10 Baldrs draumar
out in a fearful wail. Balder, the good, the beautiful, the god of light, had been snuffed out like a bright candle. The gods would willingly have killed Hodur there and then, but ancient laws forbade that blood should be shed in Idavoll.
Balder’ s Funeral Pyre The gods built a huge funeral pyre on Hringhorni, Balder’ s dragon ship. On it they laid the body, surrounding it with rich tapestries, heaps of flowers, vessels of food, clothes, weapons, and precious jewels, as was the custom of the Norse.
Nanna, Balder’ s loving wife, fell grief-stricken over the body and died, so the gods placed her tenderly on the pyre beside her husband. Then they killed Balder’ s horse and hounds and placed them beside their master so he should lack for nothing.
One by one all the gods drew near to say farewell to their beloved companion. Last of all came Odin, who took off his magic arm ring, Draupnir, and placed it on his son’ s body. Then he stooped and put his mouth to Balder’ s ear, but nobody knew what he had whispered.
When the gods tried to launch the ship, it was so heavy that not even Thor’ s phenomenal strength could move it. The gods accepted the help of Hyrokkin, a giantess who galloped onto the scene riding a huge wolf and holding reins of writhing snakes. Hyrokkin gave the vessel a mighty shove and launched it into the sea.
The funeral pyre burst into flames, and Thor went on board to consecrate the fire with his magic hammer, Mjollnir. As he was performing the rite, the dwarf Lit got under his feet, and Thor kicked him into the flames, where he burned to ashes along with Balder and Nanna.
The ship drifted out to sea, burning brightly, and the gods watched it in mourning until it disappeared and the world became dark.
Hermod’ s Journey When she had recovered sufficiently to speak, Frigg asked that one of the gods visit Hel( 1) in Niflheim and beg her to send Balder back from the land of the dead. Gallant Hermod, another of Odin’ s sons, immediately volunteered to make the dreaded journey. Odin lent him Sleipnir, and for the second time the brave horse made the journey to the underworld. After traveling for nine days and nine nights and crossing many rivers, Hermod came to a stream, Gjoll. Sleipnir’ s hooves made the bridge over Gjoll shudder, and the sentry, Modgud, challenged the rider. Upon learning that Balder was indeed in Niflheim,
Hermod and Sleipnir made a great leap over the gate, Helgrind, and landed safely on the other side. Balder could not leave the land of the dead without Hel’ s permission, and Hel refused to let him go unless all the world should shed tears for him. Hermod spent many hours with Balder and his wife, Nanna. They gave him gifts, including Odin’ s magic arm ring, Draupnir, to take back to Asgard.
Then Hermod left to tell the gods his news. Surely the whole world would willingly weep to set Balder free.
Thokk When Hermod returned from the underworld with the news about Hel’ s condition for the return of Balder, messengers at once set out for every corner of the Earth. Soon every god and goddess, every man and woman, every plant and every animal on land and sea and air, and every stone and metal was shedding tears for Balder.
In a dark cave sat an old woman, the giantess Thokk. She alone remained dry-eyed and hard of heart.“ Balder never did anything for me,” she said grimly.“ Let Hel keep what is her due, for I have no tears for Balder.” She was, many think, the trickster Loki in disguise. The messengers returned to Odin and Frigg with heavy hearts, and the gods mourned once more, for they knew now that Balder would never return to them.
Vali Kills Hodur Vali, Odin’ s youngest son, appeared in Asgard on the day of his birth, miraculously grown to full stature and carrying a quiver of arrows. He shot one of these at Hodur, who died. Thus the Norseman’ s code of a death for a death was satisfied, and the Volva’ s prophecy was fulfilled.
Ragnarok At Ragnarok, the time of the Regeneration, Balder came back from the dead, leading his blind brother, Hodur. All the survivors returned to Idavoll, where they created a new world.
Pieces of the stories of Balder are found in many poems in the Poetic Edda and retold by Snorri Sturluson in Gylfaginning.
Baldrs Draumar( Balder’ s Dreams) A 14- stanza poem of the Poetic Edda found only in the Icelandic manuscript known as the Arnamagnaean Codex. Bauldrs Draumar tells the story of Odin’ s ride to Hel( 2) and his conversation with a seer about why his son, Balder, is having horrible dreams. The seer tells Odin that Hodur will kill Balder and that Vali, a yet unborn son of Odin, will avenge his brother’ s death by killing Hodur.
The story in the poem is similar to a portion of the
Voluspa, the first poem found in the Codex Regius