Northern mythology

NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY.
'l'^
though only one day old,
Hod^
unwashed and uncombed, slew
Thokt, it was supposed, was Loki, who had thus not
only caused the death of Baldur, but also prevented his
release from Hel. To escape from the vengeance of the
gods, he concealed himself in a mountain, where he built
a house with four doors, that he might see on all sides.
But in the day-time he often transformed himself into a
salmon, and hid himself in the waterfall called Franangur's
fors. He was one day sitting in his house twisting
flax and yarn, and forming meshes, like
the nets of later
times, with a fire burning before him, when he perceived
that the ^sir were not far off; for Odin had spied out his
retreat from Hlidskialf. On the approach of the ^sir, he
threw the net-work into the fire, and sprang into the river.
Kvasir, the wisest of the iEsir, was the first that entered,
who, on seeing the ashes of the net-work on the fire, concluded
that it must be for the purpose of catching fish.
On mentioning this to the iEsir, they took hemp, made a
net after what they had seen on the ashes, and cast it into
the water-fall ; Thor holding it at one end, and all the
jEsir drawing it at the other. But Loki went to a distance,
and placed himself between two stones, so that the
net passed over him ;
but they were aware that something
living had touched it. They then cast it out a second
time, having tied to it something heavy, so that nothing
could slip from under it ; but Loki went on farther, and
perceiving that he was near the sea, he sprang over the
net up into the water-fall. The ^sir having now ascertained
where he was, returned to the waterfall, and divided
themselves into two parties, Thor wading in the
middle of the river towards the sea. Loki had now the
alternative, either, at the risk of his life, to swim out to
sea, or again to leap over the net. With the greatest
i Gylf. 49. Vegtamskvi'Sa. Voluspa, Str. 36-38. Hyndlulj. Str. 28.