The Death of Baldr

Also called: Baldur, Balder, Mistletoe, Höðr, Baldrs draumar

A legend handed down over the centuries.

A Norse myth told most fully in Gylfaginning of Snorri’s Prose Edda and briefly in Völuspá and Baldrs draumar. His mother Frigg made everything in the world swear not to harm Baldr, but Loki put the unsworn mistletoe into the hands of blind Höðr, and Baldr was killed.

This Norse myth is told most fully in Gylfaginning, part of Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, and briefly in the Eddic poems Völuspá and Baldrs draumar (Baldr’s Dreams). Baldr, son of Odin and Frigg, was the fairest and wisest of the gods. When he dreamed of his death, Frigg made everything — fire, water, iron, stone, wood, diseases, beasts and poisons — swear not to harm him. Only a young mistletoe growing west of Valhalla she thought too young to ask.

The gods made sport of throwing things at the unharmable Baldr. Jealous, Loki fetched a sprig of mistletoe, put it in the hands of the blind god Höðr and guided his aim; pierced by the mistletoe, Baldr fell dead. He was burned on his ship Hringhorni, and his wife Nanna died of grief and was burned with him.

When Hermóðr rode Odin’s horse Sleipnir to the underworld, Hel agreed to release Baldr if everything in the world wept for him. All wept except the giantess Þökk in her cave — said to be Loki — and so Baldr could not return. In the Latin Gesta Danorum of the Dane Saxo Grammaticus (c. 1200), Balderus and Hotherus are instead human rivals for Nanna.