ll brightness from the land.

The next night he dreamt again that Asgard lay in darkness, and that
her bright flowers and radiant trees were withered and lifeless, and
that the Asa folk, dull and withered also, were sorrowing as though
from some great calamity.

The third night he dreamt yet again that Asgard was dark and lifeless
and that from out of the gloom one sad voice cried:

"Woe! Woe! Woe! For Balder the Beautiful is dead--is dead!"

Odin listened to the recital of this story with heavy heart, and at
its conclusion he mounted his coal-black horse and rode over many a
hard and toilsome road till he came to the dark abode of Hela. And
there he saw, to his surprise, that a great banquet was being prepared
in the gloomy hall. Dishes of gold were set upon the table and all the
couches were covered with the richest silken tapestry, as though some
honoured guest were expected. But a throne that stood at the head of
the table was empty.

Very thoughtfully Odin rode on through those dim halls till he came to
one where dwelt an ancient prophetess, whose voice no man had heard
for many a long year.

Silent he stood before her, until she asked in a voice that sounded as
though it came from far away: "Who art thou, and from whence dost thou
come to trouble my long rest?"

Now Odin was fearful that she would not answer him did he give his
real name, so he told her that he was the son of Valtam, and asked
anxiously for whom the grim goddess of death was preparing her
banquet.

Then, to his great grief, the hollow voice of the prophetess replied
that Balder was the expected guest, and that he would shortly be sent
thither, slain by the hand of Hoder, the blind god of darkness.

"Who then," asked Odin, in sorrowful tones, "shall avenge the death of
Balder?"

And she answered that the son of the Earth-goddess, Vali by name,
should neither

"Comb his raven hair
Nor wash his visage in the stream,
Nor see the sun's departing beam,
Till he on Hoder's corse shall smile
Flaming on the funeral pile."

And learning thus of the fate of his two favourite sons, All-Father
Odin went sadly back to Asgard.

Meantime Mother Frigga had not been idle. Filled with anxiety for her
darling son, she decided to send her servants throughout the earth,
bidding them exact a promise from all things--not only living
creatures, but plants, stones, and metals, fire, water, trees and
diseases of all kinds--that