arden, once again she plucked the shining
apples off the tree she tended, and once again she gave them to the
Dwellers in Asgard. And the Dwellers in Asgard walked lightly again, and
brightness came into their eyes and into their cheeks; age no more
approached them; youth came back; light and joy were again in Asgard.

[Illustration]

SIF'S GOLDEN HAIR: HOW LOKI WROUGHT MISCHIEF IN ASGARD

All who dwelt in Asgard, the AEsir and the Asyniur, who were the Gods and
the Goddesses, and the Vanir, who were the friends of the Gods and the
Goddesses, were wroth with Loki. It was no wonder they were wroth with
him, for he had let the Giant Thiassi carry off Iduna and her golden
apples. Still, it must be told that the show they made of their wrath
made Loki ready to do more mischief in Asgard.

One day he saw a chance to do mischief that made his heart rejoice. Sif,
the wife of Thor, was lying asleep outside her house. Her beautiful
golden hair flowed all round her. Loki knew how much Thor loved that
shining hair, and how greatly Sif prized it because of Thor's love.
Here was his chance to do a great mischief. Smilingly, he took out his
shears and he cut off the shining hair, every strand and every tress.
She did not waken while her treasure was being taken from her. But Loki
left Sif's head cropped and bare.

Thor was away from Asgard. Coming back to the City of the Gods, he went
into his house. Sif, his wife, was not there to welcome him. He called
to Sif, but no glad answer came from her. To the palaces of all the Gods
and Goddesses Thor went, but in none of them did he find Sif, his
golden-haired wife.

When he was coming back to his house he heard his name whispered. He
stopped, and then a figure stole out from behind a stone. A veil covered
her head, and Thor scarce knew that this was Sif, his wife. As he went
to her she sobbed and sobbed. "O Thor, my husband," she said, "do not
look upon me. I am ashamed that you should see me. I shall go from
Asgard and from the company of the Gods and Goddesses, and I shall go
down to Svartheim and live amongst the Dwarfs. I cannot bear that any of
the Dwellers in Asgard should look upon me now."

"O Sif," cried Thor, "what has happened to change you?"

"I have lost the hair of my head," said Sif, "I have lost the beautiful
golden hair that you, Thor, loved. You will not love me any more, and so
I must go away, down to Svartheim and to the company of the Dwarfs. They
are