Dauði Baldrs
And the beginning of this story is that Baldr the good dreamed great dreams boding peril to his life. And when he told the Aesir of the dreams they took council together and it was decided to request immunity for Baldr from all kinds of danger, and Frigg received solemn promises so that Baldr should not be harmed by fire and water, iron and all kinds of metal, stones, the earth, trees, diseases, the animals, birds, poisons, snakes. And when this was done and confirmed it then became entertainment for Baldr and the Aesir that he should stand up at assemblies and all others should shoot at him or strike him or throw stones at him. But whatever they did he remained unharmed, and they all thought this a great glory. But when Loki Laufeyiarson saw this he was not pleased that Baldr war unharmed. He went to Fensalir to Frigg and changed his appearance to that of a woman. Then Frigg asked this woman if she knew what the Aesir were doing at the assembly. She said that everyone was shooting at Baldr, and moreover that he was unarmed. Then said Frigg: "Weapons and wood will not hurt Baldr. I have received oaths from them all." Then the woman asked: "Have all things sworn oaths not to hurt Baldr?" Then Frigg replied: "There grows a shoot of a tree to the west of Val-hall. It is called mistletoe. It seemed young to me to demand an oath from." Straight away the woman disappeared. And Loki the mistletoe and went to the assembly. Hod was standing at the edge of the circle of people, for he was blind. Then Loki said to him: "Why are you not shooting at Baldr?" He replied: "Because I cannot see where Baldr is and I have no weapon." Then said Loki: "Follow other people's example and do Baldr much honour. I will direct you to where he is standing and you can shoot at him with this stick." Hod took the mistletoe and shot at Baldr in Loki's direction. The missile flew through him and he fell dead to the ground. And this was the unluckiest deed done among the gods and men. When Baldr had fallen all of the Aesir's tongues failed them as did their hands from lifting him up. And they all looked at each other and were all one mind toward the one who had done the deed. But none could take vengeance as Val-hall was a place of sanctuary. When the Aesir tried to speak, they were weeping so hard that no words came out. Son none could tell could tell another in words of his grief. But it was Odin who took this injury the hardest of all in that he had the best idea as to the amount of deprivation and loss the death of Baldr would cause the Aesir. When the gods came to themselves once more, Frigg spoke and asked who wished to earn all her love and favour and was willing to ride the rode to Hel and seek Baldr and to offer Hel a ransom for Baldr to return to Asgard. Hermod the bold, Odins boy the name of the one who undertook the journey. Then Odins horse, Sleipnir was fetched and led forward. Hemod then mounted the horse and galloped away.
Hermoðr Á Helferð
But there is this to tell of Hermod, that he rode for nine nights through valleys so dark and deep that he saw nothing until he came to the river Gioll and rode onto the Gioll bridge that is covered with glowing gold. There is a maiden guarding the bridge called Modgud. She asked him his name and lineage and said that the other day there had been five battalions of dead men that had ridden over the bridge. "But the bridge resounds no less under you, and you do not have the colour of dead men. Why are you riding here on the road to Hel". He replied: "I am to ride to Hel to seek Baldr. Have you seen anything of Baldr on the road to Hel?" And she said that Baldr had ridden there over the Gioll bridge. But downwards and northwards lies the rode to Hel. Then Hermod rode on until he came unto Hel's gates. When he reached the gates of Hel he dismounted from his horse and tightened its girth, mounted and spurred it on. The horse then jumped over the gate and Hermod rode on to the hall and went in. When he went into the hall he saw sitting in the seat of honour his brother, Baldr.
Bálferð Baldrs
So the Aesir took Baldr body and carried it to the sea. Hringorni was the name of Baldr's ship. It was the biggest of all ships. The Aesir planned to set it out to sea with Baldr aboard for this final journey. But the ship refused to move. So they went to giantland to seek the princess Hyrrokin. When she arrived, riding a wolf and using Vipers as reins she dismounted the steed and Odin summoned four berserks to look after the steed but they were unable to hold without knocking it down. Then Hyrrokin went to the prow of the boat and pushed it out with the first touch so that flames flew from the rollers and all the lands quaked. Then Thor got angry and grasped his hammer and was about to her head until the gods begged for her grace. Then Baldr's body was carried out onto the ship, when his wife Nanna, Nep's daughter saw this she collapsed with grief and died. She was then carried onto the pyre and it was then set alight. Thor then consecrated the pyre with Miollnir, but a certain dwarf named Lit ran in front of his feet. Thor kicked at him with his foot, thrust him into the fire and he was burned.
Í Heimr Heljar
In the morning Hermod begged from Hel that Baldr might ride home with him and told of the great weeping amongst the Aesir. However, Hel said that she must be certain that Baldr was this loved amongst the people. She said in the following way: "And if all living things in the world, dead and alive, weep for him, then he shall go back to Asgard. But he shall be kept in Hel if anything refuses to weep". Then Hermod got up and Baldr went with him out of the hall and took the ring Draupnir which he sent to Odin as a keepsake, he sent Nanna and Frigg a linen robe, and other gifts also; to Fulla a finger-ring."
Illa Tiðandi
Then Hermod rode back to Asgard and told of all the tidings he had seen and heard. After this, the Aesir sent messages all over the world of the request that Baldr must be wept out of Hel. All did this; the people and animals, the earth, the stones, the trees and every kind of metal. Just as you will have seen when you se these things come out of frost and into heat. When the envoys were travelling back having well fulfilled their errand, they found in a certain cave a giantess sitting. She said that her name was Thanks. They bade her weep Baldr out of Hel. She said: "Thanks will weep dry tears for Baldr burial. No good got I from the old one's son either dead or alive. Let Hel hold what she has It is presumed that these were the words of Loki Laufeyiarson, who had done great evil amongst the Aesir".
Móti Ragnarokum
Thus it is related in Voluspaoud blows Heimdall, his horn aloft.
Odin speaks with Mim's head.
The ash Yggdrasil shakes as it stands,
The ancient tree groansnd the giant gets free.
What is it with the Aesir?
What is it with the Elves?
All giantland resounds.
The Aesir are in council
Dwarves groan before rock doorways
Frequenters of rock - walls.
Know you yet of what?
Hyrm drives from the east
Holding his shield before him,
Iormungand writhes in giant rage
The serpent churns the waves
The eagles screech with joy
Darkly pale, it tears corpses
Naglfar is loose bark sails from the east
Across the sea will comeuspell's troops with Loki at helm
All that monstrous brood
Are there with the wolf
In company with them is Byleist's brother.
Surt travels from the south
With the stick destroyer (fire)
Shines from his sword the sun
Of the gods of the slainock cliffs crash
And troll-wives are abroad
Heroes tread the road of Hel
And heaven splitshen Hlin's second sorrow
Comes to pass
As Odin goes to fight the wolf
And Beli's bright slayer against Surt
There shall fall Frigg's delightdin's son goes to fight the wolf
Vidar on his way
Against the slaughterous beast
With his hand he lets his blade pierce
The son of Hverdungs heart
So his father is avengedoes the great son of Hlodyn
Dying to the serpent who shrinks from no shame
And all the heroes shall then leave the world
When Midgard's protector strikes his wrath!
The sun will go dark
Earth sink in the sea
From heavenanish bright stars Steam surges
And life's fires flame
Flickers against the very sky.
