oquence persuaded the Asas, and next day, when the Builder
returned for their decision, Loki, as their spokesman, called to the
mighty fellow as he crossed the bridge:

"Good man, we cannot wait for three half years for the completion of
our fortress. But if you will undertake to do the work in the course
of one winter, without any assistance, you shall have Freya, and the
sun and moon to boot. If, however, on the first day of summer, one
stone is missing from its place, the fortress will be ours without any
payment whatever, since you will have broken your plighted word."

At this the Master Builder did not look well pleased. He pulled his
great beard and eyed the speaker doubtfully, muttering that the time
was too short for so great a task; but when Loki pretended to turn
away, as though the matter were ended, he called after him:

"Well, have it so--the fortress shall be built in the time you set.
But you must at least let me have the help of my good horse Svadilfare
to carry stone."

When they heard this request the Asas demurred, saying: "He means to
play us some trick."

But Loki persuaded them to make this trifling concession.

"For," said he, "of what use can a horse be in building a fortress? He
will never be able to finish the place in time, and we shall get our
fort for nothing. At least you can let him have his great clumsy horse
for any use that he may be."

So the Asas agreed, and went their different ways, leaving the Master
Builder to his work.

The winter months passed on, and while the Asas busied themselves with
their various occupations and amusements, the Master Builder was
toiling with might and main. But he could have done little in the time
if he had not had the help of his wonderful horse Svadilfare, who not
only dragged huge blocks of stone to the spot, but raised them into
position with his strong forefeet. And this was done with such speed
that, some days before the end of winter, the fortress was finished,
with the exception of three blocks of stone which were to form one of
the gateways.

Then the Asas suddenly realised what was about to happen. In less than
three days more the fortress would be finished; it needed, in fact,
but one night's work to make all complete. They remembered with horror
the price they had undertaken to pay; the loss not only of Freya,
fairest of maidens, but also of sun and moon, whose light was the joy
of their life and the necessity of mankind.

"It i