again until the return of spring.  At length she opened the box, and looked at the fruit.  The apples were certainly fair and round:  she could not see a wrinkle or a blemish on any of them; their color was the same golden-red,—­like the sky at dawn of a summer’s day; yet she thought there must be something wrong about them.  She took up one of the apples, and tasted it.  She fancied that it really was sour, and she hastily put it back, and locked the box again.

“He said that he had seen better apples than these growing in the woods,” said she to herself.  “I half believe that he told the truth, although everybody knows that he is not always trustworthy.  I think I shall go to the forest and see for myself, at any rate.”

So she donned her cloak and hood, and, with a basket on her arm, left the house, and walked rapidly away, along the road which led to the forest.  It was much farther than she had thought, and the sun was almost down when she reached the edge of the wood.  But no apple trees were there.  Tall oaks stretched their bare arms up toward the sky, as if praying for help.  There were thorn trees and brambles everywhere; but there was no fruit, neither were there any flowers, nor even green leaves.  The Frost-giants had been there.

Idun was about to turn her footsteps homeward, when she heard a wild shriek in the tree-tops over her head; and, before she could look up, she felt herself seized in the eagle talons of Old Winter.  Struggle as she would, she could not free herself.  High up, over wood and stream, the giant carried her; and then he flew swiftly away with her, toward his home in the chill Northland; and, when morning came, poor Idun found herself in an ice-walled castle in the cheerless country of the giants.  But she was glad to know that the precious box was safely locked at home, and that the golden key was still at her girdle.

Time passed; and I fear that Idun would have been forgotten by all, save her husband Bragi, had not the Asas begun to feel the need of her apples.  Day after day they came to Idun’s house, hoping to find the good dame and her golden key at home; and each day they went away some hours older than when they had come.  No one had seen the missing Idun since the day when Loki had visited her, and none could guess what had become of her.  The heads of all the folk grew white with age; deep furrows were ploughed in their faces; their eyes grew dim, and their hearing failed; their hands trembled; their limbs became palsied; their feet tottered; and all feared that Old Age would bring Death in his train.

Then Bragi and Thor questioned Loki very sharply; and when he felt that he, too, was growing old and feeble, he regretted the mischief he had done, and told them how he had decoyed Idun into Old Winter’s clutches.  The Asas were very angry; and Thor threatened to crush Loki with his hammer, if he did not at once bring Idun safe home again.