the strength of any giant. But I will demolish
the rest of your shining city!" Indeed, he would have done so in his
mighty rage; but at this moment Thor, whom Heimdal had called from the
end of the earth by one blast of the golden horn, came rushing to the
rescue, drawn in his chariot of goats. Thor jumped to the ground close
beside the giant, and before that huge fellow knew what had happened,
his head was rolling upon the ground at Father Odin's feet; for with one
blow Thor had put an end to the giant's wickedness and had saved Asgard.

"This is the reward you deserve!" Thor cried. "Not Freia nor the Sun and
Moon, but the death that I have in store for all the enemies of the
AEsir."

In this extraordinary way the noble city of Asgard was made safe and
complete by the addition of a fortress which no one, not even the giant
who built it, could injure, it was so wonder-strong. But always at the
top of the gate were lacking three great stones that no one was mighty
enough to lift. This was a reminder to the AEsir that now they had the
race of giants for their everlasting enemies. And though Loki's trick
had saved them Freia, and for the world the Sun and Moon, it was the
beginning of trouble in Asgard which lasted as long as Loki lived to
make mischief with his guile.

CHAPTER XII

HOW ODIN LOST HIS EYE

In the beginning of things, before there was any world or sun, moon, and
stars, there were the giants; for these were the oldest creatures that
ever breathed. They lived in Jotunheim, the land of frost and darkness,
and their hearts were evil. Next came the gods, the good AEsir, who made
earth and sky and sea, and who dwelt in Asgard, above the heavens. Then
were created the queer little dwarfs, who lived underground in the
caverns of the mountains, working at their mines of metal and precious
stones. Last of all, the gods made men to dwell in Midgard, the good
world that we know, between which and the glorious home of the AEsir
stretched Bifroest, the bridge of rainbows.

In those days, folk say, there was a mighty ash tree named Yggdrasil, so
vast that its branches shaded the whole earth and stretched up into
heaven where the AEsir dwelt, while its roots sank far down below the
lowest depth. In the branches of the big ash tree lived a queer family
of creatures. First, there was a great eagle, who was wiser than any
bird that ever lived--except the two ravens, Thought and Memory, who sat
upon Father Odin'