Near the Top of the World: Stories of Norway, Sweden & Denmark — John Shaqi
Near the Top of the World: Stories of Norway, Sweden & DenmarkMoore, Nelle E.
General
Near the Top of the World: Stories of Norway, Sweden & Denmark
Moore, Nelle E.
Readers -- Geography; Scandinavia -- Juvenile literature
These dwarfs were very clever. Of course they could make such a crown.
They set their fire ablaze and began pounding with their hammers. In a
short time they had Loke’s treasure ready for him. But that was not all
they gave him. Two other gifts were his. One was a magical spear; and
the other a ship that was more wonderful than any other ship the dwarfs
ever had made.
Loke went back to the land of the gods carrying his three gifts. When he
reached that valley he began bragging about the fine work the dwarfs had
done. “No other dwarfs can do such wonderful work,” he said. “All other
dwarfs are stupid compared with these.”
A dwarf named Brok heard Loke’s boasts. Now Brok had a brother who was a
clever workman too. Many of the gods thought him the best workman of all
the dwarfs. Brok was angry when he heard Loke’s bragging. He said, “My
brother can make more wonderful things of gold and iron and brass than
your dwarfs have made.”
At that Loke laughed and laughed. “Go to your brother,” he said; “if he
can make three such precious gifts as the golden hair, the spear, and
the ship, I will give him my head.”
Brok at once went down to the underworld where his brother lived. He
declared that he would get Loke’s head if any magic could be worked. He
told his brother what Loke had said. Soon that dwarf was hard at work.
In a few hours Brok started off with a golden boar, a shining ring, and
a mighty hammer as his three gifts to the gods.
When he reached the land of the gods he found all the gods waiting to
see what his gifts would be. The gods appointed three judges to decide
whether Loke or Brok had the more wonderful gifts.
Loke brought forth the golden hair and gave it to Thor. Thor placed the
hair upon Sif’s head. Behold it began to grow, and again Sif was the
beautiful maiden she had been. Then Loke brought out the spear and gave
it to the judges. It was a spear that never missed its mark. Then he
gave the gods the wonderful ship which would sail wherever its master
wished to go no matter which way the water ran or what direction the
wind blew.
Loke was very proud of his gifts. Brok would not have any treasures so
fine.
Then Brok came before the judges. He brought out the shining ring. “This
ring,” he said, “will throw off many other rings as bright and shiny as
this one.” Next he brought out the boar, saying, “This animal can run
faster than the fastest horse. On dark nights its bristles will shine so
that the night will be as light as day.” Then he gave Thor the hammer.
“This hammer,” he said, “will crush whatever it strikes, and it will
never fail to come back to your hand no matter where you throw it.”
Thor took the hammer and swung it round his head. Lightning flashed
through the skies and peals of thunder filled the air. The gods gathered
round to see the hammer. Surely such a hammer would be the greatest
protection against the giants. So they said that the hammer was the
greatest gift of all. Brok had won.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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