wait for you
there," said Loki. He watched Thor go up the hillside to Grid's cave. He
waited until he saw Thor come back down the hillside and go toward
Gerrioed's dwelling. He watched Thor go into the house where, as he
thought, death awaited him. Then in a madness for what he had done,
Loki, with his head drawn down on his shoulders, started running like a
bird along the ground.

Grid, the old Giantess, was seated on the floor of the cave grinding
corn between two stones. "Who is it?" she said, as her son led Thor
within. "One of the AEsir! What Giant do you go to injure now, Asa Thor?"

"I go to injure no Giant, old Grid," Thor replied. "Look upon me! Cannot
you see that I have not Mioelnir, my mighty hammer, with me, nor my belt,
nor my gloves of iron?"

"But where in Joetunheim do you go?"

"To the house of a friendly Giant, old Grid--to the house of Gerrioed."

"Gerrioed a friendly Giant! You are out of your wits, Asa Thor. Is he not
out of his wits, my son--this one who saved you from the flood, as you
say?"

"Tell him of Gerrioed, old mother," said the Giant youth.

"Do not go to his house, Asa Thor. Do not go to his house."

"My word has been given, and I should be a craven if I stayed away now,
just because an old crone sitting at a quernstone tells me I am going
into a trap."

"I will give you something that will help you, Asa Thor. Lucky for you I
am mistress of magical things. Take this staff in your hands. It is a
staff of power and will stand you instead of Mioelnir."

"I will take it since you offer it in kindness, old dame, this
worm-eaten staff."

"And take these mittens, too. They will serve you for your gauntlets of
iron."

"I will take them since you offer them in kindness, old dame, these worn
old mittens."

"And take this length of string. It will serve you for your belt of
prowess."

"I will take it since you offer it in kindness, old dame, this ragged
length of string."

"'Tis well indeed for you, Asa Thor, that I am mistress of magical
things."

Thor put the worn length of string around his waist, and as he did he
knew that Grid, the old Giantess, was indeed the mistress of magical
things. For immediately he felt his strength augmented as when he put on
his own belt of strength. He then drew on the mittens and took the staff
that she gave him in his hands.

He left the cave of Grid, the old Giantess, and went to Gerrioed's
dwelling. Loki was not there. It was then that T