them till thelittle, ugly folk thought that they would come to own Asgard and allthat was in it. 

At last Loki said to them, "Have you got a bar of fine gold that you canhammer into threads--into threads so fine that they will be like thehair of Sif, Thor's wife? Only the Dwarfs could make a thing sowonderful. Ah, there is the bar of gold. Hammer it into those finethreads, and the Gods themselves will be jealous of your work. "

Flattered by Loki's speeches, the Dwarfs who were in the forge took upthe bar of fine gold and flung it into the fire. Then taking it out andputting it upon their anvil they worked on the bar with their tinyhammers until they beat it into threads that were as fine as the hairsof one's head. But that was not enough. They had to be as fine as thehairs on Sif's head, and these were finer than anything else. Theyworked on the threads, over and over again, until they were as fine asthe hairs on Sif's head. The threads were as bright as sunlight, andwhen Loki took up the mass of worked gold it flowed from his raised handdown on the ground. It was so fine that it could be put into his palm, and it was so light that a bird might not feel its weight. 

Then Loki praised the Dwarfs more and more, and he made more and morepromises to them. He charmed them all, although they were an unfriendlyand a suspicious folk. And before he left them he asked them for thespear and the boat he had seen them make, the spear Gungnir and theboat Skidbladnir. The Dwarfs gave him these things, though in a whileafter they wondered at themselves for giving them. 

Back to Asgard Loki went. He walked into the Council House where theDwellers in Asgard were gathered. He met the stern look in Odin's eyesand the rageful look in Thor's eyes with smiling good humor. "Off withthy veil, O Sif, " he said. And when poor Sif took off her veil he putupon her shorn head the wonderful mass of gold he held in his palm. Overher shoulders the gold fell, fine, soft, and shining as her own hair. And the Æsir and the Asyniur, the Gods and the Goddesses, and the Vanand Vana, when they saw Sif's head covered again with the shining web, laughed and clapped their hands in gladness. And the shining web held toSif's head as if indeed it had roots and was growing there. 

[Illustration]

HOW BROCK BROUGHT JUDGMENT ON LOKI

It was then that Loki, with the wish of making the Æsir and the Vanirfriendly to him once more, brought out the wonderful things he hadgained from the Dwarfs--the spear Gungnir and the boat Skidbladnir. TheÆsir and the Vanir marveled at things so wonderful. Loki gave the spearas a gift to Odin, and to Frey, who was chief of the Vanir, he gave theboat Skidbladnir. 

All Asgard rejoiced that things so wonderful and so helpful had beenbrought to them. And Loki, who had made a great show in giving thesegifts, said boastingly:

"None but the Dwarfs who work for me could make such things. There areother Dwarfs, but they are as unhandy as they are misshapen. The Dwarfswho are my servants are the only ones who can make such wonders. "

Now Loki in his boastfulness had said a foolish thing. There were otherDwarfs besides those who had worked for him, and one of these was therein Asgard. All unknown to Loki he stood in the shadow of Odin's seat, listening to what was being said. Now he went over to Loki, his little, unshapely form trembling with rage--Brock, the most spiteful of all theDwarfs. 

"Ha, Loki, you boaster, " he roared, "you lie in your words. Sindri, mybrother, who would scorn to serve you, is the best smith in Svartheim. "

The Æsir and the Vanir laughed to see Loki outfaced by Brock the Dwarfin the middle of his boastfulness. As they laughed Loki grew angry. 

"Be silent, Dwarf, " he said, "your brother will know about smith's workwhen he goes to the Dwarfs who are my friends, and learns something fromthem. "

"He learn from the Dwarfs who are your friends! My brother Sindri learnfrom the Dwarfs who are your friends!" Brock roared, in a greater ragethan before. "The things you have brought out of Svartheim would not benoticed by the Æsir and the Vanir if they were put beside the thingsthat my brother Sindri can make. "

"Sometime we will try your brother Sindri and see what he can do, " saidLoki. 

"Try now, try now, " Brock shouted. "I'll wager my head against yours, Loki, that his work will make the Dwellers in Asgard laugh at yourboasting. "

"I will take your wager, " said Loki. "My head against yours. And gladwill I be to see that ugly head of yours off your misshapen shoulders. "

"The Æsir will judge whether my brother's work is not the best that evercame out of Svartheim. And they will see to it that you will pay yourwager, Loki, the head off your shoulders. Will ye not sit in judgment, ODwellers in Asgard?"

"We will sit in judgment, " said the Æsir. Then, still full of rage, Brock the Dwarf went down to Svartheim, and to the place where hisbrother Sindri worked. 

There was Sindri in his glowing forge, working with bellows and anviland hammers beside him, and around him masses of metal--gold and silver, copper and iron. Brock told his tale, how he had wagered his headagainst Loki's that Sindri could make things more wonderful than thespear and the boat that Loki had brought into Asgard. 

"You were right in what you said, my brother, " said Sindri, "and youshall not lose your head to Loki. But the two of us must work at what Iam going to forge. It will be your work to keep the fire so that it willneither blaze up nor die down for a single instant. If you can keep thefire as I tell you, we will forge a wonder. Now, brother, keep yourhands upon the bellows, and keep the fire under your control. "

Then into the fire Sindri threw, not a piece of metal, but a pig's skin. Brock kept his hands on the bellows, working it so that the fire neitherdied down nor blazed up for a single instant. And in the glowing firethe pigskin swelled itself into a strange shape. 

But Brock was not left to work the bellows in peace. In to the forgeflew a gadfly. It lighted on Brock's hands and stung them. The Dwarfscreamed with pain, but his hands still held the bellows, working it tokeep the fire steady, for he knew that the gadfly was Loki, and thatLoki was striving to spoil Sindri's work. Again the gadfly stung hishands, but Brock, although his hands felt as if they were pierced withhot irons, still worked the bellows so that the fire did not blaze up ordie down for a single instant. 

Sindri came and looked into the fire. Over the shape that was risingthere he said words of magic. The gadfly had flown away, and Sindri badehis brother cease working. He took out the thing that had been shaped inthe fire, and he worked over it with his hammer. It was a wonderindeed--a boar, all golden, that could fly through the air, and thatshed light from its bristles as it flew. Brock forgot the pain in hishands and screamed with joy. "This is the greatest of wonders, " he said. "The Dwellers in Asgard will have to give the judgment against Loki. Ishall have Loki's head!"

But Sindri said, "The boar Golden Bristle may not be judged as great awonder as the spear Gungnir or the boat Skidbladnir. We must makesomething more wonderful still. Work the bellows as before, brother, anddo not let the fire die down or blaze up for a single instant. "

Then Sindri took up a piece of gold that was so bright it lightened upthe dark cavern that the Dwarfs worked in. He threw the piece of goldinto the fire. Then he went to make ready something else and left Brockto work the bellows. 

The gadfly flew in again. Brock did not know it was there until itlighted on the back of his neck. It stung him till Brock felt the painwas wrenching him apart. But still he kept his hands on the bellows, working it so that the fire neither blazed up nor died down for a singleinstant. When Sindri came to look into the fire, Brock was not able tospeak for pain. 

Again Sindri said magic words over the gold that was being smelted inthe fire. He took it out of the glow and worked it over on themain-anvil. Then in a while he showed Brock something that looked likethe circle of their sun. "A splendid armring, my brother, " he said. "Anarmring for a God's right arm. And this ring has hidden wonders. Everyninth night eight rings like itself will drop from this armring, forthis is Draupnir, the Ring of Increase. "

"To Odin, the Father of the Gods, the ring shall be given, " said Brock. "And Odin will have to declare that nothing so wonderful or soprofitable to the Gods was ever brought into Asgard. O Loki, cunningLoki, I shall have thy head in spite of thy tricks. "

"Be not too hasty, brother, " said Sindri. "What we have done so far isgood. But better still must be the thing that will make the Dwellers inAsgard give the judgment that delivers Loki's head to thee. Work asbefore, brother, and do not let the fire blaze up or die down for asingle instant. "

This time Sindri threw into the fire a bar of iron. Then he went away tofetch the hammer that would shape it. Brock worked the bellows asbefore, but only his hands were steady, for every other part of him wastrembling with expectation of the gadfly's sting. 

He saw the gadfly dart into the forge. He screamed as it flew round andround him, searching out a place where it might sting him mostfearfully. It lighted down on his forehead, just between his eyes. Thefirst sting it gave took the sight from his eyes. It stung again andBrock felt the blood flowing down. Darkness filled the cave. Brock triedto keep his hands steady on the bellows, but he did not know whether thefire was blazing up or dying down. He shouted and Sindri hurried up. 

Sindri said the magic words over the thing that was in the fire. Then hedrew it out. "An instant more, " he said, "and the work would have beenperfect. But because you let the fire die down for an instant the workis not as good as it might have been made. " He took what was shaped inthe fire to the main-anvil and worked over it. Then when Brock'seyesight came back to him he saw a great hammer, a hammer all of iron. The handle did not seem to be long enough to balance the head. This wasbecause the fire had died down for an instant while it was being formed. 

"The hammer is Miölnir, " said Sindri, "and it is the greatest of thethings that I am able to make. All in Asgard must rejoice to see thishammer. Thor only will be able to wield it. Now I am not afraid of thejudgment that the Dwellers in Asgard will give. "

"The Dwellers in Asgard will have to give judgment for us, " Brock criedout. "They will have to give judgment for us, and the head of Loki, mytormentor, will be given me. "

"No more wonderful or more profitable gifts than these have ever beenbrought into Asgard, " Sindri said. "Thy head is saved, and thou wilt beable to take the head of Loki who was insolent to us. Bring it here, andwe will throw it into the fire in the forge. "

The Æsir and the Vanir were seated in the Council House of Asgard when atrain of Dwarfs appeared before them. Brock came at the head of thetrain, and he was followed by a band of Dwarfs carrying things of greatweight. Brock and his attendants stood round the throne of Odin, andhearkened to the words of the Father of the Gods. 

"We know why you have come into Asgard from out of Svartheim, " Odinsaid. "You have brought things wonderful and profitable to the Dwellersin Asgard. Let what you have brought be seen, Brock. If they are morewonderful and more useful than the things Loki has brought out ofSvartheim, the spear Gungnir and the boat Skidbladnir, we will givejudgment for you. "

Then Brock commanded the Dwarfs who waited on him to show the Dwellersin Asgard the first of the wonders that Sindri had made. They broughtout the boar, Golden Bristle. Round and round the Council House the boarflew, leaving a track of brightness. The Dwellers in Asgard said one tothe other that this was a wonder indeed. But none would say that theboar was a better thing to have in Asgard than the spear that would hitthe mark no matter how badly it was flung, or the boat Skidbladnir thatwould sail on any sea, and that could be folded up so small that itwould fit in any one's pocket: none would say that Golden Bristle wasbetter than these wonders. 

To Frey, who was Chief of the Vanir, Brock gave the wondrous boar. 

Then the attending Dwarfs showed the armring that was as bright as thecircle of the Sun. All admired the noble ring. And when it was told howevery ninth night this ring dropped eight rings of gold that were likeitself, the Dwellers in Asgard spoke aloud, all saying that Draupnir, the Ring of Increase, was a wonder indeed. Hearing their voices raised, Brock looked triumphantly at Loki who was standing there with his lipsdrawn closely together. 

To Odin, the Father of the Gods, Brock gave the noble armring. 

Then he commanded the attending Dwarfs to lay before Thor the hammerMiölnir. Thor took the hammer up and swung it around his head. As he didso he uttered a great cry. And the eyes of the Dwellers in Asgardlightened up when they saw Thor with the hammer Miölnir in his hands;their eyes lightened up and from their lips came the cry, "This is awonder, a wonder indeed! With this hammer in his hand none can withstandThor, our Champion. No greater thing has ever come into Asgard than thehammer Miölnir. "

Then Odin, the Father of the Gods, spoke from his throne, givingjudgment. "The hammer Miölnir that the Dwarf Brock has brought intoAsgard is a thing wonderful indeed and profitable to the Gods. InThor's hands it can crush mountains, and hurl the Giant race from theramparts of Asgard. Sindri the Dwarf has forged a greater thing than thespear Gungnir and the boat Skidbladnir. There can be no other judgment. "

Brock looked at Loki, showing his gnarled teeth. "Now, Loki, yield yourhead, yield your head, " he cried. 

"Do not ask such a thing, " said Odin. "Put any other penalty on Loki formocking you and tormenting you. Make him yield to you the greatest thingthat it is in his power to give. "

"Not so, not so, " screamed Brock. "You Dwellers in Asgard would shieldone another. But what of me? Loki would have taken my head had I lostthe wager. Loki has lost his head to me. Let him kneel down now till Icut it off. "

Loki came forward, smiling with closed lips. "I kneel before you, Dwarf, " he said. "Take off my head. But be careful. Do not touch myneck. I did not bargain that you should touch my neck. If you do, Ishall call upon the Dwellers in Asgard to punish you. "

Brock drew back with a snarl. "Is this the judgment of the Gods?" heasked. 

"The bargain you made, Brock, " said Odin, "was an evil one, and all itsevil consequences you must bear. "

Brock, in a rage, looked upon Loki, and he saw that his lips weresmiling. He stamped his feet and raged. Then he went up to Loki andsaid, "I may not take your head, but I can do something with your lipsthat mock me. "

"What would you do, Dwarf?" asked Thor. 

"Sew Loki's lips together, " said Brock, "so that he can do no moremischief with his talk. You Dwellers in Asgard cannot forbid me to dothis. Down, Loki, on your knees before me. "

Loki looked round on the Dwellers in Asgard and he saw that theirjudgment was that he must kneel before the Dwarf. He knelt down with afrown upon his brow. "Draw your lips together, Loki, " said Brock. Lokidrew his lips together while his eyes flashed fire. With an awl that hetook from his belt Brock pierced Loki's lips. He took out a thong andtightened them together. Then in triumph the Dwarf looked on Loki. 

"O Loki, " he said, "you boasted that the Dwarfs who worked for you werebetter craftsmen than Sindri, my brother. Your words have been shown tobe lies. And now you cannot boast for a while. "

Then Brock the Dwarf, with great majesty, walked out of the CouncilHouse of Asgard, and the attending Dwarfs marched behind him inprocession. Down the passages in the earth the Dwarfs went, singing thesong of Brock's triumph over Loki. And in Svartheim it was told foreverafter how Sindri and Brock had prevailed. 

In Asgard, now that Loki's lips were closed, there was peace and arespite from mischief. No one amongst the Æsir or the Vanir were sorrywhen Loki had to walk about in silence with his head bent low. 

[Illustration]

HOW FREYA GAINED HER NECKLACE AND HOW HER LOVED ONE WAS LOST TO HER

Yes, Loki went through Asgard silent and with head bent, and theDwellers in Asgard said one unto the other, "This will teach Loki towork no more mischief. " They did not know that what Loki had done hadsown the seeds of mischief and that these seeds were to sprout up andbring sorrow to the beautiful Vana Freya, to Freya whom the Giant wantedto carry off with the Sun and the Moon as payment for his building thewall around Asgard. 

Freya had looked upon the wonders that Loki had brought into Asgard--thegolden threads that were Sif's hair, and Frey's boar that shed lightfrom its bristles as it flew. The gleam of these golden things dazzledher, and made her dream in the day time and the night time of thewonders that she herself might possess. And often she thought, "Whatwonderful things the Three Giant Women would give me if I could bringmyself to go to them on their mountaintop. "

Long ere this, when the wall around their City was not yet built, andwhen the Gods had set up only the court with their twelve seats and theHall that was for Odin and the Hall that was for the Goddesses, therehad come into Asgard Three Giant Women. 

They came after the Gods had set up a forge and had begun to work metalfor their buildings. The metal they worked was pure gold. With gold theybuilt Gladsheim, the Hall of Odin, and with gold they made all theirdishes and household ware. Then was the Age of Gold, and the Gods didnot grudge gold to anyone. Happy were the Gods then, and no shadow norforeboding lay on Asgard. 

But after the Three Giant Women came the Gods began to value gold and tohoard it. They played with it no more. And the happy innocence of theirfirst days departed from them. 

At last the Three were banished from Asgard. The Gods turned theirthoughts from the hoarding of gold, and they built up their City, andthey made themselves strong. 

And now Freya, the lovely Vanir bride, thought upon the Giant Women andon the wonderful things of gold they had flashed through their hands. But not to Odur, her husband, did she speak her thoughts; for Odur, morethan any of the other dwellers in Asgard, was wont to think on the daysof happy innocence, before gold came to be hoarded and valued. Odurwould not have Freya go near the mountaintop where the Three had theirhigh seat. 

But Freya did not cease to think upon them and upon the things of goldthey had. "Why should Odur know I went to them?" she said to herself. "No one will tell him. And what difference will it make if I go to themand gain some lovely thing for myself? I shall not love Odur the lessbecause I go my own way for once. "

Then one day she left their palace, leaving Odur, her husband, playingwith their little child Hnossa. She left the palace and went down to theEarth. There she stayed for a while, tending the flowers that were hercharge. After a while she asked the Elves to tell her where the mountainwas on which the Three Giant Women stayed. 

The Elves were frightened and would not tell her, although she was queenover them. She left them and stole down into the caves of the Dwarfs. Itwas they who showed her the way to the seat of the Giant Women, butbefore they showed her the way they made her feel shame and misery. 

"We will show you the way if you stay with us here, " said one of theDwarfs. 

"For how long would you have me stay?" said Freya. 

"Until the cocks in Svartheim crow, " said the Dwarfs, closing round her. "We want to know what the company of one of the Vanir is like. " "I willstay, " Freya said. 

Then one of the Dwarfs reached up and put his arms round her neck andkissed her with his ugly mouth. Freya tried to break away from them, butthe Dwarfs held her. "You cannot go away from us now until the cocks ofSvartheim crow, " they said. 

Then one and then another of the Dwarfs pressed up to her and kissedher. They made her sit down beside them on the heaps of skins they had. When she wept they screamed at her and beat her. One, when she would notkiss him on the mouth, bit her hands. So Freya stayed with the Dwarfsuntil the cocks of Svartheim crew. 

They showed her the mountain on the top of which the Three banished fromAsgard had their abode. The Giant Women sat overlooking the World ofMen. "What would you have from us, wife of Odur?" one who was calledGulveig said to her. 

"Alas! Now that I have found you I know that I should ask you fornought, " Freya said. 

"Speak, Vana, " said the second of the Giant Women. 

The third said nothing, but she held up in her hands a necklace of goldmost curiously fashioned. "How bright it is!" Freya said. "There isshadow where you sit, women, but the necklace you hold makes brightnessnow. Oh, how I should joy to wear it!"

"It is the necklace Brisingamen, " said the one who was called Gulveig. 

"It is yours to wear, wife of Odur, " said the one who held it in herhands. 

Freya took the shining necklace and clasped it round her throat. Shecould not bring herself to thank the Giant Women, for she saw thatthere was evil in their eyes. She made reverence to them, however, andshe went from the mountain on which they sat overlooking the World ofMen. 

In a while she looked down and saw Brisingamen and her misery went fromher. It was the most beautiful thing ever made by hands. None of theAsyniur and none other of the Vanir possessed a thing so beautiful. Itmade her more and more lovely, and Odur, she thought, would forgive herwhen he saw how beautiful and how happy Brisingamen made her. 

She rose up from amongst the flowers and took leave of the slight Elvesand she made her way into Asgard. All who greeted her looked long andwith wonder upon the necklace that she wore. And into the eyes of theGoddesses there came a look of longing when they saw Brisingamen. 

But Freya hardly stopped to speak to anyone. As swiftly as she could shemade her way to her own palace. She would show herself to Odur and winhis forgiveness. She entered her shining palace and called to him. Noanswer came. Her child, the little Hnossa, was on the floor, playing. Her mother took her in her arms, but the child, when she looked onBrisingamen, turned away crying. 

Freya left Hnossa down and searched again for Odur. He was not in anypart of their palace. She went into the houses of all who dwelt inAsgard, asking for tidings of him. None knew where he had gone to. Atlast Freya went back to their palace and waited and waited for Odur toreturn. But Odur did not come. 

One came to her. It was a Goddess, Odin's wife, the queenly Frigga. "Youare waiting for Odur, your husband, " Frigga said. "Ah, let me tell youOdur will not come to you here. He went, when for the sake of a shiningthing you did what would make him unhappy. Odur has gone from Asgard andno one knows where to search for him. "

"I will seek him outside of Asgard, " Freya said. She wept no more, butshe took the little child Hnossa and put her in Frigga's arms. Then shemounted her car that was drawn by two cats, and journeyed down fromAsgard to Midgard, the Earth, to search for Odur her husband. 

Year in and year out, and over all the Earth, Freya went searching andcalling for the lost Odur. She went as far as the bounds of the Earth, where she could look over to Jötunheim, where dwelt the Giant who wouldhave carried her off with the Sun and the Moon as payment for thebuilding of the wall around Asgard. But in no place, from the end of theRainbow Bifröst, that stretched from Asgard to the Earth, to theboundary of Jötunheim, did she find a trace of her husband Odur. 

At last she turned her car toward Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge thatstretched from Midgard, the Earth, to Asgard, the Dwelling of the Gods. Heimdall, the Watcher for the Gods, guarded the Rainbow Bridge. To himFreya went with a half hope fluttering in her heart. 

"O Heimdall, " she cried, "O Heimdall, Watcher for the Gods, speak andtell me if you know where Odur is. "

"Odur is in every place where the searcher has not come; Odur is inevery place that the searcher has left; those who seek him will neverfind Odur, " said Heimdall, the Watcher for the Gods. 

Then Freya stood on Bifröst and wept. Frigga, the queenly Goddess, heardthe sound of her weeping, and came out of Asgard to comfort her. 

"Ah, what comfort can you give me, Frigga?" cried Freya. "What comfortcan you give me when Odur will never be found by one who searches forhim?"

"Behold how your daughter, the child Hnossa, has grown, " said Frigga. Freya looked up and saw a beautiful maiden standing on Bifröst, theRainbow Bridge. She was young, more youthful than any of the Vanir orthe Asyniur, and her face and her form were so lovely that all heartsbecame melted when they looked upon her. 

And Freya was comforted in her loss. She followed Frigga across Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge, and came once again into the City of the Gods. Inher own palace in Asgard Freya dwelt with Hnossa, her child. 

Still she wore round her neck Brisingamen, the necklace that lost herOdur. But now she wore it, not for its splendor, but as a sign of thewrong she had done. She weeps, and her tears become golden drops as theyfall on the earth. And by poets who know her story she is called TheBeautiful Lady in Tears. 

[Illustration]

HOW FREY WON GERDA, THE GIANT MAIDEN, AND HOW HE LOST HIS MAGIC SWORD

Frey, chief of the Vanir, longed to have sight of his sister who hadbeen from Asgard for so long. (You must know that this happened duringthe time when Freya was wandering through the world, seeking herhusband, the lost Odur. ) Now there was in Asgard a place from which onecould overlook the world and have a glimpse of all who wandered there. That place was Hlidskjalf, Odin's lofty Watch-Tower. 

High up into the blue of the air that Tower went. Frey came to it and heknew that Odin All-Father was not upon Hlidskjalf. Only the two wolves, Geri and Freki, that crouched beside Odin's seat at the banquet, werethere, and they stood in the way of Frey's entrance to the Tower. ButFrey spoke to Geri and Freki in the language of the Gods, and Odin'swolves had to let him pass. 

But, as he went up the steps within the Tower, Frey, chief of the Vanir, knew that he was doing a fateful thing. For none of the High Gods, noteven Thor, the Defender of Asgard, nor Baldur, the Best-Beloved of theGods, had ever climbed to the top of that Tower and seated themselvesupon the All-Father's seat. "But if I could see my sister once I shouldbe contented, " said Frey to himself, "and no harm can come to me if Ilook out on the world. "

He came to the top of Hlidskjalf. He seated himself on Odin's loftyseat. He looked out on the world. He saw Midgard, the World of Men, withits houses and towns, its farms and people. Beyond Midgard he sawJötunheim, the Realm of the Giants, terrible with its dark mountains andits masses of snow and ice. He saw Freya as she went upon herwanderings, and he marked that her face was turned toward Asgard andthat her steps were leading toward the City of the Gods. "I havecontented myself by looking from Hlidskjalf, " said Frey to himself, "andno harm has come to me. "

But even as he spoke his gaze was drawn to a dwelling that stood in themiddle of the ice and snow of Jötunheim. Long he gazed upon thatdwelling without knowing why he looked that way. Then the door of thehouse was opened and a Giant maiden stood within the doorway. Frey gazedand gazed on her. So great was the beauty of her face that it was likestarlight in that dark land. She looked from the doorway of the house, and then turned and went within, shutting the door. 

Frey sat on Odin's high seat for long. Then he went down the steps ofthe Tower and passed by the two wolves, Geri and Freki, that lookedthreateningly upon him. He went through Asgard, but he found no one toplease him in the City of the Gods. That night sleep did not come tohim, for his thoughts were fixed upon the loveliness of the Giant maidhe had looked upon. And when morning came he was filled with lonelinessbecause he thought himself so far from her. He went to Hlidskjalf again, thinking to climb the Tower and have sight of her once more. But now thetwo wolves, Geri and Freki, bared their teeth at him and would not lethim pass, although he spoke to them again in the language of the Gods. 

He went and spoke to wise Niörd, his father. "She whom you have seen, myson, " said Niörd, "is Gerda, the daughter of the Giant Gymer. You mustgive over thinking of her. Your love for her would be an ill thing foryou. "

"Why should it be an ill thing for me?" Frey asked. 

"Because you would have to give that which you prize most for the sakeof coming to her. "

"That which I prize most, " said Frey, "is my magic sword. "

"You will have to give your magic sword, " said his father, the wiseNiörd. 

"I will give it, " said Frey, loosening his magic sword from his belt. 

"Bethink thee, my son, " said Niörd. "If thou givest thy sword, whatweapon wilt thou have on the day of Ragnarök, when the Giants will makewar upon the Gods?"

Frey did not speak, but he thought the day of Ragnarök was far off. "Icannot live without Gerda, " he said, as he turned away. 

There was one in Asgard who was called Skirnir. He was a venturesomebeing who never cared what he said or did. To no one else but Skirnircould Frey bring himself to tell of the trouble that had fallen onhim--the trouble that was the punishment for his placing himself on theseat of the All-Father. 

Skirnir laughed when he heard Frey's tale. "Thou, a Van, in love with amaid of Jötunheim! This is fun indeed! Will ye make a marriage of it?"

"Would that I might even speak to her or send a message of love to her, "said Frey. "But I may not leave my watch over the Elves. "

"And if I should take a message to Gerda, " said Skirnir the Venturesome, "what would my reward be?"

"My boat Skidbladnir or my boar Golden Bristle, " said Frey. 

"No, no, " said Skirnir. "I want something to go by my side. I wantsomething to use in my hand. Give me the magic sword you own. "

Frey thought upon what his father said, that he would be left weaponlesson the day of Ragnarök, when the Giants would make war upon the Gods andwhen Asgard would be endangered. He thought upon this, and drew backfrom Skirnir, and for a while he remained in thought. And all the timethick-set Skirnir was laughing at him out of his wide mouth and his blueeyes. Then Frey said to himself, "The day of Ragnarök is far off, and Icannot live without Gerda. "

He drew the magic sword from his belt and he placed it in Skirnir'shand. "I give you my sword, Skirnir, " he said. "Take my message toGerda, Gymer's daughter. Show her this gold and these precious jewels, and say I love her, and that I claim her love. "

"I shall bring the maid to you, " said Skirnir the Venturesome. 

"But how wilt thou get to Jötunheim?" said Frey, suddenly rememberinghow dark the Giants' land was and how terrible were the approaches toit. 

"Oh, with a good horse and a good sword one can get anywhere, " saidSkirnir. "My horse is a mighty horse, and you have given me your swordof magic. Tomorrow I shall make the journey. "

Skirnir rode across Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge, laughing out of hiswide mouth and his blue eyes at Heimdall, the Warder of the Bridge toAsgard. His mighty horse trod the earth of Midgard, and swam the riverthat divides Midgard, the World of Men, from Jötunheim, the Realm of theGiants. He rode on heedlessly and recklessly, as he did all things. Thenout of the iron forests came the monstrous wolves of Jötunheim, to tearand devour him and his mighty horse. It was well for Skirnir that he hadin his belt Frey's magic sword. Its edge slew and its gleam frightedthe monstrous beasts. On and on Skirnir rode on his mighty horse. Thenhe came to a wall of fire. No other horse but his mighty horse could gothrough it. Skirnir rode through the fire and came to the dale in whichwas Gymer's dwelling. 

And now he was before the house that Frey had seen Gerda enter on theday when he had climbed Hlidskjalf, Odin's Watch-Tower. The mightyhounds that guarded Gymer's dwelling came and bayed around him. But thegleam of the magic sword kept them away. Skirnir backed his horse to thedoor, and made his horse's hooves strike against it. 

Gymer was in the feast hall drinking with his Giant friends, and he didnot hear the baying of the hounds nor the clatter that Skirnir madebefore the door. But Gerda sat spinning with her maidens in the hall. "Who comes to Gymer's door?" she said. 

"A warrior upon a mighty horse, " said one of the maidens. 

"Even though he be an enemy and one who slew my brother, yet shall weopen the door to him and give him a cup of Gymer's mead, " said Gerda. 

One of the maidens opened the door and Skirnir entered Gymer's dwelling. He knew Gerda amongst her maidens. He went to her and showed her therich gold and the precious jewels that he had brought from Frey. "Theseare for you, fairest Gerda, " he said, "if you will give your love toFrey, the Chief of the Vanir. "

"Show your gold and jewels to other maidens, " said Gerda. "Gold andjewels will never bring me to give my love. "

Then Skirnir the Venturesome, the heedless of his words, drew the magicsword from his belt and held it above her. "Give your love to Frey, whohas given me this sword, " he said, "or meet your death by the edge ofit. "

Gerda, Gymer's daughter, only laughed at the reckless Skirnir, "Make thedaughters of men fearful by the sharpness of Frey's sword, " she said, "but do not try to frighten a Giant's daughter with it. "

Then Skirnir the Reckless, the heedless of his words, made the magicsword flash before her eyes, while he cried out in a terrible voice, saying a spell over her:

 Gerda, I will curse thee; Yes, with this magic Blade I shall touch thee; Such is its power That, like a thistle, Withered 'twill leave thee, Like a thistle the wind Strips from the roof. 

Hearing these terrible words and the strange hissings of the magicsword, Gerda threw herself on the ground, crying out for pity. ButSkirnir stood above her, and the magic sword flashed and hissed overher. Skirnir sang:

 More ugly I'll leave thee Than maid ever was; Thou wilt be mocked at By men and by Giants; A Dwarf only will wed thee; Now on this instant With this blade I shall touch thee, And leave thee bespelled. 

She lifted herself on her knees and cried out to Skirnir to spare herfrom the spell of the magic sword. 

"Only if thou wilt give thy love to Frey, " said Skirnir. 

"I will give my love to him, " said Gerda. "Now put up thy magic swordand drink a cup of mead and depart from Gymer's dwelling. "

"I will not drink a cup of your mead nor shall I depart from Gymer'sdwelling until you yourself say that you will meet and speak with Frey. "

"I will meet and speak with him, " said Gerda. 

"When will you meet and speak with him?" asked Skirnir. 

"In the wood of Barri nine nights from this. Let him come and meet methere. "

Then Skirnir put up his magic sword and drank the cup of mead that Gerdagave him. He rode from Gymer's house, laughing aloud at having won Gerdafor Frey, and so making the magic sword his own for ever. 

Skirnir the Venturesome, the heedless of his words, riding acrossBifröst on his mighty horse, found Frey standing waiting for him besideHeimdall, the Warder of the Bridge to Asgard. 

"What news dost thou bring me?" cried Frey. "Speak, Skirnir, before thoudost dismount from thine horse. "

"In nine nights from this thou mayst meet Gerda in Barri Wood, " saidSkirnir. He looked at him, laughing out of his wide mouth and his blueeyes. But Frey turned away, saying to himself:

 Long is one day; Long, long two. Can I live through Nine long days?

Long indeed were these days for Frey. But the ninth day came, and in theevening Frey went to Barri Wood. And there he met Gerda, the Giant maid. She was as fair as when he had seen her before the door of Gymer'shouse. And when she saw Frey, so tall and noble looking, the Giant'sdaughter was glad that Skirnir the Venturesome had made her promise tocome to Barri Wood. They gave each other rings of gold. It was settledthat the Giant maid should come as a bride to Asgard. 

Gerda came, but another Giant maid came also. This is how that came tobe:

All the Dwellers in Asgard were standing before the great gate, waitingto welcome the bride of Frey. There appeared a Giant maid who was notGerda; all in armor was she. 

"I am Skadi, " she said, "the daughter of Thiassi. My father met hisdeath at the hands of the Dwellers in Asgard. I claim a recompense. "

"What recompense would you have, maiden?" asked Odin, smiling to see aGiant maid standing so boldly in Asgard. 

"A husband from amongst you, even as Gerda. And I myself must be letchoose him. "

All laughed aloud at the words of Skadi. Then said Odin, laughing, "Wewill let you choose a husband from amongst us, but you must choose himby his feet. "

"I will choose him whatever way you will, " said Skadi fixing her eyes onBaldur, the most beautiful of all the Dwellers in Asgard. 

They put a bandage round her eyes, and the Æsir and the Vanir seat in ahalf circle around. As she went by she stooped over each and laid handsupon their feet. At last she came to one whose feet were so finelyformed that she felt sure it was Baldur. She stood up and said:

"This is the one that Skadi chooses for her husband. "

Then the Æsir and the Vanir laughed more and more. They took the bandageoff her eyes and she saw, not Baldur the Beautiful, but Niörd, thefather of Frey. But as Skadi looked more and more on Niörd she becamemore and more contented with her choice; for Niörd was strong, and hewas noble looking. 

These two, Niörd and Skadi, went first to live in Niörd's palace by thesea; but the coming of the sea mew would waken Skadi too early in themorning, and she drew her husband to the mountaintop where she was moreat home. He would not live long away from the sound of the sea. Back andforward, between the mountain and the sea, Skadi and Niörd went. ButGerda stayed in Asgard with Frey, her husband, and the Æsir and theVanir came to love greatly Gerda, the Giant maid. 

[Illustration]

HEIMDALL AND LITTLE HNOSSA: HOW ALL THINGS CAME TO BE

Hnossa, the child of Freya and the lost Odur, was the youngest of allthe Dwellers in Asgard. And because it had been prophesied that thechild would bring her father and her mother together, little Hnossa wasoften taken without the City of the Gods to stand by Bifröst, theRainbow Bridge, so that she might greet Odur if his steps turned towardAsgard. 

In all the palaces of the City of the Gods little Hnossa was madewelcome: in Fensalir, the Halls of Mists, where Frigga, the wife of OdinAll-Father, sat spinning with golden threads; in Breidablik, whereBaldur, the Well Beloved, lived with his fair wife, the young Nanna; inBilskirnir, the Winding House, where Thor and Sif lived; and in Odin'sown palace Valaskjalf, that was all roofed over with silver shields. 

The greatest of all the palaces was Gladsheim, that was built by thegolden-leaved wood, Glasir. Here the banquets of the Gods were held. Often little Hnossa looked within and saw Odin All-Father seated at thebanquet table, with a mantle of blue over him and a shining helmetshaped like an eagle upon his head. Odin would sit there, not eating atall, but drinking the wine of the Gods, and taking the food off thetable and giving it to Geri and Freki, the two wolves that crouchedbeside his seat. 

She loved to go outside the great gate and stay beside Heimdall, theWarder of the Rainbow Bridge. There, when there was no one crossing thatshe might watch, she would sit beside Heimdall and listen to the wondersthat he spoke of. 

Heimdall held in his hands the horn that was called the Gialarhorn. Hewould sound it to let the Dwellers in Asgard know that one was crossingthe Rainbow Bridge. And Heimdall told little Hnossa how he had trainedhimself to hear the grasses grow, and how he could see all around himfor a hundred miles. He could see in the night as well as the day. Henever slept. He had nine mothers, he told Hnossa, and he fed on thestrength of the earth and the cold sea. 

As she sat beside him day after day, Heimdall would tell little Hnossahow all things began. He had lived from the beginning of time and heknew all things. "Before Asgard was built, " he said, "and before Odinlived, earth and sea and sky were all mixed together: what was then wasthe Chasm of Chasms. In the North there was Niflheim, the Place ofDeadly Cold. In the South there was Muspelheim, the Land of Fire. InNiflheim there was a cauldron called Hveigelmer that poured out twelverivers that flowed into the Chasm of Chasms. 

"Ginnungagap, the Chasm of Chasms, filled up with ice, for the waters ofthe rivers froze as they poured into it. From Muspelheim came clouds offire that turned the ice into thick mists. The mists fell down again indrops of dew, and from these drops were formed Ymir, the Ancient Giant. 

"Ymir, the Ancient Giant, traveled along by the twelve rivers until hecame to where another living form was standing in the mists. This was aGiant Cow. Audhumla was the name of that cow. Ymir lay down beside herand drank her milk, and on the milk she gave him he lived. Other beingswere formed out of the dew that fell to the ground. They were theDaughters of the Frost, and Ymir, the Ancient Giant, married one, andtheir children were the Giants. 

"One day Ymir saw Audhumla breathe upon a cliff of ice and lick with hertongue the place she breathed on. As her tongue went over and over theplace he saw that a figure was being formed. It was not like a Giant'sform; it was more shapely and more beautiful. A head appeared in thecliff and golden hair fell over the ice. As Ymir looked upon the beingthat was being formed he hated him for his beauty. 

"Audhumla, the Giant Cow, went on licking the place where she hadbreathed. At last a man completely formed stepped from the cliff. Ymir, the Ancient Giant, hated him so much that he would have slain him thenand there. But he knew that if he did this, Audhumla would feed him nomore with her milk. 

"Bur was the name of the man who was formed in the ice cliff, Bur, thefirst of the heroes. He, too, lived on the milk of Audhumla. He marrieda daughter of the Ancient Giant and he had a son. But Ymir and Ymir'ssons hated Bur, and the time came at last when they were able to killhim. 

"And now there was war between Ymir and Ymir's sons and the son andson's sons of Bur. Odin was the son of Bur's son. Odin brought all hisbrothers together, and they were able to destroy Ymir and all hisbrood--all except one. So huge was Ymir that when he was slain his bloodpoured out in such a mighty flood that his sons were all drowned in it, all except Bergelmir, who was in a boat with his wife when the floodcame, and who floated away on the flood to the place that we now callJötunheim, the Realm of the Giants. 

"Now Odin and his sons took the body of Ymir--the vastest body that everwas--and they flung it into the Chasm of Chasms, filling up all thehollow places with it. They dug the bones out of the body and they piledthem up as the mountains. They took the teeth out and they made theminto the rocks. They took the hair of Ymir and they made it into theforests of trees. They took his eyebrows and formed them into the placewhere Men now dwell, Midgard. And out of Ymir's hollow skull they madethe sky. 

"And Odin and his sons and brothers did more than this. They took thesparks and the clouds of flame that blew from Muspelheim, and they madethem into the sun and the moon and all the stars that are in the sky. Odin found a dusky Giantess named Night whose son was called Day, and hegave both of them horses to drive across the sky. Night drove a horsethat is named Hrimfaxe, Frosty Mane, and Day drove a horse that is namedSkinfaxe, Shining Mane. From Hrimfaxe's bit fall the drops that make thedew upon the earth. 

"Then Odin and his sons made a race of men and women and gave themMidgard to live in. Ugly Dwarfs had grown up and had spread themselvesover the earth. These Odin made go live in the hollow places beneath theearth. The Elves he let stay on the earth, but he gave them the tasks oftending the streams and the grasses and the flowers. And with the Vanirhe made peace after a war had been waged, taking Niörd from them for ahostage. 

"Bergelmir, the Giant who escaped drowning in Ymir's blood, had sons anddaughters in Jötunheim. They hated Odin and his sons and strove againstthem. When Odin lighted up the world with the sun and the moon they werevery wroth, and they found two of the fiercest of the mighty wolves ofJötunheim and set them to follow them. And still the sun and the moon, Sol and Mani, are followed by the wolves of Jötunheim. "

Such wonders did Heimdall with the Golden Teeth tell Hnossa, theyoungest of the Dwellers in Asgard. Often the child stayed with him bythe Rainbow Bridge, and saw the Gods pass to and from Midgard: Thor, with his crown of stars, with the great hammer Miölnir in his hands, with the gloves of iron that he used when he grasped Miölnir; Thor inhis chariot drawn by two goats and wearing the belt that doubled hisstrength; Frigga, with her dress of falcon feathers, flying swiftly as abird; Odin All-Father himself, riding upon Sleipner, his eight-leggedsteed, clad all in golden armor, with his golden helmet, shaped like aneagle, upon his head, and with his spear Gungnir in his hand. 

Heimdall kept his horn in the branch of a great tree. This tree wascalled Ygdrassil, he told little Hnossa, and it was a wonder to Gods andMen. "No one knows of a time when Ygdrassil was not growing, and all areafraid to speak of the time when it will be destroyed. 

"Ygdrassil has three roots. One goes deep under Midgard, another goesdeep under Jötunheim, and the third grows above Asgard. Over Odin's halla branch of Ygdrassil grows, and it is called the Peace Bough. 

"You see Ygdrassil, little Hnossa, but you do not know all the wondersof it. Far up in its branches four stags graze; they shake from theirhorns the water that falls as rain upon the earth. On the topmost branchof Ygdrassil, the branch that is so high that the Gods themselves canhardly see it, there is an eagle that knows all things. Upon the beak ofthis eagle a hawk is perched, a hawk that sees what the eyes of theeagle may not see. 

"The root of Ygdrassil that is in Midgard goes deep down to the placeof the dead. Here there is an evil dragon named Nidhögg that gnawsconstantly at the root, striving to destroy Ygdrassil, the Tree oftrees. And Ratatösk, the Squirrel of Mischief--behold him now!--runs upand down Ygdrassil, making trouble between the eagle above and thedragon below. He goes to tell the dragon how the eagle is bent upontearing him to pieces and he goes back to tell the eagle how the dragonplans to devour him. The stories that he brings to Nidhögg make thatevil dragon more fierce to destroy Ygdrassil, the Tree of trees, so thathe may come upon the eagle and devour him. 

"There are two wells by the roots of Ygdrassil, and one is above and oneis below. One is beside the root that grows in Jötunheim. This is a Wellof Knowledge, and it is guarded by old Mimir the Wise. Whoever drinksout of this well knows of all the things that will come to be. The otherwell is by the root that grows above Asgard. No one may drink out ofthis well. The three sisters that are the holy Norns guard it, and theytake the white water from it to water Ygdrassil, that the Tree of Lifemay keep green and strong. This well, little Hnossa, is called Urda'sWell. "

And little Hnossa heard that by Urda's Well there were two beautifulwhite swans. They made a music that the Dwellers in Asgard often heard. But Hnossa was too young to hear the music that was made by the swans ofUrda's Well. 

[Illustration]

THE ALL-FATHER'S FOREBODINGS: HOW HE LEAVES ASGARD

Two ravens had Odin All-Father; Hugin and Munin were their names; theyflew through all the worlds every day, and coming back to Asgard theywould light on Odin's shoulders and tell him of all the things they hadseen and heard. And once a day passed without the ravens coming back. Then Odin, standing on the Watch-Tower Hlidskjalf, said to himself:

 I fear me for Hugin, Lest he come not back, But I watch more for Munin. 

A day passed and the ravens flew back. They sat, one on each of hisshoulders. Then did the All-Father go into the Council Hall that wasbeside Glasir, the wood that had leaves of gold, and harken to whatHugin and Munin had to tell him. 

They told him only of shadows and forebodings. Odin All-Father did notspeak to the Dwellers in Asgard of the things they told him. But Frigga, his Queen, saw in his eyes the shadows and forebodings of things tocome. And when he spoke to her about these things she said, "Do notstrive against what must take place. Let us go to the holy Norns who sitby Urda's Well and see if the shadows and the forebodings will remainwhen you have looked into their eyes. "

And so it came that Odin and the Gods left Asgard and came to Urda'sWell, where, under the great root of Ygdrassil, the three Norns sat, with the two fair swans below them. Odin went, and Tyr, the greatswordsman, and Baldur, the most beautiful and the Best-Beloved of theGods, and Thor, with his Hammer. 

A Rainbow Bridge went from Asgard, the City of the Gods, to Midgard, theWorld of Men. But another Rainbow Bridge, more beautiful and moretremulous still, went from Asgard to that root of Ygdrassil under whichwas Urda's Well. This Rainbow Bridge was seldom seen by men. And wherethe ends of the two rainbows came together Heimdall stood, Heimdall withthe Golden Teeth, the Watcher for the Gods, and the Keeper of the Way toUrda's Well. 

"Open the gate, Heimdall, " said the All-Father, "open the gate, fortoday the Gods would visit the holy Norns. "

Without a word Heimdall opened wide the gate that led to that bridgemore colored and more tremulous than any rainbow seen from earth. Thendid Odin and Tyr and Baldur step out on the bridge. Thor followed, butbefore his foot was placed on the bridge, Heimdall laid his hand uponhim. 

"The others may go, but you may not go that way, Thor, " said Heimdall. 

"What? Would you, Heimdall, hold me back?" said Thor. 

"Yes, for I am Keeper of the Way to the Norns, " said Heimdall. "You withthe mighty hammer you carry are too weighty for this way. The bridge Iguard would break under you, Thor with the hammer. "

"Nevertheless I will go visit the Norns with Odin and my comrades, " saidThor. 

"But not this way, Thor, " said Heimdall. "I will not let the bridge bebroken under the weight of you and your hammer. Leave your hammer herewith me if you would go this way. "

"No, no, " said Thor. "I will not leave in any one's charge the hammerthat defends Asgard. And I may not be turned back from going with Odinand my comrades. "

"There is another way to Urda's Well, " said Heimdall. "Behold these twogreat Cloud Rivers, Körmt and Ermt. Canst thou wade through them? Theyare cold and suffocating, but they will bring thee to Urda's Well, wheresit the three holy Norns. "

Thor looked out on the two great rolling rivers of cloud. It was a badway for one to go, cold and suffocating. Yet if he went that way hecould keep on his shoulder the hammer which he would not leave inanother's charge. He stept out into the Cloud River that flowed by theRainbow Bridge, and with his hammer upon his shoulder he went strugglingon to the other river. 

Odin, Tyr, and Baldur were beside Urda's Well when Thor came strugglingout of the Cloud River, wet and choking, but with his hammer still uponhis shoulder. There stood Tyr, upright and handsome, leaning on hissword that was inscribed all over with magic runes; there stood Baldur, smiling, with his head bent as he listened to the murmur of the two fairswans; and there stood Odin All-Father, clad in his blue cloak fringedwith golden stars, without the eagle-helmet upon his head, and with nospear in his hands. 

The three Norns, Urda, Verdandi, and Skulda, sat beside the well thatwas in the hollow of the great root of Ygdrassil. Urda was ancient andwith white hair, and Verdandi was beautiful, while Skulda could hardlybe seen, for she sat far back, and her hair fell over her face and eyes. Urda, Verdandi, and Skulda; they knew the whole of the Past, the wholeof the Present, and the whole of the Future. Odin, looking on them, sawinto the eyes of Skulda even. Long, long he stood looking on the Nornswith the eyes of a God, while the others listened to the murmur of theswans and the falling of the leaves of Ygdrassil into Urda's Well. 

Looking into their eyes, Odin saw the shadows and forebodings that Huginand Munin told him of take shape and substance. And now others cameacross the Rainbow Bridge. They were Frigga and Sif and Nanna, thewives of Odin and Thor and Baldur. Frigga looked upon the Norns. As shedid, she turned a glance of love and sadness upon Baldur, her son, andthen she drew back and placed her hand upon Nanna's head. 

Odin turned from gazing on the Norns, and looked upon Frigga, hisqueenly wife. "I would leave Asgard for a while, wife of Odin, " he said. 

"Yea, " said Frigga. "Much has to be done in Midgard, the World of Men. "

"I would change what knowledge I have into wisdom, " said Odin, "so thatthe things that are to happen will be changed into the best that maybe. "

"You would go to Mimir's Well, " said Frigga. 

"I would go to Mimir's Well, " said Odin. 

"My husband, go, " said Frigga. 

Then they went back over that Rainbow Bridge that is more beautiful andmore tremulous than the one that men see from the earth; they went backover the Rainbow Bridge, the Æsir and the Asyniur, Odin and Frigga, Baldur and Nanna, Tyr, with his sword, and Sif beside Tyr. As for Thor, he went struggling through the Cloud Rivers Körmt and Ermt, his hammerMiölnir upon his shoulder. 

Little Hnossa, the youngest of the Dwellers in Asgard, was there, standing beside Heimdall, the Watcher for the Gods and the Keeper of theBridge to Urda's Well, when Odin All-Father and Frigga, his Queen, wentthrough the great gate with heads bent. "Tomorrow, " Hnossa heard Odinsay, "tomorrow I shall be Vegtam the Wanderer upon the ways of Midgardand Jötunheim. "

PART II

ODIN THE WANDERER

[Illustration]

ODIN GOES TO MIMIR'S WELL: HIS SACRIFICE FOR WISDOM

And so Odin, no longer riding on Sleipner, his eight-legged steed; nolonger wearing his golden armor and his eagle-helmet, and without evenhis spear in his hand, traveled through Midgard, the World of Men, andmade his way toward Jötunheim, the Realm of the Giants. 

No longer was he called Odin All-Father, but Vegtam the Wanderer. Hewore a cloak of dark blue and he carried a traveler's staff in hishands. And now, as he went toward Mimir's Well, which was near toJötunheim, he came upon a Giant riding on a great Stag. 

Odin seemed a man to men and a giant to giants. He went beside theGiant on the great Stag and the two talked together. "Who art thou, Obrother?" Odin asked the Giant. 

"I am Vafthrudner, the wisest of the Giants, " said the one who wasriding on the Stag. Odin knew him then. Vafthrudner was indeed thewisest of the Giants, and many went to strive to gain wisdom from him. But those who went to him had to answer the riddles Vafthrudner asked, and if they failed to answer the Giant took their heads off. 

"I am Vegtam the Wanderer, " Odin said, "and I know who thou art, OVafthrudner. I would strive to learn something from thee. "

The Giant laughed, showing his teeth. "Ho, ho, " he said, "I am ready fora game with thee. Dost thou know the stakes? My head to thee if I cannotanswer any question thou wilt ask. And if thou canst not answer anyquestion that I may ask, then thy head goes to me. Ho, ho, ho. And nowlet us begin. "

"I am ready, " Odin said. 

"Then tell me, " said Vafthrudner, "tell me the name of the river thatdivides Asgard from Jötunheim?"

"Ifling is the name of that river, " said Odin. "Ifling that is deadcold, yet never frozen. "

"Thou hast answered rightly, O Wanderer, " said the Giant. "But thou haststill to answer other questions. What are the names of the horses thatDay and Night drive across the sky?"

"Skinfaxe and Hrimfaxe, " Odin answered. Vafthrudner was startled tohear one say the names that were known only to the Gods and to thewisest of the Giants. There was only one question now that he might askbefore it came to the stranger's turn to ask him questions. 

"Tell me, " said Vafthrudner, "what is the name of the plain on which thelast battle will be fought?"

"The Plain of Vigard, " said Odin, "the plain that is a hundred mileslong and a hundred miles across. "

It was now Odin's turn to ask Vafthrudner questions. "What will be thelast words that Odin will whisper into the ear of Baldur, his dear son?"he asked. 

Very startled was the Giant Vafthrudner at that question. He sprang tothe ground and looked at the stranger keenly. 

"Only Odin knows what his last words to Baldur will be, " he said, "andonly Odin would have asked that question. Thou art Odin, O Wanderer, andthy question I cannot answer. "

"Then, " said Odin, "if thou wouldst keep thy head, answer me this: whatprice will Mimir ask for a draught from the Well of Wisdom that heguards?"

"He will ask thy right eye as a price, O Odin, " said Vafthrudner. 

"Will he ask no less a price than that?" said Odin. 

"He will ask no less a price. Many have come to him for a draught fromthe Well of Wisdom, but no one yet has given the price Mimir asks. Ihave answered thy question, O Odin. Now give up thy claim to my head andlet me go on my way. "

"I give up my claim to thy head, " said Odin. Then Vafthrudner, thewisest of the Giants, went on his way, riding on his great Stag. 

It was a terrible price that Mimir would ask for a draught from the Wellof Wisdom, and very troubled was Odin All-Father when it was revealed tohim. His right eye! For all time to be without the sight of his righteye! Almost he would have turned back to Asgard, giving up his quest forwisdom. 

He went on, turning neither to Asgard nor to Mimir's Well. And when hewent toward the South he saw Muspelheim, where stood Surtur with theFlaming Sword, a terrible figure, who would one day join the Giants intheir war against the Gods. And when he turned North he heard theroaring of the cauldron Hvergelmer as it poured itself out of Niflheim, the place of darkness and dread. And Odin knew that the world must notbe left between Surtur, who would destroy it with fire, and Niflheim, that would gather it back to Darkness and Nothingness. He, the eldest ofthe Gods, would have to win the wisdom that would help to save theworld. 

And so, with his face stern in front of his loss and pain, OdinAll-Father turned and went toward Mimir's Well. It was under the greatroot of Ygdrassil--the root that grew out of Jötunheim. And there satMimir, the Guardian of the Well of Wisdom, with his deep eyes bent uponthe deep water. And Mimir, who had drunk every day from the Well ofWisdom, knew who it was that stood before him. 

"Hail, Odin, Eldest of the Gods, " he said. 

Then Odin made reverence to Mimir, the wisest of the world's beings. "Iwould drink from your well, Mimir, " he said. 

"There is a price to be paid. All who have come here to drink haveshrunk from paying that price. Will you, Eldest of the Gods, pay it?"

"I will not shrink from the price that has to be paid, Mimir, " said OdinAll-Father. 

"Then drink, " said Mimir. He filled up a great horn with water from thewell and gave it to Odin. 

Odin took the horn in both his hands and drank and drank. And as hedrank all the future became clear to him. He saw all the sorrows andtroubles that would fall upon Men and Gods. But he saw, too, why thesorrows and troubles had to fall, and he saw how they might be borne sothat Gods and Men, by being noble in the days of sorrow and trouble, would leave in the world a force that one day, a day that was far offindeed, would destroy the evil that brought terror and sorrow anddespair into the world. 

Then when he had drunk out of the great horn that Mimir had given him, he put his hand to his face and he plucked out his right eye. Terriblewas the pain that Odin All-Father endured. But he made no groan normoan. He bowed his head and put his cloak before his face, as Mimir tookthe eye and let it sink deep, deep into the water of the Well of Wisdom. And there the Eye of Odin stayed, shining up through the water, a signto all who came to that place of the price that the Father of the Godshad paid for his wisdom. 

[Illustration]

ODIN FACES AN EVIL MAN

Once, when his wisdom was less great, Odin had lived in the world ofmen. Frigga, his Queen, was with him then; they had lived on a bleakisland, and they were known as Grimner the Fisherman and his wife. 

Always Odin and Frigga were watching over the sons of men, watching toknow which ones they would foster and train so that they might have thestrength and spirit to save the world from the power of the Giants. Andwhile they were staying on the bleak island, Odin and Frigga saw thesons of King Hrauding, and both thought that in them the spirit ofheroes could be fostered. Odin and Frigga made plans to bring thechildren to them, so that they might be under their care and training. One day the boys went fishing. A storm came and drove their boat on therocks of the island where Odin and Frigga lived. 

They brought them to their hut, Odin and Frigga, and they told them theywould care for them and train them through the winter and that in thespring they would build a boat that would carry them back to theirfather's country. "We shall see, " said Odin to Frigga that night, "weshall see which of the two can be formed into the noblest hero. "

He said that because Frigga favored one of the boys and he favored theother. Frigga thought well of the elder boy, Agnar, who had a gentlevoice and quiet and kindly ways. But Odin thought more of the youngerboy. Geirrod, his name was, and he was strong and passionate, with ahigh and a loud voice. 

Odin took Geirrod into his charge, and he showed him how to fish andhunt. He made the boy even bolder than he was by making him leap fromrock to rock, and by letting him climb the highest cliffs and jumpacross the widest chasms. He would bring him to the den of the bear andmake him fight for his life with the spear he had made for him. Agnarwent to the chase, too, and showed his skill and boldness. But Geirrodovercame him in nearly every trial. "What a hero Geirrod will be, " Odinwould often say. 

Agnar stayed often with Frigga. He would stay beside her while she spun, listening to the tales she told, and asking such questions as broughthim more and more wisdom. And Agnar heard of Asgard and of the Dwellersin Asgard and of how they protected Midgard, the World of Men, from theGiants of Jötunheim. Agnar, though he did not speak out, said in his ownmind that he would give all his life and all his strength and all histhought to helping the work of the Gods. 

Spring came and Odin built a boat for Geirrod and Agnar. They could goback now to their own country. And before they set out Odin told Geirrodthat one day he would come to visit him. "And do not be too proud toreceive a Fisherman in your hall, Geirrod, " said Odin. "A King shouldgive welcome to the poorest who comes to his hall. "

"I will be a hero, no doubt of that, " Geirrod answered. "And I would bea King, too, only Agnar Little-good was born before me. "

Agnar bade goodby to Frigga and to Odin, thanking them for the care theyhad taken of Geirrod and himself. He looked into Frigga's eyes, and hetold her that he would strive to learn how he might fight the battle forthe Gods. 

The two went into the boat and they rowed away. They came near to KingHrauding's realm. They saw the castle overlooking the sea. Then Geirroddid a terrible thing. He turned the boat back toward the sea, and hecast the oars away. Then, for he was well fit to swim the roughest seaand climb the highest cliffs, he plunged into the water and struck outtoward the shore. And Agnar, left without oars, went drifting out tosea. 

Geirrod climbed the high cliffs and came to his father's castle. 

King Hrauding, who had given up both of his sons for lost, was rejoicedto see him. Geirrod told of Agnar that he had fallen out of the boat ontheir way back and that he had been drowned. King Hrauding, who hadthought both of his sons were gone from him, was glad enough that onehad come safe. He put Geirrod beside him on the throne, and when he diedGeirrod was made King over the people. 

And now Odin, having drunk from Mimir's Well, went through the kingdomsof men, judging Kings and simple people according to the wisdom he hadgained. He came at last to the kingdom that Geirrod ruled over. Odinthought that of all the Kings he had judged to be noble, Geirrod wouldassuredly be the noblest. 

He went to the King's house as a Wanderer, blind of one eye, wearing acloak of dark blue and with a wanderer's staff in his hands. As he drewnear the King's house men on dark horses came riding behind him. Thefirst of the men did not turn his horse as he came near the Wanderer, but rode on, nearly trampling him to the ground. 

As they came before the King's house the men on the dark horses shoutedfor servants. Only one servant was in the stable. He came out and tookthe horse of the first man. Then the others called upon the Wanderer totend their horses. He had to hold the stirrups for some of them todismount. 

Odin knew who the first man was. He was Geirrod the King. And he knewwho the man who served in the stable was. He was Agnar, Geirrod'sbrother. By the wisdom he had gained he knew that Agnar had come back tohis father's kingdom in the guise of a servant, and he knew thatGeirrod did not know who this servant was. 

They went into the stable together. Agnar took bread and broke it andgave some to the Wanderer. He gave him, too, straw to seat himself on. But in a while Odin said, "I would seat myself at the fire in the King'shall and eat my supper of meat. "

"Nay, stay here, " Agnar said. "I will give you more bread and a wrap tocover yourself with. Do not go to the door of the King's house, for theKing is angry today and he might repulse you. "

"How?" said Odin. "A King turn away a Wanderer who comes to his door! Itcannot be that he would do it!"

"Today he is angry, " Agnar said. Again he begged him not to go to thedoor of the King's house. But Odin rose up from the straw on which hewas seated and went to the door. 

A porter, hunchbacked and with long arms, stood at the door. "I am aWanderer, and I would have rest and food in the King's hall, " Odin said. 

"Not in this King's hall, " said the hunchbacked porter. He would havebarred the door to Odin, but the voice of the King called him away. Odinthen strode into the hall and saw the King at table with his friends, all dark-bearded, and cruel-looking men. And when Odin looked on them heknew that the boy whom he had trained in nobility had become a King overrobbers. 

"Since you have come into the hall where we eat, sing to us, Wanderer, "shouted one of the dark men. "Aye, I will sing to you, " said Odin. Thenhe stood between two of the stone pillars in the hall and he sang a songreproaching the King for having fallen into an evil way of life, anddenouncing all for following the cruel ways of robbers. 

"Seize him, " said the King, when Odin's song was finished. The dark menthrew themselves upon Odin and put chains around him and bound himbetween the stone pillars of the hall. "He came into this hall forwarmth, and warmth he shall have, " said Geirrod. He called upon hisservants to heap up wood around him. They did this. Then the King, withhis own hand, put a blazing torch to the wood and the fagots blazed uparound the Wanderer. 

The fagots burned round and round him. But the fire did not burn theflesh of Odin All-Father. The King and the King's friends stood round, watching with delight the fires blaze round a living man. The fagots allburned away, and Odin was left standing there with his terrible gazefixed upon the men who were so hard and cruel. 

They went to sleep, leaving him chained to the pillars of the hall. Odincould have broken the chains and pulled down the pillars, but he wantedto see what else would happen in this King's house. The servants wereordered not to bring food or drink to him, but at dawn, when there wasno one near, Agnar came to him with a horn of ale and gave it to him todrink. 

The next evening when the King came back from his robberies, and when heand his friends, sitting down at the tables, had eaten like wolves, heordered the fagots to be placed around Odin. And again they stoodaround, watching in delight the fire playing around a living man. Andas before Odin stood there, unhurt by the fire, and his steady andterrible gaze made the King hate him more and more. And all day he waskept in chains, and the servants were forbidden to bring him food ordrink. None knew that a horn of ale was brought to him at dawn. 

And night after night, for eight nights, this went on. Then, on theninth night, when the fires around him had been lighted, Odin lifted uphis voice and began to sing a song. 

His song became louder and louder, and the King and the King's friendsand the servants of the thing's house had to stand still and harken toit. Odin sang about Geirrod, the King; how the Gods had protected him, giving him strength and skill, and how instead of making a noble use ofthat strength and skill he had made himself like one of the wild beasts. Then he sang of how the vengeance of the Gods was about to fall on thisignoble King. 

The flames died down and Geirrod and his friends saw before them, not afriendless Wanderer, but one who looked more kingly than any King of theearth. The chains fell down from his body and he advanced toward theevil company. Then Geirrod rushed upon him with his sword in hand tokill him. The sword struck him, but Odin remained unhurt. 

 Thy life runs out, The Gods they are wroth with thee; Draw near if thou canst; Odin thou shalt see. 

So Odin sang, and, in fear of his terrible gaze, Geirrod and his companyshrank away. And as they shrank away they were changed into beasts, intothe wolves that range the forests. 

And Agnar came forward, and him Odin declared to be King. All the folkwere glad when Agnar came to rule over them, for they had been oppressedby Geirrod in his cruel reign. And Agnar was not only kind, but he wasstrong and victorious in his rule. 

[Illustration]

ODIN WINS FOR MEN THE MAGIC MEAD

It was the Dwarfs who brewed the Magic Mead, and it was the Giants whohid it away. But it was Odin who brought it from the place where it washidden and gave it to the sons of men. Those who drank of the Magic Meadbecame very wise, and not only that but they could put their wisdom intosuch beautiful words that every one who heard would love and rememberit. 

The Dwarfs brewed the Magic Mead through cruelty and villainy. They madeit out of the blood of a man. The man was Kvasir the Poet. He hadwisdom, and he had such beautiful words with it, that what he said wasloved and remembered by all. The Dwarfs brought Kvasir down into theircaverns and they killed him there. "Now, " they said, "we have Kvasir'sblood and Kvasir's wisdom. No one else will have his wisdom but us. "They poured the blood into three jars and they mixed it with honey, andfrom it they brewed the Magic Mead. 

Having killed a man the Dwarfs became more and more bold. They came outof their caverns and went up and down through Midgard, the World of Men. They went into Jötunheim, and began to play their evil tricks on themost harmless of the Giants. 

They came upon one Giant who was very simple. Gilling was his name. Theypersuaded Gilling to row them out to sea in a boat. Then the two mostcunning of the Dwarfs, Galar and Fialar, steered the boat on to a rock. The boat split. Gilling, who could not swim, was drowned. The Dwarfsclambered up on pieces of the boat and came safely ashore. They were sodelighted with their evil tricks that they wanted to play some more ofthem. 

Galar and Fialar then thought of a new piece of mischief they might do. They led their band of Dwarfs to Gilling's house and screamed out to hiswife that Gilling was dead. The Giant's wife began to weep and lament. At last she rushed out of the house weeping and clapping her hands. NowGalar and Fialar had clambered up on the lintel of the house, and as shecame running out they cast a millstone on her head. It struck her andGilling's wife fell down dead. More and more the Dwarfs were delightedat the destruction they were making. 

They were so insolent now that they made up songs and sang them, songsthat were all a boast of how they had killed Kvasir the Poet, andGilling the Giant, and Gilling's wife. They stayed around Jötunheim, tormenting all whom they were able to torment, and flattering themselvesthat they were great and strong. They stayed too long, however. Suttung, Gilling's brother, tracked them down and captured them. 

Suttung was not harmless and simple like Gilling, his brother. He wascunning and he was covetous. Once they were in his hands the Dwarfs hadno chance of making an escape. He took them and left them on a rock inthe sea, a rock that the tide would cover. 

The Giant stood up in the water taller than the rock, and the tide as itcame in did not rise above his knees. He stood there watching the Dwarfsas the water rose up round them and they became more and more terrified. 

"Oh, take us off the rock, good Suttung, " they cried out to him. "Takeus off the rock and we will give you gold and jewels. Take us off therock and we will give you a necklace as beautiful as Brisingamen. " Sothey cried out to him, but the Giant Suttung only laughed at them. Hehad no need of gold or jewels. 

Then Fialar and Galar cried out: "Take us off the rock and we will giveyou the jars of the Magic Mead we have brewed. "

"The Magic Mead, " said Suttung. "This is something that no one else has. It would be well to get it, for it might help us in the battle againstthe Gods. Yes, I will get the Magic Mead from them. "

He took the band of Dwarfs off the rock, but he held Galar and Fialar, their chiefs, while the others went into their caverns and brought upthe jars of the Magic Mead. Suttung took the Mead and brought it to acavern in a mountain near his dwelling. And thus it happened that theMagic Mead, brewed by the Dwarfs through cruelty and villainy, came intothe hands of the Giants. And the story now tells how Odin, the Eldest ofthe Gods, at that time in the world as Vegtam the Wanderer, took theMagic Mead out of Suttung's possession and brought it into the world ofmen. 

Now, Suttung had a daughter named Gunnlöd, and she by her goodness andher beauty was like Gerda and Skadi, the Giant maids whom the Dwellersin Asgard favored. Suttung, that he might have a guardian for the MagicMead, enchanted Gunnlöd, turning her from a beautiful Giant maiden intoa witch with long teeth and sharp nails. He shut her into the cavernwhere the jars of the Magic Mead were hidden. 

Odin heard of the death of Kvasir whom he honored above all men. TheDwarfs who slew him he had closed up in their caverns so that they werenever again able to come out into the World of Men. And then he set outto get the Magic Mead that he might give it to men, so that, tasting it, they would have wisdom, and words would be at their command that wouldmake wisdom loved and remembered. 

How Odin won the Magic Mead out of the rock-covered cavern where Suttunghad hidden it, and how he broke the enchantment that lay upon Gunnlöd, Suttung's daughter, is a story often told around the hearths of men. 

Nine strong thralls were mowing in a field as a Wanderer went by clad ina dark blue cloak and carrying a wanderer's staff in his hand. One ofthe thralls spoke to the Wanderer: "Tell them in the house of Baugi upyonder that I can mow no more until a whetstone to sharpen my scythe issent to me. " "Here is a whetstone, " said the Wanderer, and he took onefrom his belt. The thrall who had spoken whetted his scythe with it andbegan to mow. The grass went down before his scythe as if the wind hadcut it. "Give us the whetstone, give us the whetstone, " cried the otherthralls. The Wanderer threw the whetstone amongst them, leaving themquarreling over it, and went on his way. 

The Wanderer came to the house of Baugi, the brother of Suttung. Herested in Baugi's house, and at supper time he was given food at thegreat table. And while he was eating with the Giant a Messenger from thefield came in. 

"Baugi, " said the Messenger, "your nine thralls are all dead. Theykilled each other with their scythes, fighting in the field about awhetstone. There are no thralls now to do your work. "

"What shall I do, what shall I do?" said Baugi the Giant. "My fieldswill not be mown now, and I shall have no hay to feed my cattle and myhorses in the winter. "

"I might work for you, " said the Wanderer. 

"One man's work is no use to me, " said the Giant, "I must have the workof nine men. "

"I shall do the work of nine men, " said the Wanderer, "give me a trial, and see. "

The next day Vegtam the Wanderer went into Baugi's field. He did as muchwork as the nine thralls had done in a day. 

"Stay with me for the season, " said Baugi, "and I shall give you a fullreward. "

So Vegtam stayed at the Giant's house and worked in the Giant's fields, and when all the work of the season was done Baugi said to him:

"Speak now and tell me what reward I am to give you. "

"The only reward I shall ask of you, " said Vegtam, "is a draught of theMagic Mead. "

"The Magic Mead?" said Baugi. "I do not know where it is nor how to getit. "

"Your brother Suttung has it. Go to him and claim a draught of the MagicMead for me. "

Baugi went to Suttung. But when he heard what he had come for, the GiantSuttung turned on his brother in a rage. 

"A draught of the Magic Mead?" he said. "To no one will I give a draughtof the Magic Mead. Have I not enchanted my daughter Gunnlöd, so that shemay watch over it? And you tell me that a Wanderer who has done the workof nine men for you asks a draught of the Magic Mead for his fee! OGiant as foolish as Gilling! O oaf of a Giant! Who could have done suchwork for you, and who would demand such a fee from you, but one of ourenemies, the Æsir? Go from me now and never come to me again with talkof the Magic Mead. "

Baugi went back to his house and told the Wanderer that Suttung wouldyield none of the Magic Mead. "I hold you to your bargain, " said Vegtamthe Wanderer, "and you will have to get me the fee I asked. Come with menow and help me to get it. "

He made Baugi bring him to the place where the Magic Mead was hidden. The place was a cavern in the mountain. In front of that cavern was agreat mass of stone. 

"We cannot move that stone nor get through it, " said Baugi. "I cannothelp you to your fee. "

The Wanderer drew an auger from his belt. "This will bore through therock if there is strength behind it. You have the strength, Giant. Beginnow and bore. "

Baugi took the auger in his hands and bored with all his strength, andthe Wanderer stood by leaning on his staff, calm and majestic in hiscloak of blue. 

"I have made a deep, deep hole. It goes through the rock, " Baugi said, at last. 

The Wanderer went to the hole and blew into it. The dust of the rockflew back into their faces. 

"So that is your boasted strength, Giant, " he said. "You have not boredhalf-way through the rock. Work again. "

Then Baugi took the auger again and he bored deeper and deeper into therock. And he blew into it, and lo! His breath went through. Then helooked at the Wanderer to see what he would do; his eyes had becomefierce and he held the auger in his hand as if it were a stabbingknife. 

"Look up to the head of the rock, " said the Wanderer. As Baugi looked upthe Wanderer changed himself into a snake and glided into the hole inthe rock. And Baugi struck at him with the auger, hoping to kill him, but the snake slipped through. 

Behind the mighty rock there was a hollow place all lighted up by theshining crystals in the rock. And within the hollow place there was anill-looking witch, with long teeth and sharp nails. But she sat thererocking herself and letting tears fall from her eyes. "O youth andbeauty, " she sang, "O sight of men and women, sad, sad for me it is thatyou are shut away, and that I have only this closed-in cavern and thishorrible form. "

A snake glided across the floor. "Oh, that you were deadly and that youmight slay me, " cried the witch. The snake glided past her. Then sheheard a voice speak softly: "Gunnlöd, Gunnlöd!" She looked round, andthere standing behind her was a majestic man, clad in a cloak of darkblue, Odin, the Eldest of the Gods. 

"You have come to take the Magic Mead that my father has set me here toguard, " she cried. "You shall not have it. Rather shall I spill it outon the thirsty earth of the cavern. "

"Gunnlöd, " he said, and he came to her. She looked at him and she feltthe red blood of youth come back into her cheeks. She put her hands withtheir sharp nails over her breast, and she felt the nails drive into herflesh. "Save me from all this ugliness, " she cried. 

"I will save you, " Odin said. He went to her. He took her hands andheld them. He kissed her on the mouth. All the marks of ill favor wentfrom her. She was no longer bent, but tall and shapely. Her eyes becamewide and deep blue. Her mouth became red and her hands soft andbeautiful. She became as fair as Gerda, the Giant maid whom Frey hadwed. 

They stayed looking at each other, then they sat down side by side andtalked softly to each other, Odin, the Eldest of the Gods, and Gunnlöd, the beautiful Giant maiden. 

She gave him the three jars of the Magic Mead and she told him she wouldgo out of the cavern with him. Three days passed and still they weretogether. Then Odin by his wisdom found hidden paths and passages thatled out of the cavern and he brought Gunnlöd out into the light of theday. 

And he brought with him the jars of the Magic Mead, the Mead whose tastegives wisdom, and wisdom in such beautiful words that all love andremember it. And Gunnlöd, who had tasted a little of the Magic Mead, wandered through the world singing of the beauty and the might of Odin, and of her love for him. 

[Illustration]

ODIN TELLS TO VIDAR, HIS SILENT SON, THE SECRET OF HIS DOINGS

It was not only to Giants and Men that Odin showed himself in the dayswhen he went through Jötunheim and Midgard as Vegtam the Wanderer. Hemet and he spoke with the Gods also, with one who lived far away fromAsgard and with others who came to Midgard and to Jötunheim. 

The one who lived far away from Asgard was Vidar, Odin's silent son. Farwithin a wilderness, with branches and tall grass growing around him, Vidar sat. And near by him a horse grazed with a saddle upon it, a horsethat was ever ready for the speedy journey. 

And Odin, now Vegtam the Wanderer, came into that silent place and spoketo Vidar, the Silent God. 

"O Vidar, " he said, "strangest of all my sons; God who will live whenall of us have passed away; God who will bring the memory of theDwellers of Asgard into a world that will know not their power; O Vidar, well do I know why there grazes near by thee the horse ever ready forthe speedy journey: it is that thou mayst spring upon it and rideunchecked, a son speeding to avenge his father. 

"To you only, O Vidar the Silent One, will I speak of the secrets of mydoings. Who but you can know why I, Odin, the Eldest of the Gods, hungon the tree Ygdrassil nine days and nine nights, mine own speartransfixing me? I hung upon that windy tree that I might learn thewisdom that would give me power in the nine worlds. On the ninth nightthe Runes of Wisdom appeared before mine eyes, and slipping down fromthe tree I took them to myself. 

"And I shall tell why my ravens fly to thee, carrying in their beaksscraps of leather. It is that thou mayst make for thyself a sandal; withthat sandal on thou mayst put thy foot on the lower jaw of a mighty wolfand rend him. All the shoemakers of the earth throw on the ground scrapsof the leather they use so that thou mayst be able to make the sandalfor thy wolf-rending foot. 

"And I have counseled the dwellers on earth to cut off the fingernailsand the toenails of their dead, lest from those fingernails and toenailsthe Giants make for themselves the ship Naglfar in which they will sailfrom the North on the day of Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods. 

"More, Vidar, I will tell to thee. I, living amongst men, have wed thedaughter of a hero. My son shall live as a mortal amongst mortals. Sigihis name shall be. From him shall spring heroes who will fill Valhalla, my own hall in Asgard, with heroes against the day of our strife withthe Giants and with Surtur of the Flaming Sword. "

For long Odin stayed in that silent place communing with his silent son, with Vidar, who with his brother would live beyond the lives of theDwellers of Asgard and who would bring into another day and anotherworld the memory of the Æsir and the Vanir. For long Odin spoke withhim, and then he went across the wilderness where the grass and thebushes grew and where that horse grazed in readiness for the suddenjourney. He went toward the seashore where the Æsir and the Vanir werenow gathered for the feast that old Ægir, the Giant King of the Sea, hadoffered them. 

[Illustration:]

THOR AND LOKI IN THE GIANTS' CITY

All but a few of the Dwellers of Asgard had come to the feast offered byÆgir the Old, the Giant King of the Sea. Frigga, the queenly wife ofOdin, was there, and Frey and Freya; Iduna, who guarded the Apples ofYouth, and Bragi, her husband; Tyr, the great swordsman, and Niörd, theGod of the Sea, Skadi, who wedded Niörd and whose hatred for Loki wasfierce, and Sif, whose golden hair was once shorn off by Loki themischievous. Thor and Loki were there. The Dwellers of Asgard, gatheredtogether in the hall of Ægir, waited for Odin. 

Before Odin came Loki made the company merry by the tales that he toldin mockery of Thor. Loki long since had his lips unloosed from the thongthat the Dwarf Brock had sewn them with. And Thor had forgotten thewrong that he had done to Sif. Loki had been with Thor in hiswanderings through Jötunheim, and about these wanderings he now toldmocking tales. 

He told how he had seen Thor in his chariot of brass drawn by two goatsgo across Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge. None of the Æsir or the Vanirknew on what adventure Thor was bent. But Loki followed him and Thorkept him in his company. 

As they traveled on in the brass chariot drawn by the two goats, Thortold Loki of the adventure on which he was bent. He would go intoJötunheim, even into Utgard, the Giants' City, and he would try hisstrength against the Giants. He was not afraid of aught that mighthappen, for he carried Miölnir, his hammer, with him. 

Their way was through Midgard, the World of Men. Once, as they weretraveling on, night came upon them as they were hungry and in need ofshelter. They saw a peasant's hut and they drove the chariot toward it. Unyoking the goats and leaving them standing in a hollow beside thechariot, the two, looking not like Dwellers in Asgard, but like mentraveling through the country, knocked at the door of the hut and askedfor food and shelter. 

They could have shelter, the peasant and his wife told them, but theycould not have food. There was little in that place, and what littlethere had been they had eaten for supper. The peasant showed them theinside of the hut: it was poor and bare, and there was nothing there togive anyone. In the morning, the peasant said, he would go down to theriver and catch some fish for a meal. 

"We can't wait until morning, we must eat now, " said Thor, "and I thinkI can provide a good meal for us all. " He went over to where his goatsstood in the hollow beside the chariot of brass, and, striking them withhis hammer, he left them lifeless on the ground. He skinned the goatsthen, and taking up the bones very carefully, he left them down on theskins. Skins and bones he lifted up and bringing them into the house heleft them in a hole above the peasant's fireplace. "No one, " said he ina commanding voice, "must touch the bones that I leave here. "

Then he brought the meat into the house. Soon it was cooked and laidsmoking on the table. The peasant and his wife and his son sat round theboard with Thor and Loki. They had not eaten plentifully for many days, and now the man and the woman fed themselves well. 

Thialfi was the name of the peasant's son. He was a growing lad and hadan appetite that had not been satisfied for long. While the meat was onthe table his father and mother had kept him going here and there, carrying water, putting fagots on the fire, and holding a blazing stickso that those at the table might see to eat. There was not much left forhim when he was able to sit down, for Thor and Loki had great appetites, and the lad's father and mother had eaten to make up for days of want. So Thialfi got little out of that plentiful feast. 

When the meal was finished they lay down on the benches. Thor, becausehe had made a long journey that day, slept very soundly. Thialfi laydown on a bench, too, but his thoughts were still upon the food. Whenall were asleep, he thought, he would take one of the bones that werein the skins above him, and break and gnaw it. 

So in the dead of the night the lad stood up on the bench and took downthe goatskins that Thor had left so carefully there. He took out a bone, broke it, and gnawed it for the marrow. Loki was awake and saw him dothis, but he, relishing mischief as much as ever, did nothing to staythe lad. 

He put the bone he had broken back in the skins and he left the skinsback in the hole above the fireplace. Then he went to sleep on thebench. 

In the morning, as soon as they were up, the first thing Thor did was totake the skins out of the hole. He carried them carefully out to thehollow where he had left the goats standing. He put each goatskin downwith the bones in it. He struck each with his hammer, and the goatssprang up alive, horns and hoofs and all. 

But one was not as he had been before. He limped badly. Thor examinedthe leg and found out that one bone was broken. In terrible anger heturned on the peasant, his wife, and his son. "A bone of this goat hasbeen broken under your roof, " he shouted. "For that I shall destroy yourhouse and leave you all dead under it. " Thialfi wept. Then he cameforward and touched the knees of Thor. "I did not know what harm I did, "he said. "I broke the bone. "

Thor had his hammer lifted up to crush him into the earth. But he couldnot bring it down on the weeping boy. He let his hammer rest on theground again. "You will have to do much service for me for having lamedmy goat, " he said. "Come with me. "

And so the lad Thialfi went off with Thor and Loki. Thor took in hispowerful hands the shafts of the chariot of brass and he dragged it intoa lonely mountain hollow where neither men nor Giants came. And theyleft the goats in a great, empty forest to stay resting there until Thorcalled to them again. 

Thor and Loki and the lad Thialfi went across from Midgard intoJötunheim. Because of Miölnir, the great hammer that he carried, Thorfelt safe in the Realm of the Giants. And Loki, who trusted in his owncunning, felt safe, too. The lad Thialfi trusted in Thor so much that hehad no fear. They were long in making the journey, and while they weretraveling Thor and Loki trained Thialfi to be a quick and a strong lad. 

One day they came out on a moor. All day they crossed it, and at nightit still stretched far before them. A great wind was blowing, night wasfalling, and they saw no shelter near. In the dusk they saw a shape thatlooked to be a mountain and they went toward it, hoping to find someshelter in a cave. 

Then Loki saw a lower shape that looked as if it might be a shelter. They walked around it, Loki and Thor and the lad Thialfi. It was ahouse, but a house most oddly shaped. The entrance was a long, wide hallthat had no doorway. When they entered this hall they found five longand narrow chambers running off it. "It is an odd place, but it is thebest shelter we can get, " Loki said. "You and I, Thor, will take thetwo longest rooms, and the lad Thialfi can take one of the littlerooms. "

They entered their chambers and they lay down to sleep. But from themountain outside there came a noise that was like moaning forests andfalling cataracts. The chamber where each one slept was shaken by thenoise. Neither Thor nor Loki nor the lad Thialfi slept that night. 

In the morning they left the five-chambered house and turned their facestoward the mountain. It was not a mountain at all, but a Giant. He waslying on the ground when they saw him, but just then he rolled over andsat up. "Little men, little men, " he shouted to them, "have you passedby a glove of mine on your way?" He stood up and looked all around him. "Ho, I see my glove now, " he said. Thor and Loki and the lad Thialfistood still as the Giant came toward them. He leaned over and picked upthe five-roomed shelter they had slept in. He put it on his hand. It wasreally his glove!

Thor gripped his hammer, and Loki and the lad Thialfi stood behind him. But the Giant seemed good-humored enough. "Where might ye be bound for, little men?" said he. 

"To Utgard in Jötunheim, " Thor replied boldly. 

"Oh, to that place, " said the Giant. "Come, then, I shall be with ye sofar. You can call me Skyrmir. "

"Can you give us breakfast?" said Thor. He spoke crossly, for he did notwant it to appear that there was any reason to be afraid of the Giant. 

"I can give you breakfast, " said Skyrmir, "but I don't want to stop toeat now. We'll sit down as soon as I have an appetite. Come along now. Here is my wallet to carry. It has my provisions in it. "

He gave Thor his wallet. Thor put it on his back and put Thialfi sittingupon it. On and on the Giant strode and Thor and Loki were barely ableto keep up with him. It was midday before he showed any signs of haltingto take breakfast. 

They came to an enormous tree. Under it Skyrmir sat down. "I'll sleepbefore I eat, " he said, "but you can open my wallet, my little men, andmake your meal out of it. " Saying this, he stretched himself out, and ina few minutes Thor and Loki and the lad Thialfi heard the same sounds askept them awake the night before, sounds that were like forests moaningand cataracts falling. It was Skyrmir's snoring. 

Thor and Loki and the lad Thialfi were too hungry now to be disturbed bythese tremendous noises. Thor tried to open the wallet, but he found itwas not easy to undo the knots. Then Loki tried to open it. In spite ofall Loki's cunning he could not undo the knots. Then Thor took thewallet from him and tried to break the knots by main strength. Not evenThor's strength could break them. He threw the wallet down in his rage. 

The snoring of Skyrmir became louder and louder. Thor stood up in hisrage. He grasped Miölnir and flung it at the head of the sleeping Giant. 

The hammer struck him on the head. But Skyrmir only stirred in hissleep. "Did a leaf fall on my head?" he said. 

He turned round on the other side and went to sleep again. The hammercame back to Thor's hand. As soon as Skyrmir snored he flung it again, aiming at the Giant's forehead. It struck there. The Giant opened hiseyes. "Has an acorn fallen on my forehead?" he said. 

Again he went to sleep. But now Thor, terribly roused, stood over hishead with the hammer held in his hands. He struck him on the forehead. It was the greatest blow that Thor had ever dealt. 

"A bird is pecking at my forehead--there is no chance to sleep here, "said Skyrmir, sitting up. "And you, little men, did you have breakfastyet? Toss over my wallet to me and I shall give you some provision. " Thelad Thialfi brought him the wallet. Skyrmir opened it, took out hisprovisions, and gave a share to Thor and Loki and the lad Thialfi. Thorwould not take provision from him, but Loki and the lad Thialfi took itand ate. When the meal was finished Skyrmir rose up and said, "Time forus to be going toward Utgard. "

As they went on their way Skyrmir talked to Loki. "I always feel verysmall when I go into Utgard, " he said. "You see, I'm such a small and aweak fellow and the folk who live there are so big and powerful. But youand your friends will be welcomed in Utgard. They will be sure to makelittle pets of you. "

And then he left them and they went into Utgard, the City of the Giants. Giants were going up and down in the streets. They were not so huge asSkyrmir would have them believe, Loki noticed. 

Utgard was the Asgard of the Giants. But in its buildings there was nota line of the beauty that there was in the palaces of the Gods, Gladsheim and Breidablik or Fensalir. Huge but shapeless the buildingsarose, like mountains or icebergs. O beautiful Asgard with the domeabove it of the deepest blue! Asgard with the clouds around it heaped uplike mountains of diamonds! Asgard with its Rainbow Bridge and itsglittering gates! O beautiful Asgard, could it be indeed that theseGiants would one day overthrow you?

Thor and Loki with the lad Thialfi went to the palace of the King. Thehammer that Thor gripped would, they knew, make them safe even there. They passed between rows of Giant guards and came to the King's seat. "We know you, Thor and Loki, " said the Giant King, "and we know thatThor has come to Utgard to try his strength against the Giants. We shallhave a contest tomorrow. Today there are sports for our boys. If youryoung servant should like to try his swiftness against our youths, lethim enter the race today. "

Now Thialfi was the best runner in Midgard and all the time he had beenwith them Loki and Thor had trained him in quickness. And so Thialfi wasnot fearful of racing against the Giants' youths. 

The King called on one named Hugi and placed him against Thialfi. Thepair started together. Thialfi sped off. Loki and Thor watched the raceanxiously, for they thought it would be well for them if they had atriumph over the dwellers in Utgard in the first contest. But they sawHugi leave Thialfi behind. They saw the Giant youth reach the winningpost, circle round it, and come back to the starting place beforeThialfi had reached the end of the course. 

Thialfi, who did not know how it was that he had been beaten, asked thathe be let run the race with Hugi again. The pair started off once more, and this time it did not seem to Thor and Loki that Hugi had left thestarting place at all--he was back there almost as soon as the race hadstarted. 

They came back from the racing ground to the palace. The Giant King andhis friends with Thor and Loki sat down to the supper table. "Tomorrow, "said the King, "we shall have our great contest when Asa Thor will showus his power. Have you of Asgard ever heard of one who would enter acontest in eating? We might have a contest in eating at this supperboard if we could get one who would match himself with Logi here. He caneat more than anyone in Jötunheim. "

"And I, " said Loki, "can eat more than any two in Jötunheim. I willmatch myself against your Logi. "

"Good!" said the Giant King. And all the Giants present said, "Good!This will be a sight worth seeing. "

Then they put scores of plates along one side of the table, each platefilled with meat. Loki began at one end and Logi began at the other. They started to eat, moving toward each other as each cleared a plate. Plate after plate was emptied, and Thor standing by with the Giants wasamazed to see how much Loki ate. But Logi on the other side was leavingplate after plate emptied. At last the two stood together with scores ofplates on each side of them. "He has not defeated me, " cried Loki. "Ihave cleared as many plates as your champion, O King of the Giants. "

"But you have not cleared them so well, " said the King. 

"Loki has eaten all the meat that was upon them, " said Thor. 

"But Logi has eaten the bones with the meat, " said the Giant King. "Lookand see if it be not so. "

Thor went to the plates. Where Loki had eaten, the bones were left onthe plates. Where Logi had eaten, nothing was left: bones as well asmeat were consumed, and all the plates were left bare. 

"We are beaten, " said Thor to Loki. 

"Tomorrow, Thor, " said Loki, "you must show all your strength or theGiants will cease to dread the might of the Dwellers in Asgard. "

"Be not afraid, " said Thor. "No one in Jötunheim will triumph over me. "

The next day Thor and Loki came into the great hall of Utgard. The GiantKing was there with a throng of his friends. Thor marched into the hallwith Miölnir, his great hammer, in his hands. "Our young men have beendrinking out of this horn, " said the King, "and they want to know ifyou, Asa Thor, would drink out of it a morning draught. But I must tellyou that they think that no one of the Æsir could empty the horn at onedraught. "

"Give it to me, " said Thor. "There is no horn you can hand me that Icannot empty at a draught. "

A great horn, brimmed and flowing, was brought over to him. HandingMiölnir to Loki and bidding him stand so that he might keep the hammerin sight, Thor raised the horn to his mouth. He drank and drank. He feltsure there was not a drop left in the horn as he laid it on the ground. "There, " he gasped, "your Giant horn is drained. "

The Giants looked within the horn and laughed. "Drained, Asa Thor!" saidthe Giant King. "Look into the horn again. You have hardly drunk belowthe brim. "

And Thor looked into it and saw that the horn was not half emptied. In amighty rage he lifted it to his lips again. He drank and drank anddrank. Then, satisfied that he had emptied it to the bottom, he left thehorn on the ground and walked over to the other side of the hall. 

"Thor thinks he has drained the horn, " said one of the Giants, liftingit up. "But see, friends, what remains in it. "

Thor strode back and looked again into the horn. It was still halffilled. He turned round to see that all the Giants were laughing at him. 

"Asa Thor, Asa Thor, " said the Giant King, "we know not how you aregoing to deal with us in the next feat, but you certainly are not ableto drink against the Giants. "

Said Thor: "I can lift up and set down any being in your hall. "

As he said this a great iron-colored cat bounded into the hall and stoodbefore Thor, her back arched and her fur bristling. 

"Then lift the cat off the ground, " said the Giant King. 

Thor strode to the cat, determined to lift her up and fling her amongstthe mocking Giants. He put his hands to the cat, but he could not raiseher. Up, up went Thor's arms, up, up, as high as they could go. Thecat's arched back went up to the roof, but her feet were never taken offthe ground. And as he heaved and heaved with all his might he heard thelaughter of the Giants all round him. 

He turned away, his eyes flaming with anger. "I am not wont to try tolift cats, " he said. "Bring me one to wrestle with, and I swear youshall see me overthrow him. "

"Here is one for you to wrestle with, Asa Thor, " said the King. Thorlooked round and saw an old woman hobbling toward him. She wasblear-eyed and toothless. "This is Ellie, my ancient nurse, " said theGiant King. "She is the one we would have you wrestle with. "

"Thor does not wrestle with old women. I will lay my hands on yourtallest Giants instead. "

"Ellie has come where you are, " said the Giant King. "Now it is she whowill lay hands upon you. "

The old woman hobbled toward Thor, her eyes gleaming under her fallingfringes of gray hair. Thor stood, unable to move as the hag came towardhim. She laid her hands upon his arms. Her feet began to trip at his. Hetried to cast her from him. Then he found that her feet and her handswere as strong against his as bands and stakes of iron. 

Then began a wrestling match in earnest between Thor and the ancientcrone Ellie. Round and round the hall they wrestled, and Thor was notable to bend the old woman backward nor sideways. Instead he becameless and less able under her terrible grasp. She forced him down, down, and at last he could only save himself from being left prone on theground by throwing himself down on one knee and holding the hag by theshoulders. She tried to force him down on the ground, but she could notdo that. Then she broke from him, hobbled to the door and went out ofthe hall. 

Thor rose up and took the hammer from Loki's hands. Without a word hewent out of the hall and along the ways and toward the gate of theGiants' City. He spoke no word to Loki nor to the lad Thialfi who wentwith him for the seven weeks that they journeyed through Jötunheim. 

[Illustration]

HOW THOR AND LOKI BEFOOLED THRYM THE GIANT

Loki told another tale about Thor--about Thor and Thrym, a stupid Giantwho had cunning streaks in him. Loki and Thor had been in this Giant'shouse. He had made a feast for them and Thor had been unwatchful. 

Then when they were far from Jötunheim Thor missed Miölnir, missed thehammer that was the defence of Asgard and the help of the Gods. He couldnot remember how or where he had mislaid it. Loki's thoughts went towardThrym, that stupid Giant who yet had cunning streaks in him. Thor, whohad lost the hammer that he had sworn never to let out of his sight, didnot know what to do. 

But Loki thought it would be worth while to see if Thrym knew anythingabout it. He went first to Asgard. He hurried across the Rainbow Bridgeand passed Heimdall without speaking to him. To none of the Dwellers inAsgard whom he met did he dare relate the tidings of Thor's loss. Hespoke to none until he came to Frigga's palace. 

To Frigga he said, "You must lend me your falcon dress until I fly toThrym's dwelling and find out if he knows where Miölnir is. "

"If every feather was silver I would give it to you to go on such anerrand, " Frigga said. 

So Loki put on the falcon dress and flew to Jötunheim and came nearThrym's dwelling. He found the Giant upon a hillside putting golden andsilver collars upon the necks of his hounds. Loki in the plumage of afalcon perched on the rock above him, watching the Giant with falconeyes. 

And while he was there he heard the Giant speak boastful words. "I putcollars of silver and gold on you now, my hounds, " said he, "but soon weGiants will have the gold of Asgard to deck our hounds and our steeds, yea, even the necklace of Freya to put upon you, the best of my hounds. For Miölnir, the defence of Asgard, is in Thrym's holding. "

Then Loki spoke to him. "Yea, we know that Miölnir is in thy possession, O Thrym, " said he, "but know thou that the eyes of the watchful Gods areupon thee. "

"Ha, Loki, Shape-changer, " said Thrym, "you are there! But all yourwatching will not help you to find Miölnir. I have buried Thor's hammereight miles deep in the earth. Find it if you can. It is below the cavesof the Dwarfs. "

"It is useless for us to search for Thor's hammer, " said Loki; "ehThrym?"

"It is useless for you to search for it, " said the Giant sulkily. 

"But what a recompense you would gain if you restored Thor's hammer tothe Dwellers in Asgard, " Loki said. 

"No, cunning Loki, I will never restore it, not for any recompense, "said Thrym. 

"Yet bethink thee, Thrym, " said Loki. "Is there nought in Asgard youwould like to own? No treasure, no possession? Odin's ring or Frey'sship, Skidbladnir?"

"No, no, " said Thrym. "Only one thing could the Dwellers in Asgard offerme that I would take in exchange for Miölnir, Thor's hammer. "

"And what would that be, Thrym?" said Loki, flying toward him. 

"She whom many Giants have striven to gain--Freya, for my wife, " saidThrym. 

Loki watched Thrym for long with his falcon eyes. He saw that the Giantwould not alter his demand. "I will tell the Dwellers in Asgard of yourdemand, " he said at last, and he flew away. 

Loki knew that the Dwellers in Asgard would never let Freya be takenfrom them to become the wife of Thrym, the stupidest of the Giants. Heflew back. 

By this time all the Dwellers in Asgard had heard of the loss ofMiölnir, the help of the Gods. Heimdall shouted to him as he crossed theRainbow Bridge to ask what tidings he brought back. But Loki did notstop to speak to the Warden of the Bridge but went straight to the hallwhere the Gods sat in Council. 

To the Æsir and the Vanir he told Thrym's demand. None would agree tolet the beautiful Freya go live in Jötunheim as a wife to the stupidestof the Giants. All in the Council were cast down. The Gods would neveragain be able to help mortal men, for now that Miölnir was in theGiants' hands all their strength would have to be used in the defence ofAsgard. 

So they sat in the Council with looks downcast. But cunning Loki said, "I have thought of a trick that may win back the hammer from stupidThrym. Let us pretend to send Freya to Jötunheim as a bride for him. Butlet one of the Gods go in Freya's veil and dress. "

"Which of the Gods would bring himself to do so shameful a thing?" saidthose in the Council. 

"Oh, he who lost the hammer, Thor, should be prepared to do as much towin it back, " said Loki. 

"Thor, Thor! Let Thor win back the hammer from Thrym by Loki's trick, "said the Æsir and the Vanir. They left it to Loki to arrange how Thorshould go to Jötunheim as a bride for Thrym. 

Loki left the Council of the Gods and came to where he had left Thor. "There is but one way to win the hammer back, Thor, " he said, "and theGods in Council have decreed that you shall take it. "

"What is the way?" said Thor. "But no matter what it is, tell me of itand I shall do as thou dost say. "

"Then, " said laughing Loki, "I am to take you to Jötunheim as a bridefor Thrym. Thou art to go in bridal dress and veil, in Freya's veil andbridal dress. "

"What! I dress in woman's garb?" shouted Thor. 

"Yea, Thor, and wear a veil over your head and a garland of flowers uponit. "

"I--I wear a garland of flowers?"

"And rings upon thy fingers. And a bunch of housekeeper's keys in thygirdle. "

"Cease thy mockery, Loki, " said Thor roughly, "or I shall shake thee. "

"It is no mockery. Thou wilt have to do this to win Miölnir back for thedefence of Asgard. Thrym will take no other recompense than Freya. Iwould mock him by bringing thee to him in Freya's veil and dress. Whenthou art in his hall and he asks thee to join hands with him, say thouwilt not until he puts Miölnir into thy hands. Then when thy mightyhammer is in thy holding thou canst deal with him and with all in hishall. And I shall be with thee as thy bridesmaid! O sweet, sweet maidenThor!"

"Loki, " said Thor, "thou didst devise all this to mock me. I in a bridaldress! I with a bride's veil upon me! The Dwellers in Asgard will nevercease to laugh at me. "

"Yea, " said Loki, "but there will never be laughter again in Asgardunless thou art able to bring back the hammer that thine unwatchfulnesslost. "

"True, " said Thor unhappily, "and is this, thinkst thou, Loki, the onlyway to win back Miölnir from Thrym?"

"It is the only way, O Thor, " said the cunning Loki. 

So Thor and Loki set out for Jötunheim and the dwelling of Thrym. Amessenger had gone before them to tell Thrym that Freya was coming withher bridesmaid; that the wedding-feast was to be prepared and the guestsgathered and that Miölnir was to be at hand so that it might be givenover to the Dwellers in Asgard. Thrym and his Giant mother hastened tohave everything in readiness. 

Thor and Loki came to the Giant's house in the dress of a bride and abridesmaid. A veil was over Thor's head hiding his beard and his fierceeyes. A red-embroidered robe he wore and at his side hung a girdle ofhousekeeper's keys. Loki was veiled, too. The hall of Thrym's greathouse was swept and garnished and great tables were laid for the feast. And Thrym's mother was going from one guest to another, vaunting thather son was getting one of the beauteous Dwellers in Asgard for hisbride, Freya, whom so many of the Giants had tried to win. 

When Thor and Loki stepped across the threshold Thrym went to welcomethem. He wanted to raise the veil of his bride and give her a kiss. Lokiquickly laid his hand on the Giant's shoulder. 

"Forbear, " he whispered. "Do not raise her veil. We Dwellers in Asgardare reserved and bashful. Freya would be much offended to be kissedbefore this company. "

"Aye, aye, " said Thrym's old mother. "Do not raise thy bride's veil, son. These Dwellers in Asgard are more refined in their ways than we, the Giants. " Then the old woman took Thor by the hand and led him to thetable. 

The size and the girth of the bride did not surprise the huge Giants whowere in the wedding company. They stared at Thor and Loki, but theycould see nothing of their faces and little of their forms because oftheir veils. 

Thor sat at the table with Thrym on one side of him and Loki on theother. Then the feast began. Thor, not noticing that what he did wasunbecoming to a refined maiden, ate eight salmon right away. Loki nudgedhim and pressed his foot, but he did not heed Loki. After the salmon heate a whole ox. 

"These maids of Asgard, " said the Giants to each other, "they may berefined, as Thrym's mother says, but their appetites are lusty enough. "

"No wonder she eats, poor thing, " said Loki to Thrym. "It is eight dayssince we left Asgard. And Freya never ate upon the way, so anxious wasshe to see Thrym and to come to his house. "

"Poor darling, poor darling, " said the Giant. "What she has eaten islittle after all. "

Thor nodded his head toward the mead vat. Thrym ordered his servants tobring a measure to his bride. The servants were kept coming withmeasures to Thor. While the Giants watched, and while Loki nudged andnodded, he drank three barrels of mead. 

"Oh, " said the Giants to Thrym's mother, "we are not so sorry that wefailed to win a bride from Asgard. "

And now a piece of the veil slipped aside and Thor's eyes were seen foran instant. "Oh, how does it come that Freya has such glaring eyes?"said Thrym. 

"Poor thing, poor thing, " said Loki, "no wonder her eyes are glaring andstaring. She has not slept for eight nights, so anxious was she to cometo you and to your house, Thrym. But now the time has come for you tojoin hands with your bride. First, put into her hands the hammer Miölnirthat she may know the great recompense that the Giants have given forher coming. "

Then Thrym, the stupidest of the Giants, rose up and brought Miölnir, the defence of Asgard, into the feasting hall. Thor could hardlyrestrain himself from springing up and seizing it from the Giant. ButLoki was able to keep him still. Thrym brought over the hammer and putthe handle into the hands of her whom he thought was his bride. Thor'shands closed on his hammer. Instantly he stood up. The veil fell offhim. His countenance and his blazing eyes were seen by all. He struckone blow on the wall of the house. Down it crashed. Then Thor wentstriding out of the ruin with Loki beside him, while within the Giantsbellowed as the roof and walls fell down on them. And so was Miölnir, the defence of Asgard, lost and won back. 

[Illustration]

ÆGIR'S FEAST: HOW THOR TRIUMPHED

The time between midday and evening wore on while the Æsir and the Vanirgathered for the feast in old Ægir's hall listened to the stories thatLoki told in mockery of Thor. The night came, but no banquet was madeready for the Dwellers in Asgard. They called to Ægir's twounderservants, Fimaffenger and Elder, and they bade them bring them asupper. Slight was what they got, but they went to bed saying, "Greatmust be the preparations that old Ægir is making to feast us tomorrow. "

The morrow came and the midday of the morrow, and still the Dwellers inAsgard saw no preparations being made for the banquet. Then Frey rose upand went to seek old Ægir, the Giant King of the Sea. He found himsitting with bowed head in his inner hall. "Ho, Ægir, " he said, "what ofthe banquet that you have offered to the Dwellers in Asgard?"

Old Ægir mumbled and pulled at his beard. At last he looked his guest inthe face and told why the banquet was not being made ready. The mead forthe feast was not yet brewed. And there was little chance of being ableto brew mead that would do for all, for Ægir's hall was lacking a meadkettle that would contain enough. 

When the Æsir and the Vanir heard this they were sorely disappointed. Who now, outside of Asgard, would give them a feast? Ægir was the onlyone of the Giants who was friendly to them, and Ægir could not give themfull entertainment. 

Then a Giant youth who was there spoke up and said, "My kinsman, theGiant Hrymer, has a mead kettle that is a mile wide. If we could bringHrymer's kettle here, what a feast we might have!"

"One of us can go for that kettle, " Frey said. 

"Ah, but Hrymer's dwelling is beyond the deepest forest and behind thehighest mountain, " the Giant youth said, "and Hrymer himself is a roughand a churlish one to call on. "

"Still, one of us should go, " Frey said. 

"I will go to Hrymer's dwelling, " said Thor, standing up. "I will go toHrymer's dwelling and get the mile-wide kettle from him by force orcunning. " He had been sitting subdued under the mocking tales that Lokitold of him and he was pleased with this chance to make his prowessplain to the Æsir and the Vanir. He buckled on the belt that doubled hisstrength. He drew on the iron gloves that enabled him to grasp Miölnir. He took his hammer in his hands, and he signed to the Giant youth tocome with him and be his guide. 

The Æsir and the Vanir applauded Thor as he stepped out of old Ægir'shall. But Loki, mischievous Loki, threw a gibe after him. "Do not letthe hammer out of your hands this time, bride of Thrym, " he shouted. 

Thor, with the Giant youth to guide him, went through the deepest forestand over the highest mountain. He came at last to the Giant's dwelling. On a hillock before Hrymer's house was a dreadful warden; a Giant croneshe was, with heads a-many growing out of her shoulders. She wassquatting down on her ankles, and her heads, growing in bunches, werelooking in different directions. As Thor and the Giant youth came nearscreams and yelps came from all her heads. Thor grasped his hammer andwould have flung it at her if a Giant woman, making a sign of peace, hadnot come to the door of the dwelling. The youthful Giant who was withThor greeted her as his mother. 

"Son, come within, " said she, "and you may bring your fellow farer withyou. "

The Giant crone--she was Hrymer's grandmother--kept up her screaming andyelping. But Thor went past her and into the Giant's dwelling. 

When she saw that it was one of the Dwellers in Asgard who had come withher son the Giant woman grew fearful for them both. "Hrymer, " she said, "will be in a rage to find one of the Æsir under his roof. He willstrive to slay you. "

"It is not likely he will succeed, " Thor said, grasping Miölnir, thehammer that all the Giant race knew of and dreaded. 

"Hide from him, " said the Giant woman. "He may injure my son in his rageto find you here. "

"I am not wont to hide from the Giants, " Thor said. 

"Hide only for a little while! Hide until Hrymer has eaten, " the Giantwoman pleaded. "He comes back from the chase in a stormy temper. Afterhe has eaten he is easier to deal with. Hide until he has finishedsupper. "

Thor at last agreed to do this. He and the Giant youth hid behind apillar in the hall. They were barely hidden when they heard the clatterof the Giant's steps as he came through the courtyard. He came to thedoor. His beard was like a frozen forest around his mouth. And hedragged along with him a wild bull that he had captured in the chase. Soproud was he of his capture that he dragged it into the hall. 

"I have taken alive, " he shouted, "the bull with the mightiest head andhorns. 'Heaven-breaking' this bull is called. No Giant but me couldcapture it. " He tied the bull to the post of the door and then his eyeswent toward the pillar behind which Thor and the Giant youth werehiding. The pillar split up its whole length at that look from Hrymer'seyes. He came nearer. The pillar of stone broke across. It fell with thecrossbeam it supported and all the kettles and cauldrons that werehanging on the beam came down with a terrible rattle. 

Then Thor stepped out and faced the wrathful Giant. "It is I who amhere, friend Hrymer, " he said, his hands resting on his hammer. 

Then Hrymer, who knew Thor and knew the force of Thor's hammer, drewback. "Now that you are in my house, Asa Thor, " he said, "I will notquarrel with you. Make supper ready for Asa Thor and your son andmyself, " said he to the Giant woman. 

A plentiful supper was spread and Hrymer and Thor and the Giant youthsat down to three whole roast oxen. Thor ate the whole of one ox. Hrymer, who had eaten nearly two himself, leaving only small cuts forhis wife and his youthful kinsman, grumbled at Thor's appetite. "You'llclear my fields, Asa Thor, " he said, "if you stay long with me. "

"Do not grumble, Hrymer, " Thor said. "Tomorrow I'll go fishing and I'llbring you back the weight of what I ate. "

"Then instead of hunting I'll go fishing with you tomorrow, Asa Thor, "said Hrymer. "And don't be frightened if I take you out on a rough sea. "

Hrymer was first out of bed the next morning. He came with the pole andthe ropes in his hand to where Thor was sleeping. "Time to start earningyour meal, Asa Thor, " said he. 

Thor got out of bed, and when they were both in the courtyard the Giantsaid, "You'll have to provide a bait for yourself. Mind that you take abait large enough. It is not where the little fishes are, the placewhere I'm going to take you. If you never saw monsters before you'll seethem now. I'm glad, Asa Thor, that you spoke of going fishing. "

"Will this bait be big enough?" said Thor, laying his hands on the hornsof the bull that Hrymer had captured and brought home, the bull with themighty head of horns that was called "Heaven-breaking. " "Will this baitbe big enough, do you think?"

"Yes, if you're big enough to handle it, " said the Giant. 

Thor said nothing, but he struck the bull full in the middle of theforehead with his fist. The great creature fell down dead. Thor thentwisted the bull's head off. "I have my bait and I'm ready to go withyou, Hrymer, " he said. 

Hrymer had turned away to hide the rage he was in at seeing Thor do sucha feat. He walked down to the boat without speaking. "You may row forthe first few strokes, " said Hrymer, when they were in the boat, "butwhen we come to where the ocean is rough, why I'll take the oars fromyou. "

Without saying a word Thor made a few strokes that took the boat outinto the middle of the ocean. Hrymer was in a rage to think that hecould not show himself greater than Thor. He let out his line and beganto fish. Soon he felt something huge on his hook. The boat rocked androcked till Thor steadied it. Then Hrymer drew into the boat the largestwhale that was in these seas. 

"Good fishing, " said Thor, as he put his own bait on the line. 

"It's something for you to tell the Æsir, " said Hrymer. 

"I thought as you were here I'd show you something bigger thansalmon-fishing. "

"I'll try my luck now, " said Thor. 

He threw out a line that had at the end of it the mighty-horned head ofthe great bull. Down, down the head went. It passed where the whalesswim, and the whales were afraid to gulp at the mighty horns. Down, downit went till it came near where the monster serpent that coils itselfround the world abides. It reared its head up from its serpent coils asThor's bait came down through the depths of the ocean. It gulped at thehead and drew it into its gullet. There the great hook stuck. Terriblysurprised was the serpent monster. It lashed the ocean into a fury. Butstill the hook stayed. Then it strove to draw down to the depths of theocean the boat of those who had hooked it. Thor put his legs across theboat and stretched them till they touched the bottom bed of the ocean. On the bottom bed of the ocean Thor stood and he pulled and he pulled onhis line. The serpent monster lashed the ocean into fiercer and fiercerstorms and all the world's ships were hurled against each other andwrecked and tossed. But it had to loosen coil after coil of the coils itmakes around the world. Thor pulled and pulled. Then the terrible headof the serpent monster appeared above the waters. It reared over theboat that Hrymer sat in and that Thor straddled across. Thor dropped theline and took up Miölnir, his mighty hammer. He raised it to strike thehead of the serpent monster whose coils go round the world. But Hrymerwould not have that happen. Rather than have Thor pass him by such afeat he cut the line, and the head of the serpent monster sank back intothe sea. Thor's hammer was raised. He hurled it, hurled that hammer thatalways came back to his hand. It followed the sinking head throughfathom after fathom of the ocean depth. It struck the serpent monster ablow, but not such a deadly blow as would have been struck if the waterhad not come between. A bellow of pain came up from the depths of theocean, such a bellow of pain that all in Jötunheim were affrighted. 

"This surely is something to tell the Æsir of, " said Thor, "something tomake them forget Loki's mockeries. "

Without speaking Hrymer turned the boat and rowed toward the shore, dragging the whale in the wake. He was in such a rage to think that oneof the Æsir had done a feat surpassing his that he would not speak. Atsupper, too, he remained silent, but Thor talked for two, boastingloudly of his triumph over the monster serpent. 

"No doubt you think yourself very powerful, Asa Thor, " Hrymer said atlast. "Well, do you think you are powerful enough to break the cup thatis before you?"

Thor took up the cup and with a laugh he hurled it against the stonepillar of the house. The cup fell down on the floor without a crack or adint in it. But the pillar was shattered with the blow. 

The Giant laughed. "So feeble are the folk of Asgard!" he said. 

Thor took up the cup again and flung it with greater force against thestone pillar. And again the cup fell to the ground without a crack or adint. 

Then he heard the woman who was the mother of the Giant youth singsoftly, as she plied her wheel behind him:

 Not at the pillar of the stead, But at Hrymer's massy head: When you next the goblet throw, Let his head receive the blow. 

Thor took the cup up again. He flung it, not at the pillar this time, but at Hrymer's head. It struck the Giant full on the forehead and felldown on the floor in pieces. And Hrymer's head was left without a dintor a crack. 

"Ha, so you can break a cup, but can you lift up my mile-wide kettle?"cried the Giant. 

"Show me where your mile-wide kettle is and I shall try to lift it, "cried Thor. 

The Giant took up the flooring and showed him the mile-wide kettle downin the cellar. Thor stooped down and took the kettle by the brim. Helifted it slowly as if with a mighty effort. 

"You can lift, but can you carry it?" said the Giant. 

"I will try to do that, " said Thor. He lifted the kettle up and placedit on his head. He strode to the door and out of the house before theGiant could lay hands on him. Then when he was outside he started torun. He was across the mountain before he looked behind him. He heard ayelping and a screaming and he saw the Giant crone with the bunch ofheads running, running after him. Up hill and down dale Thor raced, themile-wide kettle on his head and the Giant crone in chase of him. Through the deep forest he ran and over the high mountain, but stillBunch-of-Heads kept him in chase. But at last, jumping over a lake, shefell in and Thor was free of his pursuer. 

And so back to the Æsir and the Vanir Thor came in triumph, carrying onhis head the mile-wide kettle. And those of the Æsir and the Vanir whohad laughed most at Loki's mockeries rose up and cheered for him as hecame in. The mead was brewed, the feast was spread, and the greatestbanquet that ever the Kings of the Giants gave to the Dwellers in Asgardwas eaten in gladness. 

A strange and silent figure sat at the banquet. It was the figure of aGiant and no one knew who he was nor where he had come from. But whenthe banquet was ended Odin, the Eldest of the Gods, turned toward thisfigure and said, "O Skyrmir, Giant King of Utgard, rise up now and tellThor of all you practiced upon him when he and Loki came to your City. "

Then the stranger at the banquet stood up, and Thor and Loki saw he wasthe Giant King in whose halls they had had the contests. Skyrmir turnedtoward them and said:

"O Thor and O Loki, I will reveal to you now the deceits I practiced onyou both. It was I whom ye met on the moorland on the day before ye cameinto Utgard. I gave you my name as Skyrmir and I did all I might do toprevent your entering our City, for the Giants dreaded a contest ofstrength with Asa Thor. Now hear me, O Thor. The wallet I gave for youto take provisions out of was tied with magic knots. No one could undothem by strength or cleverness. And while you were striving to undo themI placed a mountain of rock between myself and you. The hammer blows, which as you thought struck me, struck the mountain and made greatclefts and gaps in it. When I knew the strength of your tremendous blowsI was more and more in dread of your coming into our City. 

"I saw you would have to be deceived by magic. Your lad Thialfi was theone whom I first deceived. For it was not a Giant youth who racedagainst him, but Thought itself. And even you, O Loki, I deceived. Forwhen you tried to make yourself out the greatest of eaters I pittedagainst you, not a Giant, but Fire that devours everything. 

"You, Thor, were deceived in all the contests. After you had taken thedrinking horn in your hands we were all affrighted to see how much youwere able to gulp down. For the end of that horn was in the sea, andÆgir, who is here, can tell you that after you had drunk from it, thelevel of the sea went down. 

"The cat whom you strove to lift was Nidhögg, the dragon that gnaws atthe roots of Ygdrassil, the Tree of Trees. Truly we were terrified whenwe saw that you made Nidhögg budge. When you made the back of the catreach the roof of our palace we said to ourselves, 'Thor is themightiest of all the beings we have known. '

"Lastly you strove with the hag Ellie. Her strength seemed marvelous toyou, and you thought yourself disgraced because you could not throw her. But know, Thor, that Ellie whom you wrestled with was Old Age herself. We were terrified again to see that she who can overthrow all was notable to force you prone upon the ground. "

So Skyrmir spoke and then left the hall. And once more the Æsir and theVanir stood up and cheered for Thor, the strongest of all who guardedAsgard. 

[Illustration]

THE DWARF'S HOARD, AND THE CURSE THAT IT BROUGHT

Now old Ægir's feast was over and all the Æsir and the Vanir made readyfor their return to Asgard. Two only went on another way--Odin, theEldest of the Gods, and Loki the Mischievous. 

Loki and Odin laid aside all that they had kept of the divine power andthe divine strength. They were going into the World of Men, and theywould be as men merely. Together they went through Midgard, minglingwith men of all sorts, kings and farmers, outlaws and true men, warriorsand householders, thralls and councillors, courteous men and men whowere ill-mannered. One day they came to the bank of a mighty river andthere they rested, listening to the beat of iron upon iron in a placenear by. 

Presently, on a rock in the middle of the river, they saw an ottercome. The otter went into the water and came back to the rock with acatch of salmon. He devoured it there. Then Odin saw Loki do a senselessand an evil thing. Taking up a great stone he flung it at the otter. Thestone struck the beast on the skull and knocked him over dead. 

"Loki, Loki, why hast thou done a thing so senseless and so evil?" Odinsaid. Loki only laughed. He swam across the water and came back with thecreature of the river. "Why didst thou take the life of the beast?" Odinsaid. 

"The mischief in me made me do it, " said Loki. He drew out his knife andripping the otter up he began to flay him. When the skin was off thebeast he folded it up and stuck it in his belt. Then Odin and he leftthat place by the river. 

They came to a house with two smithies beside it, and from the smithiescame the sound of iron beating upon iron. They went within the house andthey asked that they might eat there and rest themselves. 

An old man who was cooking fish over a fire pointed out a bench to them. "Rest there, " said he, "and when the fish is cooked I will give yousomething good to eat. My son is a fine fisher and he brings me salmonof the best. "

Odin and Loki sat on the bench and the old man went on with his cooking. "My name is Hreidmar, " he said, "and I have two sons who work in thesmithies without. I have a third son also. It is he who does the fishingfor us. And who may ye be, O wayfaring men?"

Loki and Odin gave names to Hreidmar that were not the names by whichthey were known in Asgard or on Midgard. Hreidmar served fish to themand they ate. "And what adventures have ye met upon your travels?"Hreidmar asked. "Few folk come this way to tell me of happenings. "

"I killed an otter with a cast of a stone, " Loki said with a laugh. 

"You killed an otter!" Hreidmar cried. "Where did you kill one?"

"Where I killed him is of no import to you, old man, " said Loki. "Hisskin is a good one, however. I have it at my belt. "

Hreidmar snatched the skin out of Loki's belt. As soon as he held theskin before his eyes he shrieked out, "Fafnir, Regin, my sons, come hereand bring the thralls of your smithies. Come, come, come!"

"Why dost thou make such an outcry, old man?" said Odin. 

"Ye have slain my son Otter, " shrieked the old man. "This in my hands isthe skin of my son. "

As Hreidmar said this two young men bearing the forehammers of thesmithies came in followed by the thralls. "Strike these men dead withyour forehammers, O Fafnir, O Regin, " their father cried. "Otter, whoused to stay in the river, and whom I changed by enchantment into ariver beast that he might fish for me, has been slain by these men. "

"Peace, " said Odin. "We have slain thy son, it would seem, but it wasunwittingly that we did the deed. We will give a recompense for thedeath of thy son. "

"What recompense will ye give?" said Hreidmar, looking at Odin with eyesthat were small and sharp. 

Then did Odin, the Eldest of the Gods, say a word that was unworthy ofhis wisdom and his power. He might have said, "I will bring thee adraught of Mimir's well water as a recompense for thy son's death. " Butinstead of thinking of wisdom, Odin All-Father thought of gold. "Set aprice on the life of thy son and we will pay that price in gold, " hesaid. 

"Maybe ye are great kings traveling through the world, " Hreidmar said. "If ye are ye will have to find gold that will cover every hair upon theskin of him whom ye have killed. "

Then did Odin, his mind being fixed upon the gold, think upon a certaintreasure, a treasure that was guarded by a Dwarf. No other treasure inthe nine worlds would be great enough to make the recompense thatHreidmar claimed. He thought upon this treasure and he thought on how itmight be taken and yet he was ashamed of his thought. 

"Dost thou, Loki, know of Andvari's hoard?" he said. 

"I know of it, " said Loki sharply, "and I know where it is hidden. Wiltthou, Odin, win leave for me to fetch Andvari's hoard?"

Odin spoke to Hreidmar. "I will stay with thee as a hostage, " he said, "if thou wilt let this one go to fetch a treasure that will cover theotter's skin hair by hair. "

"I will let this be done, " said old Hreidmar with the sharp and cunningeyes. "Go now, " said he to Loki. Then Loki went from the house. 

Andvari was a Dwarf who, in the early days, had gained for himself thegreatest treasure in the nine worlds. So that he might guard thistreasure unceasingly he changed himself into a fish--into a pike--and heswam in the water before the cave where the hoard was hidden. 

All in Asgard knew of the Dwarf and of the hoard he guarded. And therewas a thought amongst all that this hoard was not to be meddled with andthat some evil was joined to it. But now Odin had given the word that itwas to be taken from the Dwarf. Loki set out for Andvari's caverejoicingly. He came to the pool before the cave and he watched for asight of Andvari. Soon he saw the pike swimming cautiously before thecave. 

He would have to catch the pike and hold him till the treasure was givenfor ransom. As he watched the pike became aware of him. Suddenly heflung himself forward in the water and went with speed down the stream. 

Not with his hands and not with any hook and line could Loki catch thatpike. How, then, could he take him? Only with a net that was woven bymagic. Then Loki thought of where he might get such a net. 

Ran, the wife of old Ægir, the Giant King of the Sea, had a net that waswoven by magic. In it she took all that was wrecked on the sea. Lokithought of Ran's net and he turned and went back to Ægir's hall to askfor the Queen. But Ran was seldom in her husband's dwelling. She was nowdown by the rocks of the sea. 

He found Ran, the cold Queen, standing in the flow of the sea, drawingout of the depths with the net that she held in her hands every pieceof treasure that was washed that way. She had made a heap of the thingsshe had drawn out of the sea, corals and amber, and bits of gold andsilver, but still she was plying her net greedily. 

"Thou knowst me, Ægir's wife, " said Loki to her. 

"I know thee, Loki, " said Queen Ran. 

"Lend me thy net, " said Loki. 

"That I will not do, " said Queen Ran. 

"Lend me thy net that I may catch Andvari the Dwarf who boasts that hehas a greater treasure than ever thou wilt take out of the sea, " saidLoki. 

The cold Queen of the sea ceased plying her net. She looked at Lokisteadily. Yes, if he were going to catch Andvari she would lend her netto him. She hated all the Dwarfs because this one and that one had toldher they had greater treasures than ever she would be mistress of. Butespecially she hated Andvari, the Dwarf who had the greatest treasure inthe nine worlds. 

"There is nothing more to gather here, " she said, "and if thou wiltswear to bring me back my net by tomorrow I shall lend it to you. "

"I swear by the sparks of Muspelheim that I will bring thy net back tothee by tomorrow, O Queen of Ægir, " Loki cried. Then Ran put into hishands the Magic Net. Back then he went to where the Dwarf, transformed, was guarding his wondrous hoard. 

Dark was the pool in which Andvari floated as a pike; dark it was, butto him it was all golden with the light of his wondrous treasure. Forthe sake of this hoard he had given up his companionship with theDwarfs and his delight in making and shaping the things of theirworkmanship. For the sake of his hoard he had taken on himself thedumbness and deafness of a fish. 

Now as he swam about before the cave he was aware again of a shadowabove him. He slipped toward the shadow of the bank. Then as he turnedround he saw a net sweeping toward him. He sank down in the water. Butthe Magic Net had spread out and he sank into its meshes. 

Suddenly he was out of the water and was left gasping on the bank. Hewould have died had he not undone his transformation. 

Soon he appeared as a Dwarf. "Andvari, you are caught; it is one of theÆsir who has taken you, " he heard his captor say. 

"Loki, " he gasped. 

"Thou art caught and thou shalt be held, " Loki said to him. "It is thewill of the Æsir that thou give up thy hoard to me. "

"My hoard, my hoard!" the Dwarf shouted. "Never will I give up myhoard. "

"I hold thee till thou givest it to me, " said Loki. 

"Unjust, unjust, " shouted Andvari. "It is only thou, Loki, who artunjust. I will go to the throne of Odin and I will have Odin punish theefor striving to rob me of my treasure. "

"Odin has sent me to fetch thy hoard to him, " said Loki. 

"Can it be that all the Æsir are unjust? Ah, yes. In the beginning ofthings they cheated the Giant who built the wall round their City. TheÆsir are unjust. "

Loki had Andvari in his power. And after the Dwarf had raged against himand defied him, he tormented him; at last, trembling with rage and withhis face covered with tears, Andvari took Loki into his cavern, and, turning a rock aside, showed him the mass of gold and gems that was hishoard. 

At once Loki began to gather into the Magic Net lumps and ingots andcirclets of gold with gems that were rubies and sapphires and emeralds. He saw Andvari snatch at something on the heap, but he made no sign ofmarking it. At last all was gathered into the net, and Loki stood thereready to bear the Dwarf's hoard away. 

"There is one thing more to be given, " said Loki, "the ring that you, Andvari, snatched from the heap. "

"I snatched nothing, " said the Dwarf. But he shook with anger and histeeth gnashed together and froth came on his lips. "I snatched nothingfrom the heap. "

But Loki pulled up his arm and there fell to the ground the ring thatAndvari had hidden under his armpit. 

It was the most precious thing in all the hoard. Had it been left withhim Andvari would have thought that he still possessed a treasure, forthis ring of itself could make gold. It was made out of gold that wasrefined of all impurities and it was engraven with a rune of power. 

Loki took up this most precious ring and put it on his finger. Then theDwarf screamed at him, turning his thumbs toward him in a curse:

 The ring with the rune Of power upon it: May it weigh down your fortune, And load you with evil, You, Loki, and all Who lust to possess The ring I have cherished. 

As Andvari uttered this curse Loki saw a figure rise up in the cave andmove toward him. As this figure came near he knew who it was: Gulveig, aGiant woman who had once been in Asgard. 

Far back in the early days, when the Gods had come to their holy hilland before Asgard was built, three women of the Giants had come amongstthe Æsir. After the Three had been with them for a time, the lives ofthe Æsir changed. Then did they begin to value and to hoard the goldthat they had played with. Then did they think of war. Odin hurled hisspear amongst the messengers that came from the Vanir, and war came intothe world. 

The Three were driven out of Asgard. Peace was made with the Vanir. TheApples of Lasting Youth were grown in Asgard. The eagerness for gold wascurbed. But never again were the Æsir as happy as they were before thewomen came to them from the Giants. 

Gulveig was one of the Three who had blighted the early happiness of theGods. And, behold, she was in the cave where Andvari had hoarded histreasure and with a smile upon her face she was advancing toward Loki. 

"So, Loki, " she said, "thou seest me again. And Odin who sent thee tothis cave will see me again. Lo, Loki! I go to Odin to be thy messengerand to tell him that thou comest with Andvari's hoard. "

And speaking so, and smiling into his face, Gulveig went out of the cavewith swift and light steps. Loki drew the ends of the Magic Net togetherand gathering all the treasures in its meshes he, too, went out. 

Odin, the Eldest of the Gods, stood leaning on his spear and looking atthe skin of the otter that was spread out before him. One came into thedwelling swiftly. Odin looked and saw that she who had come in on suchswift, glad feet was Gulveig who, once with her two companions, hadtroubled the happiness of the Gods. Odin raised his spear to cast it ather. 

"Lay thy spear down, Odin, " she said. "I dwelt for long in the Dwarf'scave. But thy word unloosed me, and the curse said over Andvari's ringhas sent me here. Lay thy spear down, and look on me, O Eldest of theGods. 

"Thou didst cast me out of Asgard, but thy word has brought me to comeback to thee. And if ye two, Odin and Loki, have bought yourselves freewith gold and may enter Asgard, surely I, Gulveig, am free to enterAsgard also. "

Odin lowered his spear, sighing deeply. "Surely it is so, Gulveig, " hesaid. "I may not forbid thee to enter Asgard. Would I had thought ofgiving the man Kvasir's Mead or Mimir's well water rather than this goldas a recompense. "

As they spoke Loki came into Hreidmar's dwelling. He laid on the floorthe Magic Net. Old Hreidmar with his sharp eyes, and huge Fafnir, andlean and hungry-looking Regin came in to gaze on the gold and gems thatshone through the meshes. They began to push each other away from gazingat the gold. Then Hreidmar cried out, "No one may be here but these twokings and I while we measure out the gold and gems and see whether therecompense be sufficient. Go without, go without, sons of mine. "

Then Fafnir and Regin were forced to go out of the dwelling. They wentout slowly, and Gulveig went with them, whispering to both. 

With shaking hands old Hreidmar spread out the skin that once coveredhis son. He drew out the ears and the tail and the paws so that everysingle hair could be shown. For long he was on his hands and knees, hissharp eyes searching, searching over every line of the skin. And stillon his knees he said, "Begin now, O kings, and cover with a gem or apiece of gold every hair on the skin that was my son's. "

Odin stood leaning on his spear, watching the gold and gems being paidout. Loki took the gold--the ingots, and the lumps and the circlets; hetook the gems--the rubies, and the emeralds and the sapphires, and hebegan to place them over each hair. Soon the middle of the skin was allcovered. Then he put the gems and the gold over the paws and the tail. Soon the otter-skin was so glittering that one would think it couldlight up the world. And still Loki went on finding a place where a gemor a piece of gold might be put. 

At last he stood up. Every gem and every piece of gold had been takenout of the net. And every hair on the otter's skin had been covered witha gem or a piece of gold. 

And still old Hreidmar on his hands and knees was peering over the skin, searching, searching for a hair that was not covered. At last he liftedhimself up on his knees. His mouth was open, but he was speechless. Hetouched Odin on the knees, and when Odin bent down he showed him a hairupon the lip that was left uncovered. 

"What meanest thou?" Loki cried, turning upon the crouching man. 

"Your ransom is not paid yet--look, here is still a hair uncovered. Youmay not go until every hair is covered with gold or a gem. "

"Peace, old man, " said Loki roughly. "All the Dwarf's hoard has beengiven thee. "

"Ye may not go until every hair has been covered, " Hreidmar said again. 

"There is no more gold or gems, " Loki answered. 

"Then ye may not go, " cried Hreidmar, springing up. 

It was true. Odin and Loki might not leave that dwelling until therecompense they had agreed to was paid in full. Where now would the Æsirgo for gold?

And then Odin saw the gleam of gold on Loki's finger: it was the ring hehad forced from Andvari. "Thy fingerring, " said Odin. "Put thyfingerring over the hair on the otter's skin. "

Loki took off the ring that was engraved with the rune of power, and heput it on the lip-hair of the otter's skin. Then Hreidmar clapped hishands and screamed aloud. Huge Fafnir and lean and hungry-looking Regincame within, and Gulveig came behind them. They stood around the skin ofthe son and the brother that was all glittering with gold and gems. Butthey looked at each other more than they looked on the glittering mass, and very deadly were the looks that Fafnir and Regin cast upon theirfather and cast upon each other. 

Over Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge, went all of the Æsir and the Vanirthat had been at old Ægir's feast--Frey and Freya, Frigga, Iduna, andSif; Tyr with his sword and Thor in his chariot drawn by the goats. Lokicame behind them, and behind them all came Odin, the Father of the Gods. He went slowly with his head bent, for he knew that an unwelcome one wasfollowing--Gulveig, who once had been cast out of Asgard and whosereturn now the Gods might not gainsay. 

PART III

THE WITCH'S HEART

[Illustration]

FOREBODING IN ASGARD

What happened afterwards is to the shame of the Gods, and mortals mayhardly speak of it. Gulveig the Witch came into Asgard, for Heimdallmight not forbid her entrance. She came within and she had her seatamongst the Æsir and the Vanir. She walked through Asgard with a smileupon her face, and where she walked and where she smiled Care and direForeboding came. 

Those who felt the care and the foreboding most deeply were Bragi thePoet and his wife, the fair and simple Iduna, she who gathered theapples that kept age from the Dwellers in Asgard. Bragi ceased to tellhis never-ending tale. Then one day, overcome by the fear and theforeboding that was creeping through Asgard, Iduna slipped downYgdrassil, the World Tree, and no one was left to pluck the apples withwhich the Æsir and the Vanir stayed their youth. 

Then were all the Dwellers in Asgard in sore dismay. Strength and beautybegan to fade from all. Thor found it hard to lift Miölnir, his greathammer, and the flesh under Freya's necklace lost its white radiance. And still Gulveig the Witch walked smiling through Asgard, although nowshe was hated by all. 

It was Odin and Frey who went in search of Iduna. She would have beenfound and brought back without delay if Frey had had with him the magicsword that he had bartered for Gerda. In his search he had to strivewith one who guarded the lake wherein Iduna had hidden herself. Beli wasthe one he strove against. He overcame him in the end with a weapon madeof stags' antlers. Ah, it was not then but later that Frey lamented theloss of his sword: it was when the Riders of Muspell came againstAsgard, and the Vanir, who might have prevailed, prevailed not becauseof the loss of Frey's sword. 

They found Iduna and they brought her back. But still Care andForeboding crept through Asgard. And it was known, too, that the witchGulveig was changing the thoughts of the Gods. 

At last Odin had to judge Gulveig. He judged her and decreed her death. And only Gungnir, the spear of Odin, might slay Gulveig, who was not ofmortal race. 

Odin hurled Gungnir. The spear went through Gulveig. But still she stoodsmiling at the Gods. A second time Odin hurled his spear. A second timeGungnir pierced the witch. She stood livid as one dead but fell notdown. A third time Odin hurled his spear. And now, pierced for the thirdtime, the witch gave a scream that made all Asgard shudder and she fellin death on the ground. 

"I have slain in these halls where slaying is forbidden, " Odin said. "Take now the corpse of Gulveig and burn it on the ramparts, so that notrace of the witch who has troubled us will remain in Asgard. "

They brought the corpse of Gulveig the witch out on the ramparts andthey lighted fires under the pile on which they laid her and they calledupon Hræsvelgur to fan up the flame:

 Hræsvelgur is the Giant, Who on heaven's edge sits In the guise of an eagle; And the winds, it is said, Rush down on the earth From his outspreading pinions. 

Far away was Loki when all this was being done. Often now he went fromAsgard, and his journeys were to look upon that wondrous treasure thathad passed from the keeping of the Dwarf Andvari. It was Gulveig who hadkept the imagination of that treasure within his mind. Now, when he cameback and heard the whispers of what had been done, a rage flamed upwithin him. For Loki was one of those whose minds were being changed bythe presence and the whispers of the witch Gulveig. His mind was beingchanged to hatred of the Gods. Now he went to the place of Gulveig'sburning. All her body was in ashes, but her heart had not been devouredby the flames. And Loki in his rage took the heart of the witch and ateit. Oh, black and direful was it in Asgard, the day that Loki ate theheart that the flames would not devour!

[Illustration]

LOKI THE BETRAYER

He stole Frigga's dress of falcon feathers. Then as a falcon he flew outof Asgard. Jötunheim was the place that he flew toward. 

The anger and the fierceness of the hawk was within Loki as he flewthrough the Giants' Realm. The heights and the chasms of that dread landmade his spirits mount up like fire. He saw the whirlpools and thesmoking mountains and had joy of these sights. Higher and higher hesoared until, looking toward the South, he saw the flaming land ofMuspelheim. Higher and higher still he soared. With his falcon's eyes hesaw the gleam of Surtur's flaming sword. All the fire of Muspelheim andall the gloom of Jötunheim would one day be brought against Asgard andagainst Midgard. But Loki was no longer dismayed to think of the ruin ofAsgard's beauty and the ruin of Midgard's promise. 

He hovered around one of the dwellings in Jötunheim. Why had he come toit? Because he had seen two of the women of that dwelling, and his rageagainst the Asyniur and the Vanir was such that the ugliness and theevil of these women was pleasing to him. 

He hovered before the open door of the Giant's house and he looked uponthose who were within. Gerriöd, the most savage of all the Giants, wasthere. And beside him, squatting on the ground, were his two evil andugly daughters, Gialp and Greip. 

They were big and bulky, black and rugged, with horses' teeth and hairthat was like horses' manes. Gialp was the uglier of the two, if onecould be said to be uglier than the other, for her nose was a yard longand her eyes were crooked. 

What were they talking about as they sat there, one scratching theother? Of Asgard and the Dwellers in Asgard whom they hated. Thor wasthe one whom they hated most of all, and they were speaking of all theywould like to do to him. 

"I would keep Thor bound in chains, " said Gerriöd the Giant, "and Iwould beat him to death with my iron club. "

"I would grind his bones to powder, " said Greip. 

"I would tear the flesh off his bones, " said Gialp. "Father, can you notcatch this Thor and bring him to us alive?"

"Not so long as he has his hammer Miölnir, and the gloves with which hegrasps his hammer, and the belt that doubles his strength. "

"Oh, if we could catch him without his hammer and his belt and hisgloves, " cried Gialp and Greip together. 

At that moment they saw the falcon hovering before the door. They wereeager now for something to hold and torment and so the hearts of thethree became set upon catching the falcon. They did not stir from theplace where they were sitting, but they called the child Glapp, who wasswinging from the roof-tree, and they bade him go out and try to catchthe falcon. 

All concealed by the great leaves the child Glapp climbed up the ivythat was around the door. The falcon came hovering near. Then Glappcaught it by the wings and fell down through the ivy, screaming andstruggling as he was being beaten, and clawed, and torn by the wings andthe talons and the beak of the falcon. 

Gerriöd and Greip and Gialp rushed out and kept hold of the falcon. Asthe Giant held him in his hands and looked him over he knew that thiswas no bird-creature. The eyes showed him to be of Alfheim or Asgard. The Giant took him and shut him in a box till he would speak. 

Soon he tapped at the closed box and when Gerriöd opened it Loki spoketo him. So glad was the savage Giant to have one of the Dwellers inAsgard in his power that he and his daughters did nothing but laugh andchuckle to each other for days. And all this time they left Loki in theclosed box to waste with hunger. 

When they opened the box again Loki spoke to them. He told them hewould do any injury to the Dwellers in Asgard that would please them ifthey would let him go. 

"Will you bring Thor to us?" said Greip. 

"Will you bring Thor to us without his hammer, and without the gloveswith which he grasps his hammer, and without his belt?" said Gialp. 

"I will bring him to you if you will let me go, " Loki said. "Thor iseasily deceived and I can bring him to you without his hammer and hisbelt and his gloves. "

"We will let you go, Loki, " said the Giant, "if you will swear by thegloom of Jötunheim that you will bring Thor to us as you say. "

Loki swore that he would do so by the gloom of Jötunheim--"Yea, and bythe fires of Muspelheim, " he added. The Giant and his daughters let himgo, and he flew back to Asgard. 

He restored to Frigga her falcon dress. All blamed him for having stolenit, but when he told how he had been shut up without food in Gerriöd'sdwelling those who judged him thought he had been punished enough forthe theft. He spoke as before to the Dwellers in Asgard, and the rageand hatred he had against them since he had eaten Gulveig's heart hekept from bursting forth. 

He talked to Thor of the adventures they had together in Jötunheim. Thorwould now roar with laughter when he talked of the time when he went asa bride to Thrym the Giant. 

Loki was able to persuade him to make another journey to Jötunheim. "AndI want to speak to you of what I saw in Gerriöd's dwelling, " he said. "I saw there the hair of Sif, your wife. "

"The hair of Sif, my wife, " said Thor in surprise. 

"Yes, the hair I once cut off from Sif's head, " said Loki. "Gerriöd wasthe one who found it when I cast it away. They light their hall withSif's hair. Oh, yes, they don't need torches where Sif's hair is. "

"I should like to see it, " said Thor. 

"Then pay Gerriöd a visit, " Loki replied. "But if you go to his houseyou will have to go without your hammer Miölnir, and without your glovesand your belt. "

"Where will I leave Miölnir, and my gloves and my belt?" Thor asked. 

"Leave them in Valaskjalf, Odin's own dwelling, " said cunning Loki. "Leave them there and come to Gerriöd's dwelling. Surely you will bewell treated there. "

"Yes, I will leave them in Valaskjalf and go with you to Gerriöd'sdwelling, " Thor said. 

Thor left his hammer, his gloves, and his belt in Valaskjalf. Then heand Loki went toward Jötunheim. When they were near the end of theirjourney, they came to a wide river, and with a young Giant whom they meton the bank they began to ford it. 

Suddenly the river began to rise. Loki and the young Giant would havebeen swept away only Thor gripped both of them. Higher and higher theriver rose, and rougher and rougher it became. Thor had to plant hisfeet firmly on the bottom or he and the two he held would have beenswept down by the flood. He struggled across, holding Loki and theyoung Giant. A mountain ash grew out of the bank, and, while the twoheld to him, he grasped it with his hands. The river rose still higher, but Thor was able to draw Loki and the young Giant to the bank, and thenhe himself scrambled up on it. 

Now looking up the river he saw a sight that filled him with rage. AGiantess was pouring a flood into it. This it was that was making theriver rise and seethe. Thor pulled a rock out of the bank and hurled itat her. It struck her and flung her into the flood. Then she struggledout of the water and went yelping away. This Giantess was Gialp, Gerriöd's ugly and evil daughter. 

Nothing would do the young Giant whom Thor had helped across but thatthe pair would go and visit Grid, his mother, who lived in a cave in thehillside. Loki would not go and was angered to hear that Thor thought ofgoing. But Thor, seeing that the Giant youth was friendly, was willingenough to go to Grid's dwelling. 

"Go then, but get soon to Gerriöd's dwelling yonder. I will wait for youthere, " said Loki. He watched Thor go up the hillside to Grid's cave. Hewaited until he saw Thor come back down the hillside and go towardGerriöd's dwelling. He watched Thor go into the house where, as hethought, death awaited him. Then in a madness for what he had done, Loki, with his head drawn down on his shoulders, started running like abird along the ground. 

Grid, the old Giantess, was seated on the floor of the cave grindingcorn between two stones. "Who is it?" she said, as her son led Thorwithin. "One of the Æsir! What Giant do you go to injure now, Asa Thor?"

"I go to injure no Giant, old Grid, " Thor replied. "Look upon me! Cannotyou see that I have not Miölnir, my mighty hammer, with me, nor my belt, nor my gloves of iron?"

"But where in Jötunheim do you go?"

"To the house of a friendly Giant, old Grid--to the house of Gerriöd. "

"Gerriöd a friendly Giant! You are out of your wits, Asa Thor. Is he notout of his wits, my son--this one who saved you from the flood, as yousay?"

"Tell him of Gerriöd, old mother, " said the Giant youth. 

"Do not go to his house, Asa Thor. Do not go to his house. "

"My word has been given, and I should be a craven if I stayed away now, just because an old crone sitting at a quernstone tells me I am goinginto a trap. "

"I will give you something that will help you, Asa Thor. Lucky for you Iam mistress of magical things. Take this staff in your hands. It is astaff of power and will stand you instead of Miölnir. "

"I will take it since you offer it in kindness, old dame, thisworm-eaten staff. "

"And take these mittens, too. They will serve you for your gauntlets ofiron. "

"I will take them since you offer them in kindness, old dame, these wornold mittens. "

"And take this length of string. It will serve you for your belt ofprowess. "

"I will take it since you offer it in kindness, old dame, this raggedlength of string. "

"'Tis well indeed for you, Asa Thor, that I am mistress of magicalthings. "

Thor put the worn length of string around his waist, and as he did heknew that Grid, the old Giantess, was indeed the mistress of magicalthings. For immediately he felt his strength augmented as when he put onhis own belt of strength. He then drew on the mittens and took the staffthat she gave him in his hands. 

He left the cave of Grid, the old Giantess, and went to Gerriöd'sdwelling. Loki was not there. It was then that Thor began to think thatperhaps old Grid was right and that a trap was being laid for him. 

No one was in the hall. He came out of the hall and into a great stonechamber and he saw no one there either. But in the center of the stonechamber there was a stone seat, and Thor went to it and seated himselfupon it. 

No sooner was he seated than the chair flew upwards. Thor would havebeen crushed against the stone roof only that he held his staff up. Sogreat was the power in the staff, so great was the strength that thestring around him gave, that the chair was thrust downward. The stonechair crashed down upon the stone floor. 

There were horrible screams from under it. Thor lifted up the seat andsaw two ugly, broken bodies there. The Giant's daughters, Gialp andGreip, had hidden themselves under the chair to watch his death. Butthe stone that was to have crushed him against the ceiling had crushedthem against the floor. 

Thor strode out of that chamber with his teeth set hard. A great firewas blazing in the hall, and standing beside that fire he saw Gerriöd, the long-armed Giant. 

He held a tongs into the fire. As Thor came toward him he lifted up thetongs and flung from it a blazing wedge of iron. It whizzed straighttoward Thor's forehead. Thor put up his hands and caught the blazingwedge of iron between the mittens that old Grid had given him. Quicklyhe hurled it back at Gerriöd. It struck the Giant on the forehead andwent blazing through him. 

Gerriöd crashed down into the fire, and the burning iron made a blazeall around him. And when Thor reached Grid's cave (he went there torestore to the old Giantess the string, the mittens, and the staff ofpower she had given him) he saw the Giant's dwelling in such a blazethat one would think the fires of Muspelheim were all around it. 

[Illustration]

LOKI AGAINST THE ÆSIR

The Æsir were the guests of the Vanir: in Frey's palace the Dwellers inAsgard met and feasted in friendship. Odin and Tyr were there, Vidar andVali, Niörd, Frey, Heimdall, and Bragi. The Asyniur and the Vana werealso--Frigga, Freya, Iduna, Gerda, Skadi, Sif, and Nanna. Thor and Lokiwere not at the feast, for they had left Asgard together. 

In Frey's palace the vessels were of shining gold; they made light forthe table and they moved of their own accord to serve those who werefeasting. All was peace and friendship there until Loki entered thefeast hall. 

Frey, smiling a welcome, showed a bench to Loki. It was beside Bragi'sand next to Freya's. Loki did not take the place; instead he shoutedout, "Not beside Bragi will I sit; not beside Bragi, the most craven ofall the Dwellers in Asgard. "

Bragi sprang up at that affront, but his wife, the mild Iduna, quietedhis anger. Freya turned to Loki and reproved him for speaking injuriouswords at a feast. 

"Freya, " said Loki, "why were you not so mild when Odur was with you?Would it not have been well to have been wifely with your husbandinstead of breaking faith with him for the sake of a necklace that youcraved of the Giant women?"

Amazement fell on all at the bitterness that was in Loki's words andlooks. Tyr and Niörd stood up from their seats. But then the voice ofOdin was heard and all was still for the words of the All-Father. 

"Take the place beside Vidar, my silent son, O Loki, " said Odin, "andlet thy tongue which drips bitterness be silent. "

"All the Æsir and the Vanir listen to thy words, O Odin, as if thou wertalways wise and just, " Loki said. "But must we forget that thou didstbring war into the world when thou didst fling thy spear at the envoysof the Vanir? And didst thou not permit me to work craftily on the onewho built the wall around Asgard for a price? Thou dost speak, O Odin, and all the Æsir and the Vanir listen to thee! But was it not thou who, thinking not of wisdom but of gold when a ransom had to be made, broughtthe witch Gulveig out of the cave where she stayed with the Dwarf'streasure? Thou wert not always wise nor always just, O Odin, and we atthe table here need not listen to thee as if always thou wert. "

Then Skadi, the wife of Niörd, flung words at Loki. She spoke with allthe fierceness of her Giant blood. "Why should we not rise up and chasefrom the hall this chattering crow?" she said. 

"Skadi, " said Loki, "remember that the ransom for thy father's death hasnot yet been paid. Thou wert glad to snatch a husband instead of it. Remember who it was that killed thy Giant father. It was I, Loki. And noransom have I paid thee for it, although thou hast come amongst us inAsgard. "

Then Loki fixed his eyes on Frey, the giver of the feast, and all knewthat with bitter words he was about to assail him. But Tyr, the braveswordsman, rose up and said, "Not against Frey mayst thou speak, O Loki. Frey is generous; he is the one amongst us who spares the vanquished andfrees the captive. "

"Cease speaking, Tyr, " said Loki. "Thou mayst not always have a hand tohold that sword of thine. Remember this saying of mine in days to come. 

"Frey, " said he, "because thou art the giver of the feast they think Iwill not speak the truth about thee. But I am not to be bribed by afeast. Didst thou not send Skirnir to Gymer's dwelling to befool Gymer'sflighty daughter? Didst thou not bribe him into frightening her into amarriage with thee, who, men say, wert the slayer of her brother? Yea, Frey. Thou didst part with a charge, with the magic sword that thoushouldst have kept for the battle. Thou hadst cause to grieve when thoudidst meet Beli by the lake. "

When he said this all who were there of the Vanir rose up, their facesthreatening Loki. 

"Sit still, ye Vanir, " Loki railed. "If the Æsir are to bear the bruntof Jötunheim's and Muspelheim's war upon Asgard it was your part to bethe first or the last on Vigard's plain. But already ye have lost thebattle for Asgard, for the weapon that was put into Frey's hands hebartered for Gerda the Giantess. Ha! Surtur shall triumph over youbecause of Frey's bewitchment. "

In horror they looked at the one who could let his hatred speak ofSurtur's triumph. All would have laid hands on Loki only Odin's voicerang out. Then another appeared at the entrance of the feasting hall. Itwas Thor. With his hammer upon his shoulder, his gloves of iron on hishands, and his belt of prowess around him, he stood marking Loki withwrathful eyes. 

"Ha, Loki, betrayer, " he shouted. "Thou didst plan to leave me dead inGerriöd's house, but now thou wilt meet death by the stroke of thishammer. "

His hands were raised to hurl Miölnir. But the words that Odin spokewere heard. "Not in this hall may slaying be done, son Thor. Keep thyhands upon thy hammer. "

Then shrinking from the wrath in the eyes of Thor, Loki passed out ofthe feast hall. He went beyond the walls of Asgard and crossed Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge. And he cursed Bifröst, and longed to see the daywhen the armies of Muspelheim would break it down in their rush againstAsgard. 

East of Midgard there was a place more evil than any region inJötunheim. It was Jarnvid, the Iron Wood. There dwelt witches who werethe most foul of all witches. And they had a queen over them, a hag, mother of many sons who took upon themselves the shapes of wolves. Twoof her sons were Skoll and Hati, who pursued Sol, the Sun, and Mani, theMoon. She had a third son, who was Managarm, the wolf who was to befilled with the life-blood of men, who was to swallow up the Moon, andstain the heavens and earth with blood. To Jarnvid, the Iron Wood, Lokimade his way. And he wed one of the witches there, Angerboda, and theyhad children that took on dread shapes. Loki's offspring were the mostterrible of the foes that were to come against the Æsir and the Vanir inthe time that was called the Twilight of the Gods. 

[Illustration]

THE VALKYRIE

Against the time when the riders of Muspelheim, with the Giants and theevil powers of the Underworld, would bring on battle, Odin All-Fatherwas preparing a host of defenders for Asgard. They were not of the Æsirnor of the Vanir; they were of the race of mortal men, heroes chosenfrom amongst the slain on fields of battle in Midgard. 

To choose the heroes, and to give victory to those whom he willed tohave victory, Odin had battle-maidens that went to the fields of war. Beautiful were those battle-maidens and fearless; wise were they also, for to them Odin showed the Runes of Wisdom. Valkyries, Choosers of theSlain, they were named. 

Those who were chosen on the fields of the slain were called in Asgardthe Einherjar. For them Odin made ready a great Hall. Valhalla, the Hallof the Slain, it was called. Five hundred and forty doors had Valhalla, and out of each door eight hundred Champions might pass. Every day theChampions put on their armor and took their weapons down from the walls, and went forth and battled with each other. All who were wounded weremade whole again, and in peace and goodly fellowship they sat down tothe feast that Odin prepared for them. Odin himself sat with hisChampions, drinking wine but eating no meat. 

For meat the Champions ate the flesh of the boar Sæhrimnir; every daythe boar was killed and cooked, and every morning it was whole again. For drink they had the mead that was made from the milk of the goatHeidrun, the goat that browsed on the leaves of the tree Læradir. Andthe Valkyries, the wise and fearless battle-maidens, went amongst them, filling up the drinking-horns with the heady mead. 

Youngest of all the battle-maidens was Brynhild. Nevertheless, to herOdin All-Father had shown more of the Runes of Wisdom than he had shownto any of her sisters. And when the time came for Brynhild to journeydown into Midgard he gave her a swan-feather dress such as he had givenbefore to the three Valkyrie sisters--Alvit, Olrun, and Hladgrun. 

In the dazzling plumage of a swan the young battle-maiden flew down fromAsgard. Not yet had she to go to the battlefields. Waters drew her, andas she waited on the will of the All-Father she sought out a lake thathad golden sands for its shore, and as a maiden bathed in it. 

Now there dwelt near this lake a young hero whose name was Agnar. Andone day as Agnar lay by the lake he saw a swan with dazzling plumage flydown to it. And while she was in the reeds the swan-feather dressslipped off her, and Agnar beheld the swan change to a maiden. 

So bright was her hair, so strong and swift were all her movements, thathe knew her for one of Odin's battle-maidens; for one of those who givevictory and choose the slain. Very daring was Agnar, and he set his mindupon capturing this battle-maiden even though he should bring on himselfthe wrath of Odin by doing it. 

He hid the swan-feather dress that she had left in the reeds. When shecame out of the water she might not fly away. Agnar gave back to her theswan-feather dress, but she had to promise that she would be hisbattle-maiden. 

And as they talked together the young Valkyrie saw in him a hero thatone from Asgard might help. Very brave and very noble was Agnar. Brynhild went with him as his battle-maiden, and she told him much fromthe Runes of Wisdom that she knew, and she showed him that theAll-Father's last hope was in the bravery of the heroes of the earth;with the Chosen from the Slain for his Champions he would make battle indefence of Asgard. 

Always Brynhild was with Agnar's battalions; above the battles shehovered, her bright hair and flashing battle-dress outshining the spearsand swords and shields of the warriors. 

But the gray-beard King Helmgunnar made war on the young Agnar. Odinfavored the gray-beard King, and to him he promised the victory. Brynhild knew the will of the All-Father. But to Agnar, not toHelmgunnar, she gave the victory. 

Doomed was Brynhild on the instant she went against Odin's will. Neveragain might she come into Asgard. A mortal woman she was now, and theNorns began to spin the thread of her mortal destiny. 

Sorrowful was Odin All-Father that the wisest of his battle-maidensmight never appear in Asgard nor walk by the benches at the feasts ofhis Champions in Valhalla. He rode down on Sleipner to where Brynhildwas. And when he came before her it was his, and not her head that wasbowed down. 

For she knew now that the World of Men was paying a bitter price for thestrength that Asgard would have in the last battle. The bravest andnoblest were being taken from Midgard to fill up the ranks of Odin'sChampions. And Brynhild's heart was full of anger against the rulers ofAsgard, and she cared no more to be of them. 

Odin looked on his unflinching battle-maiden, and he said, "Is thereaught thou wouldst have me bestow on thee in thy mortal life, Brynhild?"

"Naught save this, " Brynhild answered, "that in my mortal life no onebut a man without fear, the bravest hero in the world, may claim me forwife. "

All-Father bowed his head in thought. "It shall be as thou hast asked, "he said. "Only he who is without fear shall come near thee. "

Then on the top of the mountain that is called Hindfell he had a Hallbuilt that faced the south. Ten Dwarfs built it of black stone. And whenthe Hall was built he put round it a wall of mounting and circling fire. 

More did Odin All-Father: he took a thorn of the Tree of Sleep and heput it into the flesh of the battle-maiden. Then, with her helmet on herhead and the breast-mail of the Valkyrie upon her, he lifted Brynhild inhis arms and carried her through the wall of mounting and circling fire. He laid her upon the couch that was within the Hall. There she would liein slumber until the hero who was without fear should ride through theflame and waken her to the life of a mortal woman. 

He took farewell of her and he rode back to Asgard on Sleipner. He mightnot foresee what fate would be hers as a mortal woman. But the fire hehad left went mounting and circling around the Hall that the Dwarfs hadbuilt. For ages that fire would be a fence around where Brynhild, once aValkyrie, lay in sleep. 

[Illustration]

THE CHILDREN OF LOKI

The children of Loki and the witch Angerboda were not as the children ofmen: they were formless as water, or air, or fire is formless, but itwas given to each of them to take on the form that was most like totheir own greed. 

Now the Dwellers in Asgard knew that these powers of evil had been borninto the world and they thought it well that they should take on formsand appear before them in Asgard. So they sent one to Jarnvid, the IronWood, bidding Loki bring before the Gods the powers born of him and thewitch Angerboda. So Loki came into Asgard once more. And his offspringtook on forms and showed themselves to the Gods. The first, whose greedwas destruction, showed himself as a fearful Wolf. Fenrir he was named. And the second, whose greed was slow destruction, showed itself as aSerpent. Jörmungand it was called. The third, whose greed was forwithering of all life, took on a form also. When the Gods saw it theywere affrighted. For this had the form of a woman, and one side of herwas that of a living woman and the other side of her was that of acorpse. Fear ran through Asgard as this form was revealed and as thename that went with it, Hela, was uttered. 

Far out of sight of the Gods Hela was thrust. Odin took her and hurledher down to the deeps that are below the world. He cast her down toNiflheim, where she took to herself power over the nine regions. There, in the place that is lowest of all, Hela reigns. Her hall is Elvidnir;it is set round with high walls and it has barred gates; Precipice isthe threshold of that hall; Hunger is the table within it; Care is thebed, and Burning Anguish is the hanging of the chamber. 

Thor laid hold upon Jörmungand. He flung the serpent into the ocean thatengirdles the world. But in the depths of the ocean Jörmungandflourished. It grew and grew until it encircled the whole world. And menknew it as the Midgard Serpent. 

Fenrir the Wolf might not be seized upon by any of the Æsir. Fearfullyhe ranged through Asgard and they were only able to bring him to theouter courts by promising to give him all the food he was able to eat. 

The Æsir shrank from feeding Fenrir. But Tyr, the brave swordsman, waswilling to bring food to the Wolf's lair. Every day he brought him hugeprovision and fed him with the point of his sword. The Wolf grew andgrew until he became monstrous and a terror in the minds of the Dwellersin Asgard. 

At last the Gods in council considered it and decided that Fenrir mustbe bound. The chain that they would bind him with was called Laeding. Intheir own smithy the Gods made it and its weight was greater than Thor'shammer. 

Not by force could the Gods get the fetter upon Fenrir, so they sentSkirnir, the servant of Frey, to beguile the Wolf into letting it goupon him. Skirnir came to his lair and stood near him, and he wasdwarfed by the Wolf's monstrous size. 

"How great may thy strength be, Mighty One?" Skirnir asked. "Couldstthou break this chain easily? The Gods would try thee. "

In scorn Fenrir looked down on the fetter Skirnir dragged. In scorn hestood still allowing Laeding to be placed upon him. Then, with an effortthat was the least part of his strength, he stretched himself and brokethe chain in two. 

The Gods were dismayed. But they took more iron, and with greater firesand mightier hammer blows they forged another fetter. Dromi, this onewas called, and it was half again as strong as Laeding was. Skirnir theVenturesome brought it to the Wolf's lair, and in scorn Fenrir let themightier chain be placed upon him. 

He shook himself and the chain held. Then his eyes became fiery and hestretched himself with a growl and a snarl. Dromi broke across, andFenrir stood looking balefully at Skirnir. 

The Gods saw that no chain they could forge would bind Fenrir and theyfell more and more into fear of him. They took council again and theybethought them of the wonder-work the Dwarfs had made for them, thespear Gungnir, the ship Skidbladnir, the hammer Miölnir. Could theDwarfs be got to make the fetter to bind Fenrir? If they would do it theGods would add to their domain. 

Skirnir went down to Svartheim with the message from Asgard. The DwarfChief swelled with pride to think that it was left to them to make thefetter that would bind Fenrir. 

"We Dwarfs can make a fetter that will bind the Wolf, " he said. "Out ofsix things we will make it. "

"What are these six things?" Skirnir asked. 

"The roots of stones, the breath of a fish, the beards of women, thenoise made by the footfalls of cats, the sinews of bears, the spittle ofa bird. "

"I have never heard the noise made by a cat's footfall, nor have I seenthe roots of stones nor the beards of women. But use what things youwill, O Helper of the Gods. "

The Chief brought his six things together and the Dwarfs in their smithyworked for days and nights. They forged a fetter that was namedGleipnir. Smooth and soft as a silken string it was. Skirnir brought itto Asgard and put it into the hands of the Gods. 

Then a day came when the Gods said that once again they should try toput a fetter upon Fenrir. But if he was to be bound they would bind himfar from Asgard. Lyngvi was an island that they often went to to makesport, and they spoke of going there. Fenrir growled that he would gowith them. He came and he sported in his own terrible way. And then asif it were to make more sport, one of the Æsir shook out the smooth cordand showed it to Fenrir. 

"It is stronger than you might think, Mighty One, " they said. "Will younot let it go upon you that we may see you break it?"

Fenrir out of his fiery eyes looked scorn upon them. "What fame wouldthere be for me, " he said, "in breaking such a binding?"

They showed him that none in their company could break it, slender as itwas. "Thou only art able to break it, Mighty One, " they said. 

"The cord is slender, but there may be an enchantment in it, " Fenrirsaid. 

"Thou canst not break it, Fenrir, and we need not dread thee any more, "the Gods said. 

Then was the Wolf ravenous wroth, for he lived on the fear that he madein the minds of the Gods. "I am loth to have this binding upon me, " hesaid, "but if one of the Æsir will put his hand in my mouth as a pledgethat I shall be freed of it, I will let ye put it on me. "

The Gods looked wistfully on one another. It would be health to them allto have Fenrir bound, but who would lose his hand to have it done? Oneand then another of the Æsir stepped backward. But not Tyr, the braveswordsman. He stepped to Fenrir and laid his left hand before thosetremendous jaws. 

"Not thy left hand--thy swordhand, O Tyr, " growled Fenrir, and Tyr puthis swordhand into that terrible mouth. 

Then the cord Gleipnir was put upon Fenrir. With fiery eyes he watchedthe Gods bind him. When the binding was on him he stretched himself asbefore. He stretched himself to a monstrous size but the binding did notbreak off him. Then with fury he snapped his jaws upon the hand, andTyr's hand, the swordsman's hand, was torn off. 

But Fenrir was bound. They fixed a mighty chain to the fetter, and theypassed the chain through a hole they bored through a great rock. Themonstrous Wolf made terrible efforts to break loose, but the rock andthe chain and the fetter held. Then seeing him secured, and to avengethe loss of Tyr's hand, the Gods took Tyr's sword and drove it to thehilt through his underjaw. Horribly the Wolf howled. Mightily the foamflowed down from his jaws. That foam flowing made a river that is calledVon--a river of fury that flowed on until Ragnarök came, the Twilight ofthe Gods. 

[Illustration]

BALDUR'S DOOM

In Asgard there were two places that meant strength and joy to the Æsirand the Vanir: one was the garden where grew the apples that Idunagathered, and the other was the Peace Stead, where, in a palace calledBreidablik, Baldur the Well-Beloved dwelt. 

In the Peace Stead no crime had ever been committed, no blood had everbeen shed, no falseness had ever been spoken. Contentment came into theminds of all in Asgard when they thought upon this place. Ah! Were itnot that the Peace Stead was there, happy with Baldur's presence, theminds of the Æsir and the Vanir might have become gloomy and stern fromthinking on the direful things that were arrayed against them. 

Baldur was beautiful. So beautiful was he that all the white blossoms onthe earth were called by his name. Baldur was happy. So happy was hethat all the birds on the earth sang his name. So just and so wise wasBaldur that the judgment he pronounced might never be altered. Nothingfoul or unclean had ever come near where he had his dwelling:

 'Tis Breidablik called, Where Baldur the Fair Hath built him a bower, In the land where I know Least loathliness lies. 

Healing things were done in Baldur's Stead. Tyr's wrist was healed ofthe wounds that Fenrir's fangs had made. And there Frey's mind becameless troubled with the foreboding that Loki had filled it with when herailed at him about the bartering of his sword. 

Now after Fenrir had been bound to the rock in the faraway island theÆsir and the Vanir knew a while of contentment. They passed bright daysin Baldur's Stead, listening to the birds that made music there. And itwas there that Bragi the Poet wove into his never-ending story the taleof Thor's adventures amongst the Giants. 

But even into Baldur's Stead foreboding came. One day little Hnossa, thechild of Freya and the lost Odur, was brought there in such sorrow thatno one outside could comfort her. Nanna, Baldur's gentle wife, took thechild upon her lap and found ways of soothing her. Then Hnossa told ofa dream that had filled her with fright. 

She had dreamt of Hela, the Queen that is half living woman and halfcorpse. In her dream Hela had come into Asgard saying, "A lord of theÆsir I must have to dwell with me in my realm beneath the earth. " Hnossahad such fear from this dream that she had fallen into a deep sorrow. 

A silence fell upon all when the dream of Hnossa was told. Nanna lookedwistfully at Odin All-Father. And Odin, looking at Frigga, saw that afear had entered her breast. 

He left the Peace Stead and went to his watchtower Hlidskjalf. He waitedthere till Hugin and Munin should come to him. Every day his two ravensflew through the world, and coming back to him told him of all that washappening. And now they might tell him of happenings that would let himguess if Hela had indeed turned her thoughts toward Asgard, or if shehad the power to draw one down to her dismal abode. 

The ravens flew to him, and lighting one on each of his shoulders, toldhim of things that were being said up and down Ygdrassil, the WorldTree. Ratatösk the Squirrel was saying them. And Ratatösk had heard themfrom the brood of serpents that with Nidhögg, the great dragon, gnawedever at the root of Ygdrassil. He told it to the Eagle that sat ever onthe topmost bough, that in Hela's habitation a bed was spread and achair was left empty for some lordly comer. 

And hearing this, Odin thought that it were better that Fenrir the Wolfshould range ravenously through Asgard than that Hela should win onefrom amongst them to fill that chair and lie in that bed. 

He mounted Sleipner, his eight-legged steed, and rode down toward theabodes of the Dead. For three days and three nights of silence anddarkness he journeyed on. Once one of the hounds of Helheim broke looseand bayed upon Sleipner's tracks. For a day and a night Garm, the hound, pursued them, and Odin smelled the blood that dripped from his monstrousjaws. 

At last he came to where, wrapped in their shrouds, a field of the Deadlay. He dismounted from Sleipner and called upon one to rise and speakwith him. It was on Volva, a dead prophetess, he called. And when hepronounced her name he uttered a rune that had the power to break thesleep of the Dead. 

There was a groaning in the middle of where the shrouded ones lay. ThenOdin cried, out, "Arise, Volva, prophetess. " There was a stir in themiddle of where the shrouded ones lay, and a head and shoulders werethrust up from amongst the Dead. 

"Who calls on Volva the Prophetess? The rains have drenched my flesh andthe storms have shaken my bones for more seasons than the living know. No living voice has a right to call me from my sleep with the Dead. "

"It is Vegtam the Wanderer who calls. For whom is the bed prepared andthe seat left empty in Hela's habitation?"

"For Baldur, Odin's son, is the bed prepared and the seat left empty. Now let me go back to my sleep with the Dead. "

But now Odin saw beyond Volva's prophecy. "Who is it, " he cried out, "that stands with unbowed head and that will not lament for Baldur?Answer, Volva, prophetess!"

"Thou seest far, but thou canst not see clearly. Thou art Odin. I cansee clearly but I cannot see far. Now let me go back to my sleep withthe Dead. "

"Volva, prophetess!" Odin cried out again. 

But the voice from amongst the shrouded ones said, "Thou canst not wakeme any more until the fires of Muspelheim blaze above my head. "

Then there was silence in the field of the Dead, and Odin turnedSleipner, his steed, and for four days, through the gloom and silence, he journeyed back to Asgard. 

Frigga had felt the fear that Odin had felt. She looked toward Baldur, and the shade of Hela came between her and her son. But then she heardthe birds sing in the Peace Stead and she knew that none of all thethings in the world would injure Baldur. 

And to make it sure she went to all the things that could hurt him andfrom each of them she took an oath that it would not injure Baldur, theWell-Beloved. She took an oath from fire and from water, from iron andfrom all metals, from earths and stones and great trees, from birds andbeasts and creeping things, from poisons and diseases. Very readily theyall gave the oath that they would work no injury on Baldur. 

Then when Frigga went back and told what she had accomplished the gloomthat had lain on Asgard lifted. Baldur would be spared to them. Helamight have a place prepared in her dark habitation, but neither firenor water, nor iron nor any metals, nor earths nor stones nor greatwoods, nor birds nor beasts nor creeping things, nor poisons nordiseases, would help her to bring him down. "Hela has no arms to drawyou to her, " the Æsir and the Vanir cried to Baldur. 

Hope was renewed for them and they made games to honor Baldur. They hadhim stand in the Peace Stead and they brought against him all the thingsthat had sworn to leave him hurtless. And neither the battle-axe flungfull at him, nor the stone out of the sling, nor the burning brand, northe deluge of water would injure the beloved of Asgard. The Æsir and theVanir laughed joyously to see these things fall harmlessly from himwhile a throng came to join them in the games; Dwarfs and friendlyGiants. 

But Loki the Hater came in with that throng. He watched the games fromafar. He saw the missiles and the weapons being flung and he saw Baldurstand smiling and happy under the strokes of metal and stones and greatwoods. He wondered at the sight, but he knew that he might not ask themeaning of it from the ones who knew him. 

He changed his shape into that of an old woman and he went amongst thosewho were making sport for Baldur. He spoke to Dwarfs and friendlyGiants. "Go to Frigga and ask. Go to Frigga and ask, " was all the answerLoki got from any of them. 

Then to Fensalir, Frigga's mansion, Loki went. He told those in themansion that he was Groa, the old Enchantress who was drawing out ofThor's head the fragments of a grindstone that a Giant's throw hadembedded in it. Frigga knew about Groa and she praised the Enchantressfor what she had done. 

"Many fragments of the great grindstone have I taken out of Thor's headby the charms I know, " said the pretended Groa. "Thor was so gratefulthat he brought back to me the husband that he once had carried off tothe end of the earth. So overjoyed was I to find my husband restoredthat I forgot the rest of the charms. And I left some fragments of thestone in Thor's head. "

So Loki said, repeating a story that was true. "Now I remember the restof the charm, " he said, "and I can draw out the fragments of the stonethat are left. But will you not tell me, O Queen, what is the meaning ofthe extraordinary things I saw the Æsir and the Vanir doing?"

"I will tell you, " said Frigga, looking kindly and happily at thepretended old woman. "They are hurling all manner of heavy and dangerousthings at Baldur, my beloved son. And all Asgard cheers to see thatneither metal nor stone nor great wood will hurt him. "

"But why will they not hurt him?" said the pretended Enchantress. 

"Because I have drawn an oath from all dangerous and threatening thingsto leave Baldur hurtless, " said Frigga. 

"From all things, lady? Is there no thing in all the world that has nottaken an oath to leave Baldur hurtless?"

"Well, indeed, there is one thing that has not taken the oath. But thatthing is so small and weak that I passed it by without taking thought ofit. "

"What can it be, lady?"

"The Mistletoe that is without root or strength. It grows on the easternside of Valhalla. I passed it by without drawing an oath from it. "

"Surely you were not wrong to pass it by. What could the Mistletoe--therootless Mistletoe--do against Baldur?"

Saying this the pretended Enchantress hobbled off. 

But not far did the pretender go hobbling. He changed his gait andhurried to the eastern side of Valhalla. There a great oak treeflourished and out of a branch of it a little bush of Mistletoe grew. Loki broke off a spray and with it in his hand he went to where the Æsirand the Vanir were still playing games to honor Baldur. 

All were laughing as Loki drew near, for the Giants and the Dwarfs, theAsyniur and the Vana, were all casting missiles. The Giants threw toofar and the Dwarfs could not throw far enough, while the Asyniur and theVana threw far and wide of the mark. In the midst of all that glee andgamesomeness it was strange to see one standing joyless. But one stoodso, and he was of the Æsir--Hödur, Baldur's blind brother. 

"Why do you not enter the game?" said Loki to him in his changed voice. 

"I have no missile to throw at Baldur, " Hödur said. 

"Take this and throw it, " said Loki. "It is a twig of the Mistletoe. "

"I cannot see to throw it, " said Hödur. 

"I will guide your hand, " said Loki. He put the twig of Mistletoe inHödur's hand and he guided the hand for the throw. The twig flew towardBaldur. It struck him on the breast and it pierced him. Then Baldur felldown with a deep groan. 

The Æsir and the Vanir, the Dwarfs and the friendly Giants, stood stillin doubt and fear and amazement. Loki slipped away. And blind Hödur, from whose hand the twig of Mistletoe had gone, stood quiet, not knowingthat his throw had bereft Baldur of life. 

Then a wailing rose around the Peace Stead. It was from the Asyniur andthe Vana. Baldur was dead, and they began to lament him. And while theywere lamenting him, the beloved of Asgard, Odin came amongst them. 

"Hela has won our Baldur from us, " Odin said to Frigga as they both bentover the body of their beloved son. 

"Nay, I will not say it, " Frigga said. 

When the Æsir and the Vanir had won their senses back the mother ofBaldur went amongst them. "Who amongst you would win my love andgoodwill?" she said. "Whoever would let him ride down to Hela's darkrealm and ask the Queen to take ransom for Baldur. It may be she willtake it and let Baldur come back to us. Who amongst you will go? Odin'ssteed is ready for the journey. "

Then forth stepped Hermod the Nimble, the brother of Baldur. He mountedSleipner and turned the eight-legged steed down toward Hela's darkrealm. 

For nine days and nine nights Hermod rode on. His way was through ruggedglens, one deeper and darker than the other. He came to the river thatis called Giöll and to the bridge across it that is all glittering withgold. The pale maid who guards the bridge spoke to him. 

"The hue of life is still on thee, " said Modgudur, the pale maid. "Whydost thou journey down to Hela's deathly realm?"

"I am Hermod, " he said, "and I go to see if Hela will take ransom forBaldur. "

"Fearful is Hela's habitation for one to come to, " said Modgudur, thepale maid. "All round it is a steep wall that even thy steed mighthardly leap. Its threshold is Precipice. The bed therein is Care, thetable is Hunger, the hanging of the chamber is Burning Anguish. "

"It may be that Hela will take ransom for Baldur. "

"If all things in the world still lament for Baldur, Hela will have totake ransom and let him go from her, " said Modgudur, the pale maid thatguards the glittering bridge. 

"It is well, then, for all things lament Baldur. I will go to her andmake her take ransom. "

"Thou mayst not pass until it is of a surety that all things stilllament him. Go back to the world and make sure. If thou dost come tothis glittering bridge and tell me that all things still lament Baldur, I will let thee pass and Hela will have to hearken to thee. "

"I will come back to thee, and thou, Modgudur, pale maid, wilt have tolet me pass. "

"Then I will let thee pass, " said Modgudur. 

Joyously Hermod turned Sleipner and rode back through the rugged glens, each one less gloomy than the other. He reached the upper world, andsaw that all things were still lamenting for Baldur. Joyously Hermodrode onward. He met the Vanir in the middle of the world and he toldthem the happy tidings. 

Then Hermod and the Vanir went through the world seeking out each thingand finding that each thing still wept for Baldur. But one day Hermodcame upon a crow that was sitting on the dead branch of a tree. The crowmade no lament as he came near. She rose up and flew away and Hermodfollowed her to make sure that she lamented for Baldur. 

He lost sight of her near a cave. And then before the cave he saw a hagwith blackened teeth who raised no voice of lament. "If thou art thecrow that came flying here, make lament for Baldur, " Hermod said. 

"I, Thaukt, will make no lament for Baldur, " the hag said, "let Helakeep what she holds. "

"All things weep tears for Baldur, " Hermod said. 

"I will weep dry tears for him, " said the hag. 

She hobbled into her cave, and as Hermod followed a crow fluttered out. He knew that this was Thaukt, the evil hag, transformed. He followedher, and she went through the world croaking, "Let Hela keep what sheholds. Let Hela keep what she holds. "

Then Hermod knew that he might not ride to Hela's habitation. All thingsknew that there was one thing in the world that would not lament forBaldur. The Vanir came back to him, and with head bowed over Sleipner'smane, Hermod rode into Asgard. 

Now the Æsir and the Vanir, knowing that no ransom would be taken forBaldur and that the joy and content of Asgard were gone indeed, madeready his body for the burning. First they covered Baldur's body with arich robe, and each left beside it his most precious possession. Thenthey all took leave of him, kissing him upon the brow. But Nanna, hisgentle wife, flung herself on his dead breast and her heart broke andshe died of her grief. Then did the Æsir and the Vanir weep afresh. Andthey took the body of Nanna and they placed it side by side withBaldur's. 

On his own great ship, Ringhorn, would Baldur be placed with Nannabeside him. Then the ship would be launched on the water and all wouldbe burned with fire. 

But it was found that none of the Æsir or the Vanir were able to launchBaldur's great ship. Hyrroken, a Giantess, was sent for. She camemounted on a great wolf with twisted serpents for a bridle. Four Giantsheld fast the wolf when she alighted. She came to the ship and with asingle push she sent it into the sea. The rollers struck out fire as theship dashed across them. 

Then when it rode the water fires mounted on the ship. And in the blazeof the fires one was seen bending over the body of Baldur and whisperinginto his ear. It was Odin All-Father. Then he went down off the ship andall the fires rose into a mighty burning. Speechlessly the Æsir and theVanir watched with tears streaming down their faces while all thingslamented, crying, "Baldur the Beautiful is dead, is dead. "

And what was it that Odin All-Father whispered to Baldur as he bentabove him with the flames of the burning ship around? He whispered of aheaven above Asgard that Surtur's flames might not reach, and of a lifethat would come to beauty again after the World of Men and the World ofthe Gods had been searched through and through with fire. 

[Illustration]

LOKI'S PUNISHMENT

The crow went flying toward the North, croaking as she flew, "Let Helakeep what she holds. Let Hela keep what she holds. " That crow was thehag Thaukt transformed, and the hag Thaukt was Loki. 

He flew to the North and came into the wastes of Jötunheim. As a crow helived there, hiding himself from the wrath of the Gods. He told theGiants that the time had come for them to build the ship Naglfar, theship that was to be built out of the nails of dead men, and that was tosail to Asgard on the day of Ragnarök with the Giant Hrymer steering it. And harkening to what he said the Giants then and there began to buildNaglfar, the ship that Gods and men wished to remain unbuilt for long. 

Then Loki, tiring of the wastes of Jötunheim, flew to the burning South. As a lizard he lived amongst the rocks of Muspelheim, and he made theFire Giants rejoice when he told them of the loss of Frey's sword and ofTyr's right hand. 

But still in Asgard there was one who wept for Loki--Siguna, his wife. Although he had left her and had shown his hatred for her, Siguna weptfor her evil husband. 

He left Muspelheim as he had left Jötunheim and he came to live in theWorld of Men. He knew that he had now come into a place where the wrathof the Gods might find him, and so he made plans to be ever ready forescape. He had come to the River where, ages before, he had slain theotter that was the son of the Enchanter, and on the very rock where theotter had eaten the salmon on the day of his killing, Loki built hishouse. He made four doors to it so that he might see in every direction. And the power that he kept for himself was the power of transforminghimself into a salmon. 

Often as a salmon he swam in the River. But even for the fishes thatswam beside him Loki had hatred. Out of flax and yarn he wove a net thatmen might have the means of taking them out of the water. 

The wrath that the Gods had against Loki did not pass away. It was hewho, as Thaukt, the Hag, had given Hela the power to keep Baldurunransomed. It was he who had put into Hödur's hand the sprig ofMistletoe that had bereft Baldur of life. Empty was Asgard now thatBaldur lived no more in the Peace Stead, and stern and gloomy grew theminds of the Æsir and the Vanir with thinking on the direful things thatwere arrayed against them. Odin in his hall of Valhalla thought only ofthe ways by which he could bring heroes to him to be his help indefending Asgard. 

The Gods searched through the world and they found at last the placewhere Loki had made his dwelling. He was weaving the net to take fisheswhen he saw them coming from four directions. He threw the net into thefire so that it was burnt, and he sprang into the River and transformedhimself into a salmon. When the Gods entered his dwelling they foundonly the burnt-out fire. 

But there was one amongst them who could understand all that he saw. Inthe ashes were the marks of the burnt net and he knew that these werethe tracing of something to catch fishes. And from the marks left in theashes he made a net that was the same as the one Loki had burnt. 

With it in their hands the Gods went down the River, dragging the netthrough the water. Loki was affrighted to find the thing of his ownweaving brought against him. He lay between two stones at the bottom ofthe River, and the net passed over him. 

But the Gods knew that the net had touched something at the bottom. Theyfastened weights to it and they dragged the net through the River again. Loki knew that he might not escape it this time and he rose in the waterand swam toward the sea. The Gods caught sight of him as he leaped overa waterfall. They followed him, dragging the net. Thor waded behind, ready to seize him should he turn back. 

Loki came out at the mouth of the River and behold! There was a greateagle hovering over the waves of the sea and ready to swoop down onfishes. He turned back in the River. He made a leap that took him overthe net that the Gods were dragging. But Thor was behind the net and hecaught the salmon in his powerful hands and he held him for all thestruggle that Loki made. No fish had ever struggled so before. Loki gothimself free all but his tail, but Thor held to the tail and brought himamongst the rocks and forced him to take on his proper form. 

He was in the hands of those whose wrath was strong against him. Theybrought him to a cavern and they bound him to three sharp-pointed rocks. With cords that were made of the sinews of wolves they bound him, andthey transformed the cords into iron bands. There they would have leftLoki bound and helpless. But Skadi, with her fierce Giant blood, was notcontent that he should be left untormented. She found a serpent that haddeadly venom and she hung this serpent above Loki's head. The drops ofvenom fell upon him, bringing him anguish drop by drop, minute byminute. So Loki's torture went on. 

But Siguna with the pitying heart came to his relief. She exiled herselffrom Asgard, and endured the darkness and the cold of the cavern, thatshe might take some of the torment away from him who was her husband. Over Loki Siguna stood, holding in her hands a cup into which fell theserpent's venom, thus sparing him from the full measure of anguish. Nowand then Siguna had to turn aside to spill out the flowing cup, and thenthe drops of venom fell upon Loki and he screamed in agony, twisting inhis bonds. It was then that men felt the earth quake. There in his bondsLoki stayed until the coming of Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods. 

PART IV

THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS AND THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS

[Illustration]

SIGURD'S YOUTH

In Midgard, in a northern Kingdom, a King reigned whose name was Alv; hewas wise and good, and he had in his house a fosterson whose name wasSigurd. 

Sigurd was fearless and strong; so fearless and so strong was he that heonce captured a bear of the forest and drove him to the King's Hall. Hismother's name was Hiordis. Once, before Sigurd was born, Alv and hisfather who was King before him went on an expedition across the sea andcame into another country. While they were yet afar off they heard thedin of a great battle. They came to the battlefield, but they found noliving warriors on it, only heaps of slain. One warrior they marked: hewas white-bearded and old and yet he seemed the noblest-looking man Alvor his father had ever looked on. His arms showed that he was a Kingamongst one of the bands of warriors. 

They went through the forest searching for survivors of the battle. And, hidden in a dell in the forest, they came upon two women. One was tallwith blue, unflinching eyes and ruddy hair, but wearing the garb of aserving-maid. The other wore the rich dress of a Queen, but she was oflow stature and her manner was covert and shrinking. 

When Alv and his father drew near, the one who had on her the raiment ofa Queen said, "Help us, lords, and protect us, and we will show youwhere a treasure is hidden. A great battle has been fought between themen of King Lygni and the men of King Sigmund, and the men of King Lygnihave won the victory and have gone from the field. But King Sigmund isslain, and we who are of his household hid his treasure and we can showit to you. "

"The noble warrior, white-haired and white-bearded, who lies yonder--ishe King Sigmund?"

The woman answered, "Yes, lord, and I am his Queen. "

"We have heard of King Sigmund, " said Alv's father. "His fame and thefame of his race, the Volsungs, is over the wide world. "

Alv said no word to either of the women, but his eyes stayed on the onewho had on the garb of a serving-maid. She was on her knees, wrapping ina beast's skin two pieces of a broken sword. 

"You will surely protect us, good lords, " said she who had on thequeenly dress. 

"Yea, wife of King Sigmund, we will protect you and your serving-maid, "said Alv's father, the old King. 

Then the women took the warriors to a wild place on the seashore andthey showed them where King Sigmund's treasure was hidden amongst therocks: cups of gold and mighty armrings and jeweled collars. Prince Alvand his father put the treasure on the ship and brought the two womenaboard. Then they sailed from the land. 

That was before Sigurd, the fosterson of King Alv, was born. 

Now the mother of Alv was wise and little of what she saw escaped hernoting. She saw that of the two women that her son and her husband hadbrought into their kingdom, the one who wore the dress of theserving-maid had unflinching eyes and a high beauty, while the one whowore the queenly dress was shrinking and unstately. One night when allthe women of the household were sitting round her, spinning wool by thelight of torches in the hall, the Queen-mother said to the one who worethe queenly garb:

"Thou art good at rising in the morning. How dost thou know in the darkhours when it wears to dawn?"

The one clad in the queenly garb said, "When I was young I used to riseto milk the cows, and I waken ever since at the same hour. "

The Queen-mother said to herself, "It is a strange country in which theroyal maids rise to milk the cows. "

Then she said to the one who wore the clothes of the serving-maid:

"How dost thou know in the dark hours when the dawn is coming?"

"My father, " she said, "gave me the ring of gold that I wear, and alwaysbefore it is time to rise I feel it grow cold on my finger. "

"It is a strange country, truly, " said the Queen-mother to herself, "inwhich the serving-maids wear rings of gold. "

When all the others had left she spoke to the two women who had beenbrought into her country. To the one who wore the clothes of aserving-maid she said:

"Thou art the Queen. "

Then the one who wore the queenly clothes said, "Thou art right, lady. She is the Queen, and I cannot any longer pretend to be other than Iam. "

Then the other woman spoke. Said she: "I am the Queen as thou hastsaid--the Queen of King Sigmund who was slain. Because a King sought forme I changed clothes with my serving-maid, my wish being to baffle thosewho might be sent to carry me away. 

"Know that I am Hiordis, a King's daughter. Many men came to my fatherto ask for me in marriage, and of those that came there were two whom Iheard much of: one was King Lygni and the other was King Sigmund of therace of the Volsungs. The King, my father, told me it was for me tochoose between these two. Now King Sigmund was old, but he was the mostfamous warrior in the whole world, and I chose him rather than KingLygni. 

"We were wed. But King Lygni did not lose desire of me, and in a whilehe came against King Sigmund's kingdom with a great army of men. We hidour treasure by the seashore, and I and my maid watched the battle fromthe borders of the forest. With the help of Gram, his wondrous sword, and his own great warrior strength, Sigmund was able to harry the greatforce that came against him. But suddenly he was stricken down. Then wasthe battle lost. Only King Lygni's men survived it, and they scatteredto search for me and the treasure of the King. 

"I came to where my lord lay on the field of battle, and he raisedhimself on his shield when I came, and he told me that death was verynear him. A stranger had entered the battle at the time when it seemedthat the men of King Lygni must draw away. With the spear that he heldin his hand he struck at Sigmund's sword, and Gram, the wondrous sword, was broken in two pieces. Then did King Sigmund get his death-wound. 'Itmust be I shall die, ' he said, 'for the spear against which my swordbroke was Gungnir, Odin's spear. Only that spear could have shatteredthe sword that Odin gave my fathers. Now must I go to Valhalla, Odin'sHall of Heroes. '

"'I weep, ' I said, 'because I have no son who might call himself of thegreat race of the Volsungs. '

"'For that you need not weep, ' said Sigmund, 'a son will be born to you, my son and yours, and you shall name him Sigurd. Take now the brokenpieces of my wondrous sword and give them to my son when he shall be ofwarrior age. '

"Then did Sigmund turn his face to the ground and the death-strugglecame on him. Odin's Valkyrie took his spirit from the battlefield. And Ilifted up the broken pieces of the sword, and with my serving-maid Iwent and hid in a deep dell in the forest. Then your husband and yourson found us and they brought us to your kingdom where we have beenkindly treated, O Queen. "

Such was the history that Hiordis, the wife of King Sigmund, told to themother of Prince Alv. 

Soon afterwards the child was born to her that was Sigmund's son. Sigurdshe named him. And after Sigurd was born the old King died and PrinceAlv became King in his stead. He married Hiordis, she of the ruddy hair, the unflinching ways, and the high beauty, and he brought up her sonSigurd in his house as his fosterson. 

Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, before he came to warrior's age, was knownfor his strength and his swiftness and for the fearlessness that shoneround him like a glow. "Mighty was the race he sprang from, the Volsungrace, " men said, "but Sigurd will be as mighty as any that have gonebefore him. " He built himself a hut in the forest that he might huntwild beasts and live near to one who was to train him in many crafts. 

This one was Regin, a maker of swords and a cunning man besides. It wassaid of Regin that he was an Enchanter and that he had been in the worldfor longer than the generations of men. No one remembered, nor no one'sfather remembered, when Regin had come into that country. He taughtSigurd the art of working in metals and he taught him, too, the lore ofother days. But ever as he taught him he looked at Sigurd strangely, notas a man looks at his fellow, but as a lynx looks at a stronger beast. 

One day Regin said to young Sigurd, "King Alv has thy father's treasure, men say, and yet he treats thee as if thou wert thrall-born. "

Now Sigurd knew that Regin said this that he might anger him andthereafter use him to his own ends. He said, "King Alv is a wise and agood King, and he would let me have riches if I had need of them. "

"Thou dost go about as a footboy, and not as a King's son. "

"Any day that it likes me I might have a horse to ride, " Sigurd said. 

"So thou dost say, " said Regin, and he turned from Sigurd and went toblow the fire of his smithy. 

Sigurd was made angry and he threw down the irons on which he wasworking and he ran to the horse-pastures by the great River. A herd ofhorses was there, gray and black and roan and chestnut, the best of thehorses that King Alv possessed. As he came near to where the herd grazedhe saw a stranger near, an ancient but robust man, wearing a strangecloak of blue and leaning on a staff to watch the horses. Sigurd, thoughyoung, had seen Kings in their halls, but this man had a bearing thatwas more lofty than any King's he had ever looked on. 

"Thou art going to choose a horse for thyself, " said the stranger toSigurd. 

"Yea, father, " Sigurd said. 

"Drive the herd first into the River, " the stranger said. 

Sigurd drove the horses into the wide River. Some were swept down by thecurrent, others struggled back and clambered up the bank of thepastures. But one swam across the river, and throwing up his headneighed as for a victory. Sigurd marked him; a gray horse he was, youngand proud, with a great flowing mane. He went through the water andcaught this horse, mounted him, and brought him back across the River. 

"Thou hast done well, " said the stranger. "Grani, whom thou hast got, isof the breed of Sleipner, the horse of Odin. "

"And I am of the race of the sons of Odin, " cried Sigurd, his eyes wideand shining with the very light of the sun. "I am of the race of thesons of Odin, for my father was Sigmund, and his father was Volsung, andhis father was Rerir, and his father was Sigi, who was the son of Odin. "

The stranger, leaning on his staff looked on the youth steadily. Onlyone of his eyes was to be seen, but that eye, Sigurd thought, might seethrough a stone. "All thou hast named, " the stranger said, "were asswords of Odin to send men to Valhalla, Odin's Hall of Heroes. And ofall that thou hast named there were none but were chosen by Odin'sValkyries for battles in Asgard. "

Cried Sigurd, "Too much of what is brave and noble in the world is takenby Odin for his battles in Asgard. "

The stranger leaned on his staff and his head was bowed. "What wouldstthou?" he said, and it did not seem to Sigurd that he spoke to him. "What wouldst thou? The leaves wither and fall off Ygdrassil, and theday of Ragnarök comes. " Then he raised his head and spoke to Sigurd. "The time is near, " he said, "when thou mayst possess thyself of thepieces of thy father's sword. "

Then the man in the strange cloak of blue went climbing up the hill andSigurd watched him pass away from his sight. He had held back Grani, hisproud horse, but now he turned him and let him gallop along the River ina race that was as swift as the wind. 

[Illustration]

THE SWORD GRAM AND THE DRAGON FAFNIR

Mounted upon Grani, his proud horse, Sigurd rode to the Hall and showedhimself to Alv, the King, and to Hiordis, his mother. Before the Hall heshouted out the Volsung name, and King Alv felt as he watched him thatthis youth was a match for a score of men, and Hiordis, his mother, sawthe blue flame of his eyes and thought to herself that his way throughthe world would be as the way of the eagle through the air. 

Having shown himself before the Hall, Sigurd dismounted from Grani, andstroked and caressed him with his hands and told him that now he mightgo back and take pasture with the herd. The proud horse breathed fondlyover Sigurd and bounded away. 

Then Sigurd strode on until he came to the hut in the forest where heworked with the cunning smith Regin. No one was in the hut when heentered. But over the anvil, in the smoke of the smithy fire, there wasa work of Regin's hands. Sigurd looked upon it, and a hatred for thething that was shown rose up in him. 

The work of Regin's hands was a shield, a great shield of iron. Hammeredout on that shield and colored with red and brown colors was the imageof a Dragon, a Dragon lengthening himself out of a cave. Sigurd thoughtit was the image of the most hateful thing in the world, and the lightof the smithy fire falling on it, and the smoke of the smithy firerising round it, made it seem verily a Dragon living in his own elementof fire and reek. 

While he was still gazing on the loathly image, Regin, the cunningsmith, came into the smithy. He stood by the wall and he watched Sigurd. His back was bent; his hair fell over his eyes that were all fiery, andhe looked like a beast that runs behind the hedges. 

"Aye, thou dost look on Fafnir the Dragon, son of the Volsungs, " he saidto Sigurd. "Mayhap it is thou who wilt slay him. "

"I would not strive with such a beast. He is all horrible to me, " Sigurdsaid. 

"With a good sword thou mightst slay him and win for thyself more renownthan ever thy fathers had, " Regin whispered. 

"I shall win renown as my fathers won renown, in battle with men and inconquest of kingdoms, " Sigurd said. 

"Thou art not a true Volsung or thou wouldst gladly go where most dangerand dread is, " said Regin. "Thou hast heard of Fafnir the Dragon, whoseimage I have wrought here. If thou dost ride to the crest of the hillsthou mayst look across to the desolate land where Fafnir has his haunt. Know that once it was fair land where men had peace and prosperity, butFafnir came and made his den in a cave near by, and his breathings as hewent to and came from the River withered up the land and made it thebarren waste that men called Gnita Heath. Now, if thou art a trueVolsung, thou wilt slay the Dragon, and let that land become fair again, and bring the people back to it and so add to King Alv's domain. "

"I have nought to do with the slaying of Dragons, " Sigurd said. "I haveto make war on King Lygni, and avenge upon him the slaying of Sigmund, my father. "

"What is the slaying of Lygni and the conquest of his kingdom to theslaying of Fafnir the Dragon?" Regin cried. "I will tell thee what noone else knows of Fafnir the Dragon. He guards a hoard of gold andjewels the like of which was never seen in the world. All this hoard youcan make yours by slaying him. "

"I do not covet riches, " Sigurd said. 

"No riches is like to the riches that Fafnir guards. His hoard is thehoard that the Dwarf Andvari had from the world's early days. Once theGods themselves paid it over as a ransom. And if thou wilt win thishoard thou wilt be as one of the Gods. "

"How dost thou know that of which thou speakst, Regin?" Sigurd said. 

"I know, and one day I may tell thee how I know. "

"And one day I may harken to thee. But speak to me no more of thisDragon. I would have thee make a sword, a sword that will be mightierand better shapen than any sword in the world. Thou canst do this, Regin, for thou art accounted the best swordsmith amongst men. "

Regin looked at Sigurd out of his small and cunning eyes and he thoughtit was best to make himself active. So he took the weightiest pieces ofiron and put them into his furnace and he brought out the secret toolsthat he used when a masterwork was claimed from his hands. 

All day Sigurd worked beside him keeping the fire at its best glow andbringing water to cool the blade as it was fashioned and refashioned. And as he worked he thought only about the blade and about how he wouldmake war upon King Lygni, and avenge the man who was slain before hehimself was born. 

All day he thought only of war and of the beaten blade. But at night hisdreams were not upon wars nor shapen blades but upon Fafnir the Dragon. He saw the heath that was left barren by his breath, and he saw the cavewhere he had his den, and he saw him crawling down from his cave, hisscales glittering like rings of mail, and his length the length of acompany of men on the march. 

The next day he worked with Regin to shape the great sword. When it wasshapen with all the cunning Regin knew it looked indeed a mighty sword. Then Regin sharpened it and Sigurd polished it. And at last he held thegreat sword by its iron hilt. 

Then Sigurd took the shield that had the image of Fafnir the Dragon uponit and he put the shield over the anvil of the smithy. Raising the greatsword in both his hands he struck full on the iron shield. 

The stroke of the sword sheared away some of the shield, but the bladebroke in Sigurd's hands. Then in anger he turned on Regin, crying out, "Thou hast made a knave's sword for me. To work with thee again! Thoumust make me a Volsung's sword. "

Then he went out and called to Grani, his horse, and mounted him androde to the river bank like the sweep of the wind. 

Regin took more pieces of iron and began to forge a new sword, utteringas he worked runes that were about the hoard that Fafnir the Dragonguarded. And Sigurd that night dreamt of glittering treasure that hecoveted not, masses of gold and heaps of glistening jewels. 

He was Regin's help the next day and they both worked to make a swordthat would be mightier than the first. For three days they worked uponit, and then Regin put into Sigurd's hands a sword, sharpened andpolished, that was mightier and more splendid looking than the one thathad been forged before. And again Sigurd took the shield that had theimage of the Dragon upon it and he put it upon the anvil. Then heraised his arms and struck his full blow. The sword cut through theshield, but when it struck the anvil it shivered in his hands. 

He left the smithy angrily and called to Grani, his proud horse. Hemounted and rode on like the sweep of the wind. 

Later he came to his mother's bower and stood before Hiordis. "A greatersword must I have, " said he, "than one that is made of metal dug out ofthe earth. The time has come, mother, when thou must put into my handsthe broken pieces of Gram, the sword of Sigmund and the Volsungs. "

Hiordis measured him with the glance of her eyes, and she saw that herson was a mighty youth and one fit to use the sword of Sigmund and theVolsungs. She bade him go with her to the King's Hall. Out of the greatstone chest that was in her chamber she took the beast's skin and thebroken blade that was wrapped in it. She gave the pieces into the handsof her son. "Behold the halves of Gram, " she said, "of Gram, the mightysword that in the far-off days Odin left in the Branstock, in the treeof the house of Volsung. I would see Gram new-shapen in thy hands, myson. "

Then she embraced him as she had never embraced him before, and standingthere with her ruddy hair about her she told him of the glory of Gramand of the deeds of his fathers in whose hands the sword had shone. 

Then Sigurd went to the smithy, and he wakened Regin out of his sleep, and he made him look on the shining halves of Sigmund's sword. Hecommanded him to make out of these halves a sword for his hand. 

Regin worked for days in his smithy and Sigurd never left his side. Atlast the blade was forged, and when Sigurd held it in his hand fire ranalong the edge of it. 

Again he laid the shield that had the image of the Dragon upon it on theanvil of the smithy. Again, with his hands on its iron hilt, he raisedthe sword for a full stroke. He struck, and the sword cut through theshield and sheared through the anvil, cutting away its iron horn. Thendid Sigurd know that he had in his hands the Volsungs' sword. He wentwithout and called to Grani, and like the sweep of the wind rode down tothe River's bank. Shreds of wool were floating down the water. Sigurdstruck at them with his sword, and the fine wool was divided against thewater's edge. Hardness and fineness, Gram could cut through both. 

That night Gram, the Volsungs' sword, was under his head when he slept, but still his dreams were filled with images that he had not regarded inthe day time; the shine of a hoard that he coveted not, and the gleam ofthe scales of a Dragon that was too loathly for him to battle with. 

[Illustration]

THE DRAGON'S BLOOD

Sigurd went to war: with the men that King Alv gave him he marched intothe country that was ruled over by the slayer of his father. The warthat he waged was short and the battles that he won were not perilous. Old was King Lygni now, and feeble was his grasp upon his people. Sigurdslew him and took away his treasure and added his lands to the lands ofKing Alv. 

But Sigurd was not content with the victory he had gained. He had dreamtof stark battles and of renown that would be hardily won. What was thewar he had waged to the wars that Sigmund his father, and Volsung hisfather's father, had waged in their days? Not content was Sigurd. He ledhis men back by the hills from the crests of which he could look uponthe Dragon's haunts. And having come as far as those hills he bade hismen return to King Alv's hall with the spoils he had won. 

They went, and Sigurd stayed upon the hills and looked across GnitaHeath to where Fafnir the Dragon had his lair. All blasted and wastedwas the Heath with the fiery breath of the Dragon. And he saw the cavewhere Fafnir abode, and he saw the track that his comings and goingsmade. For every day the Dragon left his cave in the cliffs, crossing theHeath to come to the River at which he drank. 

For the length of a day Sigurd watched from the hills the haunt of theDragon. In the evening he saw him lengthening himself out of the cave, and coming on his track across the Heath, in seeming like a ship thattravels swiftly because of its many oars. 

Then to Regin in his smithy he came. To that cunning man Sigurd said:

"Tell me all thou dost know of Fafnir the Dragon. "

Regin began to talk, but his speech was old and strange and filled withrunes. When he had spoken it all Sigurd said, "All thou hast told methou wilt have to say over again in a speech that is known to men of ourday. "

Then said Regin: "Of a hoard I spoke. The Dwarf Andvari guarded it fromthe first days of the world. But one of the Æsir forced Andvari to givethe hoard to him, masses of gold and heaps of jewels, and the Æsir gaveit to Hreidmar, who was my father. 

"For the slaying of his son Otter the Æsir gave the hoard to Hreidmar, the greatest hoard that had ever been seen in the world. But not longwas it left to Hreidmar to gloat over. For a son slew a father that hemight possess that hoard. Fafnir, that son was Fafnir, my brother. 

"Then Fafnir, that no one might disturb his possession of the hoard, turned himself into a Dragon, a Dragon so fearful that none dare comenigh him. And I, Regin, was stricken with covetousness of the hoard. Idid not change myself into another being, but, by the magic my fatherknew, I made my life longer than the generations of men, hoping that Iwould see Fafnir slain and then have the mighty hoard under my hands. 

"Now, son of the Volsungs, thou dost know all that has to do with Fafnirthe Dragon, and the great hoard that he guards. "

"Little do I care about the hoard he guards, " Sigurd said. "I care onlythat he has made the King's good lands into a waste and that he is anevil thing to men. I would have the renown of slaying Fafnir theDragon. "

"With Gram, the sword thou hast, thou couldst slay Fafnir, " Regin cried, his body shaken with his passion for the hoard. "Thou couldst slay himwith the sword thou hast. Harken now and I will tell thee how thoumightst give him the deathly stroke through the coils of his mail. Harken, for I have thought of it all. 

"The track of the Dragon to the River is broad, for he takes ever theone track. Dig a pit in the middle of that track, and when Fafnir comesover it strike up into his coils of mail with Gram, thy great sword. Gram only may pierce that mail. Then will Fafnir be slain and the hoardwill be left guardless. "

"What thou sayst is wise, Regin, " Sigurd answered. "We will make thispit and I will strike Fafnir in the way thou sayst. "

Then Sigurd went and he rode upon Grani, his proud horse, and he showedhimself to King Alv and to Hiordis, his mother. Afterwards he went withRegin to the Heath that was the haunt of the Dragon, and in his trackthey dug a pit for the slaying of Fafnir. 

And, lest his horse should scream aloud at the coming of the Dragon, Sigurd had Grani sent back to a cave in the hills. It was Regin thatbrought Grani away. "I am fearful and can do nothing to help thee, sonof the Volsungs, " he said. "I will go away and await the slaying ofFafnir. "

He went, and Sigurd lay down in the pit they had made and practicedthrusting upward with his sword. He lay with his face upward and withhis two hands he thrust the mighty sword upward. 

But as he lay there he bethought of a dread thing that might happen;namely, that the blood and the venom of the Dragon might pour over himas he lay there, and waste him flesh and bone. When he thought of thisSigurd hastened out of the pit, and he dug other pits near by, and hemade a passage for himself from one pit to the other that he mightescape from the flow of the Dragon's envenomed blood. 

As he lay down again in the pit he heard the treading of the Dragon andhe heard the Dragon's strange and mournful cry. Mightily the Dragon cameon and he heard his breathing. His shape came over the pit. Then theDragon held his head and looked down on Sigurd. 

It was the instant for him to make stroke with Gram. He did not let theinstant pass. He struck mightily under the shoulder and toward the heartof the beast. The sword went through the hard and glittering scales thatwere the creature's mail. Sigurd pulled out the sword and drew himselfthrough the passage and out into the second pit as Fafnir's envenomedblood drenched where he had been. 

Drawing himself up out of the second pit he saw the huge shape of Fafnirheaving and lashing. He came to him and thrust his sword right throughthe Dragon's neck. The Dragon reared up as though to fling himself downon Sigurd with all his crushing bulk and dread talons, with his fierybreath and his envenomed blood. But Sigurd leaped aside and ran far off. Then did Fafnir scream his death scream. After he had torn up rocks withhis talons he lay prone on the ground, his head in the pit that wasfilled with his envenomed blood. 

Then did Regin, hearing the scream that let him know that Fafnir wasslain, come down to where the battle had been fought. When he saw thatSigurd was alive and unharmed he uttered a cry of fury. For his plan hadbeen to have Sigurd drowned and burnt in the pit with the stream ofFafnir's envenomed blood. 

But he mastered his fury and showed a pleased countenance to Sigurd. "Now thou wilt have renown, " he cried. "Forever wilt thou be calledSigurd, Fafnir's Bane. More renown than ever any of thy fathers had wiltthou have, O Prince of the Volsungs. "

So he spoke, saying fair words to him, for now that he was left alivethere was something he would have Sigurd do. 

"Fafnir is slain, " Sigurd said, "and the triumph over him was notlightly won. Now may I show myself to King Alv and to my mother, and thegold from Fafnir's hoard will make me a great spoil. "

"Wait, " said Regin cunningly. "Wait. Thou hast yet to do something forme. With the sword thou hast, cut through the Dragon and take out hisheart for me. When thou hast taken it out, roast it that I may eat of itand become wiser than I am. Do this for me who showed thee how to slayFafnir. "

Sigurd did what Regin would have him do. He cut out the heart of theDragon and he hung it from stakes to roast. Regin drew away and lefthim. As Sigurd stood before the fire putting sticks upon it there was agreat silence in the forest. 

He put his hand down to turn an ashen branch into the heart of the fire. As he did a drop from the roasting Dragon-heart fell upon his hand. Thedrop burnt into him. He put his hand to his mouth to ease the smart, andhis tongue tasted the burning blood of the Dragon. 

He went to gather wood for the fire. In a clearing that he came to therewere birds; he saw four on a branch together. They spoke to each otherin birds' notes, and Sigurd heard and knew what they were saying. 

Said the first bird: "How simple is he who has come into this dell! Hehas no thought of an enemy, and yet he who was with him but a while agohas gone away that he may bring a spear to slay him. "

"For the sake of the gold that is in the Dragon's cave he would slayhim, " said the second bird. 

And the third bird said: "If he would eat the Dragon's heart himself hewould know all wisdom. "

But the fourth bird said: "He has tasted a drop of the Dragon's bloodand he knows what we are saying. "

The four birds did not fly away nor cease from speaking. Instead theybegan to tell of a marvelous abode that was known to them. 

Deep in the forest, the birds sang, there was a Hall that was called theHouse of Flame. Its ten walls were Uni, Iri, Barri, Ori, Varns, Vegdrasil, Derri, Uri, Dellinger, Atvarder, and each wall was built bythe Dwarf whose name it bore. All round the Hall there was a circle offire through which none might pass. And within the Hall a maiden slept, and she was the wisest and the bravest and the most beautiful maiden inthe world. 

Sigurd stood like a man enchanted listening to what the birds sang. 

But suddenly they changed the flow of their discourse, and their notesbecame sharp and piercing. 

"Look, look!" cried one. "He is coming against the youth. "

"He is coming against the youth with a spear, " cried another. 

"Now will the youth be slain unless he is swift, " cried a third. 

Sigurd turned round and he saw Regin treading the way toward him, grimand silent, with a spear in his hands. The spear would have gone throughSigurd had he stayed one instant longer in the place where he had beenlistening to the speech of the birds. As he turned he had his sword inhis hand, and he flung it, and Gram struck Regin on the breast. 

Then Regin cried out: "I die--I die without having laid my hands on thehoard that Fafnir guarded. Ah, a curse was upon the hoard, for Hreidmarand Fafnir and I have perished because of it. May the curse of the goldnow fall on the one who is my slayer. "

Then did Regin breathe out his life. Sigurd took the body and cast itinto the pit that was alongside the dead Fafnir. Then, that he might eatthe Dragon's heart and become the wisest of men, he went to where he hadleft it roasting. And he thought that when he had eaten the heart hewould go into the Dragon's cave and carry away the treasure that wasthere, and bring it as spoil of his battle to King Alv and to hismother. Then he would go through the forest and find the House of Flamewhere slept the maiden who was the wisest and bravest and most beautifulin the world. 

But Sigurd did not eat the Dragon's heart. When he came to where he hadleft it roasting he found that the fire had burnt it utterly. 

[Illustration]

THE STORY OF SIGMUND AND SIGNY

He called to Grani, his proud horse; he stood up on a mound in the Heathand he sent forth a great shout. And Grani heard in the cave where Reginhad left him and he came galloping to Sigurd with flowing mane and eyesflashing fire. 

He mounted Grani and he rode to Fafnir's cave. When he went into theplace where the Dragon was wont to lie he saw a door of iron before him. With Gram, his mighty sword, he hewed through the iron, and with hisstrong hands he pulled the door back. Then, before him he saw thetreasure the Dragon guarded, masses of gold and heaps of shining jewels. 

But as he looked on the hoard Sigurd felt some shadow of the evil thatlay over it all. This was the hoard that in the far-off days theRiver-Maidens watched over as it lay deep under the flowing water. ThenAndvari the Dwarf forced the River-Maidens to give it to him. And Lokihad taken it from Andvari, letting loose as he did Gulveig the Witch whohad such evil power over the Gods. For the sake of the hoard Fafnir hadslain Hreidmar, his father, and Regin had plotted death against Fafnir, his brother. 

Not all this history did Sigurd know. But a shadow of its evil touchedhis spirit as he stood there before the gleaming and glittering heap. Hewould take all of it away, but not now. The tale that the birds told wasin his mind, and the green of the forest was more to him than theglitter of the treasure heap. He would come back with chests and load itup and carry it to King Alv's hall. But first he would take such thingsas he himself might wear. 

He found a helmet of gold and he put it on his head. He found a greatarmring and his put it around his arm. On the top of the armring therewas a small fingerring with a rune graved upon it. Sigurd put it on hisfinger. And this was the ring that Andvari the Dwarf had put the curseupon when Loki had taken the hoard from him. 

He knew that no one would cross the Heath and come to Fafnir's lair, sohe did not fear to leave the treasure unguarded. He mounted Grani, hisproud horse, and rode toward the forest. He would seek the House ofFlame where she lay sleeping, the maiden who was the wisest and thebravest and the most beautiful in the world. With his golden helmetshining above his golden hair Sigurd rode on. 

As he rode toward the forest he thought of Sigmund, his father, whoseslaying he had avenged, and he thought of Sigmund's father, Volsung, andof the grim deeds that the Volsungs had suffered and wrought. 

Rerir, the son of Sigi who was the son of Odin, was the father ofVolsung. And Volsung when he was in his first manhood had built his hallaround a mighty tree. Its branches went up to the roof and made thebeams of the house and its great trunk was the center of the hall. "TheBranstock" the tree was called, and Volsung hall was named "The Hall ofthe Branstock. "

Many children had Volsung, eleven sons and one daughter. Strong were allhis sons and good fighters, and Volsung of the Hall of the Branstock wasa mighty chief. 

It was through Signy, the daughter of the house, that a feud and adeadly battle was brought to Volsung and his sons. She was a wise and afair maiden and her fame went through all the lands. Now, one dayVolsung received a message from a King asking for the hand of Signy inmarriage. And Volsung who knew of this King through report of hisbattles sent a message to him saying that he would be welcome to theHall of the Branstock. 

So King Siggeir came with his men. But when the Volsungs looked into hisface they liked it not. And Signy shrank away, saying, "This King isevil of heart and false of word. "

Volsung and his eleven sons took counsel together. Siggeir had a greatforce of men with him, and if they refused to give her he could slaythem all and harry their kingdom. Besides they had pledged themselvesto give Signy when they had sent him a message of welcome. Long counselthey had together. And ten of Signy's brothers said, "Let Signy wed thisKing. He is not as evil as he seems in her mind. " Ten brothers said it. But one spoke out, saying, "We will not give our sister to this evilKing. Rather let us all go down fighting with the Hall of the Branstockflaming above our heads. "

It was Sigmund, the youngest of the Volsungs, who said this. 

But Signy's father said: "We know nought of evil of King Siggeir. Alsoour word is given to him. Let him feast with us this night in the Hallof the Branstock and let Signy go from us with him as his wife. " Thenthey looked to her and they saw Signy's face and it was white and stern. "Let it be as ye have said, my father and my brothers, " she said. "Iwill wed King Siggeir and go with him overseas. " So she said aloud. ButSigmund heard her say to herself, "It is woe for the Volsungs. "

A feast was made and King Siggeir and his men came to the Hall of theBranstock. Fires were lighted and tables were spread, and great horns ofmead went around the guests. In the middle of the feasting a strangerentered the Hall. He was taller than the tallest there, and his bearingmade all do him reverence. One offered him a horn of mead and he drankit. Then, from under the blue cloak that he wore, he drew a sword thatmade the brightness of the Hall more bright. 

He went to the tree that the Hall was built around, to the Branstock, and he thrust the sword into it. All the company were hushed. Then theyheard the voice of the stranger, a voice that was like the trumpet'scall: "The sword is for the hand that can draw it out of the Branstock. "Then he went out of the Hall. 

All looked to where the sword was placed and saw a hand's breadth ofwonderful brightness. This one and that one would have laid hands on thehilt, only Volsung's voice bade them stand still. "It is meet, " he said, "that our guest and our son-in-law, King Siggeir, should be the first toput hands on its hilt and try to draw the sword of the stranger out ofthe Branstock. "

King Siggeir went to the tree and laid his hands on the broad hilt. Hestrove hard to draw out the sword, but all his might could not move it. As he strained himself to draw it and failed, a dark look of anger cameinto his face. 

Then others tried to draw it, the captains who were with King Siggeir, and they, too, failed to move the blade. Then Volsung tried and Volsungcould not move it. One after the other, his eleven sons strained to drawout the stranger's sword. At last it came to the turn of the youngest, to Sigmund, to try. And when Sigmund laid his hand on the broad hilt anddrew it, behold! The sword came with his hand, and once again the Hallwas brightened with its marvelous brightness. 

It was a wondrous sword, a sword made out of better metal and by smithsmore cunning than any known. All envied Sigmund that he had won forhimself that wonder-weapon. 

King Siggeir looked on it with greedy eyes. "I will give thee its weightin gold for that sword, good brother, " he said. 

But Sigmund said to him proudly: "If the sword was for thy hand thoushouldst have won it. The sword was not for thine, but for a Volsung'shand. "

And Signy, looking at King Siggeir, saw a look of deeper evil come intohis face. She knew that hatred for all the Volsung race was in hisheart. 

But at the end of the feast she was wed to King Siggeir, and the nextday she left the Hall of the Branstock and went with him down to wherehis great painted ship was drawn up on the beach. And when they wereparting from her, her father and her brothers, King Siggeir invited themto come to his country, as friends visiting friends and kinsmen visitingkinsmen, and look on Signy again. And he stood on the beach and wouldnot go on board his ship until each and all of the Volsungs gave theirword that they would visit Signy and him in his own land. "And when thoucomest, " he said to Sigmund, "be sure thou dost bring with thee themighty sword that thou didst win. "

All this was thought of by Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, as he rode towardthe fringe of the forest. 

The time came for Volsung and his sons to redeem the promise they madeto King Siggeir. They made ready their ship and they sailed from theland where stood the Hall of the Branstock. And they landed on the coastof King Siggeir's country, and they drew their ship up on the beach andthey made their camp there, intending to come to the King's Hall in thebroad light of the day. 

But in the half light of the dawn one came to the Volsung ship. A cloakand hood covered the figure, but Sigmund, who was the watcher, knew whoit was. "Signy!" he said, and Signy asked that her father and herbrothers be awakened until she would speak to them of a treason that wasbrewed against them. 

"King Siggeir has made ready a great army against your coming, " she toldthem. "He hates the Volsungs, the branch as well as the root, and it ishis plan to fall upon you, my father and my brothers, with his greatarmy and slay you all. And he would possess himself of Gram, Sigmund'swonder-sword. Therefore, I say to you, O Volsungs, draw your ship intothe sea and sail from the land where such treachery can be. "

But Volsung, her father, would not listen. "The Volsungs do not departlike broken men from a land they have brought their ship to, " he said. "We gave, each and all, the word that we would visit King Siggeir andvisit him we will. And if he is a dastard and would fall upon us, why weare the unbeaten Volsungs, and we will fight against him and his armyand slay him, and bear you back with us to the Hall of the Branstock. The day widens now, and we shall go to the Hall. "

Signy would have spoken of the great army King Siggeir had gathered, butshe knew that the Volsungs never harkened to talk of odds. She spoke nomore, but bowed her head and went back to King Siggeir's hall. 

Siggeir knew that Signy had been to warn her father and her brothers. Hecalled the men he had gathered and he posted them cunningly in the waythe Volsungs would come. Then he sent one to the ship with a message ofwelcome. 

As they left their ship the army of King Siggeir fell upon the Volsungsand their followers. Very fierce was the battle that was waged on thebeach, and many and many a one of King Siggeir's fierce fighters wentdown before the fearless ones that made Volsung's company. But at lastVolsung himself was slain and his eleven sons were taken captive. AndGram, his mighty sword, was taken out of Sigmund's hands. 

They were brought before King Siggeir in his hall, the eleven Volsungprinces. Siggeir laughed to see them before him. "Ye are not in the Hallof the Branstock now, to dishonor me with black looks and scornfulwords, " he said, "and a harder task will be given you than that ofdrawing a sword out of a tree-trunk. Before set of sun I will see youhewn to pieces with the sword. "

Then Signy who was there stood up with her white face and her wide eyes, and she said: "I pray not for longer life for my brothers, for well Iknow that my prayers would avail them nought. But dost thou not heed theproverb, Siggeir--'Sweet to the eye as long as the eye can see'?"

And Siggeir laughed his evil laugh when he heard her. "Aye, my Queen, "he said, "sweet to the eye as long as the eye may see their torments. They shall not die at once nor all together. I will let them see eachother die. "

So Siggeir gave a new order to his dastard troops. The order was thatthe eleven brothers should be taken into the depths of the forest andchained to great beams and left there. This was done with the elevensons of Volsung. 

The next day one who had watched and who was faithful to Signy came, andSigny said to him: "What has befallen my brothers?"

And the watcher said: "A great wolf came to where the chained men are, and fell upon the first of them and devoured him. "

When Signy heard this no tears came from her eyes, but that which washard around her heart became harder. She said, "Go again, and watch whatbefalls. "

And the watcher came the second time and said: "The second of yourbrothers has been devoured by the wolf. " Signy shed no tears this timeeither, and again that which was hard around her heart became harder. 

And every day the watcher came and he told her what had befallen herbrothers. And it came to the time when but one of her brothers was leftalive, Sigmund, the youngest. 

Then said Signy: "Not without device are we left at the end. I havethought of what is to be done. Take a pot of honey to where he ischained and smear Sigmund's face with the honey. "

The watcher did as Signy bade him. 

Again the great wolf came along the forest-ways to where Sigmund waschained. When she snuffed over him she found the honey upon his face. She put down her tongue to lick over his face. Then, with his strongteeth Sigmund seized the tongue of the wolf. She fought and shestruggled with all her might, but Sigmund did not let go of her tongue. The struggle with the beast broke the beam to which he was chained. ThenSigmund seized the wolf with his hands and tore her jaws apart. 

The watcher saw this happening and told of it to Signy. A fierce joywent through her, and she said: "One of the Volsungs lives, andvengeance will be wrought upon King Siggeir and upon his house. "

Still the watcher stayed in the ways of the forest, and he marked whereSigmund built for himself a hidden hut. Often he bore tokens from Signyto Sigmund. Sigmund took to the ways of the hunter and the outlaw, buthe did not forsake the forest. And King Siggeir knew not that one of theVolsungs lived and was near him. 

[Illustration]

THE STORY OF SIGMUND AND SINFIOTLI

As Sigurd rode the ways of the forest he thought upon Sigmund, hisfather, on his life and his death, according to what Hiordis, hismother, had told him. Sigmund lived for long the life of the hunter andthe outlaw, but he never strayed far from the forest that was in KingSiggeir's dominion. Often did he get a token from Signy. They two, thelast of the Volsungs, knew that King Siggeir and his house would have toperish for the treason he had wrought on their father and theirbrothers. 

Sigmund knew that his sister would send her son to help him. One morningthere came to his hut a boy of ten years. He knew that this was one ofSigny's sons, and that she would have him train him into being awarrior worthy of the Volsung breed. 

Sigmund hardly looked and hardly spoke to the lad. He was going hunting, and as he took down his spear from the wall he said:

"There is the mealbag, boy. Mix the meal and make the bread, and we willeat when I come back. "

When he returned the bread was unmade, and the boy was standing watchingthe mealbag with widened eyes. "Thou didst not make the bread?" Sigmundsaid. 

"Nay, " said the boy, "I was afeard to go near the bag. Something stirredwithin it. "

"Thou hast the heart of a mouse so to be frighted. Go back to thy motherand tell her that not in thee is the stuff for a Volsung warrior. "

So Sigmund spoke, and the boy went away weeping. 

A year later another son of Signy's came. As before Sigmund hardlylooked at and hardly spoke to the boy. He said:

"There is the mealbag. Mix the meal and make ready the bread against thetime I return. "

When Sigmund came back the bread was unmade. The boy had shrunk awayfrom where the bag was. 

"Thou hast not made the bread?" Sigmund said. 

"Nay, " said the boy, "something stirred in the bag, and I was afeard. "

"Thou hast the heart of a mouse. Get thee back to thy mother and tellher that there is not in thee the stuff for the making of a Volsungwarrior. "

And this boy, like his brother, went back weeping. 

At that time Signy had no other sons. But at last one was born to her, the child of a desperate thought. Him, too, when he was grown, she sentto Sigmund. 

"What did thy mother say to thee?" Sigmund said to this boy when heshowed himself at the hut. 

"Nothing. She sewed my gloves to my hands and then bade me pull themoff. "

"And didst thou?"

"Aye, and the skin came with them. "

"And didst thou weep?"

"A Volsung does not weep for such a thing. "

Long did Sigmund look on the lad. He was tall and fair and great-limbed, and his eyes had no fear in them. 

"What wouldst thou have me do for thee?" said the lad. 

"There is the mealbag, " Sigmund said. "Mix the meal and make the breadfor me against the time I return. "

When Sigmund came back the bread was baking on the coals. "What didstthou with the meal?" Sigmund asked. 

"I mixed it. Something was in the meal--a serpent, I think--but Ikneaded it with the meal, and now the serpent is baking on the coals. "

Sigmund laughed and threw his arms around the boy. "Thou wilt not eat ofthat bread, " he said. "Thou didst knead into it a venomous serpent. "

The boy's name was Sinfiotli. Sigmund trained him in the ways of thehunter and the outlaw. Here and there they went, taking vengeance onKing Siggeir's men. The boy was fierce, but never did he speak a wordthat was false. 

One day when Sigmund and Sinfiotli were hunting, they came upon astrange house in the dark wood. When they went within they found two menlying there sleeping a deep sleep. On their arms were heavy rings ofgold, and Sigmund knew that they were the sons of Kings. 

And beside the sleeping men he saw wolfskins, left there as though theyhad been cast off. Then Sigmund knew that these men wereshape-changers--that they were ones who changed their shapes and rangedthrough the forests as wolves. 

Sigmund and Sinfiotli put on the skins that the men had cast off, andwhen they did this they changed their shapes and became as wolves. Andas wolves they ranged through the forest, now and then changing theirshapes back to those of men. As wolves they fell upon King Siggeir's menand slew more and more of them. 

One day Sigmund said to Sinfiotli: "Thou art still young and I would nothave thee be too rash. If thou dost come upon a company of seven men, fight them. But if thou dost come on a company greater than seven, raiseup thy voice as a wolf's cry and bring me to thy side. "

Sinfiotli promised that he would do this. 

One day, as he went through the forest in his wolf's shape, Sigmundheard the din of a struggle and he stopped to listen for Sinfiotli'scall. But no call came. Then Sigmund went through the forest in thedirection of the struggle. On his way he passed the bodies of elevenslain men. And he came upon Sinfiotli lying in the thicket, his wolf'sshape upon him, and panting from the battle he had waged. 

"Thou didst strive with eleven men. Why didst thou not call to me?"Sigmund said. 

"Why should I have called to thee? I am not so feeble but I can strivewith eleven men. "

Sigmund was made angry with this answer. He looked on Sinfiotli where helay, and the wicked wolf's nature that was in the skin came over him. Hesprang upon him, sinking his teeth in Sinfiotli's throat. 

Sinfiotli lay gasping in the throes of death. And Sigmund, knowing thedeadly grip that was in those jaws of his, howled his anguish. 

Then, as he licked the face of his comrade, he saw two weasels meet. They began to fight, one with the other, and the first caught the secondat the throat, and bit him with his teeth and laid him out as if indeath. Sigmund marked the combat and the end of it. But then the firstweasel ran and found leaves of a certain herb and he put them upon hiscomrade's wound. And the herb cured the wound, and the weasel that wasbitten rose up and was sound and swift again. 

Sigmund went searching for the herb he saw the weasel carry to hiscomrade. And as he sought for it he saw a raven with a leaf in her beak. She dropped the leaf as he came to her, and behold! It was the same leafas the weasel had brought to his comrade. Sigmund took it and laid it onthe wound he had made in Sinfiotli's throat, and the wound healed, andSinfiotli was sound once more. They went back to their hut in theforest. And the next day they burnt the wolfskins, and they prayed theGods that they might never be afflicted with the wolf's evil natureagain. And Sigmund and Sinfiotli never afterwards changed their shapes. 

[Illustration]

THE STORY OF THE VENGEANCE OF THE VOLSUNGS ANDOF THE DEATH OF SINFIOTLI

And now Sinfiotli had come to his full strength and it was time to takevengeance on King Siggeir for the slaying of Volsung and the dread doomhe had set for Volsung's ten sons. Sigmund and Sinfiotli put helmets ontheir heads and took swords in their hands and went to King Siggeir'sHall. They hid behind the casks of ale that were at the entrance andthey waited for the men-at-arms to leave the Hall that they might fallupon King Siggeir and his attendants. 

The younger children of King Siggeir were playing in the Hall and onelet fall a ball. It went rolling behind the casks of ale. And the childpeering after the ball saw two men crouching with swords in their handsand helmets on their heads. 

The child told a servant who told the King. Then Siggeir arose, and hedrew his men-at-arms around him, and he set them on the men who werehiding behind the barrels. Sigmund and Sinfiotli sprang up and foughtagainst the men of King Siggeir, but they were taken captives. 

Now they might not be slain there and then, for it was unlawful to slaycaptives after sunset. But for all that, King Siggeir would not leavethem above ground. He decreed that they should be put in a pit, and amound made over them so that they would be buried alive. 

The sentence was carried out. A great flagstone was put down to dividethe pit in two, so that Sigmund and Sinfiotli might hear each other'sstruggle and not be able to give help to each other. All was done as theKing commanded. 

But while his thralls were putting sods over the pit, one came amongstthem, cloaked and hooded, and dropped something wrapped in straw intothe side of the pit where Sinfiotli lay. And when the sky was shut outfrom them with the turf and soil that was put over the pit, Sinfiotlishouted to Sigmund: "I shall not die, for the queen has thrown down tome meat wrapped in a parcel of straw. "

And a while afterwards Sinfiotli shouted to Sigmund: "The queen has lefta sword in the meat which she flung down to me. It is a mighty sword. Almost I think it is Gram, the sword you told me of. "

"If it be Gram, " Sigmund said, "it is a sword that can cut through thisflagstone. Thrust the blade against the stone and try. "

Sinfiotli thrust the blade against the stone and the blade went throughthe stone. Then, one on each side, they took hold of the sword and theycut the great stone in two. Afterwards, working together, it was easy toshift the turf and soil. The two came out under the sky. 

Before them was the Hall of King Siggeir. They came to the Hall and theyset dry wood before it and they fired the wood and made the Hall blazeup. And when the Hall was in a blaze King Siggeir came to the door andshouted, "Who is it that has fired the house of the King?"

And Sigmund said, "I, Sigmund, the son of Volsung, that you may pay forthe treason wrought on the Volsungs. "

Seeing Sigmund there with Gram, the great sword, in his hands, Siggeirwent back into his Hall. Then Signy was seen with her white face and herstern eyes, and Sigmund called to her, "Come forth, come forth. Sigmundcalls. Come out of Siggeir's blazing house and together we will go backto the Hall of the Branstock. "

But Signy said, "All is finished now. The vengeance is wrought and Ihave no more to keep me in life. The Volsung race lives on in you, mybrother, and that is my joy. Not merrily did I wed King Siggeir and notmerrily did I live with him, but merrily will I die with him now. "

She went within the Hall; then the flames burst over it and all who werewithin perished. Thus the vengeance of the Volsungs was wrought. 

And Sigurd thought on the deed that Sigmund, his father, and Sinfiotli, the youth who was his father's kinsman, wrought, as he rode the ways ofthe forest, and of the things that thereafter befell them. 

Sigmund and Sinfiotli left King Siggeir's land and came back to the landwhere was the Hall of the Branstock. Sigmund became a great King andSinfiotli was the Captain of his host. 

And the story of Sigmund and Sinfiotli goes on to tell how Sigmund wed awoman whose name was Borghild, and how Sinfiotli loved a woman who wasloved by Borghild's brother. A battle came in which the youths were onopposite sides, and Sinfiotli killed Borghild's brother, and it was infair combat. 

Sinfiotli returned home. To make peace between him and the Queen, Sigmund gave Borghild a great measure of gold as compensation for theloss of her brother. The Queen took it and said, "Lo, my brother's worthis reckoned at this; let no more be said about his slaying. " And shemade Sinfiotli welcome to the Hall of the Branstock. 

But although she showed herself friendly to him her heart was set uponhis destruction. 

That night there was a feast in the Hall of the Branstock and Borghildthe Queen went to all the guests with a horn of mead in her hand. Shecame to Sinfiotli and she held the horn to him. "Take this from myhands, O friend of Sigmund, " she said. 

But Sinfiotli saw what was in her eyes and he said, "I will not drinkfrom this horn. There is venom in the drink. "

Then, to end the mockery that the Queen would have made over Sinfiotli, Sigmund who was standing by took the horn out of Borghild's hand. Novenom or poison could injure him. He raised the horn to his lips anddrained the mead at a draught. 

The Queen said to Sinfiotli, "Must other men quaff thy drink for thee?"

Later in the night she came to him again, the horn of mead in her hand. She offered it to Sinfiotli, but he looked in her eyes and saw thehatred that was there. "Venom is in the drink, " he said. "I will nottake it. "

And again Sigmund took the horn and drank the mead at a draught. Andagain the Queen mocked Sinfiotli. 

A third time she came to him. Before she offered the horn she said, "This is the one who fears to take his drink like a man. What a Volsungheart he has!" Sinfiotli saw the hatred in her eyes, and her mockerycould not make him take the mead from her. As before Sigmund wasstanding by. But now he was weary of raising the horn and he said toSinfiotli, "Pour the drink through thy beard. "

He thought that Sigmund meant that he should pour the mead through hislips that were bearded and make trouble no more between him and theQueen. But Sigmund did not mean that. He meant that he should pretend todrink and let the mead run down on the floor. Sinfiotli, notunderstanding what his comrade meant, took the horn from the Queen andraised it to his lips and drank. And as soon as he drank, the venom thatwas in the drink went to his heart, and he fell dead in the Hall of theBranstock. 

Oh, woeful was Sigmund for the death of his kinsman and his comrade. Hewould let no one touch his body. He himself lifted Sinfiotli in his armsand carried him out of the Hall, and through the wood, and down to theseashore. And when he came to the shore he saw a boat drawn up with aman therein. Sigmund came near to him and saw that the man was old andstrangely tall. "I will take thy burthen from thee, " the man said. 

Sigmund left the body of Sinfiotli in the boat, thinking to take a placebeside it. But as soon as the body was placed in it the boat went fromthe land without sail or oars. Sigmund, looking on the old man who stoodat the stern, knew that he was not of mortal men, but was OdinAll-Father, the giver of the sword Gram. 

Then Sigmund went back to his Hall. His Queen died, and in time he wedwith Hiordis, who became the mother of Sigurd. And now Sigurd theVolsung, the son of Sigmund and Hiordis, rode the ways of the forest, the sword Gram by his side, and the Golden Helmet of the Dragon's Hoardabove his golden hair. 

[Illustration]

BRYNHILD IN THE HOUSE OF FLAME

The forest ways led him on and up a mountain-side. He came to amountain-summit at last: Hindfell, where the trees fell away, leaving aplace open to the sky and the winds. On Hindfell was the House of Flame. Sigurd saw the walls black, and high, and all around them was a ring offire. 

As he rode nearer he heard the roar of the mounting and the circlingfire. He sat on Grani, his proud horse, and for long he looked on theblack walls and the flame that went circling around them. 

Then he rode Grani to the fire. Another horse would have beenaffrighted, but Grani remained steady under Sigurd. To the wall of firethey came, and Sigurd, who knew no fear, rode through it. 

Now he was in the courtyard of the Hall. No stir was there of man orhound or horse. Sigurd dismounted and bade Grani be still. He opened adoor and he saw a chamber with hangings on which was wrought the patternof a great tree, a tree with three roots, and the pattern was carriedacross from one wall to the other. On a couch in the center of thechamber one lay in slumber. Upon the head was a helmet and across thebreast was a breastplate. Sigurd took the helmet off the head. Then overthe couch fell a heap of woman's hair--wondrous, bright-gleaming hair. This was the maiden that the birds had told him of. 

He cut the fastenings of the breastplate with his sword, and he gazedlong upon her. Beautiful was her face, but stern; like the face of onewho subdues but may not be subdued. Beautiful and strong were her armsand her hands. Her mouth was proud, and over her closed eyes there werestrong and beautiful brows. 

Her eyes opened, and she turned them and looked full upon Sigurd. "Whoart thou who hast awakened me?" she said. 

"I am Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, of the Volsung race, " he answered. 

"And thou didst ride through the ring of fire to me?"

"That did I. "

She knelt on the couch and stretched out her arms to where the lightshone. "Hail, O Day, " she cried, "and hail, O beams that are the sons ofDay. O Night, and O daughter of Night, may ye look on us with eyes thatbless. Hail, O Æsir and O Asyniur! Hail, O wide-spreading fields ofMidgard! May ye give us wisdom, and wise speech, and healing power, andgrant that nothing untrue or unbrave may come near us!"

All this she cried with eyes open wide; they were eyes that had in themall the blue that Sigurd had ever seen: the blue of flowers, the blue ofskies, the blue of battle-blades. She turned those great eyes upon himand she said, "I am Brynhild, once a Valkyrie but now a mortal maiden, one who will know death and all the sorrows that mortal women know. Butthere are things that I may not know, things that are false and of nobravery. "

She was the bravest and the wisest and the most beautiful maiden in theworld: Sigurd knew that it was so. He laid his sword Gram at her feet, and he said her name, "Brynhild. " He told her how he had slain theDragon, and how he had heard the birds tell of her. She rose from thecouch and bound her wondrous hair on her head. In wonder he watched her. When she moved it was as though she walked above the earth. 

They sat together and she told him wonderful and secret things. And shetold him, too, how she was sent by Odin from Asgard to choose the slainfor his hall Valhalla, and to give victory to those whom he willed tohave it. And she told how she had disobeyed the will of All-Father, andhow for that she was made outcast of Asgard. Odin put into her flesh thethorn of the Tree of Sleep that she might remain in slumber until onewho was the bravest of mortal men should waken her. Whoever would breakthe fastenings of the breastplate would take out the Thorn of Sleep. "Odin granted me this, " she said, "that as a mortal maid I should wednone but him who is the bravest in the world. And so that none but himmight come to me, All-Father put the fire-ring round where I lay inslumber. And it is thou, Sigurd, son of Sigmund, who hast come to me. Thou art the bravest and I think thou art the most beautiful too; liketo Tyr, the God who wields the sword. "

She told him that whoever rode through the fire and claimed her as hiswife, him she must wed. 

They talked to each other fondly and the day flowed by them. Then Sigurdheard Grani, his horse, neigh for him again and again. He cried toBrynhild: "Let me go from the gaze of thine eyes. I am that one who isto have the greatest name in the world. Not yet have I made my name asgreat as my father and my father's father made their names great. I haveovercome King Lygni, and I have slain Fafnir the Dragon, but that islittle. I would make my name the greatest in the world, and endure allthat is to be endured in making it so. Then I would come back to thee inthe House of Flame. "

Brynhild said to him: "Well dost thou speak. Make thy name great, andendure what thou hast to endure in making it so. I will wait for thee, knowing that none but Sigurd will be able to win through the fire thatguards where I abide. "

They gazed long on each other, but little more they spoke. Then theyheld each other's hands in farewell, and they plighted faith, promisingeach other that they would take no other man or maiden for their mate. And for token of their troth Sigurd took the ring that was on his fingerand placed it on Brynhild's--Andvari's ring it was. 

[Illustration]

SIGURD AT THE HOUSE OF THE NIBELUNGS

He left Hindfell and he came into a kingdom that was ruled over by apeople that were called the Nibelungs as Sigurd's people were called theVolsungs. Giuki was the name of the King of that land. 

Giuki and his Queen and all their sons gave a great welcome to Sigurdwhen he came to their hall, for he looked such a one as might win thename of being the world's greatest hero. And Sigurd went to war besidethe King's sons, Gunnar and Högni, and the three made great names forthemselves, but Sigurd's shone high above the others. 

When they came back from that war there were great rejoicings in thehall of the Nibelungs, and Sigurd's heart was filled with friendshipfor all the Nibelung race; he had love for the King's sons, Gunnar andHögni, and with Gunnar and Högni he swore oaths of brotherhood. Henceforward he and they would be as brethren. King Giuki had a stepsonnamed Guttorm and he was not bound in the oath that bound Sigurd and theothers in brotherhood. 

After the war they had waged Sigurd spent a whole winter in the hall ofthe Nibelungs. His heart was full of memories of Brynhild and oflongings to ride to her in the House of Flame and to take her with himto the kingdom that King Giuki would have given him. But as yet he wouldnot go back to her, for he had sworn to give his brethren further help. 

One day, as he rode by himself, he heard birds talk to each other and heknew the words they were saying. One said, "There is Sigurd who wearsthe wondrous helmet that he took out of Fafnir's hoard. " And the otherbird said, "He knows not that by that helmet he can change his shape asFafnir changed his shape, and make him look like this creature or thatcreature, or this man or that man. " And the third bird said, "He knowsnot that the helmet can do anything so wonderful for him. "

He rode back to the hall of the Nibelungs, and at the supperboard hetold them what he had heard the birds say. He showed them the wondroushelmet. Also he told them how he had slain Fafnir the Dragon, and of howhe had won the mighty hoard for himself. His two sworn brothers who werethere rejoiced that he had such wondrous possessions. 

But more precious than the hoard and more wondrous than the helmet wasthe memory of Brynhild that he had. But of this he said no word. 

Grimhild was the name of the Queen. She was the mother of Gunnar andHögni and their half-brother Guttorm. And she and the King had onedaughter whose name was Gudrun. Now Grimhild was one of the wisest ofwomen, and she knew when she looked upon him that Sigurd was the world'sgreatest warrior. She would have him belong to the Nibelungs, not onlyby the oaths of brotherhood he had sworn with Gunnar and Högni, but byother ties. And when she heard of the great hoard that was his she hadgreater wish and will that he should be one with the Nibelungs. Shelooked on the helmet of gold and on the great armring that he wore, andshe made it her heart's purpose that Sigurd should wed with Gudrun, herdaughter. But neither Sigurd nor the maiden Gudrun knew of Grimhild'sresolve. 

And the Queen, watching Sigurd closely, knew that he had a remembrancein his breast that held him from seeing Gudrun's loveliness. She hadknowledge of spells and secret brews (she was of the race of Borghildwhose brew had destroyed Sinfiotli's life) and she knew that she couldmake a potion that would destroy the memory Sigurd held. 

She mixed the potion. Then one night when there was feasting in the hallof the Nibelungs, she gave the cup that held the potion into the handsof Gudrun and bade her carry it to Sigurd. 

Sigurd took the cup out of the hands of the fair Nibelung maiden and hedrank the potion. When he had drunk it he put the cup down and he stoodamongst the feasters like a man in a dream. And like a man in a dream hewent into his chamber, and for a day and a night afterwards he wassilent and his mind was astray. When he rode out with Gunnar and Högnithey would say to him, "What is it thou hast lost, brother?" Sigurdcould not tell them. But what he had lost was all memory of Brynhild theValkyrie in the House of Flame. 

He saw Gudrun and it was as though he looked upon her for the firsttime. Soft were the long tresses of her hair; soft were her hands. Hereyes were like woodflowers, and her ways and her speech were gentle. Yetwas she noble in her bearing as became a Princess who would come into akingdom. And from the first time she had seen him upon Grani, his proudhorse, and with his golden helmet above his golden hair, Gudrun hadloved Sigurd. 

At the season when the wild swans came to the lake Gudrun went down towatch them build their nests. And while she was there Sigurd rodethrough the pines. He saw her, and her beauty made the whole placechange. He stopped his horse and listened to her voice as she sang tothe wild swans, sang the song that Völund made for Alvit, hisswan-bride. 

No more was Sigurd's heart empty of memory: it was filled with thememory of Gudrun as he saw her by the lake when the wild swans werebuilding their nests. And now he watched her in the hall, sitting withher mother embroidering, or serving her father or her brothers, andtenderness for the maiden kept growing in his heart. 

A day came when he asked Gunnar and Högni, his sworn brethren, forGudrun. They were glad as though a great fortune had befallen them. Andthey brought him before Giuki the King, and Grimhild the Queen. Itseemed as if they had cast off all trouble and care and entered into theprime of their life and power, so greatly did the King and the Queenrejoice at Sigurd's becoming one with the Nibelungs through his marriagewith Gudrun. 

When Gudrun heard that Sigurd had asked for her, she said to the Queen:"Oh, my mother, your wisdom should have strengthened me to bear suchjoy. How can I show him that he is so dear, so dear to me? But I shalltry not to show it, for he might deem that there was no sense in me butsense to love him. So great a warrior would not care for such love. Iwould be with him as a battle-maiden. "

Sigurd and Gudrun were wed and all the kingdom that the Nibelungs ruledover rejoiced. And Queen Grimhild thought that though the effect of thepotion she gave would wear away, his love for Gudrun would ever fill hisheart, and that no other memory would be able to find a place there. 

[Illustration]

HOW BRYNHILD WAS WON FOR GUNNAR

Now that Sigurd had wed Gudrun he was one with the Nibelungs. The hoardthat was in Fafnir's cave he brought away and he left it in theirtreasure house. He went into his fosterfather's kingdom again, and hesaw King Alv and Hiordis, his mother. But he had no memory now of theHouse of Flame, nor of Brynhild, who waited there for him. 

King Giuki died, and Gunnar, Sigurd's sworn brother, became King in hisstead. His mother would have him wed, but Gunnar told her he had seen nomaiden whom he would choose for his wife. 

But when Sigurd and he were together Gunnar would speak of a maiden faraway, one whom he often thought on. And one day when Sigurd pressed himto tell who this maiden was, he spoke of one whom the wisest of thepoets told of, a maiden in a Hall with a flame around it, a maiden namedBrynhild who was guarded by a ring of fire. 

Sigurd laughed to think that his shrewd brother was beguiled by one whomhe had only heard of. But if he was beguiled by the tale of her, whyshould he not come to her and wed her? So Sigurd said. Then Gunnar bentto him and asked Sigurd would he aid him to win her? And Sigurd tookGunnar's hand and swore that he would. 

So they started off for Hindfell, Gunnar and Högni and Sigurd. They rodeon until they came in sight of the black walls with the mounting andcircling fire around them. No memory had Sigurd of the place. With theflame of eagerness upon his stolid face Gunnar went forward to ridethrough the ring of fire. He brought Goti, his horse, near the flame, but the horse, for no urging, would go through it. Then Gunnar thoughtthat, mounted on Grani, Sigurd's horse, he could ride through the ringof fire. He mounted Grani and came near to the flaring wall. But Grani, knowing that the one who rode him had fear of the fire, reared up andwould not go through it. Only with Sigurd on his back would Grani gothrough the flame. 

Then were the three sworn brethren greatly discomfited. But after theyhad considered it for long Högni the Wise said: "There is a way to winBrynhild, and that is for Sigurd to change shapes, by the magic of hishelmet, with Gunnar. Then Sigurd could ride Grani through the wall offlame and come to Brynhild in Gunnar's shape. "

So spoke Högni the Wise, and when he saw his sworn brother's gaze fixedon him in pleading, Sigurd could not but agree to ride through the flameand come to Brynhild in the way he said. And so by the magic of hishelmet he changed shapes with Gunnar. Then he mounted Grani and rode tothe wall of flame. And Grani, knowing that the one he bore was withoutfear, rode through the flaring fire. Then Sigurd came into the courtyardof the House of Flame. He dismounted from Grani, and he bade his horsebe still. 

He went within the Hall and he saw one with a bow in her hands shootingat a mark. She turned to him, and he saw a beautiful and stern face, with coils of wondrous, bright-gleaming hair and eyes that were likestars in an unventured-in sea. He thought that the arrow in her handshad been shot through him. But it was not so. Brynhild threw down thebow and came to him with that walk of hers that was as of one movingabove the earth. And when she came near and looked upon him she uttereda strange cry. 

"Who art thou?" she said. "Who art thou who hast come to me through thewall of flaring fire?"

"Gunnar, son of Giuki, of the race of the Nibelungs, " Sigurd said. 

"Art thou the bravest one in the world?" she asked. 

"I have ridden through the wall of flaring fire to come to thee, " Sigurdanswered. 

"He who has come through that wall of flaring fire may claim me, "Brynhild said. "It is written in the runes, and it must be so. But Ithought there was only one who would come to me through it. " She lookedat him, and her eyes had a flame of anger. "Oh, I would strive with theewith warrior-weapons, " she cried. Then Sigurd felt her strong hands uponhim, and he knew that she was striving to throw him. 

They wrestled, and each was so strong that none could move the other. They wrestled, Sigurd the first of heroes, and Brynhild, the Valkyrie. Sigurd got her hand in his in the wrestle. On that hand was a ring, andSigurd bent back the finger and drew it off. 

It was Andvari's ring, the ring he had placed on her finger. And whenthe ring was taken off it, Brynhild sank down on her knees like one thatwas strengthless. 

Then Sigurd lifted her in his arms and carried her to where Grani, hishorse, was waiting. He lifted her across his horse, and he mountedbehind her and again he rode through the wall of flame. Högni and Gunnarwere waiting, Gunnar in Sigurd's shape. Brynhild did not look upon them, but covered her face with her hands. Then Sigurd took back his ownshape, and he rode before Gunnar and Högni to the hall of the Nibelungs. 

He went within, and he found Gudrun, his wife, playing with Sigmund, hislittle son, and he sat beside her and he told her of all that hadbefallen: how, for the sake of the sworn brotherhood, he had wonBrynhild the Valkyrie for Gunnar, and how he had striven with her andhad overcome her, and had taken off her finger the ring that he nowwore upon his own. 

And even as he spoke to his wife the fume of the potion that Gudrun'smother had given him was wearing off, and he had memories of going tothe House of Flame on a day that was not this day, and of riding throughthe wall of fire in his own shape. And again, as on the night when hedrank the potion that Queen Grimhild brewed, he became as one whose witsare astray. He stood watching his child as he played, and his wife asshe worked at her embroidery, and he was as a man in a dream. 

While he was standing there Gunnar and Högni came into the hall of theNibelungs bringing Brynhild with them. Gudrun rose up to welcome her whocame as her brother's bride. Then did Sigurd look on Brynhild and thendid he remember all. And when he remembered all such a mighty sigh rosefrom his heart as burst the links of the mail that was across hisbreast. 

[Illustration]

THE DEATH OF SIGURD

It happened one day that Brynhild, Gunnar's wife, now a Queen, was withSigurd's wife, bathing in a river. Not often they were together. Brynhild was the haughtiest of women, and often she treated Gudrun withdisdain. Now as they were bathing together, Gudrun, shaking out herhair, cast some drops upon Brynhild. Brynhild went from Gudrun. AndSigurd's wife, not knowing that Brynhild had anger against her, wentafter her up the stream. 

"Why dost thou go so far up the river, Brynhild?" Gudrun asked. 

"So that thou mayst not shake thy hair over me, " answered Brynhild. 

Gudrun stood still while Brynhild went up the river like a creature whowas made to be alone. "Why dost thou speak so to me, sister?" Gudruncried. 

She remembered that from the first Brynhild had been haughty with her, often speaking to her with harshness and bitterness. She did not knowwhat cause Brynhild had for this. 

It was because Brynhild had seen in Sigurd the one who had riddenthrough the fire for the first time, he who had awakened her by breakingthe binding of her breastplate and so drawing out of her flesh the thornof the Tree of Sleep. She had given him her love when she awakened onthe world. But he, as she thought, had forgotten her easily, giving hislove to this other maiden. Brynhild, with her Valkyrie's pride, was leftwith a mighty anger in her heart. 

"Why dost thou speak so to me, Brynhild?" Gudrun asked. 

"It would be ill indeed if drops from thy hair fell on one who is somuch above thee, one who is King Gunnar's wife, " Brynhild answered. 

"Thou art married to a King, but not to one more valorous than my lord, "Gudrun said. 

"Gunnar is more valorous; why dost thou compare Sigurd with him?"Brynhild said. 

"He slew the Dragon Fafnir, and won for himself Fafnir's hoard, " saidGudrun. 

"Gunnar rode through the ring of fire. Mayhap thou wilt tell us thatSigurd did the like, " said Brynhild. 

"Yea, " said Gudrun, now made angry. "It was Sigurd and not Gunnar whorode through the ring of fire. He rode through it in Gunnar's shape, andhe took the ring off thy finger--look, it is now on mine. "

And Gudrun held out her hand on which was Andvari's ring. Then Brynhildknew, all at once, that what Gudrun said was true. It was Sigurd thatrode through the ring of fire the second as well as the first time. Itwas he who had struggled with her, taking the ring off her hand andclaiming her for a bride, not for himself but for another, and out ofdisdain. 

Falsely had she been won. And she, one of Odin's Valkyries, had been wedto one who was not the bravest hero in the world, and she to whomuntruth might not come had been deceived. She was silent now, and allthe pride that was in her turned to hatred of Sigurd. 

She went to Gunnar, her husband, and she told him that she was so deeplyshamed that she could never be glad in his Hall again; that never wouldhe see her drinking wine, nor embroidering with golden threads, andnever would he hear her speaking words of kindness. And when she saidthis to him she rent the web she was weaving, and she wept aloud so thatall in the hall heard her, and all marveled to hear the proud Queen cry. 

Then Sigurd came to her, and he offered in atonement the whole hoard ofFafnir. And he told her how forgetfulness of her had come upon him, andhe begged her to forgive him for winning her in falseness. But sheanswered him: "Too late thou hast come to me, Sigurd. Now I have only agreat anger in my heart. "

When Gunnar came she told him she would forgive him, and love him as shehad not loved him before, if he would slay Sigurd. But Gunnar would notslay him, although Brynhild's passion moved him greatly, since Sigurdwas a sworn brother of his. 

Then she went to Högni and asked him to slay Sigurd, telling him thatthe whole of Fafnir's hoard would belong to the Nibelungs if Sigurd wereslain. But Högni would not slay him, since Sigurd and he were swornbrothers. 

There was one who had not sworn brotherhood with Sigurd. He was Guttorm, Gunnar's and Högni's half-brother. Brynhild went to Guttorm. He wouldnot slay Sigurd, but Brynhild found that he was infirm of will andunsteady of thought. With Guttorm, then, she would work for the slayingof Sigurd. Her mind was fixed that he and she would no longer be in theworld of men. 

She made a dish of madness for Guttorm--serpent's venom and wolf's fleshmixed--and when he had eaten it Guttorm was crazed. Then did he listento Brynhild's words. And she commanded him to go into the chamber whereSigurd slept and stab him through the body with a sword. 

This Guttorm did. But Sigurd, before he gasped out his life, took Gram, his great sword, and flung it at Guttorm and cut him in twain. 

And Brynhild, knowing what deed was done, went without and came to whereGrani, Sigurd's proud horse, was standing. She stayed there with herarms across Grani's neck, the Valkyrie leaning across the horse that wasborn of Odin's horse. And Grani stood listening for some sound. Heheard the cries of Gudrun over Sigurd, and then his heart burst and hedied. 

They bore Sigurd out of the Hall and Brynhild went beside where theyplaced him. She took a sword and put it through her own heart. Thus diedBrynhild who had been made a mortal woman for her disobedience to thewill of Odin, and who was won to be a mortal's wife by a falseness. 

They took Sigurd and his horse Grani, and his helmet and his goldenwar-gear and they left all on a great painted ship. They could not butleave Brynhild beside him, Brynhild with her wondrous hair and her sternand beautiful face. They left the two together and launched the ship onthe sea. And when the ship was on the water they fired it, and Brynhildonce again lay in the flames. 

And so Sigurd and Brynhild went together to join Baldur and Nanna inHela's habitation. 

Gunnar and Högni came to dread the evil that was in the hoard. They tookthe gleaming and glittering mass and they brought it to the river alongwhich, ages before, Hreidmar had his smithy and the Dwarf Andvari hiscave. From a rock in the river they cast the gold and jewels into thewater and the hoard of Andvari sank for ever beneath the waves. Then theRiver Maidens had possession again of their treasure. But not for longwere they to guard it and to sing over it, for now the season that wascalled the Fimbul Winter was coming over the earth, and Ragnarök, theTwilight of the Gods, was coming to the Dwellers in Asgard. 

[Illustration]

THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS

Snow fell on the four quarters of the world; icy winds blew from everyside; the sun and the moon were hidden by storms. It was the FimbulWinter: no spring came and no summer; no autumn brought harvest orfruit, and winter grew into winter again. 

There was three years' winter. The first was called the Winter of Winds:storms blew and snows drove down and frosts were mighty. The children ofmen might hardly keep alive in that dread winter. 

The second winter was called the Winter of the Sword: those who wereleft alive amongst men robbed and slew for what was left to feed on;brother fell on brother and slew him, and over all the world there weremighty battles. 

And the third winter was called the Winter of the Wolf. Then theancient witch who lived in Jarnvid, the Iron Wood, fed the Wolf Managarmon unburied men and on the corpses of those who fell in battle. Mightilygrew and flourished the Wolf that was to be the devourer of Mani, theMoon. The Champions in Valhalla would find their seats splashed with theblood that Managarm dashed from his jaws; this was a sign to the Godsthat the time of the last battle was approaching. 

A cock crew; far down in the bowels of the earth he was and besideHela's habitation: the rusty-red cock of Hel crew, and his crowing madea stir in the lower worlds. In Jötunheim a cock crew, Fialar, thecrimson cock, and at his crowing the Giants aroused themselves. High upin Asgard a cock crew, the golden cock Gullinkambir, and at his crowingthe Champions in Valhalla bestirred themselves. 

A dog barked; deep down in the earth a dog barked; it was Garm, thehound with bloody mouth, barking in Gnipa's Cave. The Dwarfs who heardgroaned before their doors of stone. The tree Ygdrassil moaned in allits branches. There was a rending noise as the Giants moved their ship;there was a trampling sound as the hosts of Muspelheim gathered theirhorses. 

But Jötunheim and Muspelheim and Hel waited tremblingly; it might bethat Fenrir the Wolf might not burst the bonds wherewith the Gods hadbound him. Without his being loosed the Gods might not be destroyed. Andthen was heard the rending of the rock as Fenrir broke loose. For thesecond time the Hound Garm barked in Gnipa's Cave. 

Then was heard the galloping of the horses of the riders of Muspelheim;then was heard the laughter of Loki; then was heard the blowing ofHeimdall's horn; then was heard the opening of Valhalla's five hundredand forty doors, as eight hundred Champions made ready to pass througheach door. 

Odin took council with Mimir's head. Up from the waters of the Well ofWisdom he drew it, and by the power of the runes he knew he made thehead speak to him. Where best might the Æsir and the Vanir and theEinherjar, who were the Champions of Midgard, meet, and how best mightthey strive with the forces of Muspelheim and Jötunheim and Hel? Thehead of Mimir counseled Odin to meet them on Vigard Plain and to wagethere such war that the powers of evil would be destroyed forever, eventhough his own world should be destroyed with them. 

The riders of Muspelheim reached Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge. Now wouldthey storm the City of the Gods and fill it with flame. But Bifröstbroke under the weight of the riders of Muspelheim, and they came not tothe City of the Gods. 

Jörmungand, the serpent that encircles the world, reared itself up fromthe sea. The waters flooded the lands, and the remnant of the world'sinhabitants was swept away. That mighty flood floated Naglfar, the Shipof Nails that the Giants were so long building, and floated the ship ofHel also. With Hrymer the Giant steering it, Naglfar sailed against theGods, with all the powers of Jötunheim aboard. And Loki steered the shipof Hel with the Wolf Fenrir upon it for the place of the last battle. 

Since Bifröst was broken, the Æsir and the Vanir, the Asyniur and theVana, the Einherjar and the Valkyries rode downward to Vigard throughthe waters of Thund. Odin rode at the head of his Champions. His helmetwas of gold and in his hand was his spear Gungnir. Thor and Tyr were inhis company. 

In Mirkvid, the Dark Forest, the Vanir stood against the host ofMuspelheim. From the broken end of the Rainbow Bridge the riders came, all flashing and flaming, with fire before them and after them. Niördwas there with Skadi, his Giant wife, fierce in her war-dress; Freya wasthere also, and Frey had Gerda beside him as a battle-maiden. Terriblybright flashed Surtur's sword. No sword ever owned was as bright as hisexcept the sword that Frey had given to Skirnir. Frey and Surtur fought;he perished, Frey perished in that battle, but he would not haveperished if he had had in his hand his own magic sword. 

And now, for the third time, Garm, the hound with blood upon his jaws, barked. He had broken loose on the world, and with fierce bounds herushed toward Vigard Plain, where the Gods had assembled their powers. Loud barked Garm. The Eagle Hræsvelgur screamed on the edge of heaven. Then the skies were cloven, and the tree Ygdrassil was shaken in all itsroots. 

To the place where the Gods had drawn up their ranks came the ship ofJötunheim and the ship of Hel, came the riders of Muspelheim, and Garm, the hound with blood upon his jaws. And out of the sea that nowsurrounded the plain of Vigard the serpent Jörmungand came. 

What said Odin to the Gods and to the Champions who surrounded him? "Wewill give our lives and let our world be destroyed, but we will battleso that these evil powers will not live after us. " Out of Hel's shipsprang Fenrir the Wolf. His mouth gaped; his lower jaw hung against theearth, and his upper jaw scraped the sky. Against the Wolf OdinAll-Father fought. Thor might not aid him, for Thor had now to encounterJörmungand, the monstrous serpent. 

By Fenrir the Wolf Odin was slain. But the younger Gods were nowadvancing to the battle; and Vidar, the Silent God, came face to facewith Fenrir. He laid his foot on the Wolf's lower jaw, that foot thathad on the sandal made of all the scraps of leather that shoemakers hadlaid by for him, and with his hands he seized the upper jaw and tore hisgullet. Thus died Fenrir, the fiercest of all the enemies of the Gods. 

Jörmungand, the monstrous serpent, would have overwhelmed all with thevenom he was ready to pour forth. But Thor sprang forward and crushedhim with a stroke of his hammer Miölnir. Then Thor stepped back ninepaces. But the serpent blew his venom over him, and blinded and chokedand burnt, Thor, the World's Defender, perished. 

Loki sprang from his ship and strove with Heimdall, the Warder of theRainbow Bridge and the Watcher for the Gods. Loki slew Heimdall and wasslain by him. 

Bravely fought Tyr, the God who had sacrificed his swordhand for thebinding of the Wolf. Bravely he fought, and many of the powers of evilperished by his strong left hand. But Garm, the hound with bloody jaws, slew Tyr. 

And now the riders of Muspelheim came down on the field. Bright andgleaming were all their weapons. Before them and behind them wentwasting fires. Surtur cast fire upon the earth; the tree Ygdrassil tookfire and burned in all its great branches; the World Tree was wasted inthe blaze. But the fearful fire that Surtur brought on the earthdestroyed him and all his host. 

The Wolf Hati caught up on Sol, the Sun; the Wolf Managarm seized onMani, the Moon; they devoured them; stars fell, and darkness came downon the world. 

The seas flowed over the burnt and wasted earth and the skies were darkabove the sea, for Sol and Mani were no more. But at last the seas drewback and earth appeared again, green and beautiful. A new Sun and a newMoon appeared in the heavens, one a daughter of Sol and the other adaughter of Mani. No grim wolves kept them in pursuit. 

Four of the younger Gods stood on the highest of the world's peaks; theywere Vidar and Vali, the sons of Odin, and Modi and Magni, the sons ofThor. Modi and Magni found Miölnir, Thor's hammer, and with it they slewthe monsters that still raged through the world, the Hound Garm and theWolf Managarm. 

Vidar and Vali found in the grass the golden tablets on which wereinscribed the runes of wisdom of the elder Gods. The runes told them ofa heaven that was above Asgard, of Gimli, that was untouched by Surtur'sfire. Vili and Ve, Will and Holiness, ruled in it. Baldur and Hödur camefrom Hela's habitation, and the Gods sat on the peak together and heldspeech with each other, calling to mind the secrets and the happeningsthey had known before Ragnarök, the Twilight of the Gods. 

Deep in a wood two of human kind were left; the fire of Surtur did nottouch them; they slept, and when they wakened the world was green andbeautiful again. These two fed on the dews of the morning; a woman and aman they were. Lif and Lifthrasir. They walked abroad in the world, andfrom them and from their children came the men and women who spreadthemselves over the earth. 

The End.