goddess,
and that soon, his life would be in considerable danger.

He assured the indignant gods, therefore, that he would leave no
stone unturned in his efforts to secure the release of Idun, and,
borrowing Freya's falcon plumage, he flew off to Thrym-heim, where
he found Idun alone, sadly mourning her exile from Asgard and her
beloved Bragi. Changing the fair goddess into a nut according to
some accounts, or according to others, into a swallow, Loki grasped
her tightly between his claws, and then rapidly retraced his way to
Asgard, hoping that he would reach the shelter of its high walls ere
Thiassi returned from a fishing excursion in the Northern seas to
which he had gone.

Meantime the gods had assembled on the ramparts of the heavenly
city, and they were watching for the return of Loki with far more
anxiety than they had felt for Odin when he went in search of
Od-hroerir. Remembering the success of their ruse on that occasion,
they had gathered great piles of fuel, which they were ready to set
on fire at any moment.

Suddenly they saw Loki coming, but descried in his wake a great
eagle. This was the giant Thiassi who had suddenly returned to
Thrym-heim and found that his captive had been carried off by a falcon,
in whom he readily recognised one of the gods. Hastily donning his
eagle plumes he had given immediate chase and was rapidly overtaking
his prey. Loki redoubled his efforts as he neared the walls of Asgard,
and ere Thiassi overtook him he reached the goal and sank exhausted in
the midst of the gods. Not a moment was lost in setting fire to the
accumulated fuel, and as the pursuing Thiassi passed over the walls
in his turn, the flames and smoke brought him to the ground crippled
and half stunned, an easy prey to the gods, who fell ruthlessly upon
him and slew him.

The AEsir were overjoyed at the recovery of Idun, and they hastened
to partake of the precious apples which she had brought safely
back. Feeling the return of their wonted strength and good looks with
every mouthful they ate, they good-naturedly declared that it was
no wonder if even the giants longed to taste the apples of perpetual
youth. They vowed therefore that they would place Thiassi's eyes as
a constellation in the heavens, in order to soften any feeling of
anger which his kinsmen might experience upon learning that he had
been slain.

"Up I cast the eyes
Of Allvaldi's son
Into the heaven's serene:
They are sig