One day (for Loki was a very clever workman) he began to fashion something, the like of which there had not been in the world before.  This was a net for fishing; and so interested did Loki become in twisting and knotting the cords, that he almost forgot to keep watch for his enemies, the gods.  The net was almost finished, when one afternoon Loki raised his head and saw through one of his doors three gods approaching—­Odin, Thor and Heimdal, wisest of the gods.  With a curse he tossed his net upon the fire—­“They shall never have it!”—­and slipped from his hut.  Splash!  And there was a huge salmon deep down in the stream, while Loki was nowhere to be seen.

The gods were greatly disappointed when they entered the hut; they had been so sure that at last they had found the hiding place of the wicked one, and it seemed they had missed him again.  However, they knew his power of disguising himself, and they were not utterly discouraged.

“He has not been gone long,” said Heimdal, “for look—­the fire still burns.  And what is this upon the fire?” And he drew out the partly burned fish net.

“What can it be?” asked Odin.  “It is too coarse for any sort of covering for the body, and not strong enough to use in entangling an enemy.”

“Wait!” said Heimdal.  “I have it—­I have it!  It’s a net for fishing—­ Loki was always a fisherman.  See,” he exclaimed excitedly, “you take it so,” thrusting one end into Thor’s hand, “and you drag it through the water so.  The water runs through and the fish are held.  O, clever Loki!”

“But why,” asked Thor, “should he burn it up, when he has spent so much work upon it?”

“I don’t know,” said Heimdal musingly, “unless—­unless.  Where could he hide except in that stream, and how could he conceal himself there without changing himself to a fish?  Mark my words.  Loki is there, and he feared we might catch him with his own net.”

“That,” said Odin, “would be a form of justice for which one would scarcely dare hope.  I fear the net is too badly burned for use.”

“Not so,” replied Heimdal.  “Here is more flax, and we can easily repair the damage the fire has done.”

So the three gods sat upon the floor of the hut and mended the burned net, keeping an eye always on the stream, that Loki might not make his escape.  And when the net was ready they went forth, and with it dragged the stream.  Not a fish did they catch, for Loki had frightened the real fish away, and he himself was hiding between two big stones, so that the net passed over him.

“The thing is too light,” said Thor.  “It does not touch the bottom.”

“That we can soon change,” replied Heimdal, and he set about fastening stones to the lower edge of the net.