lers
in Asgard favored. Suttung, that he might have a guardian for the Magic
Mead, enchanted Gunnloed, turning her from a beautiful Giant maiden into
a witch with long teeth and sharp nails. He shut her into the cavern
where the jars of the Magic Mead were hidden.

Odin heard of the death of Kvasir whom he honored above all men. The
Dwarfs who slew him he had closed up in their caverns so that they were
never again able to come out into the World of Men. And then he set out
to get the Magic Mead that he might give it to men, so that, tasting it,
they would have wisdom, and words would be at their command that would
make wisdom loved and remembered.

How Odin won the Magic Mead out of the rock-covered cavern where Suttung
had hidden it, and how he broke the enchantment that lay upon Gunnloed,
Suttung's daughter, is a story often told around the hearths of men.

Nine strong thralls were mowing in a field as a Wanderer went by clad in
a dark blue cloak and carrying a wanderer's staff in his hand. One of
the thralls spoke to the Wanderer: "Tell them in the house of Baugi up
yonder that I can mow no more until a whetstone to sharpen my scythe is
sent to me." "Here is a whetstone," said the Wanderer, and he took one
from his belt. The thrall who had spoken whetted his scythe with it and
began to mow. The grass went down before his scythe as if the wind had
cut it. "Give us the whetstone, give us the whetstone," cried the other
thralls. The Wanderer threw the whetstone amongst them, leaving them
quarreling over it, and went on his way.

The Wanderer came to the house of Baugi, the brother of Suttung. He
rested in Baugi's house, and at supper time he was given food at the
great table. And while he was eating with the Giant a Messenger from the
field came in.

"Baugi," said the Messenger, "your nine thralls are all dead. They
killed each other with their scythes, fighting in the field about a
whetstone. There are no thralls now to do your work."

"What shall I do, what shall I do?" said Baugi the Giant. "My fields
will not be mown now, and I shall have no hay to feed my cattle and my
horses in the winter."

"I might work for you," said the Wanderer.

"One man's work is no use to me," said the Giant, "I must have the work
of nine men."

"I shall do the work of nine men," said the Wanderer, "give me a trial,
and see."

The next day Vegtam the Wanderer went into Baugi's field. He did as much
work as the nine thralls ha