Baldr

Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.

“Baldur,” from A Handbook of Norse Mythology by Karl Mortensen, 1913.

Baldur

The myth of Baldur, the most disputed of all the myths, is also distinctly Northern. Baldur is commonly understood to have arisen, like Frey and Heimdall, from an embodiment of an original epithet of the old god of heaven. Bugge, on the contrary, maintains that the theories about Baldur are formed from a combination of Irish legends about Christ and misunderstood Greek and Roman tales. This view, however, encounters great difficulties, and strong opposition to it has arisen.

Two Baldur Myths

Besides allusions in several Eddic songs, we find the Baldur myth in various forms in Snorri and Saxo. Both in Denmark and elsewhere in the North, place-names are found and local traditions which are connected with Baldur. The plant-name "Baldur's brow" also is an evidence of the faith in this god.

The substance of the myth is the same in Snorri's and Saxo's representations:

Baldur is a son of Odin and Frigg; he is slain by Hoth but is avenged by his brother. Hoth signifies "combat" and agrees closely with the form Hotherus in Saxo, who, however, calls the avenging brother Bous, the Vali of Icelandic sources. In Saxo the contest turns upon the princess Nanna, King Gevar's daughter, who is loved by the Shielding Hother, while with the Icelanders she is the god Baldur's wife, and Hoth is his blind brother. In Saxo there are preserved indistinct traits of the Valkyrs (the three Forest Maids) and of the murderous sword which is kept by the giant Miming. We must also remark that as Baldur is everywhere a son of Odin, the information about him must at all events be later than the rise of Odin faith and is therefore of comparatively late development.

Baldur's Dreams

In addition to all we have alluded to concerning Baldur in the preceding section we will now recount a few Icelandic myths about this god.

Since evil dreams had given warning of danger to Baldur's life, Odin rode upon Sleipnir down to Helheim to the burial place of a wise sibyl. With powerful incantations he conjured up the dead and asked her for news from the underworld; in return he agreed to tell her about earth and heaven. He wants to know why such festal preparations are being made in the hall of Hel: the floor is spread with straw, the benches strewn with rings, and the wagons filled with clear drinks and covered with shields. The sibyl confirms his gloomy forebodings: it is Baldur's coming that they await. This is the chief content of the Eddic Song of Vegtam; but the conclusion of the poem is incomplete and unintelligible.

Baldur's Funeral

The Aesir took Baldur's body and carried it to the sea. Hringhorn was the name of Baldur's ship, the largest among all ships. The gods wished to push it out and make Baldur's funeral-pyre upon it, but the ship could not be moved. They then sent a messenger to Jotunheim for a sorceress who was named Hyrrokin. She came riding upon a wolf and had a viper for a bridle. Four Berserks were to guard the wolves, but they could not hold them until they had thrown them down. Hyrrokin went to the bow of the ship and pushed it out with the first thrust, so that fire went out from the rollers and the whole country trembled. At that Thor became wroth, grasped the hammer, and wanted to crush her head, but all the gods united in saving her by their intercession.

Now Baldur's body was borne out upon the ship. When his wife Nanna saw this, her heart broke from grief and she was laid upon the pyre with her husband. Thor next stepped forward and consecrated the pyre with the hammer. A dwarf ran before his feet and Thor in his rage kicked him into the fire, where he was burned. Many gods and giants were present at the funeral. Odin laid the ring Draupnir on Baldur's breast, and the god's horse was led out with all his trappings.

Hermoth's Hel-Ride

After Baldur's death, Odin’s son, Hermoth the Swift, took it upon himself at Frigg's request to ride down to Hel to beg release for Baldur. He saddled Sleipnir and rode nine nights and days through dark and deep dales; he could not see a hand before him, until he came to the river Gjoll and out upon Gjallar Bridge, which was covered with bright gold. Mothguth was the name of the maid who watched the bridge. She asks him for his name and race and says that the day before there rode five companies of dead men over the bridge, "but not less does the bridge resound under you alone; you have not the color of dead men; why do you ride hither upon the Hel-road.”

Hermoth asks if she has seen Baldur; she answers in the affirmative and shows him the way: "down towards the north goes the Hel-road." Now Hermoth rides farther, until he comes to Hel's grated gate. He dismounts from his horse, girds him fast, mounts again, gives him the spurs, and the horse leaps over without touching the gate at all. Then Hermoth rides on to the hall and goes in. He sees his brother Baldur sitting in the high seat,but remains there over night before he discharges his commission. At his departure Baldur sends gifts to Odin. How the test of weeping failed has already been told.

Mortensen, Karl. A Handbook of Norse Mythology. Thomas Y. Crowell, 1913.

Karl Mortensen

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