" cried Ran. "A bound is set, beyond which I may not
venture. If all the gold of earth were offered me, I could not go."

"Then lend me your net," entreated Loki. "Lend me your net, and I will
bring it back to-morrow filled with gold."

"Much I would like your gold," answered Ran; "but I cannot lend my net.
Should I do so, I might lose the richest prize that has ever come into
my husband's kingdom. For three days, now, a gold-rigged ship, bearing
a princely crew with rich armor and abundant wealth, has been sailing
carelessly over these seas. To-morrow I shall send my daughters and the
bewitching mermaids to decoy the vessel among the rocks. And into my net
the ship, and the brave warriors, and all their armor and gold, shall
fall. A rich prize it will be. No: I cannot part with my net, even for a
single hour."

But Loki knew the power of flattering words.

"Beautiful queen," said he, "there is no one on earth, nor even in
Asgard, who can equal you in wisdom and foresight. Yet I promise you,
that, if you will but lend me your net until the morning dawns, the ship
and the crew of which you speak shall be yours, and all their golden
treasures shall deck your azure halls in the deep sea."

Then Ran carefully folded the net, and gave it to Loki.

"Remember your promise," was all that she said.

"An Asa never forgets," he answered.

And he turned his face again towards Rhineland; and the magic shoes bore
him aloft, and carried him in a moment back to the ice-mountain and
the gorge and the infant river, which he had so lately left. The
salmon still rested in his place, and had not moved during Loki's short
absence.

Loki unfolded the net, and cast it into the stream. The cunning fish
tried hard to avoid being caught in its meshes; but, dart which way
he would, he met the skilfully woven cords, and these drew themselves
around him, and held him fast. Then Loki pulled the net up out of the
water, and grasped the helpless fish in his right hand. But, lo! as he
held the struggling creature high in the air, it was no longer a fish,
but the cunning dwarf Andvari.

"Thou King of the Elves," cried Loki, "thy cunning has not saved thee.
Tell me, on thy life, where thy hidden treasures lie!"

The wise dwarf knew who it was that thus held him as in a vise; and he
answered frankly, for it was his only hope of escape, "Turn over the
stone upon which you stand. Beneath it you will find the treasure you
seek."

Then Loki put