gods,
taunting them one after another with the mistakes which each had made,
and telling his malicious stories, so that the gods were filled with
dismay, and with suspicion, each of his neighbour.

Louder and louder grew the voice of Loki, the Asas all the time
sitting as if turned to stone, and now he began to heap abuse on the
head of Sif, the fair-haired wife of Thor.

Suddenly there was heard outside the noise of goats' feet clattering
over the rocks, and in another moment the Thunderer entered,
brandishing his hammer about his head and crying:

"Silence, thou wicked wretch, or my mighty hammer shall put a stop to
thy prating. At one blow will I strike thy head from thy neck, and
then will thy evil tongue be silenced once for all!"

But Loki did not wait for Thor to strike. Quick as light he dashed out
of the cave and disappeared. He well knew that now at length he had
indeed lost all hope of forgiveness.

Wandering in dismal wise about the earth, fear seized him after a time
lest Odin or the Thunderer should find and slay him, in order to
prevent further annoyance.

So he made his way to the mountains of the North, and there he built
for himself a hut with four doors, open to every quarter of the earth,
that, if need arose, he might be able to escape quickly.

He built this hut, moreover, close to a mountain side, down which
rushed a mighty cataract of water. For he intended, if the Asas found
him, to spring into the stream, change himself into a salmon, and so
make good his escape.

But when, sitting within his cold and draughty hut, he began to
consider the matter afresh, he remembered that, even if he carried out
this plan, he would not yet be quite safe.

For though he could easily avoid any hook that ever was made, he would
find it very difficult to evade capture if the gods should think of
making a net like that which the Sea-goddess, Ran, spreads for unwary
men when they are fishing or bathing in the sea, and all the time she
is lurking near in some cavern on the shore, or enmeshed in the dark
folds of a giant sea-weed in the ocean depths.

So much and so long did Loki brood over the thought of Ran's
fishing-net, that at length he began to wonder if such a thing could
really be made, and then to try to weave one out of twine as much like
it as possible.

He had not quite finished his curious task when upon the mountain,
just above the hut, he suddenly perceived the two mighty figures of
his dr