ull-top, which bore him to and fro over
the quivering rainbow bridge. This he crossed many times a day, but
particularly in the early morn, at which time, as herald of the day,
he bore the name of Heimdellinger.

"Early up Bifroest
Ran Ulfrun's son,
The mighty hornblower
Of Himinbioerg."

Saemund's Edda (Thorpe's tr.).

Loki and Freya

His extreme acuteness of hearing caused Heimdall to be disturbed
one night by the sound of soft, catlike footsteps in the direction
of Freya's palace, Folkvang. Projecting his eagle gaze through the
darkness, Heimdall perceived that the sound was produced by Loki,
who, having stealthily entered the palace as a fly, had approached
Freya's bedside, and was trying to steal her shining golden necklace,
Brisinga-men, the emblem of the fruitfulness of the earth.

Heimdall saw that the goddess was resting in her sleep in such a
way that no one could possibly unclasp the necklace without awaking
her. Loki stood hesitatingly by the bedside for a few moments, and
then began rapidly to mutter the runes which enabled the gods to
change their form at will. As he did this, Heimdall saw him shrivel
up until he was changed to the size and form of a flea, when he crept
under the bed-clothes and bit Freya's side, thus causing her to change
her position without being roused from sleep.

The clasp was now in view, and Loki, cautiously unfastening it,
secured the coveted treasure, and forthwith proceeded to steal away
with it. Heimdall immediately started out in pursuit of the midnight
thief, and quickly overtaking him, he drew his sword from its scabbard,
with intent to cut off his head, when the god transformed himself into
a flickering blue flame. Quick as thought, Heimdall changed himself
into a cloud and sent down a deluge of rain to quench the fire;
but Loki as promptly altered his form to that of a huge polar bear,
and opened wide his jaws to swallow the water. Heimdall, nothing
daunted, then likewise assumed the form of a bear, and attacked
fiercely; but the combat threatening to end disastrously for Loki,
the latter changed himself into a seal, and, Heimdall imitating him,
a last struggle took place, which ended in Loki being forced to give
up the necklace, which was duly restored to Freya.

In this myth, Loki is an emblem of drought, or of the baleful effects
of the too ardent heat of the sun, which comes to rob the earth
(Freya) of its most cherished orn