times, and
again the fetters lay in fragments on the ground.

Then the gods began to fear that they would never hold the wolf in
bonds; and it was All-Father Odin who persuaded them to make one more
attempt.

So they sent a messenger to Dwarfland bidding him ask the Little Men
to make a chain which nothing could possibly destroy.

Setting at once to work, the clever little smiths soon fashioned a
slender silken rope, and gave it to the messenger, saying that no
strength could break it, and that the more it was strained the
stronger it would become.

It was made of the most mysterious things--the sound of a cat's
footsteps, the roots of a mountain, the sinews of a bear, the breath
of fishes, and other such strange materials, which only the dwarfs
knew how to use.

With this chain the messenger hastened back over the Rainbow Bridge to
Asgard.

By this time the Fenris Wolf had grown too big for his yard, so he
lived on a rocky island in the middle of the lake that lies in the
midst of Asgard. And here the Asas now betook themselves with their
chain, and began to play their part with wily words.

"See," they cried, "O Fenris! Here is a cord so soft and thin that
none would think of it binding such strength as thine."

And they laughed great laughs, and handed it to one another, and tried
its strength by pulling at it with all their might, but it did not
break.

Then they came nearer and used more wiles, saying:

"We cannot break the cord, though 'tis stronger than it looks, but
thou, O mighty one, will be able to snap it in a moment."

But the wolf tossed his head in scorn, and said:

"Small renown would there be to me, O Asa folk, if I were to break yon
slender string. Save, therefore, your breath, and leave me now alone."

"Aha!" cried the Asas. "Thou fearest the might of the silken cord,
thou false one, and that is why thou wilt not let us bind thee!"

"Not I," said the Fenris Wolf, growing rather suspicious, "but if it
is made with craft and guile it shall never come near my feet."

"But," said the Asas, "thou wilt surely be able to break this silken
cord with ease, since thou hast already broken the great iron
fetters."

To this the wolf made no answer, pretending not to hear.

"Come!" said the Asas again, "why shouldst thou fear? For even if thou
couldst not break the cord we would immediately let thee free again.
To refuse is a coward's piece of work."

Then the wolf gnashed his teeth at them