Northern mythology

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42 NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY.
night at a giant^s named Baugi, a brother of Suttung, who
complained bitterly of the loss he had sustained^ saying
that his nine thralls had killed each other^ and that he
knew not whence he was to get labom-ers. Odin, who now
called himself Bolverk, offered to perform the work of nine
men, on condition of receiving in reward a drink of Suttung's
mead.
Baugi told him that he had no power over
the mead, and added, that Suttung wished to have it all
to himself; but that he would go with Bolverk, and endeavour
to get it. During summer he performed the work
of nine men for Baugi, and when winter came, demanded
his reward. They thereupon went to Suttung, whom
Baugi informed of the agreement, but Suttung would not
part with a drop of the mead.
Bolverk then proposed that
they should try some stratagem, if they could not otherwise
get at the mead ; to which proposal Baugi assented.
Bolverk then produced the auger named Rati, and requested
Baugi, if the auger were sharp enough, to bore
into the mountain. Baugi did so, and said that the mountain
was penetrated ; but when Bolverk blew into the hole,
the dust made by the auger iicw towards him, and he found
that Baugi was deceiving him, and desired him to bore
again. He bored, and when Bolverk again blew, the dust
flew inwards.
Bolverk now, assuming the form of a worm,
crept in. Baugi made a stab after him with the auger,
but missed him. Bolverk then went to the place where
Gunnlod was, with whom he stayed three nights, and obtained
her permission to drink thrice of the mead. At the
first draught he emptied Odhrserir ; at the second, Bodn
and at the third. Son ; and thus drank up all the mead.
Then assuming an eaglets garb, he flew away with all possible
speed. But Suttung, who saw the eaglets flight, also
took his eagle's plumage, and flew after him. Allien the
^Esir saw Odin flying towards them, they set out vessels
in the court, and on entering Asgard, he spat the mead