Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/23

Rh put it into the furnace. Brok began his work. But Loke changed himself into a hornet and stung the elf on the forehead until the blood ran into his eyes.

Brok bore it a long time. Then he paused a moment to drive away the hornet. Just then his brother came in and said it was of no use to go on after he had once stopped.

Sindre took out the iron and it had become the mighty hammer Mjolner. But the handle was a little too short. This was because the elf had stopped when the hornet stung him.

Brok took the golden pig, the ring, and the hammer to Asgard and presented them to the gods. Thor had just lost his hammer in a great fight with the Midgard Serpent, so Mjolner was given to him

This hammer could never be lost, because it would always return to the owner.

The pig, Golden Bristle, was given to the sun-god, Frey, because he had to take long journeys in dark places.

Odin kept the golden ring himself.

The gods voted Sindre a better blacksmith than the sons of Ivald. Brok demanded Loke's head, which had been wagered. The cunning Loke said he might have the head, but he must not touch the neck. So the elf did not get the head.