As Odin approached the fields of Bauge's farm, he saw the nine men hard at work. "Your scythes are dull," said he, as he drew near. "Yes, but we have no whetstone to sharpen them upon," answered the workmen, the great drops standing out upon their foreheads. "I will sharpen them on mine," said Odin, drawing one from his pocket. "It is a magic whetstone!" cried the men as they saw it work. "Give it to us. We need it more than you. Give it to us. Give it to us." "Take it, then," answered Odin, throwing it high in the air and walking off. "It is mine! It is mine! Let me have it! Give it to me! I will have it! Out of the way! It shall be mine!" screamed and quarreled the nine men as they pushed and crowded, each one determined to catch the whetstone as it came down to earth. At last it fell. Then a fiercer battle followed. The angry men fell upon each other. They dragged and pulled and threw each other to the ground. They pounded each other; they struck at each other with their scythes. On and on they fought. Hour after hour the battle waged; till at last the Sun-god, in sheer dismay at so unloving a sight, hid his face behind the hills, and the nine men lay dead upon the fields. It was an hour later when Odin reached the castle of Bauge. "Can you give me shelter for the night?" he asked, as the giant appeared at the door of his castle. "Yes, I can give you shelter; but you must look elsewhere for your breakfast. A strange thing has happened. My nine slaves, while at work in the field, have fallen in battle upon each other, and have killed each other. Not one of them is left alive to serve me." "They must have been idle, quarrelsome fellows," answered Odin. "They were, indeed," answered Bauge; "but how shall I get my work done without them?" "I will do the work for you," answered Odin. "You! There is but one of you, even if you were willing to try," answered Bauge with but little interest. "But I can do the work of any nine workmen that ever served you." The giant laughed. "A remarkable workman. Pray, do you ask the wages of nine men as well?" "I ask no wages," answered Odin. "I only ask that, as my pay when the work is done, you shall give me a draught of wine from the cask hidden in your brother's cellar." Bauge stared. "How did you know there is a cask in my brother's cellar?" he gasped. "It is enough that I know it," answered Odin coldly. Bauge looked at Odin. "He is better than no man," he thought to himself. "I may as well get what work from him I can, before he finds that no being on earth can enter that cellar or force my brother to give away one drop of that wine." "Very well, you may go to work," he said aloud. "I cannot promise you that we can make our way into my brother's cellar; but I will do what I can to help you." "That is all I ask," answered Odin. "Now let me sleep, for I am tired; and if I am to do nine men's work, I must have nine men's sleep." "And must you have nine men's food?" cried Bauge.