57. "Verily," said Gangler, "it was a famous exploit which Thor
performed on that journey, but did any other such events take place
among the Æsir?"
"Ay," replied Har, "I can tell thee of another event which the Æsir
deemed of much greater importance. Thou must know, therefore, that
Baldur the Good having been tormented with terrible dreams, indicating
that his life was in great peril, communicated them to the assembled
Æsir, who resolved to conjure all things to avert from him the
threatened danger. Then Frigga exacted an oath from fire and water,
from iron, and all other metals, as well as from stones, earths,
diseases, beasts, birds, poisons, and creeping things, that none of
them would do any harm to Baldur. When this was done, it became a
favourite pastime of the Æsir, at their meetings, to get Baldur to
stand up and serve them as a mark, some hurling darts at him, some
stones, while others hewed at him with their swords and battle-axes,
for do they what they would none of therm could harm him, and this was
regarded by all as a great honour shown to Baldur. But when Loki, the
son of Laufey, beheld the scene, he was sorely vexed that Baldur was
not hurt. Assuming, therefore, the shape of a woman, he went to
Fensalir, the mansion of Frigga. That goddess, when she saw the
pretended woman, inquired of her if she knew what the Æsir were doing
at their meetings. She replied, that they were throwing darts and
stones at Baldur without being able to hurt him.
"'Ay,' said Frigga, 'neither metal nor wood can hurt Baldur, for I
have exacted an oath from all of them.'
"'What!' exclaimed the woman, 'have all things sworn to spare Baldur?'
"'All things,' replied Frigga, 'except one little shrub that grows on
the eastern side of Valhalla, and is called Mistletoe, and which I
thought too young and feeble to crave an oath from.'
"As soon as Loki heard this he went away, and, resuming his natural
shape, cut off the mistletoe, and repaired to the place where the gods
were assembled. There he found Hodur standing apart, without partaking
of the sports, on account of his blindness, and going up to him, said,
'Why dost thou not also throw something at Baldur?"
"'Because I am blind,' answered Hodur, 'and see not where Baldur is,
and have, moreover, nothing to throw with.'
"'Come then,' said Loki, 'do like the rest, and show honour to Baldur
by throwing this twig at him, and I will direct thy arm, toward the
place where he stands.'
58. "Hodur then took the mistletoe, and under the guidance of Loki,
darted it at Baldur, who, pierced through and through, fell down
lifeless. Surely never was there witnessed, either among gods or men,
a more atrocious deed than this! When Baldur fell the Æsir were struck
speechless with horror, and then they looked at each other, and all
were of one mind to lay hands on him who had done the deed, but they
were obliged to delay their vengeance out of respect for the sacred
place (Peace-stead) where they were assembled. They at length gave
vent to their grief by loud lamentations, though not one of them could
find words to express the poignancy of his feelings. Odin, especially,
was more sensible than the others of the loss they had suffered, for
he foresaw what a detriment Baldur's death would be to the Æsir. When
the gods came to themselves, Frigga asked who among them wished to
gain all her love and good will; 'For this,' said she, 'shall he have
who will ride to Hel and try to find Baldur, and offer Hela a ransom
if she will let him return to Asgard;' whereupon Hermod, surnamed the
Nimble, the son of Odin, offered to undertake the journey. Odin's
horse Sleipnir was then led forth, on which Hermod mounted, and
galloped away on his mission.
59. "The Æsir then took the dead body and bore it to the seashore,
where stood Baldur's ship Hringhorn, which passed for the largest in
the world. But when they wanted to launch it in order to make Baldur's
funeral pile on it, they were unable to make it stir. In this
conjuncture they sent to Jotunheim for a certain giantess named
Hyrrokin, who came mounted on a wolf, having twisted serpents for a
bridle. As soon as she alighted, Odin ordered four Berserkir to hold
her steed fast, who were, however, obliged to throw the animal on the
ground ere they could effect their purpose. Hyrrokin then went to the
ship, and with a single push set it afloat, but the motion was so
violent that the fire sparkled from the rollers, and the earth shook
all around. Thor, enraged at the sight, grasped his mallet, and but
for the interference of the Æsir would have broken the woman's skull.
Baldur's body was then borne to the funeral pile on board the ship,
and this ceremony had such an effect on Nanna, the daughter of Nep,
that her heart broke with grief, and her body was burnt on the same
pile with her husband's. Thor then stood up and hallowed the pile with
Mjolnir, and during the ceremony kicked a dwarf named Litur, who was
running before his feet, into the fire. There was a vast concourse of
various kinds of people at Baldur's obsequies. First came Odin,
accompanied by Frigga, the Valkyrjor and his ravens; then Frey in his
car drawn by a boar named Gullinbursti or Slidrugtanni; Heimdall rode
his horse called Gulltopp, and Freyja drove in her chariot drawn by
cats. There were also a great many Frost-giants and giants of the
mountains present. Odin laid on the pile the gold ring called
Draupnir, which afterwards acquired the property of producing every
ninth night eight rings of equal weight. Baldur's horse was led to the
pile fully caparisoned, and consumed in the same flames on the body
of his master.