According to Norse mythology, Mjölnir's short handle came about through a trick by the god Loki. While the dwarf brothers Sindri and Brokkr were forging the hammer, Loki wagered his head that they could create no better gifts than the sons of Ivaldi. To sabotage their work, Loki, in the form of a fly, pricked Brokkr in the eyelid. Distracted, Brokkr briefly stopped pumping the bellows, preventing the handle from reaching its intended length. Despite this flaw, the hammer was considered the best gift to the gods, as it never missed its target and always returned to Thor's hand. The short handle thus became its defining characteristic, allowing Thor to wield the weapon with one hand.