A Primary Reader | Page 7

bit so hard that the blood ran into his eyes.
Brok put up his hand to brush away the fly.
Just then Sindre came back.
He took the hammer out of the fire.
[Illustration: THE DWARFS WITH THE GOLDEN PIG, THE RING AND THE HAMMER.]
"There!" he said, "You have almost spoiled it. The handle is too short, but it cannot be helped now."
* * * * *
hurried proud came pocket
Brok hurried up to Asgard with his things.
All the gods came around to see. Then Loki came up to show his things.
He put the crown of gold on Sif's head and it began to grow like real hair.
He gave the spear to Odin and said, "This spear will never miss its mark."
[Illustration: SIF WITH THE GOLDEN CROWN]
Then he took out the ship. He said, "This is a wonderful ship. It will sail on any sea, and yet you can fold it up and put it into your pocket."
Loki felt very proud, for he thought his things were the best.
* * * * *
fold sail afraid sorry each ring shining faster gave
All the gods felt very sorry for little Brok. They thought Loki's things were fine. They were afraid Brok's would not be so nice.
[Illustration: BROK SHOWS HIS THINGS TO THE GODS.]
They said, "Now, Brok, show your things."
Brok took out the gold ring. He said, "Each night this ring will throw off a ring just like it. He gave the ring to Odin."
Then Brok took out the golden pig. He said, "This pig can go anywhere, on the ground or in the air. It can go faster than any horse. If the night is dark, the shining pig will make it light."
* * * * *
frost giants turned blowing
[Illustration: THOR WITH HIS HAMMER]
Then Brok showed the hammer. He said, "This is not a very pretty hammer. When I was making it, Loki turned himself into a fly and made me spoil it. The fly bit me so hard that I had to stop blowing. So the handle is a little short. But it is a wonderful hammer. If you throw it at anything, it will hit the mark and come back to you."
The gods picked up the hammer and passed it around.
They said, "It will be just the things with which to keep the Frost Giants out of Asgard."
* * * * *
touch neck without way
The gods said, "Brok's things are the best."
Brok gave the hammer to Thor. That is the way Thor got his wonderful hammer.
Then Brok said to Loki, "You said I could have your head if my things were the best."
And Loki was angry and said, "Yes, I told you that you could have my head. But you can't touch my neck."
Of course, Brok could not get his head without touching his neck.
So Brok did not get Loki's head.
[Illustration: THE FROST GIANT]

THE HAMMER LOST AND FOUND.
everything planned
The Frost Giants did not like the sunshine. They did not like to see the flowers. They did not like to hear the birds sing. They wanted to spoil everything.
The Frost Giants wanted to get into Asgard. But they did not know how. They were afraid of Thor and his hammer. They said, "If we can only get the hammer, we can get into Asgard."
They talked and planned all night. At last one Frost Giant said, "I know how we can get the hammer. I will dress in a bird suit. Then I will fly up to Thor's house and get the hammer."
[Illustration: THE FROST GIANTS TALKED AND PLANNED ALL NIGHT.]
* * * * *
Freyja
The next night the Frost Giant flew into the house while Thor was asleep.
He took the hammer and flew away with it.
When Thor woke, he put out his hand to get the hammer. It was gone.
He said, "Loki, the hammer is gone. The Frost Giants have taken it. We must get it back."
[Illustration: THE FROST GIANT FLEW INTO THE HOUSE WHILE THOR WAS ASLEEP.]
Loki said, "I can get it back, if Freyja will let me have her falcon suit."
So he went to Freyja and said, "Will you let me have your falcon suit? I can get the hammer back if you will." Freyja said, "Yes, of course I will. If I had a gold suit you could have it. Any thing to get the hammer back."
* * * * *
people city Thrym strange buried eight miles deep falcon
Loki took the falcon suit and put it on. He flew over the city. All the people saw him flying. They said, "What a strange bird!" They did not know that it was Loki going for the hammer.
[Illustration: LOKI BORROWS THE FALCON SUIT.]
When Loki came to the city of the Frost Giants, he took off the falcon suit. He walked and walked until he came to Thrym's house. Thrym was the giant who took the hammer.
Thrym