osperity to you and yours."

So the shepherd took the flowers and the seed, and scarcely had he
done so when a mighty peal of thunder, followed by the shock of an
earthquake, rent the cavern, and when he had collected his senses he
found himself once more upon the mountain side.

When he reached home and had told his tale, his wife scolded him
roundly for not bringing home a jewel which would have made them rich
for ever. But when she would have thrown the flowers away he prevented
her. Next day he sowed the seed in his field, and was surprised to
find how far it went.

Very soon after this the field was thick with tiny green shoots; and
though his wife reproached him for wasting good ground upon useless
flowers, he watched and waited in hope until the field was blue with
the starry flax blooms.

Then one night, when the flowers had withered and the seed was ripe,
Frigga, in the disguise of an old woman, visited the lowly hut and
showed the shepherd and his astonished wife how to use the flax
stalks; how to spin them into thread, and how to weave the thread into
linen.

It was not long before all the dwellers in that part of the earth had
heard of the wonderful material, and were hurrying to the shepherd's
hut to buy the bleached linen or the seed from which it was obtained.
And so the shepherd and his family were soon among the richest people
in the land; and the promise of Frigga was amply fulfilled.

CHAPTER IV

How a Giant Built a Fortress for the Asas

_This is the tale the Northmen tell of how
a giant once built a fortress for the Asas._

Although their city of Asgard was beautiful beyond compare, the Asas
who lived therein could not forget that the race of the giants kept
unwearying watch to do them despite. Even All-Father Odin was troubled
when he remembered Mimir's warning that the draught of wisdom would
ever work strife between the races of Asas and giants. And so at
length the Asas, meeting in their Council Chamber at the roots of the
Tree of Life, resolved that something more should be done to guard
themselves. Already, it is true, the watchman Heimdall kept ward over
the Rainbow Bridge by night and day, blowing a soft note on his horn
to announce the coming or going of the Asas, but prepared to give a
terrible blast should any of the Frost Giants attempt to cross the
bridge.

Heimdall, however, might be overpowered before aid could reach him,
and so it was decided to build, just with