sons. "We cannot make it now; for
who would dare to send a present to Thor before he has offered one to
Odin, the great All-Father?"

"Make me, then, a gift for Odin," cried Loki; "and he will shelter me
from the Thunderer's wrath."

So the dwarfs put iron into their furnace, and heated it to a glowing
white-heat; and then they drew it out, and rolled it upon their anvils,
and pounded it with heavy hammers, until they had wrought a wondrous
spear, such as no man had ever seen. Then they inlaid it with priceless
jewels, and plated the point with gold seven times tried.

"This is the spear Gungner," said they. "Take it to the great All-Father
as the best gift of his humble earth-workers."

"Make me now a present for Frey the gentle," said Loki. "I owe my life
to him; and I have promised to take him a swift steed that will bear him
everywhere."

Then Ivald's sons threw gold into the furnace, and blew with their
bellows until the very roof of the great cave-hall seemed to tremble,
and the smoke rolled up the wide chimney, and escaped in dense fumes
from the mountain-top. When they left off working, and the fire died
away, a fairy ship, with masts and sails, and two banks of long oars,
and a golden dragon stem, rose out of the glowing coals; and it grew in
size until it filled a great part of the hall, and might have furnished
room for a thousand warriors with their arms and steeds. Then, at a word
from the dwarfs, it began to shrink, and it became smaller and smaller
until it was no broader than an oak-leaf. And the younger of Ivald's
sons folded it up like a napkin, and gave it to Loki, saying,--

"Take this to Frey the gentle. It is the ship Skidbladner. When it is
wanted for a voyage, it will carry all the Asa-folk and their weapons
and stores; and, no matter where they wish to go, the wind will always
drive it straight to the desired port. But, when it is not needed, the
good Frey may fold it up, as I have done, and carry it safely in his
pocket."

Loki was much pleased; and, although he felt disappointed because he had
no present for Thor, he heartily thanked the dwarfs for their kindness;
and taking the golden hair, and the spear Gungner, and the ship
Skidbladner, he bade Ivald's sons good-by, and started for home. But,
before he reached the narrow doorway which led out of the cave, he met
two crooked-backed dwarfs, much smaller and much uglier than any he had
seen before.

"What have you there?" asked one o