overed
his son. He drew out the ears and the tail and the paws so that every
single hair could be shown. For long he was on his hands and knees, his
sharp eyes searching, searching over every line of the skin. And still
on his knees he said, "Begin now, O kings, and cover with a gem or a
piece of gold every hair on the skin that was my son's."

Odin stood leaning on his spear, watching the gold and gems being paid
out. Loki took the gold--the ingots, and the lumps and the circlets; he
took the gems--the rubies, and the emeralds and the sapphires, and he
began to place them over each hair. Soon the middle of the skin was all
covered. Then he put the gems and the gold over the paws and the tail.
Soon the otter-skin was so glittering that one would think it could
light up the world. And still Loki went on finding a place where a gem
or a piece of gold might be put.

At last he stood up. Every gem and every piece of gold had been taken
out of the net. And every hair on the otter's skin had been covered with
a gem or a piece of gold.

And still old Hreidmar on his hands and knees was peering over the skin,
searching, searching for a hair that was not covered. At last he lifted
himself up on his knees. His mouth was open, but he was speechless. He
touched Odin on the knees, and when Odin bent down he showed him a hair
upon the lip that was left uncovered.

"What meanest thou?" Loki cried, turning upon the crouching man.

"Your ransom is not paid yet--look, here is still a hair uncovered. You
may not go until every hair is covered with gold or a gem."

"Peace, old man," said Loki roughly. "All the Dwarf's hoard has been
given thee."

"Ye may not go until every hair has been covered," Hreidmar said again.

"There is no more gold or gems," Loki answered.

"Then ye may not go," cried Hreidmar, springing up.

It was true. Odin and Loki might not leave that dwelling until the
recompense they had agreed to was paid in full. Where now would the AEsir
go for gold?

And then Odin saw the gleam of gold on Loki's finger: it was the ring he
had forced from Andvari. "Thy fingerring," said Odin. "Put thy
fingerring over the hair on the otter's skin."

Loki took off the ring that was engraved with the rune of power, and he
put it on the lip-hair of the otter's skin. Then Hreidmar clapped his
hands and screamed aloud. Huge Fafnir and lean and hungry-looking Regin
came within, and Gulveig came behind them. They stood around the s