a peasant and had a
wife called Laufey. She was thin and meagre, and so she was called
'Needle.' They had no children except a son who was called Loki. He
was not a big man, but he early developed a caustic tongue and was
alert in trickery and unequalled in that kind of cleverness which is
called cunning. He was very full of guile even in his youth, and for
this reason he was called Loki the Sly. He set off to Othin's home
in Asgarth and became his man. Othin always had a good word for him
whatever he did, and often laid heavy tasks upon him, all of which he
performed better than could have been expected. He also knew almost
everything that happened, and he told Othin whatever he knew.

Now it is said that Loki got to know that Freyja had received the
necklace ... and this he told to Othin. And when Othin heard of it he
told Loki to fetch him the necklace. Loki said that there was not much
hope of that, because no-one could get into Freyja's bower against her
will. Othin told him to go, and not come back without the necklace.
So Loki went off howling, and everyone was glad that he had got into
trouble.

He went to Freyja's bower, but it was locked. He tried to get in but
could not. The weather outside was very cold and he became thoroughly
chilled. Then he turned himself into a fly, and flew around all the
bolts and along the whole of the woodwork, but nowhere could he find
a hole big enough to enter by, right up to the gable. He found only a
hole no bigger than would allow of the insertion of a needle. Through
this hole he crept. And when he got inside he stared around, wondering
if anyone was awake. But he found that the room was all wrapped in
slumber.

Then he went in and up to Freyja's bed and found that she was wearing
the necklace and that the clasp was underneath her. Loki thereupon
turned himself into a flea and settled on Freyja's cheek and stung
her, till she awoke and turned over and went to sleep again. Then he
laid aside his flea-form, drew the necklace from her gently, opened
the door and departed, carrying the necklace to Othin.

When Freyja awoke in the morning she found that the door was open,
though it had not been forced, and that her lovely necklace was gone.
She had a shrewd idea of the trick that had been played on her, and
when she was dressed she went into the hall to King Othin, and told
him that he had done ill to rob her of her trinket, and begged him to
return it.

Othin replied that