Having seen this, the gods went to work, and prepared a second set of fetters, called Dromi, half as strong again as the former, and these they persuaded the wolf to put on, assuring him that if he broke them he would then furnish them with an undeniable proof of his power.  The wolf saw well enough that it would not be easy to break this set, but he considered that he had himself increased in strength since he broke the others, and he knew that without running some risk he could never become celebrated.  He therefore allowed the gods to place the fetters on him.  Then Fenris shook himself, stretched his limbs, rolled on the ground, and at length burst the fetters, which he made fly in all directions.  Thus did he free himself the second time from his chains, and from this has arisen the saying, “To get free from Loeding, or to burst from Dromi,” meaning to perform something by strong exertion.

The gods now despaired of ever being able to secure the wolf with any chain of their own making.  All-father, however, sent Skirnir, the messenger of the god Frey, into the country of the Black Elves, to the dwarfs, to ask them to make a chain to bind Fenris with.  This chain was composed of six things—­the noise made by the fall of a cat’s foot, the hair of a woman’s beard, the roots of stones, the nerves of bears, the breath of fish, and the spittle of birds.

The fetters were as smooth and as soft as silk, and yet, as you will presently see, of great strength.  The gods were very thankful for them when they were brought to them, and returned many thanks to him who brought them.  Then they took the wolf with them on to the island Lyngvi, which is in the lake Amsvartnir, and there they showed him the chain, desiring him to try his strength in breaking it.  At the same time they told him that it was a good deal stronger than it looked.  They took it in their own hands and pulled at it, attempting in vain to break it, and then they said to Fenris—­

“No one else but you, Fenris, can break it.”

“I don’t see,” replied the wolf, “that I shall gain any glory by breaking such a slight string, but if any artifice has been employed in the making of it, you may be sure, though it looks so fragile, it shall never touch foot of mine.”

The gods told him he would easily break so slight a bandage, since he had already broken asunder shackles of iron of the most solid make.

“But,” said they, “if you should not be able to break the chain, you are too feeble to cause us any anxiety, and we shall not hesitate to loose you again.”

“I very much fear,” replied the wolf, “that if you once tie me up so fast that I cannot release myself, you will be in no haste to unloose me.  I am, therefore, unwilling to have this cord wound around me; but to show you I am no coward, I will agree to it, but one of you must put his hand in my mouth, as a pledge that you intend me no deceit.”

The gods looked on one another wistfully, for they found themselves in an embarrassing position.