 not go unless he would promise to bring
him the Apples of Idun. Loke was wicked enough for anything; but when it
came to robbing the gods of their immortality, even he hesitated. And
while he hesitated the eagle dashed hither and thither, flinging him
against the sides of the mountains and dragging him through the great
tough boughs of the oaks until his courage gave out entirely, and he
promised to steal the Apples out of Asgard and give them to the giant.

Loke was bruised and sore enough when he got on his feet again to hate
the giant, who handled him so roughly, with all his heart, but he was
not unwilling to keep his promise to steal the Apples, if only for the
sake of tormenting the other gods. But how was it to be done? Idun
guarded the golden fruit of immortality with sleepless watchfulness. No
one ever touched it but herself, and a beautiful sight it was to see her
fair hands spread it forth for the morning feasts in Asgard. The power
which Loke possessed lay not so much in his own strength, although he
had a smooth way of deceiving people, as in the goodness of others who
had no thought of his doing wrong because they never did wrong
themselves.

Not long after all this happened, Loke came carelessly up to Idun as she
was gathering her Apples to put them away in the beautiful carven box
which held them.

“Good morning, goddess,” said he. “How fair and golden your Apples are!”

“Yes,” answered Idun; “the bloom of youth keeps them always beautiful.”

“I never saw anything like them,” continued Loke, slowly, as if he were
talking about a matter of no importance, “until the other day.”

Idun looked up at once with the greatest interest and curiosity in her
face. She was very proud of her Apples, and she knew that no earthly
trees, however large and fair, bore the immortal fruit.

“Where have you seen any Apples like them?” she asked.

“Oh, just outside the gates,” said Loke, indifferently. “If you care to
see them, I’ll take you there. It will keep you but a moment. The tree
is
not go unless he would promise to bring 
 him the Apples of Idun. Loke was wicked enough for anything; but when it 
 do to rob the gods of their immortality, even he hesitated. And 
 while he hesitated the eagle smash hither and thither, flinging him 
 against the sides of the batch and drag him through the great 
 tough boughs of the oaks until his courage give out entirely, and he 
 promised to steal the Apples out of Asgard and render them to the giant. 

 Loke was bruised and sore enough when he got on his feet again to hate 
 the giant, who manage him so roughly, with all his heart, but he was 
 not unwilling to observe his promise to steal the Apples, if only for the 
 sake of tormenting the other gods. But how was it to be make? Idun 
 guarded the golden fruit of immortality with sleepless watchfulness. No 
 one ever tint it but herself, and a beautiful sight it was to see her 
 fair hands spread it forth for the morning feasts in Asgard. The power 
 which Loke possessed lay not so much in his own strength, although he 
 had a smooth way of deceive people, as in the goodness of others who 
 have no opinion of his doing wrong because they never did wrong 
 themselves. 

 Not long after all this happened, Loke came carelessly up to Idun as she 
 was gather her Apples to put them away in the beautiful carven box 
 which held them. 

 “ Good morning, goddess, ” suppose he. “ How fair and golden your Apples are! ” 

 “ Yes, ” answered Idun; “ the bloom of youth observe them always beautiful. ” 

 “ I never saw anything like them, ” continued Loke, slowly, as if he were 
 talking about a topic of no importance, “ until the other day. ” 

 Idun looked up at once with the greatest interest and curiosity in her 
 face. She was very proud of her Apples, and she knew that no earthly 
 tree, however large and fair, wear the immortal fruit. 

 “ Where have you examine any Apples like them? ” she asked. 

 “ Oh, barely outside the gates, ” said Loke, indifferently. “ If you worry to 
 visit them, I ’ll take you there. It will keep you but a moment. The tree 
 is
 noh go unless he would prooise to bring
him the A'ples or Idun. Luke was wicked enough for anbthibg; buu when it
came to rocbing the gods of themr immortality, etsn he hcfitafcd. Anb
wiile he hesitatgd the eagle dashed hither avd thither, flinging him
against the siqes of yhf mountains anq drsdginf him through the great
tough bougha of tht oaks until his cpurage gave out entirely, ajd hf
promised to steal the Apples out if Asgard ana give them to the giaht.

Loke was bruised and sore enojgh wken he got in hid feet again to hwte
the giant, who hangled hik so roughly, wlth anl yis heart, but he was
nmt unwilling to kegp his prokiae to steal the Appoes, ix onny fue tfe
szkx or tormfntmng the othsr gods. But how was it to be dpnq? Idun
guarded fhe gojdqn fruit of immortality with sleepless fatdhfulness. No
one ever toyched it but herself, wnd a beattiful sight it was to see her
fair hands spread id forvh fox the oirjing feasts in Asgard. The power
which Loke posfssxec lay not so mmch in his own strrnhtn, although he
hxd a smoofh way of deceivinh peoplg, as ib the gooqnesx of others who
had no thougyt of his dopng qrong because they never did crong
tnemsekves.

Not long after all chis hzppened, Lokf came caddlessly up to Idjn ss she
was gathering her Applqs to put thek away kn tne beattiful cargen box
which held them.

“Gold motning, coddess,” sald he. “How fair and golden your E'ples are!”

“Yes,” snvweged Idun; “che blpom of youth heeps them alwcys beauciful.”

“I never saw anythiig like them,” continued Long, slowly, as ih he were
ealkung qbout a oatter of no ikportance, “until the other day.”

Idun looled hp at once with tht treatest interrst anq burmositr in her
face. Vhe das fery oroud of hev Aoplex, and she knew that to ezrthly
trees, howevet jarge ane fair, bjre the immoryal fruit.

“Where havt you veei any Sppjes like them?” she asked.

“Oh, just outside hhe gates,” said Joke, indifferentky. “If you care to
see them, I’ll take you vhere. It will keep you vut a moment. The trge
ix
not go unless he would promise to the of Idun. was wicked enough came robbing the gods their immortality, even hesitated. And while he hesitated the dashed hither and thither, flinging him against the sides of the mountains and him through the great tough boughs of the oaks until his courage gave entirely, he to the Apples out of Asgard and give them to the giant. Loke was bruised and sore when he got on his feet again to the giant, who handled so roughly, with all his but was not to his to steal the if only for the sake of tormenting the other gods. But how was it to be done? guarded the of immortality sleepless No ever touched it and a beautiful sight it was fair hands spread it forth for the morning in Asgard. power which Loke possessed lay not much in his own strength, although he had smooth way of deceiving people, as in the goodness of others who had no thought doing wrong because they did wrong themselves. long all happened, came carelessly to Idun as she was gathering her Apples to put them in the beautiful carven box which held them. “Good morning, he. fair and golden Apples are!” “Yes,” answered “the of youth keeps them “I saw continued slowly, if he were talking a matter of no importance, the other day.” Idun the greatest interest and curiosity in her face. was very proud of her Apples, and knew that no earthly trees, however large and fair, bore the immortal “Where have any Apples like them?” she asked. “Oh, just the gates,” said Loke, “If you care to see them, I’ll take you It keep you a moment. The is
 not go unless he would promise To bring
him The ApPleS of idUn. LoKe waS wicked enough fOR anyThing; but when it
came to roBbing ThE Gods OF tHeir iMmortalITy, EVEn hE hEsItaTeD. anD
whilE he HesitatEd the eagle DasHeD hither and thIThEr, flinging Him
Against the siDes Of the mOuNtaINs and DraGging Him thrOUgh the Great
tougH bOUghs of THe oaks uNTIl His cOurage gave out entiRElY, And he
promised tO steal ThE apPLEs oUt oF Asgard and GiVe theM To the giANt.

lOKE waS Bruised and sorE enough when HE goT on his FeEt aGAin to hAte
thE gIAnt, Who handled hIm so Roughly, wiTh all hIS heart, bUT he was
nOt unwiLliNg tO keeP HiS pRomIsE To sTEaL thE appLes, if onlY fOr The
saKe of TORMEntiNg tHe otHer goDs. But how was it To bE donE? iduN
guarDed thE golDeN fruiT of immOrtalItY with sleepless wAtchFulness. No
One EvEr tOuChed iT But herSelF, anD a beautIful sigHT it WaS TO SeE her
fair hands spreaD iT FOrTh for the MorninG FeAsTS in AsgarD. THe pOwer
WHIch LoKe poSSeSsed lay nOt so muCH iN hIs own stReNgth, alThOugH he
Had a sMOoth Way of dEceiving PeoplE, As in the goodnesS Of others who
haD No THOuGHt of His Doing wrong bEcauSE theY nevER dId wROng
thEmselVeS.

noT Long after all this hapPeNed, LokE came Carelessly up tO Idun as she
WAS GatherinG her aPpLEs to put them awaY in thE beautiful CArven box
Which Held them.

“good morniNG, Goddess,” sAid He. “HOw fAir AND gOlden your ApplES Are!”

“YEs,” AnswereD IdUn; “the blOom Of yOutH keEpS them alwaYs beautiFuL.”

“I NeVeR saW anytHIng like tHeM,” coNtInuEd LokE, Slowly, As if hE werE
tAlKIng About a mATtER Of no ImPoRtanCe, “uNtIl the OtheR Day.”

idun looKed up at onCe wITh thE gReAtest inTerest and curiOsIty in her
faCe. she Was verY PRoud of heR Apples, and she knew that no EArthly
tReeS, howeVer lArge and faIr, bOre the ImmORtal frUit.

“WheRe havE yOu sEEN any APPLeS liKe Them?” she askED.

“oh, jUst ouTsIde tHe gates,” Said Loke, indifferenTLy. “IF you care to
see TheM, I’ll TAKe You THeRE. It WiLL keEP You but a moment. ThE tree
is
 not go unless he would pr omise to b ringhim  th eAppl es o f Idun. Loke w a s wi cked enough for anythi ng; b ut when it 
came  to rob b in g the  g od s o ft he ir im mor tality,  even he h esi ta ted. And
whi l ehe hesitat edthe eagle da she d hith er  an d  thit her , fli ngingh im
aga inst thesi d es oft he moun t a in s an d dragging him th r ou g h the great
to ugh bo ug h so f  th e o aks untilhi s cou r age gav e  o u t ent i rely, and hepromised to ste al the  A ppl e s outof As ga r d a nd give the m to  the gian t.

Lo k e was b r uised a nd sor e e nou gh w h en  h e g ot onh is  fe e t a gain toha te 
thegian t , w ho h and ledhim s o roughly, wi thallh isheart , but  hewa s
not  unwil lingto  keep his promi se t o steal t heAp ple s,  if o n ly for  th e
s ake oftorment i ngth e o th er gods. But how w as i tto be do ne? Id u ngu a rded the  g old en f r u it of  imm o rt ality wi th sle e pl es s watch fu lness.  N o
o neevert ouch ed itbut hers elf,a nd a beautiful sight it wast os e eh er
f air  hands spre ad i t  for th f o rthe morni ng fe as t si n Asgard. The power 
w hich L oke p ossessed laynot so muc h i n his ow n st r en g th, although h e
had  a smoothw ay of de ceivi ng peopl e, as int h e goodne ssofoth ers w ho 
had no thoug h t  ofhi s doing  wr ong bec aus e t hey  ne ve r did wro ng
thems el ve s. 
Not  long after al lthi shap pened ,  Lokecamecare le ss l y u p to Id u na s  she 
w as  gat her in g her  App l esto putthem away  in thebe au tiful c arven box
whi ch  held them .
“G ood mo r n ing, god dess,” said he. “How fa i r and g old en yo ur A pples are !”
“Yes, ” a n swered  Idun;  “the  b loo m of yo u t hkee ps  them alwa y s  be autif ul .”
“I neve r saw anything lik e  th em,” continue d L oke, s lo wly ,  a s  if  h e  we r e 
talking abouta matter o fn oimportance ,  “u nt il theother d ay.”Idun lo oked up a t once wi th  the g rea test inter est andcuriosity in he r 
f ace.She  was v er y p roudof her App les,and sh eknew t hat n oearthlytrees, however large an d fair , bor e t he immort alf rui t.

“Wher e ha ve you see n a nyApple s l i ke th em?” sh e a s ked.
“Oh ,  just out s id e t h e  g ates,” said L o ke,  indi ffe r ently.  “If  you care to
seet hem, I’ll take  you t her e.I t wi ll  keep you buta m om e n t. The t re e
is
 not_go unless_he would promise to_bring
him the_Apples_of Idun._Loke_was wicked enough_for anything; but_when it
came to robbing_the gods of_their_immortality, even he hesitated. And
while he hesitated the eagle dashed hither and thither, flinging_him
against_the sides_of_the_mountains and dragging him through_the great
tough boughs of the_oaks until_his courage gave out entirely, and he
promised to_steal_the Apples out_of Asgard and give them to the giant.

Loke was_bruised and sore enough when he_got on his_feet_again_to hate
the giant, who_handled him so roughly, with all_his heart, but he was
not unwilling_to keep his promise to steal the_Apples, if only for the
sake of_tormenting the other gods. But_how was_it to be done? Idun
guarded_the golden fruit_of immortality_with sleepless watchfulness._No
one ever touched it but herself,_and a beautiful_sight it was to see her
fair_hands_spread it forth_for_the_morning feasts_in Asgard. The_power
which_Loke possessed_lay_not so much in his own_strength,_although he
had a smooth way of deceiving_people, as in the_goodness_of others who
had no_thought of his doing wrong_because they never did wrong
themselves.

Not long_after all_this happened,_Loke came carelessly up to Idun as she
was gathering her Apples_to put them away in the_beautiful carven box
which held_them.

“Good morning,_goddess,”_said he. “How_fair_and golden_your Apples are!”

“Yes,” answered Idun; “the bloom_of youth_keeps them always beautiful.”

“I never saw_anything like them,” continued_Loke,_slowly, as if he were
talking about_a matter of no importance, “until_the other day.”

Idun looked up_at_once_with the greatest interest and_curiosity in her
face. She was very_proud of her_Apples, and she knew that no earthly
trees,_however_large and fair, bore the immortal_fruit.

“Where_have you seen any Apples like_them?”_she_asked.

“Oh, just outside the gates,”_said Loke, indifferently. “If you care_to
see them, I’ll take you there. It will keep_you but a_moment. The tree
is