the mystic runes; Hoenir gave gladness and good cheer, and
lightened many hearts with the glow of his comforting
presence; but Loki had nought to give but cunning deceit and
base thoughts, and he left behind him bitter strife and many
aching breasts. At last, growing tired of the fellowship of
men, the three Asas sought the solitude of the forest, and
as huntsmen wandered long among the hills and over the
wooded heights of Hunaland. Late one afternoon they came to
a mountain-stream at a place where it poured over a ledge of
rocks, and fell in clouds of spray into a rocky gorge below.
As they stood, and with pleased eyes gazed upon the
waterfall, they saw near the bank an otter lazily making
ready to eat a salmon which he had caught. And Loki, ever
bent on doing mischief, hurled a stone at the harmless
beast, and killed it. And he boasted loudly that he had done
a worthy deed. And he took both the otter, and the fish
which it had caught, and carried them with him as trophies
of the day's success.

Just at nightfall the three huntsmen came to a lone
farmhouse in the valley, and asked for food, and for shelter
during the night.

"Shelter you shall have," said the farmer, whose name was
Hreidmar, "for the rising clouds foretell a storm. But food
I have none to give you. Surely huntsmen of skill should not
want for food; since the forest teems with game, and the
streams are full of fish."

Then Loki threw upon the ground the otter and the fish, and