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"It hurts us," said Odin, "that we should be forced to treat one of our own kind in this way. Perhaps even now-tell us that you do regret your past wickedness, that you are sorry for the trouble you have caused the gods, that you grieve sometimes for Balder's death."

"I grieve," said Loki, "only that I have caused so little trouble among the gods; I regret only that the days for pitting my cleverness against your stupidity are at an end-for I ask for no mercy. As for Balder's death, it has been my chief cause for rejoicing as I have dwelt here in this solitary place."

Shocked by his hardness, the gods led him away to the punishment which they had planned for him. The other gods met them by the way, and troops of dwarfs and elves and human beings and animals sprang up on every side, and followed them. And in the hearts of all these followers there was joy, for Loki had never done them anything but harm; and besides, had he not slain Balder, the beautiful, the beloved?

But in the hearts of the gods there was pain, for Loki was of their own number, and far back in the beginnings of time, before he had become wicked, he had been their great pride, by reason of his cleverness.

They passed, a noisy procession, to a dark, underground cavern, a damp, slimy place, where snakes looked out from their holes, and toads sat upon the stones. Here were three sharp-pointed rocks, which Thor pierced with holes; and to these rocks they bound the wretched Loki with chains of adamant.

"Here he shall stay," said Odin, “until the last great day shall come for gods and men."

A giantess, whose son Loki had killed, came with a great serpent, which she fastened directly over Loki's head; and from the serpent's mouth dripped poison, which fell, drop by drop, upon Loki's upturned face. His wife, Sigyn, could not bear to see her husband in such agony, so she took her stand beside him, cup in hand, and caught the poison as it fell. There through the ages on ages she stood, relieving Loki's pain, and trying to cheer him, for whom there was no cheer. When the cup was filled and she had to go to the cavern's mouth to empty it, then the venom fell on Loki's face, and in his terrible pain he struggled and writhed until the earth shook. And all the people, startled at their work or from their sleep, cried, "Loki's earthquake!"

TH

SEVEN TIMES ONE

By JEAN INGELOW

HERE'S no dew left on the daisies and clover,
There's no rain left in heaven;

I've said my "seven times" over and over-
Seven times one are seven.

I am so old, so old I can write a letter;
My birthday lessons are done;

The lambs play always, they know no better;
They are only one times one.

O moon! in the night I have seen you sailing

And shining so round and low;

You were bright! ah, bright! but your light is failing

You are nothing now but a bow.

You moon, have you done something wrong in

heaven,

That God has hidden

your face?

I hope if you have you will soon be forgiven,
And shine again in your place.

O velvet bee, you're a dusty fellow,
You've powdered your legs with gold!
O brave marsh marybuds, rich and yellow,
Give me your money to hold!

O columbine, open your folded wrapper,
Where two twin turtledoves dwell!
O cuckoopint, toll me the purple clapper
That hangs in your clear green bell!

And show me your nest with the young ones in it;
I will not steal them away;

I am old! you may trust me, linnet, linnet-
I am seven times one to-day.

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HUFFLE-SHOON and Amber-Locks

Sit together, building blocks;

Shuffle-Shoon is old and gray,

Amber-Locks a little child.

*From "Love-Songs of Childhood"; Copyright, 1894, by Eugene Field; published by Charles Scribner's Sons.

But together at their play

Age and Youth are reconciled,
And with sympathetic glee
Build their castles fair to see.

[blocks in formation]

With a gateway broad and grand; Here a pretty vine shall grow,

There a soldier guard shall stand; And the tower shall be so high, Folks will wonder, by and by!"

Shuffle-Shoon quoth: "Yes, I know; Thus I builded long ago!

Here a gate and there a wall, Here a window, there a door; Here a steeple wondrous tall Riseth ever more and more! But the years have leveled low What I builded long ago!"

So they gossip at their play,
Heedless of the fleeting day;
One speaks of the Long Ago
Where his dead hopes buried lie;
One with chubby cheeks aglow
Prattleth of the By-and-By;

Side by side, they build their blocks-
Shuffle-Shoon and Amber-Locks.

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