Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/52

48 sat upon his throne and saw Loke's hiding-place.

One day Loke wove a net like the one he had once borrowed from Ran, the sea-god's wife. Just as it was finished he looked out and saw the gods coming. He threw the net into the fire and plunged into the stream.

But the gods saw the shape of the net in the ashes and wove one like it. When it was finished they held it by the ends and dragged it through the water.

Then Loke hid between two stones and the net passed over him. The gods felt that something living had touched the net, and the next time they weighted it so heavily that Loke could not slip under it.

This time he leaped over the net. The gods tried again and Thor waded in the middle of the stream. As Loke tried to leap over, Thor caught him. He was so slippery that he almost slid through Thor's hands. But Thor grasped his tail tightly and he could not escape.

Then Loke was bound so that he could never loose himself, but his wife was allowed to bring him food and water. So he was punished for his many evil deeds.