eats, in a hall around which were
ranged swords of such surpassing brilliancy that no other light was
requisite. They continued long at table, drinking mead of a very
superior quality. While they were emptying their capacious drinking
horns, AEgir, who sat next to Bragi, requested him to relate something
concerning the AEsir. Bragi instantly complied with his request, by
informing him of what had happened to Iduna.

IDUNA AND HER APPLES.

69. "Once," he said, "when Odin, Loki, and Hoenir went on a journey,
they came to a valley where a herd of oxen were grazing, and being
sadly in want of provisions did not scruple to kill one for their
supper. Vain, however, were their efforts to boil the flesh; they
found it, every time they took off the lid of the kettle, as raw as
when first put in. While they were endeavouring to account for this
singular circumstance a noise was heard above them, and on looking up
they beheld an enormous eagle perched on the branch of an oak tree.
'If ye are willing to let me have my share of the flesh,' said the
eagle, 'it shall soon be boiled;' and on their assenting to this
proposal, it flew down and snatched up a leg and two shoulders of the
ox--a proceeding which so incensed Loki, that he laid hold of a large
stock, and made it fall pretty heavily on the eagle's back. It was,
however, not an eagle that Loki struck, but the renowned giant
Thjassi, clad in his eagle plumage. Loki soon found this out to his
cost, for while one end of the stock stuck fast to the eagle's back,
he was unable to let go his hold of the other end, and was
consequently trailed by the eagle-clad giant over rocks and forests,
until he was almost torn to pieces. Loki in this predicament began to
sue for peace, but Thjassi told him that he should never be released
from his hold until he bound himself by a solemn oath to bring Iduna
and her apples out of Asgard. Loki very willingly gave his oath to
effect this object, and went back in a piteous plight to his
companions.

70. "On his return to Asgard, Loki told Iduna that, in a forest at a
short distance from the celestial residence, he had found apples
growing which he thought were of a much better quality than her own,
and that at all events it was worth while making a comparison between
them. Iduna, deceived by his words, took her apples, and went with him
into the forest, but they had no sooner entered it than Thjassi, clad
in his eagle-plumage, flew rapidly toward