THOR AND HIS HAMMER

How He once lost it and how He finally found it

HE frost giants were always lurking about, trying to get into Asgard. Already they had gained almost the entire control of the earth. For more than half the year, they held it in their iron grasp, locking in ice the lakes and rivers and sternly hushing all babbling brooks and singing birds.

The giants hated the warm sunshine, the sweet wild flowers, the fresh green fields and meadows. They hated Freya, the lovely goddess of spring, whose coming stirred the streams in their rocky beds and woke the music of birds and bees.

They hated Balder, the beautiful sun god, who brought the golden summer time back to the icebound land. Above all they hated Thor, the thunder god, who kept watch over the summer sky, and who with one blow of his hammer could send them all scurrying back to Jötenheim. There was nothing they feared so much as Thor's terrible hammer.

One morning in early spring, Thor awoke after a long quiet sleep and put out his hand for the hammer, but no hammer was there. He started up with a cry of alarm, calling his wife, Sif of the long golden hair, and his two lovely daughters to come quickly and help him find his precious

weapon.

They searched and they searched in every nook and corner

of Cloudland, tumbling and tossing the big black clouds about and peeping and prying behind each mass, but all in vain. The hammer was nowhere to be found.

Then Thor's eyes flashed like fire and his voice trembled with anger, for a thought of the giants came into his mind.

"Loki, Loki," he called, "come here. My hammer is gone. The giants must have stolen it. They have come like thieves in the night and have carried it away."

"What!" exclaimed Loki, "the hammer gone? That will make us trouble enough, and what will the little earth people do without the thunder? The giants would give it up if Freya, the goddess of spring would gently ask them for it. But it is of no use to talk about that, for Freya would never go to Jötenheim; she is far too timid. However, I will tell you, Thor, what I could do. If Freya would only lend me her falcon guise, I could fly down to the giants' cave and snatch the hammer out of their hands."

Freya was very glad indeed to do anything in her power to please Thor, and especially to help him get back the precious hammer, which they all needed so much. She went at once for the magic dress of feathers with which she was accustomed to cover herself and to fly like a great beautiful bird all over the world.

Loki was soon fully dressed in the plumage, and spreading his great wings, he flew like the wind out of Asgard and down, down over the fresh green fields, on and on toward the great ocean. The farmers, looking up, saw the broad shadows as he passed, which were like the shadows of the

clouds on the waving grass, and they said, "Some great bird is flying seaward, or it may be that Freya is going away."

Loki at last reached Jötenheim, and taking off the falcon guise, he went at once in search of Thrym, the king of the frost giants. He soon found him under a fir tree playing with his dogs.

"Good morning, little Loki," shouted the giant in his big bass voice, which he always tried to make as heavy as Thor's thunder. "How is everything in Asgard and Elfland?"

"Things are going very badly with us," replied Loki. "Thor is out of sorts because some one has stolen his magic hammer. It must have been you, Thrym, for no one else is bold and strong enough to do it. You are more powerful than Thor himself."

This he said to flatter the giant, watching him slyly the while. "But come, Thrym," he added, "let Thor have his precious toy. He is so unhappy without it, and you are so strong, you do not need it."

Then the giant threw back his big head, and laughed as I suppose only a giant can laugh. "You shall not have it," he said at last. "I have hidden it where none of you gods could ever find it, down, down below the white-capped waves, many fathoms deep. However, I will get it myself and send it back to Asgard on one condition that you will give me Freya the beautiful to be my wife. On that condition alone will I ever give up Thor's hammer."

Loki saw that it was of no use to argue, for the giant looked as if he meant what he said. So once more donning the falcon guise, he flew with all speed back to Asgard.

"Put on your bridal gown, Freya," he said, “and come with me to Jötenheim. The king of the giants says he will return the hammer if you will be his wife."

But Freya had not the least idea of wedding a giant even to get back the precious thunder hammer. How could the sweet, gentle spring marry the cruel frost? Of course she would have nothing to do with the affair, and she told Loki as much. Indeed, that he should even suggest such a thing threw her into passionate tears, and at the same time she could not help smiling, for she knew the gods would never allow her to go.

No, the gods would not part with Freya, but what should they do? Asgard was in great danger; the frost giants might come at any time and seize the city. Something must be done at once. They held counsel together day after day, but could form no plan for safety.

At length Heimdal, the watchman, who always sat on guard at the gate of the city, said, "Of course we cannot part with Freya; that is quite impossible. But I have a suggestion; let Thor be dressed in bridal robes, and let him go himself for the hammer. He alone is able to cope with these giants."

Then Thor's face flushed angrily. "What! dress me up like a girl?" he asked indignantly. "I should be the jest of gods and men. Never should I hear the last of it."