Baldr

Baldr began dreaming of his own death. Odin rode to Hel to consult a dead seeress. She confirmed that Baldr would die. Frigg responded by traveling through creation and extracting an oath from every substance, every creature, and every disease: none would harm Baldr. She succeeded with everything except the mistletoe, which she judged too small.

The Game

The gods, delighted that Baldr was invulnerable, made a game of throwing objects at him. Stones, weapons, fire. Nothing touched him. Loki asked Frigg directly which things had sworn the oath. She mentioned the mistletoe exception. Loki carved a dart from it, placed it in the hands of the blind god Höðr, and guided the throw. The dart pierced Baldr and he fell dead.

The Failed Ransom

The gods sent Hermóðr to Hel’s realm to negotiate Baldr’s return. Hel set one condition: if every being in creation wept for Baldr, she would release him. Messengers went everywhere. Everything wept. Except a giantess named Þökk, who said: “Let Hel hold what she has.” Baldr stayed dead.

After Ragnarök

The Völuspá prophesies that after Ragnarök destroys the old world, Baldr will return. He and Höðr will be reconciled. The killing god and the killed god will sit together in a new green world. The death that began the end becomes the beginning of what comes after.

Sources

Bibliography. The same list is held in the article’s frontmatter for the citation tools that read it programmatically.

• Snorri Sturluson, Prose Edda / Gylfaginning (c. 1220)
• Völuspá (Poetic Edda): prophecy of Baldr’s death
• Baldrs draumar (Poetic Edda): Odin rides to Hel to learn Baldr’s fate
• Saxo Grammaticus, Gesta Danorum: euhemerized version (Balderus as a mortal warrior)