sented to liberate one
of their number. The emissary selected was Loki, who lost no time in
setting off to the waterfall where the dwarf Andvari dwelt, in order
that he might secure the treasure there amassed.

"There is a desert of dread in the uttermost part of the world,
Where over a wall of mountains is a mighty water hurled,
Whose hidden head none knoweth, nor where it meeteth the sea;
And that force is the Force of Andvari, and an Elf of the Dark
is he.
In the cloud and the desert he dwelleth amid that land alone;
And his work is the storing of treasure within his house of stone."

In spite of diligent search, however, Loki could not find the dwarf,
until, perceiving a salmon sporting in the foaming waters, it occurred
to him that the dwarf might have assumed this shape. Borrowing Ran's
net he soon caught the fish, and learned, as he had suspected, that it
was Andvari. Finding that there was nothing else for it, the dwarf now
reluctantly brought forth his mighty treasure and surrendered it all,
including the Helmet of Dread and a hauberk of gold, reserving only a
ring which was gifted with miraculous powers, and which, like a magnet,
attracted the precious ore. But the greedy Loki, catching sight of it,
wrenched it from off the dwarf's finger and departed laughing, while
his victim hurled angry curses after him, declaring that the ring would
ever prove its possessor's bane and would cause the death of many.

"That gold
Which the dwarf possessed
Shall to two brothers
Be cause of death,
And to eight princes,
Of dissension.
From my wealth no one
Shall good derive."

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

On arriving at Hreidmar's house, Loki found the mighty treasure none
too great, for the skin became larger with every object placed upon it,
and he was forced to throw in the ring Andvaranaut (Andvari's loom),
which he had intended to retain, in order to secure the release of
himself and his companions. Andvari's curse of the gold soon began
to operate. Fafnir and Regin both coveted a share, while Hriedmar
gloated over his treasure night and day, and would not part with an
item of it. Fafnir the invincible, seeing at last that he could not
otherwise gratify his lust, slew his father, and seized the whole
of the treasure, then, when Regin came to claim a share he drove him
scornfully away and bade him earn his own living.

Thus exiled