l; and Regin, the youngest, with all wisdom and deftness of
hand. To please the avaricious Hreidmar, this youngest son fashioned
for him a house lined with glittering gold and flashing gems, and
this was guarded by Fafnir, whose fierce glances and AEgis helmet none
dared encounter.

Now it came to pass that Odin, Hoenir, and Loki once came in human
guise, upon one of their wonted expeditions to test the hearts of men,
unto the land where Hreidmar dwelt.

"And the three were the heart-wise Odin, the Father of the Slain,
And Loki, the World's Begrudger, who maketh all labour vain,
And Haenir, the Utter-Blameless, who wrought the hope of man,
And his heart and inmost yearnings, when first the work began;--
The God that was aforetime, and hereafter yet shall be
When the new light yet undreamed of shall shine o'er earth
and sea."

As the gods came near to Hreidmar's dwelling, Loki perceived
an otter basking in the sun. This was none other than the dwarf
king's second son, Otter, who now succumbed to Loki's usual love of
destruction. Killing the unfortunate creature he flung its lifeless
body over his shoulders, thinking it would furnish a good dish when
meal time came.

Loki then hastened after his companions, and entering Hreidmar's
house with them, he flung his burden down upon the floor. The moment
the dwarf king's glance fell upon the seeming otter, he flew into
a towering rage, and ere they could offer effective resistance the
gods found themselves lying bound, and they heard Hreidmar declare
that never should they recover their liberty until they could satisfy
his thirst for gold by giving him of that precious substance enough
to cover the skin of the otter inside and out.

"'Now hearken the doom I shall speak! Ye stranger-folk shall
be free
When ye give me the Flame of the Waters, the gathered Gold of
the Sea,
That Andvari hideth rejoicing in the wan realm pale as the grave;
And the Master of Sleight shall fetch it, and the hand that
never gave,
And the heart that begrudgeth for ever, shall gather and give and rue.
--Lo, this is the doom of the wise, and no doom shall be spoken
anew.'"

As the otter-skin developed the property of stretching itself to a
fabulous size, no ordinary treasure could suffice to cover it, and the
plight of the gods, therefore, was a very bad one. The case, however,
became a little more hopeful when Hreidmar con