Baldr's Draumar - Baldr's Dreams
To the Thing for with fared all Aesir
and all Goddesses gathered together.
AMong them mooted the mighty Godheads
why Baldr the Bright had baleful dreams.
Up rose Odhinn, oldest of Gods,
and on Sleipnir the saddle laid:
to the nether world rode, to Niflhel dark.
a hound he met which from Hel did come.
About his brest was he blood besprent,
and long did bark at Baldr's father.
Rode Odhinn on-- the earth did quake--
till the high halls of Hel he came nigh.
Then Odhinn rode to the eastern gate,
where the hoary seeress' howe he knew;
there spells he chanted to charm up the dead,
till unwilling arose the witch and spake:
"What man is this, to me unkown,
who maketh me fare such fear-fraught ways?
Was I buried in snow and beaten by rain
and drenched with dew, dead was I long."
"Vegtam my name, I am Valtam's Son;
say of misty Hel as of Midhgardhr I:
for whom are the benches with byrnies covered,
the dais decked eke with dazzling gold?"
"For Baldr the beer brewed here standeth,
a shield lies over the shining drink;
in sorrow are sunk the sons of Odhinn.
I was loath to speak, now let me cease."
"Cease not, seeress, till said thou hast,
answer the asker till all he knows:
who will Baldr slay, the blameless God,
and send hither the son of Odhinn?"
"Hodhr will the hero hitherward send,
he will Baldr slay, the blameless God,
and end the life of Odhinn's son.
I was loath to speak, now let me cease."
"Cease not, seeress, till said thou hast,
answer the asker till all he knows:
the hateful deed who will avenge,
and Baldr's slayer who send to Hel?"
Rind bears Vali in western Halls;
but one night old will Vali slay him:
Neither cleanses his hands nor combs his hair,
till Baldr's slayer he sends to Hel.
I was loath to speak, now let me cease."
"Cease not, seeress, till said thou hast,
answer the asker till all he knows:
who are the girls that greet so sore,
and their kerchief corners cast to the sky?"
"Thou art not Vegtam, as I had thought,
but rather Odhinn, oldest of Gods."
"Thou art no seeress, nor sage woamn,
but rather of Thurses three the mother."
"Homeward hie thee, happy in mind:
no chanted spells will charm me up
until Loki is loose from his bonds
and the day will come of the doom of the Gods."
and all Goddesses gathered together.
AMong them mooted the mighty Godheads
why Baldr the Bright had baleful dreams.
Up rose Odhinn, oldest of Gods,
and on Sleipnir the saddle laid:
to the nether world rode, to Niflhel dark.
a hound he met which from Hel did come.
About his brest was he blood besprent,
and long did bark at Baldr's father.
Rode Odhinn on-- the earth did quake--
till the high halls of Hel he came nigh.
Then Odhinn rode to the eastern gate,
where the hoary seeress' howe he knew;
there spells he chanted to charm up the dead,
till unwilling arose the witch and spake:
"What man is this, to me unkown,
who maketh me fare such fear-fraught ways?
Was I buried in snow and beaten by rain
and drenched with dew, dead was I long."
"Vegtam my name, I am Valtam's Son;
say of misty Hel as of Midhgardhr I:
for whom are the benches with byrnies covered,
the dais decked eke with dazzling gold?"
"For Baldr the beer brewed here standeth,
a shield lies over the shining drink;
in sorrow are sunk the sons of Odhinn.
I was loath to speak, now let me cease."
"Cease not, seeress, till said thou hast,
answer the asker till all he knows:
who will Baldr slay, the blameless God,
and send hither the son of Odhinn?"
"Hodhr will the hero hitherward send,
he will Baldr slay, the blameless God,
and end the life of Odhinn's son.
I was loath to speak, now let me cease."
"Cease not, seeress, till said thou hast,
answer the asker till all he knows:
the hateful deed who will avenge,
and Baldr's slayer who send to Hel?"
Rind bears Vali in western Halls;
but one night old will Vali slay him:
Neither cleanses his hands nor combs his hair,
till Baldr's slayer he sends to Hel.
I was loath to speak, now let me cease."
"Cease not, seeress, till said thou hast,
answer the asker till all he knows:
who are the girls that greet so sore,
and their kerchief corners cast to the sky?"
"Thou art not Vegtam, as I had thought,
but rather Odhinn, oldest of Gods."
"Thou art no seeress, nor sage woamn,
but rather of Thurses three the mother."
"Homeward hie thee, happy in mind:
no chanted spells will charm me up
until Loki is loose from his bonds
and the day will come of the doom of the Gods."
