Page:The land of enchantment (1907, Cassell).djvu/127

 strength, for howsoever hard thou strikest it cannot be broken; when thou hast hurled it at thy foe it will ever return to thee, and it can become so small that thou canst hide it in thy pouch. For thee, Freyr, Sindri sends the boar Gullinbursti. It can run on the clouds and through water, by day or by night, swifter than horse can run, and the darkest night, the densest wood, will be lighted up by its gleaming bristles of gold.”

Then the gods pondered awhile, but in the end they declared that the hammer was the best of all the gifts. And in this they judged wisely, for many a time Micelnir saved Asgard from the giants. So Brock had won his wager; but Loki was by no means minded to lose his head, and offered to redeem it with much treasure. But Brock would not consent.

“You must catch me first, if you would have my head,” laughed Loki, and vanished, for his shoes carried him through air and water. But Thor pursued him and brought him back, an unwilling captive. Now Brock seized his knife, but Loki declared that it was his head only that belonged to Brock; the neck he might not touch.

Then said Brock: “Think not to ’scape me thus. If thy head is mine I will sew up thy evil mouth as a mark.” “But his knife could make no holes in the lips for the thread to pass through, for Loki brought it about that it would not cut.

“If but my brother’s awl were here,” he sighed, and, lo, the awl was in his hand. So he sewed up Loki’s mouth, and the gods laughed mightily. But it was not long before Loki had freed himself from his bonds.

IV.—THE LOSING OF THE HAMMER.

awoke one morning and stretched out his arm to feel for his hammer. But it was not there, and the strong god rose in wrath, and sought for it, but in vain. Then he went to Loki, who was cunning and sharp of wit, and whose aid the gods sought when trouble came to them.

“Rise up, Loki,” cried Thor, ‘and give me thine aid, for my hammer is stolen, and I know not where it is.”

“I will find it,” said Loki, “if it be anywhere. Come, let us go to Freya, that she may lend me her feather dress.”

They went to Freya, and Loki asked her for her feather dress, which