ompleted, Sindri flung some more
gold on the fire and bade his brother resume blowing, while he again
went out to secure magic assistance. This time Loki, still disguised
as a gadfly, stung the dwarf on his cheek; but in spite of the pain
Brock worked on, and when Sindri returned, he triumphantly drew
out of the flames the magic ring Draupnir, the emblem of fertility,
from which eight similar rings dropped every ninth night.

"They worked it and turned it with wondrous skill,
Till they gave it the virtue rare,
That each thrice third night from its rim there fell
Eight rings, as their parent fair."

The Dwarfs, Oehlenschlaeger (Pigott's tr.).

Now a lump of iron was cast in the flames, and with renewed caution not
to forfeit their success by inattention, Sindri passed out, leaving
Brock to ply the bellows as before. Loki was now in desperation
and he prepared for a final effort. This time, still in the guise
of the gadfly, he stung the dwarf above the eye until the blood
began to flow in such a stream, that it prevented his seeing what
he was doing. Hastily raising his hand for a second, Brock dashed
aside the stream of blood; but short as was the interruption it had
worked irreparable harm, and when Sindri drew his work out of the
fire he uttered an exclamation of disappointment for the hammer he
had fashioned was short in the handle.

"Then the dwarf raised his hand to his brow for the smart,
Ere the iron well out was beat,
And they found that the haft by an inch was too short,
But to alter it then 'twas too late."

The Dwarfs, Oehlenschlaeger (Pigott's tr.).

Notwithstanding this mishap, Brock was sure of winning the wager and
he did not hesitate to present himself before the gods in Asgard,
where he gave Odin the ring Draupnir, Frey the boar Gullin-bursti,
and Thor the hammer Mioelnir, whose power none could resist.

Loki in turn gave the spear Gungnir to Odin, the ship Skidbladnir to
Frey, and the golden hair to Thor; but although the latter immediately
grew upon Sif's head and was unanimously declared more beautiful than
her own locks had ever been, the gods decreed that Brock had won
the wager, on the ground that the hammer Mioelnir, in Thor's hands,
would prove invaluable against the frost giants on the last day.

"And at their head came Thor,
Shouldering his hammer, which the giants know."

Balder De