Then Sindre took some gold and, placing it in the furnace, bade Brok blow as if his life depended on it, and went out a second time. Brok had no sooner begun blowing than the troublesome gad-fly came back, and, fastening upon his neck, stung him so fiercely that he could hardly keep his hands away from his neck; but Brok was a faithful dwarf, who meant to do his work thoroughly if he died for it, and so he blew away as if it were the easiest thing in the world, until Sindre came back and took a shining ring from the fire.
The third time Sindre put iron into the fire and, bidding Brok blow without ceasing, went out again. No sooner had he gone than the gad-fly flew in, and, settling between Brok"s eyes, stung him so sharply that drops of blood ran down into his eyes, and he could not see what he was doing. He blew away as bravely as he could for some time, but the pain was so keen, and he was so blind, that at last he raised his hand quickly to brush the fly away. That very instant Sindre returned. " You have almost spoiled it, " he said, as he took out of the glowing furnace the wonderful hammer Mjolner. " See how short you have made the handle! But you can"t lengthen it now. So carry the gifts to Asgard, and bring me Loki"s head. "Brok started off with the golden boar, the shining ring, and the terrible hammer. When he came through the great gate of Asgard, the gods were very anxious to see the end of this strange contest, and, taking their seats on their shining thrones, they appointed. Odin, Thor, and Frey to judge between Loki and Brok as to which had the most wonderful things.
Then Loki brought out the spear Gungner, which never misses its mark, and gave it to Odin; and the golden hair he gave to Thor, who placed it on Sif "s head, and straightway it began to grow like any other hair, and Sif was as beautiful as on the day when Loki saw her in Thor"s palace and robbed her of her tresses; and to Frey he gave the marvellous ship Skidbladner, which always found a breeze to drive it wherever its master would go, no matter how the sea was running or from what quarter the wind was blowing, and which could be folded up and carried in one"s pocket. Then Loki laughed scornfully. "Bring out the trinkets which that wonderful brother of yours has made, " he said.
Brok came forward and stood before the wondering gods with his treasures. " This ring, " said he, handing it to Odin, "will cast off, every ninth night, eight other rings as pure and as heavy as itself. This boar, " giving it to Frey, " will run more swiftly in the air, and on the sea, by night or by day, than the swiftest horse, and no night will be so dark, no worldso gloomy, that the shining of these bristles shall not make it light as noon-day. And this hammer, " placing Mjolner in Thor"s strong hands, " shall never fail, no matter how big or how hard that which it smites may be; no matter how far it is thrown, it will always return to your hand; you may make it so small that it can be hidden in your bosom, and its only fault is the shortness of its handle. "Thor swung it round his head, and lightning flashed and flamed through Asgard, deep peals of thunder rolled through the sky, and mighty masses of cloud piled quickly up about him. The gods gathered around and passed the hammer from one to the other, saying that it would be their greatest protection against their enemies, the frost-giants, who were always trying to force their way into Asgard, and they declared that Brok had won the wager.
Brok"s swarthy little face was as bright as his brother"s furnace fire, so delighted was he to have beaten the boastful Loki. But how was he to get his wager, now he had won it? It was no easy matter to take the head off a god"s shoulders. Brok thought a moment. "I will take Loki"s head, " he said finally, thinking some of the other gods might help him.
"I will give you whatever you want in place of my head, " growled Loki, angry that he was beaten, and having no idea of paying his wager by losing his head.
"I will have your head or I will have nothing, " answeredthe plucky little dwarf, determined not to be cheated out of his victory.
"Well, then, take it, " shouted Loki; but, by the time Brok reached the place where he had been standing, Loki was far away, for he wore shoes with which he could run through the air or over the water.
Then Brok asked Thor to find Loki and bring him back, which Thor did promptly, for the gods always saw to it that people kept their promises. When Loki was brought back Brok wanted to cut his head off at once. " You may cut off my head, but you have no right to touch my neck, " said Loki, who was cunning, as well as wicked. That was true, as of course the head could not be taken off without touching the neck, so Brok had to give it up.
But he determined to do something to make Loki feel that he had won his wager, so he took an awl and a thong and sewed his lips together so tightly that he could make no more boastings.
Hamilton Wright Mabie.
Author.-Hamilton Wright Mabie (1846-1917), an American editor, essayist, and lecturer. He wrote some excellent books for young readers. These include Myths Every Child Should Know, Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know, and Legends Every Child Should Know.
General Notes. -Make a complete list of the characters andplaces mentioned, with a brief note on each. Loki was the evil genius who played a fatal trick on Balder the Beautiful. It is interesting to trace the resemblances between the Greek and the Norse myths-Odin and Zeus, Thor and Hercules, Balder and Apollo. Wider reading and research will enable you to do this. Probably all these myths were poetical attempts by primitive man to explain the facts of nature. Write an essay on "Nature Myths, " referring to fanciful explanations of thunder, the moon, the coming of spring, the rainbow, etc.
LESSON 59
lIFE
Life is not as idle ore;
But iron, dug from central gloom, And heated hot with burning fears, And dipped in baths of hissing tears, And battered with the shocks of doom To shape and use.
Tennyson-In Memoriam.
Author.-Tennyson (see "The Bugle Song ").
