('Twas to make a new hammer for Auka-Thor) He'd recourse once again to deceit.

In a trice, of a Hornet the semblance he took,
Whilst in cadence fell blow on blow,

In the leading Dwarf's forehead his barbed sting he stuck, That the blood in a stream down did flow.

Then the Dwarf raised his hand to his brow, for the smart, Ere the iron well out was beat,

And they found that the haft by an inch was too short, But to alter it then 'twas too late.

Now a small elf came running with gold on his head,
Which he gave a dwarf-woman to spin,

Who the metal like flax on her spinning-wheel laid,
Nor tarried her task to begin.

So she span and span, and the gold thread ran
Into hair, though Loke thought it a pity:

She

span and sang to the sledge-hammer's clang, This strange, wild spinning-wheel ditty.

"Henceforward her hair shall the tall Sif wear,
Hanging loose down her white neck behind;
By no envious braid shall it captive be made,
But in native grace float in the wind.

"No swain shall it view in the clear heaven's blue,
But his heart in its toils shall be lost;

No goddess, not e'en beauty's faultless queen,15
Such long, glossy ringlets shall boast;

15 Freya.

"Tho' they now seem dead, let them touch but her head,
Each hair shall the life-moisture fill,
Nor shall malice nor spell henceforward prevail
Sif's tresses to work aught of ill.”

His object attain'd, Loke no longer remain'd

'Neath the earth, but straight hied him to Thor, Who own'd than the hair, ne'er, sure, aught more fair His eyes had e'er look'd on before.

The Boar Freyr bestrode, and away proudly rode,
And Thor took the ringlets and hammer,
To Valhalla they hied, where the Aser reside,
Mid of tilting and wassail the clamour.

At a full, solemn Thing16-Thor gave Odin the ring,
And Loke his foul treachery pardon'd:

But the pardon was vain--for his crimes soon again
Must do penance, the arch-sinner harden'd.

Oehlenschläger.

16 Thing—any public meeting. The present triennial parliament of Norway is called Stor-thing, the great meeting.

CHAPTER IX.

ÆGIR-RAN-ÆGIR'S FEAST-GEFRONE.

EGIR, who was also called Gymer and Hler, was the god of the ocean, and although not one of the Aser, being descended from the giants, was possessed of considerable power. His dominion did not interfere with that of Niord, who had sway over the inland waters only. By his wife Ran he had nine daughters, who became billows, currents, and storms.

Ran, the queen of the ocean, was of a cruel and avaricious disposition. It was she who caused all shipwrecks, and she was in possession of a net, in which she entangled and drew to her whatever fell into the sea. All who were drowned were believed to go to her, a belief which the Swedish peasants still hold of the mermaid.

Ægir was very rich, and was celebrated also for great prudence and wisdom. His chief residence was in the island of Hlesey or Lessöe, in the Cattegat.

In crystal halls his head
Rears Ægir, Ran's stern spouse;
A silver helmet red

With coral guards his brows;
His beard, of ocean weeds,

His

spear with amber deck'd,

And pearls, but shew he needs,

And the proud waves are check'd.

The emblem of his sway

When lifts the watery god

Quick sinks the raging sea,
Obedient to his rod;
His pearly muscle throne,
In Hlesey may be seen;
Has daughters nine by Ran,

Three are the billows green.

Oehlenschläger.

The description of Ægir's feast, as given in the Elder Edda, is one of the most curious and characteristic relics of Scandinavian antiquity, whether considered as illustrative of the religious belief, or of the manners of the time in which it was written, it could not therefore with propriety have been omitted in a work of this nature. The coarseness, however, of the original, has obliged the author at times to use a great latitude of translation, and, in some instances, where the grossness would not be veiled, to have recourse to the Latin version. With this caution we shall proceed to give an account of

ÆGIR'S FEAST.

Ægir once made a journey to Asgard, on which occasion the gods received him with great distinction, and gave a feast in his honour. Ægir in return invited them all to an entertainment, of which an account has been given in the sixth chapter. Having obtained through Thor's assistance, as there described, Hymir's great kettle, he brewed in it a sufficient quantity of ale, and again invited the gods to a feast. Odin and Frigga were there; Sif, Thor's wife (Thor himself was engaged otherwise); Bragi and Iduna; Tyr; Niord and Skada; Freyr and Freya; Vidar, Odin's son ; Loke also was present, and Beygver and Beyla, Freyr's attendants, and a great many Elves and Aser.

The banquet was very brilliant, gold was made use of for lights, and the drink passed about of itself. The guests particularly praised the alertness of Ægir's two attendants, Fimaseng and Elder, which exciting Loke's spleen, he maliciously slew Fimaseng. The Aser, on this, rose with one accord, and drove him from the hall, but in a short time he returned, and meeting Elder addressed him as follows: