Dauði Baldrs

(album: Dauði Baldrs - 1997)

[Original:]

Þat er upphaf þessar sogu at Baldr inn góða dreymði drauma stóra ok hættliga um lif sitt. En er hann sagði Ásunum draumana þa báru peir saman ráð sín, ok var þat gert at beiða griða Baldri fyrir alls-konar háska, ok Frigg tók svardaga til þess at eira skyldu Baldri eldr ok vatn, járn ok alls-konar málmr, steinar, jorðin, viðirnir, sóttirnar, dýrin, fuglarnir, eitr, ormar. En er þetta var gert ok vitat, þá var þat skemtun Baldrs ok þasanna at hann skyldii standa upp á þingum en allir aðrir skyldu sumir skjóta á hann, sumir hoggva til, sumir berja grjóti. En hvat sem at var gert, sakaði hann ekki, ok þótti þetta gllum mikill frami. En er þetta sá Loki Laufeyjarson þá likaði honum illa er Baldr sakaþi ekki. Hann gekk til Fensalar til Friggjar ok brá sér í konu líki. þá spyrr Frigg ef sú kona vissi hvat Æsir hgfðusk at a þinginu. Hon sagði at allir skutu at Baldri, ok þat at hann sakaði ekki. Þá mælir Frigg: "Eigi munu vápn eða viðir granda Baldri. Eiða hefi ek þegit af gllum þeim." Þá spyrr konan: "Hafa allir hlutir eiða unnit at eira Baldri?" Þá svarar Frigg: "Vex viðarteinungr einn fyrir vestan Valholl. Sá er mistilteinn kallaðr. Sá þótti mér ungr at krefja eiðsins." Því næst hvarf konan á braut. En Loki tók mistiltein ok sleit upp ok gekk til þings. En Hoðr stóð útarliga í mannhringinum því at hann var blindr. Þá mælir Loki við hann: "Hví skýtr þú ekki at Baldri?" Hann svarar: "þvíat ek sé eigi hvar Baldr er, ok þat annat at ek em vápnlauss." þá mælir Loki: "Gerðu þó í líking annara manna ok veit Baldri sæmð sem aðrir menn. Ek mun vísa þér til hvar hann stendr. Skjót at honum vendi þessum." "Hoðr tók mistiltein ok skaut at Baldri at tilvísun Loka. Flaug skotit í gognum hann ok fell hann dauðr til jaðar, ok hefir pat mest óhapp verit unnit með goðum ok monnum. Þá er Baldr var fallinn þá fellusk glumm Ásum orðtok ok svá hendr at taka til hans, ok sá hverr til annars, ok váru allir með einum hug til þess er unnit hafði verkit. En engi mátti hefna, þar var svá mikill griðastadr. En þá er Æsirnir freistuðu at mæla þá var hitt þó fyrr at grátrinn kom upp svá at engi mátti gðrum segja með orðunum frá sínum harmi. En Óðinn bar þeim mun verst þenna skaða sem hann kunni mesta skynn hversu mikil aftaka ok missa Ásunum var i fráfalli Baldrs. En er goðin vitkuðusk þá mælir Frigg ok spurði hverr sá væri með Ásum er eignask viildi állar astir hennar ok hylli ok vili hann ríða á Helveg Baldr heim í Ásgard. En sá er nefndr Hermóðr inn hvati, sveinn Óðins, er til þeirar farar varð. Þá var tekinn Sleipnir, hestr Óðins, ok leiddr fram, ok steig Hermóðr a þann hest ok hleypti braut.

[English translation:]

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.