will." But Freyja said, "No, I will not be his wife." Loki said, "You will have to if we get the hammer back." Still Freyja said, "I will not go." And she was very angry. She shook so hard that she broke her necklace and it fell to the floor.

Then the gods said, "Thor, you must dress like Freyja. You will have to play you are the bride." Thor said, "I won't do it. You will all laugh at me. I won't dress up like a girl." They said, "Well, that is the only way we can get the hammer back." Thor said, "I do not like to dress like a girl, but I will do it." Then they dressed Thor up like Freyja. They put on Freyja's dress, necklace, and vail, and braided his hair. Loki said, "I will dress up too, and be your servant." They got into Thor's goat wagon and went to the Giants' home.

When the Frost Giants saw them coming, they said, "Get ready, here comes the bride! We will sit down to the table as soon as they come." The dinner was ready on time. The table was full of good things. All sat down. The bride ate a whole ox and eight salmon before the others had a bite. "She must be very hungry," the Frost Giants said. "Yes," Loki said, "she was so glad to come. She hasn't eaten anything for eight days." Then they brought in the mead. The bride drank three barrels of mead. "How thirsty she is!" said the Frost Giants. Loki said, "Yes, she is very thirsty. She was so glad to come. She did not drink anything for eight days."

Old Thrym said, "I had everything I wanted but Freyja. Now I have Freyja." And Thrym went to kiss the bride. He lifted her vail, but her eyes shone like fire. Thrym stepped back. He said, "What makes Freyja's eyes shine so?" Loki said, "Oh, she was so glad to come. She did not sleep for eight nights." Then Loki said, "It is time for the hammer. Go and get it and put it in the bride's lap." As soon as the hammer was in his lap, Thor tore off the vail. He took the hammer and whirled it around. Fire flew from it. The fire burned the house and the Frost Giants ran away. So Thor got his hammer back.

THE STORY OF THE SHEEP.

Long, long ago there lived a king in Greece. He had two little children, a boy and a girl. They were good children and loved each other very much. One day they were playing in the garden. "Oh, Helle, look!" said the boy. There on the grass was a fine large sheep. This sheep had a fleece of gold and his horns were gold, too. The children wanted to pat the sheep, but they could not catch him. When they went near, he ran away on the clouds.

Every day 

 Prev. P 10/29 next