**Thor has lost the hammer to a giant, Thrym**
"What is the way?" said Thor. "But no matter what it is, tell me of it and I shall do as thou dost say."
"Then," said laughing Loki, "I am to take you to Jötunheim as a bride for Thrym. Thou art to go in bridal dress and veil, in Freya's veil and bridal dress."
"What! I dress in woman's garb?" shouted Thor.
"Yea, Thor, and wear a veil over your head and a garland of flowers upon it."
"I--I wear a garland of flowers?"
"And rings upon thy fingers. And a bunch of housekeeper's keys in thy girdle."
"Cease thy mockery, Loki," said Thor roughly, "or I shall shake thee."
"It is no mockery. Thou wilt have to do this to win Miölnir back for the defence of Asgard. Thrym will take no other recompense than Freya. I would mock him by bringing thee to him in Freya's veil and dress. When thou art in his hall and he asks thee to join hands with him, say thou wilt not until he puts Miölnir into thy hands. Then when thy mighty hammer is in thy holding thou canst deal with him and with all in his hall. And I shall be with thee as thy bridesmaid! O sweet, sweet maiden Thor!"
"Loki," said Thor, "thou didst devise all this to mock me. I in a bridal dress! I with a bride's veil upon me! The Dwellers in Asgard will never cease to laugh at me."
"Yea," said Loki, "but there will never be laughter again in Asgard unless thou art able to bring back the hammer that thine unwatchfulness lost."
"True," said Thor unhappily, "and is this, thinkst
thou, Loki, the only way to win back Miölnir from Thrym?"
"It is the only way, O Thor," said the cunning Loki.
Loki is to blame for all this.