Part 22 (1/2)

Then Hermod and the Vanir went through the world seeking out each thing and finding that each thing still wept for Baldur. But one day Hermod came upon a crow that was sitting on the dead branch of a tree. The crow made no lament as he came near. She rose up and flew away and Hermod followed her to make sure that she lamented for Baldur.

He lost sight of her near a cave. And then before the cave he saw a hag with blackened teeth who raised no voice of lament. ”If thou art the crow that came flying here, make lament for Baldur,” Hermod said.

”I, Thaukt, will make no lament for Baldur,” the hag said, ”let Hela keep what she holds.”

”All things weep tears for Baldur,” Hermod said.

”I will weep dry tears for him,” said the hag.

She hobbled into her cave, and as Hermod followed a crow fluttered out.

He knew that this was Thaukt, the evil hag, transformed. He followed her, and she went through the world croaking, ”Let Hela keep what she holds. Let Hela keep what she holds.”

Then Hermod knew that he might not ride to Hela's habitation. All things knew that there was one thing in the world that would not lament for Baldur. The Vanir came back to him, and with head bowed over Sleipner's mane, Hermod rode into Asgard.

Now the aesir and the Vanir, knowing that no ransom would be taken for Baldur and that the joy and content of Asgard were gone indeed, made ready his body for the burning. First they covered Baldur's body with a rich robe, and each left beside it his most precious possession. Then they all took leave of him, kissing him upon the brow. But Nanna, his gentle wife, flung herself on his dead breast and her heart broke and she died of her grief. Then did the aesir and the Vanir weep afresh. And they took the body of Nanna and they placed it side by side with Baldur's.

On his own great s.h.i.+p, Ringhorn, would Baldur be placed with Nanna beside him. Then the s.h.i.+p would be launched on the water and all would be burned with fire.

But it was found that none of the aesir or the Vanir were able to launch Baldur's great s.h.i.+p. Hyrroken, a Giantess, was sent for. She came mounted on a great wolf with twisted serpents for a bridle. Four Giants held fast the wolf when she alighted. She came to the s.h.i.+p and with a single push she sent it into the sea. The rollers struck out fire as the s.h.i.+p dashed across them.

Then when it rode the water fires mounted on the s.h.i.+p. And in the blaze of the fires one was seen bending over the body of Baldur and whispering into his ear. It was Odin All-Father. Then he went down off the s.h.i.+p and all the fires rose into a mighty burning. Speechlessly the aesir and the Vanir watched with tears streaming down their faces while all things lamented, crying, ”Baldur the Beautiful is dead, is dead.”

And what was it that Odin All-Father whispered to Baldur as he bent above him with the flames of the burning s.h.i.+p around? He whispered of a heaven above Asgard that Surtur's flames might not reach, and of a life that would come to beauty again after the World of Men and the World of the G.o.ds had been searched through and through with fire.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

LOKI'S PUNISHMENT

The crow went flying toward the North, croaking as she flew, ”Let Hela keep what she holds. Let Hela keep what she holds.” That crow was the hag Thaukt transformed, and the hag Thaukt was Loki.

He flew to the North and came into the wastes of Jotunheim. As a crow he lived there, hiding himself from the wrath of the G.o.ds. He told the Giants that the time had come for them to build the s.h.i.+p Naglfar, the s.h.i.+p that was to be built out of the nails of dead men, and that was to sail to Asgard on the day of Ragnarok with the Giant Hrymer steering it.

And harkening to what he said the Giants then and there began to build Naglfar, the s.h.i.+p that G.o.ds and men wished to remain unbuilt for long.

Then Loki, tiring of the wastes of Jotunheim, flew to the burning South.

As a lizard he lived amongst the rocks of Muspelheim, and he made the Fire Giants rejoice when he told them of the loss of Frey's sword and of Tyr's right hand.

But still in Asgard there was one who wept for Loki--Siguna, his wife.

Although he had left her and had shown his hatred for her, Siguna wept for her evil husband.

He left Muspelheim as he had left Jotunheim and he came to live in the World of Men. He knew that he had now come into a place where the wrath of the G.o.ds might find him, and so he made plans to be ever ready for escape. He had come to the River where, ages before, he had slain the otter that was the son of the Enchanter, and on the very rock where the otter had eaten the salmon on the day of his killing, Loki built his house. He made four doors to it so that he might see in every direction.

And the power that he kept for himself was the power of transforming himself into a salmon.

Often as a salmon he swam in the River. But even for the fishes that swam beside him Loki had hatred. Out of flax and yarn he wove a net that men might have the means of taking them out of the water.

The wrath that the G.o.ds had against Loki did not pa.s.s away. It was he who, as Thaukt, the Hag, had given Hela the power to keep Baldur unransomed. It was he who had put into Hodur's hand the sprig of Mistletoe that had bereft Baldur of life. Empty was Asgard now that Baldur lived no more in the Peace Stead, and stern and gloomy grew the minds of the aesir and the Vanir with thinking on the direful things that were arrayed against them. Odin in his hall of Valhalla thought only of the ways by which he could bring heroes to him to be his help in defending Asgard.