But how was Brok to get Loke’s head! He started toward that young braggart. Loke growled, “I will give you whatever you want, but not my head.” “You promised your head, and your head I will have,” answered the angry dwarf. “Come and get it,” shouted Loke as he ran away. But when Brok told Thor what had happened, Thor went and brought Loke back, for Thor always saw to it that the gods did as they promised. “Cut off my head if you will,” said Loke, “but you must not touch my neck. I did not promise you any of my neck.” Then Brok saw that he could not take Loke’s head after all. For how could he get the head without touching the neck! But still he was determined to punish the rascally Loke. So he sewed his lips together, saying, “I cannot have your head, but I can close your mouth so that you can no longer go about boasting.” From that day on the gods felt safe from the frost-giants who were always trying to get into the valley of the gods. Those giants for more than half of the year kept the world covered with ice and snow. They hushed the flowing of the waters and the singing of the birds. They hated the warm sunshine which made the flowers bloom, and covered the mountains with grass, and brought the songs from the birds. They hated the god of the sun. They hated Thor, for it was Thor’s hammer that kept them from the land of the gods. Then a morning came when Thor awoke to find that his hammer was gone. He searched and searched, but the hammer could not be found. Then in great fear he thought, “The giants have stolen the hammer while I slept.” At that thought he was very angry. Fire flashed from his eyes and the earth trembled under his angry voice. “Come, Loke,” he called, “we must be off at once to the land of the giants. The gods can never be safe if the hammer is in the hands of our enemies.” Loke thought of a way to get into the home of the giants. He dressed himself like a huge bird and on its magical wings flew straight to that high mountaintop where the giants lived. The giants were surprised to see Loke, but they gave him welcome. Loke soon learned that the giants did have the hammer, but search as he would, he could not find it. At last the mighty giant who was greatest of all the giants said, “Thor may have his hammer when the gods bring me a beautiful goddess to be my wife.” Loke returned to tell Thor what he had heard. Thor was puzzled, for what goddess would ever consent to be the bride of a giant? Then Thor thought of a plan to outwit the giant. He would dress as a maiden and go to the land of the giants with Loke. Perhaps he could trick the giants. Soon the broad wings of the huge bird were again carrying Loke to the home of the giants. With Loke, this time, rode Thor dressed as a maiden, wearing a heavy veil over his face.