BALDUR DEAD

: Myths And Legends
: Types Of Children's Literature

One after another they turned and left the Peacestead, those

friends and brothers of the slain. One after another they turned

and went towards the city; crushed hearts, heavy footsteps, no word

amongst them, a shadow upon all. The shadow was in Asgard, too

--had walked through Frigga's hall and seated itself upon the

threshold of Gladsheim. Odin had just come out to look at it, and

Frigga stood by in mute despair as th Æsir came up.



"Loki did it! Loki did it!" they said at last in confused, hoarse

whispers, and they looked from one to another,--upon Odin, upon

Frigga, upon the shadow which they saw before them, and which

they felt within. "Loki did it! Loki, Loki!" they went on saying;

but it was no use repeating the name of Loki over and over

again when there was another name they were too sad to utter

which yet filled all their hearts--Baldur. Frigga said it first,

and then they all went to look at him lying down so peacefully on the

grass--dead, dead.



"Carry him to the funeral pyre!" said Odin, at length; and four

of the Æsir stooped down and lifted their dead brother.



With scarcely any sound they carried the body tenderly to the

seashore and laid it upon the deck of that majestic ship called

Ringhorn, which had been _his_. Then they stood round waiting to

see who would come to the funeral. Odin came, and on his shoulder?

sat his two ravens, whose croaking drew clouds down over the

Asa's face, for Thought and Memory sang one sad song that day.

Frigga came,--Frey, Gerda, Freyja, Thor, Hœnir, Bragi, and

Iduna. Heimdall came sweeping over the tops of the mountains on

Golden Mane, his swift, bright steed. Ægir the Old groaned from

under the deep, and sent his daughters up to mourn around the

dead. Frost-giants and mountain-giants came crowding round the

rimy shores of Jotunheim to look across the sea upon the funeral

of an Asa. Nanna came, Baldur's fair young wife; but when she

saw the dead body of her husband, her own heart broke with grief,

and the Æsir laid her beside him on the stately ship. After this

Odin stepped forward and placed a ring on the breast of his son,

whispering something at the same time in his ear; but when he and

the rest of the Æsir tried to push Ringhorn into the sea before

setting fire to it, they found that their hearts were so heavy they

could lift nothing. So they beckoned to the giantess Hyrrokin to

come over from Jötunheim and help them. She, with a single

push, set the ship floating, and then, whilst Thor stood up holding

Miölnir high in the air, Odin lighted the funeral pile of Baldur and

of Nanna.



So Ringhorn went out floating towards the deep, and the funeral

fire burnt on. Its broad red flame burst forth towards heaven; but

when the smoke would have gone upward too, the winds came

sobbing and carried it away.