Journeys Through Bookland Volume Ii Part 16

"But why," asked Thor, "should he burn it up, when he has spent so much work upon it?"

"I don't know," said Heimdal musingly, "unless--unless. Where could he hide except in that stream, and how could he conceal himself there without changing himself to a fish? Mark my words. Loki is there, and he feared we might catch him with his own net."

"That," said Odin, "would be a form of justice for which one would scarcely dare hope. I fear the net is too badly burned for use."

"Not so," replied Heimdal. "Here is more flax, and we can easily repair the damage the fire has done."

So the three G.o.ds sat upon the floor of the hut and mended the burned net, keeping an eye always on the stream, that Loki might not make his escape. And when the net was ready they went forth, and with it dragged the stream. Not a fish did they catch, for Loki had frightened the real fish away, and he himself was hiding between two big stones, so that the net pa.s.sed over him.

"The thing is too light," said Thor. "It does not touch the bottom."

"That we can soon change," replied Heimdal, and he set about fastening stones to the lower edge of the net.

Again they began to drag the river, and this time Loki feared that he could not escape. But just as the net almost touched him, he gave a mighty leap and sprang clear of the net. The silvery flash, the sudden splash, startled the G.o.ds, so that they almost dropped the net; but it told them what they wanted to know--Loki WAS in the stream. Turning, they dragged the net down the stream, driving Loki nearer and nearer to the sheer drop of the waterfall, down which he dared not plunge.

Desperate, he made another leap, and again he almost escaped; but Thor's quick eyes saw him, Thor's strong, iron-gloved hand gripped him. The great salmon struggled, but Thor held it fast by the tail, and finally flung it out upon the bank.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THOR'S HAND GRIPPED HIM]

Loki, within the fish, vowed to himself that he would not return to his own shape; but the fish's body could not live long out of the water, and soon he found himself growing weak and faint. At length, therefore, he was obliged to a.s.sume his own form, and there he stood, handsome, but evil-looking, before the waiting G.o.ds.

"It hurts us," said Odin, "that we should be forced to treat one of our own kind in this way. Perhaps even now--tell us that you do regret your past wickedness, that you are sorry for the trouble you have caused the G.o.ds, that you grieve sometimes for Balder's death."

"I grieve," said Loki, "only that I have caused so little trouble among the G.o.ds; I regret only that the days for pitting my cleverness against your stupidity are at an end--for I ask for no mercy. As for Balder's death, it has been my chief cause for rejoicing as I have dwelt here in this solitary place."

Shocked by his hardness, the G.o.ds led him away to the punishment which they had planned for him. The other G.o.ds met them by the way, and troops of dwarfs and elves and human beings and animals sprang up on every side, and followed them. And in the hearts of all these followers there was joy, for Loki had never done them anything but harm; and besides, had he not slain Balder, the beautiful, the beloved?

But in the hearts of the G.o.ds there was pain, for Loki was of their own number, and far back in the beginnings of time, before he had become wicked, he had been their great pride, by reason of his cleverness.

They pa.s.sed, a noisy procession, to a dark, underground cavern, a damp, slimy place, where snakes looked out from their holes, and toads sat upon the stones. Here were three sharp-pointed rocks, which Thor pierced with holes; and to these rocks they bound the wretched Loki with chains of adamant.

"Here he shall stay," said Odin, "until the last great day shall come for G.o.ds and men."

A giantess, whose son Loki had killed, came with a great serpent, which she fastened directly over Loki's head; and from the serpent's mouth dripped poison, which fell, drop by drop, upon Loki's upturned face. His wife, Sigyn, could not bear to see her husband in such agony, so she took her stand beside him, cup in hand, and caught the poison as it fell. There through the ages on ages she stood, relieving Loki's pain, and trying to cheer him, for whom there was no cheer. When the cup was filled and she had to go to the cavern's mouth to empty it, then the venom fell on Loki's face, and in his terrible pain he struggled and writhed until the earth shook. And all the people, startled at their work or from their sleep, cried, "Loki's earthquake!"

SEVEN TIMES ONE

By Jean Ingelow

There's no dew left on the daisies and clover, There's no rain left in heaven; I've said my "seven times" over and over-- Seven times one are seven.

I am so old, so old I can write a letter; My birthday lessons are done; The lambs play always, they know no better; They are only one times one.

O moon! in the night I have seen you sailing And shining so round and low; You were bright! ah, bright! but your light is failing-- You are nothing now but a bow.

You moon, have you done something wrong in heaven, That G.o.d has hidden your face?

I hope if you have you will soon be forgiven, And shine again in your place.

O velvet bee, you're a dusty fellow, You've powdered your legs with gold!

O brave marsh marybuds, rich and yellow, Give me your money to hold!

O columbine, open your folded wrapper, Where two twin turtledoves dwell!

O cuckoopint, toll me the purple clapper That hangs in your clear green bell!

And show me your nest with the young ones in it; I will not steal them away; I am old! you may trust me, linnet, linnet-- I am seven times one to-day.

SHUFFLE-SHOON AND AMBER-LOCKS [Footnote: From 'Love Songs of Childhood'. Copyright, 1894, by Eugene Field, published by Charles Scribner's Sons.]

By Eugene Field

Shuffle-Shoon and Amber-Locks Sit together, building blocks; Shuffle-Shoon is old and gray, Amber-Locks a little child.

But together at their play Age and Youth are reconciled, And with sympathetic glee Build their castles fair to see.

"When I grow to be a man,"

(So the wee one's prattle ran), "I shall build a castle so-- With a gateway broad and grand; Here a pretty vine shall grow, There a soldier guard shall stand; And the tower shall be so high, Folks will wonder, by and by!"

Shuffle-Shoon quoth: "Yes, I know; Thus I builded long ago!

Here a gate and there a wall, Here a window, there a door; Here a steeple wondrous tall Riseth ever more and more!

But the years have leveled low What I builded long ago!"

So they gossip at their play, Heedless of the fleeting day; One speaks of the Long Ago Where his dead hopes buried lie; One with chubby cheeks aglow Prattleth of the By-and-By; Side by side, they build their blocks-- Shuffle-Shoon and Amber-Locks.

AFTERWHILE [Footnote: From the poem to Afterwhiles by James Whitcomb Riley. Used by special permission of the publishers--The Bobbs-Merrill Company.]

By James Whitcomb Riley

Afterwhile we have in view The old home to journey to: Where the Mother is, and where Her sweet welcome waits us there.

How we'll click the latch that locks In the pinks and hollyhocks, And leap up the path once more Where she waits us at the door; How we'll greet the dear old smile And the warm tears--afterwhile.

WINDY NIGHTS

By ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON