 Part 1 of Baldur Dead by Matthew Arnold. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Nathan at antipodeanwriter.wordpress.com. Baldur Dead by Matthew Arnold. Part 1. Ascending. So on the floor lay Baldur dead, and round lay thickly strewn swords, axes, darts and spears, which all the gods in sport had idly thrown at Baldur, whom no weapon, pierced or clove, but in his breast stood fixed the fatal bow of mistletoe, which lock the accuser gave to Hoda, an unwitting Hoda through. Against that alone had Baldur's life no charm, and all the gods and all the heroes came and stood round Baldur on the bloody floor, weeping and wailing and Valhalla rang. Up to its golden roof, with sobs and cries, and on the tables stood the untasted meats, and in the horns and gold-rimmed skulls the wine, and now would night have fallen, found them yet wailing, but otherwise was Odin's will, and thus the father of the ages spake. Enough of tears, ye gods, enough of wail, not to lament in woes, Valhalla made. If any here might weep for Baldur's death, I most might weep his father. Such a son I lose today, so bright, so loved of God, but he has met that doom which long ago the nornies, when his mother bear him, spun, and fate set seal, and that so his end must be. Baldur has met his death, and ye survive, weep him an hour. But what can grief avail? Thee yourselves, ye gods, shall meet your doom, will ye who hear me and inhabit heaven, and I too, Odin too, the Lord of all, but else we shall not meet when that day comes with women's tears and weak complaining cries. Why should we meet another's portion so? Rather it fits you having webbed your hour with cold, dry eyes and hearts composed and stern to live, as erst your daily life in heaven. By me shall vengeance on the murderer look, the foe, the accuser, whom, though gods, we hate, be strictly cared for in the appointed day. Meanwhile, tomorrow, when the morning dawns, bring wood to the seashore to Baldur's ship, and on the deck build high a funeral pyre, and on the top lay Baldur's corpse, and put fire to the wood, and sent him out to sea to burn. For that is what the dead desire. So spake the king of gods, and straightway rose, and mounted his horse Slipnir, whom he rode, and from the hall of heaven he rode away. Tillid skelf, and sat upon his throne, the mount from whence his eye surveyed the world, and far from heaven he turned his shining orbs, to look on Nidgard, and the earth, and men. And on the conjuring laps he bent his gaze, whom Andlard Reindeer pulled over the snow. And on the fins the gentlest of mankind, fair men who live in holes under the ground, or did he look once more to Ida's plain, or toward Valhalla, and the soaring gods? For well he knew the gods would heed his word, and cease to mourn, and think of Baldur's pyre. But in Valhalla all the gods went back from around Baldur, all the heroes went, and left his body stretched upon the floor, and on their golden chairs they sat again, beside the tables in the hall of heaven. Before each the cooks who served them placed new messes of the boar Serena's flesh, and the Valkyries crowned their horns with mead, so they with pent up hearts and tearless eyes, wailing no more in silence, ate and drank, while twilight fell, and sacred night came on. But the blind hoda left the feasting gods in Odin's hall, and went through Asgard's streets, and passed the haven where the gods have moored their ships, and threw the gate beyond the wall. Though sightless, it his own mind led the god down to the margin of the roaring sea, he came and sadly went along the sand, between the waves and black overhanging cliffs, where in and out the screaming sea fell fly, until he came to where a gully breaks through the cliff-fold, and a fresh stream runs down, from the high moors behind, and meets the sea. There in the glen, Fensala stands the house of Freya, mother of the gods, and shows its lighted windows to the main. There he went up and passed the open doors, and in the hall he found those women old, the prophetesses who by righty turn on Freya's hearth feed high the sacred fire. But night and day, and by the inner wall upon her golden chair, the mother sat with folded hands, revolving things to come to her drew hoda near and spake and said, Mother, a child of Baal thou bearst in me, for first thou bearest me with blinded eyes, sightless and helpless, wandering weak in heaven, and after that of ignorant witless mind, thou bearest me, and unforeseeing soul, that I alone must take the branch from loke, the foe, the accuser, whom though gods we hate, and cast it at the dear-loved boulders breast, at whom the gods ensport their weapons through, against that alone had boulders life no charm. Now therefore, what to attempt, or with a fly, for who will bear my hateful sight in heaven? Can I, a mother, bring them bolder back? Or for thou knowst the fates and things allowed, can I, with Heller's power, a compact strike, and make exchange and give my life for his? He spoke. The mother of the gods replied, Hoda, ill-fated, child of Baal, my son, cyclous in soul, and I, what words are these? That one long portion with his doom of death should change his lot, and fill another's life, and Heller yield to this, and let him go? On bolder death laid her hand, not thee, nor doth she count this life a price for that. For many gods in heaven, not thou alone, would freely die to purchase bolder back, and went themselves to Heller's gloomy realm. For not so gladsome is that life in heaven, which gods and heroes lead in feast and fray, waiting the darkness of the final times, that one should grudge its loss for bolder's sake, bolder their joy, so bright, so loved a god, but fate with stands, and laws forbid this way. Yet in my secret mind, one way I know, nor do I judge if it shall win or fail, that much must still be tried, which shall but fail. And the blind hoder answered her, and said, What way is this, O mother, but thou shouest? Is it a matter which a god might try? And straight the mother of the gods replied, There is a way which leads to Heller's realm, untrodden, lonely, far from light and heaven, who goes that way must take no other horse to ride but sleep, nor Odin's horse alone, or must he choose that common path of gods which every day they come and go in heaven? O the bridge, Berfrost, where is Hemdall's watch, past Midgard Fortress down to earth and men, that he must tread a dark untroubled road which branches from the north of heaven, and ride nine days, nine nights, toward the northern ice, through valleys deep engulfed with roaring streams, and he will reach on the tenth mourner bridge which spans with golden arches, Gile's stream, not Berfrost, but that bridge a damsel keeps, who tells the passing troops of dead their way to the low shore of ghosts and Heller's realm, and she will bid him northward, steer his course, then he will journey through no lighted land, nor see the sun arise, nor see its set, but he must ever watch the northern bear, who from her frozen height, with jealous eye, confronts the dog and hunter in the south, and is alone not dipped in ocean's stream, and straight he will come down to ocean's strand, ocean whose watery ring enfolds the world and on whose marge the ancient giant's dwell, but he will reach its unknown northern shore, far beyond the outmost giant's home, at the chinked fields of ice, the waste of snow, and he must fare across the dismal ice northward until he meets a stretching wall barring his way and in the wall a great, but then he must dismount and on the ice tighten the girths of Slippner, Overn's horse, and make him leap the great and come within, and he will see stretch round him Heller's realm, the plains of Niffl him where dwell the dead and hear the roaring of the streams of hell, and he will see the feeble shadowy tribes and border sitting crowned and Heller's throne, then must he not regard the wileful ghosts, who all will flit like eddying leaves around, but he must straight a cost of their solemn queen and pay her homage and entreat with prayers, telling her all that grief they have in heaven, for border whom she holds by right below, if happily he may melt her heart with words and make her yield and give him border back. She spoke, but Hoder answered her and said, Mother, a dreadful way is this thou shouest, no journey for a sightless god to go? And straight the mother of the gods replied, therefore thou shalt not go, my son, but he whom first thou meetest, when thou comest to Asgard and declares this hidden way shall go, and I will be his guide unseen. She spoke, and on her face let fall her veil, and bowed her head and sate with folded hands, but at the central heart those women old, who, while the mother's spake had ceased their toil, began again to heap the sacred fire, and Hoder turned and left his mother's house, then Sailor, who's with windows looked to see, and came again down to the roaring waves, and back along the beach to Asgard went, pondering on that which freer said should be. But night came down and darkened Asgard's streets, then from there loathed feast the gods arose, and lighted tortures, and took up the corpse of Balder from the floor of Odin's hall, and laid it on a bire and bare him home, through the fast darkening streets to his own house, bred oblique on his columns, Balder graved with enchantments that record the dead to life, for wise he was, and many curious arts, postures of runes, and healing herbs he knew, unhappy but that art he did not know, to keep his own life safe and see the sun. There to his hall the gods brought Balder home, and each bespake him as he laid him down, that ourselves or Balder we were born, home to our halls with torchlight by our kin, so thou mightst live and still delight the gods. They spake, and each went home to his own house, but there was one the first of all the gods, for Speed and Hermod was his name in heaven, most fleet he was, but now he went the last, heavy in heart for Balder to his house, which he in Asgard built him there to dwell, against the harbour by the city wall. Him the blind Hoda met as he came up, from the sea cityward, and knew his step, nor yet could Hermod see his brother's face, for it grew dark, but Hoda touched his arm, and as a spray of honey-suckle flowers brushes across a tired traveller's face, who shuffles through the deep-due moistened dust, on a May evening in the darkened lanes, and starts him that he thinks a ghost went by, so Hoda brushed by Hermod's side, and said, Take sleep, no Hermod, and set forth with dawn to healer's kingdom, to ask Balder back, and they shall be thy guides who have the power. He spake, and brushed soft by, and disappeared, and Hermod gazed into the night, and said, Who is it that is through the dark his haste, so quickly, and will wait for no reply? The voice was like an happy Hoda's voice, how beard I will see and do his haste, for there rang no divine in that command. So speaking, the fleet footed Hermod came home, and laid down to sleep in his own house, and all the gods laid down in their own homes, and Hoda too came home, distraught with grief, loathing to meet at dawn the other gods, and he went in, and shut the door, and fixed his sword upright, and fell on it, and died. From the hill of Lidsgelf, Odin rose, the throne from which his eyes surveyed the world, and mounted Sleepner, and in darkness rode to Asgard, and the stars came out in heaven, high over Asgard to light home the king. But fiercely Odin galloped, moved in heart, and swift to Asgard to the gate he came, and terribly the hoofs of Sleepner rang along the flinty floor of Asgard streets, and the gods trembled on their golden bids, hearing the wrathful father coming home, for dread, for like a whirlwind, Odin came, and to Valhalla's gate he rode and left, Sleepner and Sleepner went to his own stall, and in Valhalla Odin laid him down. But in Bredablick, Nanna, Baldur's wife, came with the goddesses who wrought her will, and stood by Baldur, lying on his beard, and at his head and feet she stationed Scourts, who in their lives were famous for their song. These other corpse enturned a plaintiff's strain, a dirge, and Nanna and her train replied, and far into the night they wailed their dirge, but when their souls were satisfied with wail, they went and laid them down, and Nanna went, and to an upper chamber and lay down, and freer sealed her tired lids with sleep. It was when night is bordering hard on dawn, when air is chillest, and the stars sunk low, then Baldur's spirit through the gloom drew near, in garb, in form, in feature, as he was. Alive, and still the rays were round his head, which were his glorious mark in heaven, he stood over against the curtain of the bed, and gazed on Nanna as she slept and spake. Poor lamb, thou sleepest and forgets thy woe, tears stand upon the lashes of thine eyes, tears wet the pillow by thy cheek, but thou, like a young child, hast cried thyself to sleep, sleep on. I watched thee, and am here to aid. Alive, I kept not far from thee, dear soul, neither do I neglect thee now, though dead, for with tomorrows dawn the gods prepare to gather wood and build a funeral pile upon my ship and burn my corpse with fire. That's sad, soul, honour of the dead, and thee, they think to burn, and all my choice is wealth. With me, for thus ordains the common rite, but it shall not be so. But mild, but swift, but painless, shall a stroke from freer come to cut thy thread of life and free thy soul, and they shall burn thy corpse with mine, not thee. And well, I know, that by no stroke of death, tarry or swift, wouldst thou be loath to die, so it restored thee, Nanna, to my side, whom thou so well hast loved. But I can smear thy way. And this, at least, my prayers are aile. Yes, and I feign would altogether ward death from thy head, and with the gods in heaven prolong thy life, though not by thee desired, but right bars this, not only thy desire. Yet dreary, Nanna, is the life they lead in that dim world in hella's moulding realm, and doleful are the ghosts of the troops of dead, whom hella with austere control presides. For of the race of gods is no one there, save me alone, and hella, solemn queen. And all the noblest souls of mortal men on battle field have met their death, and now feast in Valhalla, in my father's hall. Only then glorious sort are there below, the old, the cowards, and the weaker there, men spent by sickness or obscure decay. But even there, O Nanna, we might find some soulace in each other's look and speech, wandering together through that gloomy world and talking of the life we lead in heaven, while we yet lived among the other gods. He spake, and straight his liniments began to fade, and Nanna, in her sleep, stretched out her arms towards him with a cry that he, mournfully, shook his head and disappeared, and as the woodmen seized a little smoke, hang in the air afield and disappear, so Balder faded in the night away. And Nanna, on her back, sank back, but then, freer, the mother of the gods, painless and swift, set free her eerie soul, which took on Balder's track the way below, and instantly the sacred mourn appeared. For from the east up the ascent of heaven daydrove his coarser with the shining mane, and in Valhalla from his gable perch, the golden crested cock began to crow. Hereafter in the blackest dead of night, with shrill and dismal cries, that bird shall crow, warning the gods that foes draw nigh to heaven. But now he crew at dawn, a cheerful note, to wake the gods and heroes to their tasks, and all the gods and all the heroes woke, and from their beds the heroes rose and donned their arms and led their horses from the stall, and mounted them and in Valhalla's court were ranged and then the daly fray began, and all day long they there are hacked and hewn mid dust and groans and limbs lopped off and blood. But all at night returned to Odin's hall, woundless and fresh, such lot as there's in heaven, and the Valkyries on their steeds went forth toward earth and fights of men, and at their side scalded the youngest of the Nornees road, an overburfrost where his hemdals watched past midgard fortress down to earth they came. There through some battlefield where men fall fast, their horses fatlock deep in blood they ride, and pick the bravest warriors out for death whom they bring back with them in the night to heaven to glad the gods and feast in Odin's hall. But the gods went not now, as other while, into the tiltyard where the heroes fought to feast their eyes with looking on the fray, nor did they to their judgement place repair by the ash Yggdrasil in Ida's plain, where they hold counsel and give laws for men, but they went Odin first, the rest behind. To the hall glad hem, which spilt of gold, where iron circle ranged twelve golden chairs and in the midst one higher Odin's throne, there all the gods in silence sate them down and thus the father of the ages spake. Go quickly gods, bring wood to the seashore with all which it besiems the dead to have and make a funeral pile on bouldership. On the twelfth day the gods shall burn his corpse, but Hermod take thou slitner and ride down to Heller's kingdom to ask Baldur back. So said he and the gods arose and took axes and ropes, and at their head came Thor, shouldering his hammer which the giants know. Forth winded they and drove their steeds before and up the dewy mountain tracks they fared to the dark forests in the early dawn, and up and down and side and slant they roamed and from the glen's all day an echo came of crashing falls, for with his hammer Thor smote mid the rocks the lichen bearded pines and burst their roots, while to their tops the gods made fast the woven ropes and hailed them down and lobbed their bows and clove them on the sword and bound the logs behind their steeds to draw and drove them homeward and the snorting steeds went straining through the crapplin brushwood down and by the darkling forest paths the gods followed and on their shoulders carried bows and they came out upon the plain and passed Asgard and led their horses to the beach and loosed them of their loads on the seashore and ranged the wood in stacks by bouldership and every god went home to his own house. When the gods were to the forest gone Hermod led Slytna from Valhalla forth. Slytna settled him before that Slytna broke to no mean a hand than Odin's on his mane on his broad back no lesser rider bore. At docile now he stood at Hermod's side arching his neck and glad to be bestowed knowing the god they went to seek our dear, but Hermod mounted him and sadly feared in silence up the darkened travel-grode which branches from the north of heaven and went all day and daylight waned and night came on and all that night he rode and journeyed so nine days nine nights toward the northern ice through valleys deep engulfed by roaring streams and on the 10th morn he beheld the bridge which spans with golden archers guile stream and on the bridge a damsel watching armed in the straight passage at the farther end where the road issues between walling rocks scan space that water left for passes by but as when cow herds in October drive their kine across a snowy mountain pass to winter pasture on the southern side and on the ridge a wagon chokes the way which in the snow then painfully the hinds with goat and shouting urge their cattle past plunging through deep untrodden banks of snow to right and left the warm stream fills the air so on the bridge the damsel blocked the way in question to Hermod as he came and said, Who art thou on thy black and fiery horse under whose hooves the bridge over guile stream rumbles and shakes tell me thy race and home, but yester morn five troops of dead pass by bound on their way below to Heller's realm nor shook the bridge so much as thou alone and thou hast flesh and colour on thy cheeks like men who live and draw the vital air nor looks thou pale and won like men deceased souls bound below my daily passes here and the fleet footed Hermod answered her, O damsel, Hermod am I called the son of Odin and my Hyreth houses built for hence in Asgard in the city of gods and Slypner Odin's horses this I ride and I come sent this road on Baldr's track say then if he hath crossed thy bridge or no he spake the water of the bridge replied, O Hermod, rarely do the feet of gods or of the horses of the gods resound upon my bridge and when they cross I know. Baldr hath gone this way and taken the road below there to the north toward Heller's realm from here the cold white mist can be discerned nor lit with sun but through the dark some air by the dim vapour blotted light of the stars which hangs over the ice where lies the road for in that ice are lost these northern streams freezing and riching in their onward flow which from the fountain of Vylgelma run that spring that bubbles up by Heller's throne there are the joyless seats the haunt of ghosts Heller's pulse warms and there was Baldr bound right on pass free but he by this is there she spake and stepped aside and left him room O Hermod greeted her and galloped by across the bridge then she took post again but northward Hermod rode the way below and o'er a dark some track which knows no sun and by the blotted light of stars he feared and he came down to oceans northern strand at the drear ice beyond the giant's home then son he journeyed o'er the fields of ice still north until he met a stretching wall barring his way and in the wall a great then he dismounted Andrew typed the girths on the smooth ice of sligner Odin's horse and made him leap the great and came with him and he beheld spread round him Heller's realm the plains of Niffl him where dwell the dead and heard the thunder of the streams of hell for near the wall the river of roaring flows out most the others near the center run the storm the abyss the howling and the pain his flow by Heller's throne and near their spring and from the dark flocked up the shadowy tribes and as the swallows crowd the bullrush beds of some clear river issuing from the lake on autumn days before they crossed the sea and to each bullrush crest a swallow hangs swinging and others skim the river streams and their quick twittering fills the banks and shores so around her mod swarmed the twittering ghosts women and infants and young men who died too soon for fame with white ungraven shields and old men know under glory but their star betrayed them and of wasting age they died not wounds yet dying they their armor wore and now have chief regard in Heller's realm behind flocked wrangling up a piteous crew greeted of none disfeatured and forlorn cowards who were in sloughs and turd alive and round them still the waddled hurdles hung wherewith they stamped them down and trod them deep to hide their shameful memory from men but all he passed unhailed and reached the throne of Heller and saw near it and Heller sat there on with countenance stern and thus bespake him first the solemn queen and happy how has thou endured to leave the light and journey to the cheerless land where idly flit about the feeble shades how didst thou cross the bridge over Gale's stream being alive and come to ocean shore or how overleap the grate that bars the wall she spake but down off Slippner her mod sprang and fell before her feet and clasped her knees and spake and mild and treated her and said O Heller wherefore should the gods declare their errands to each other all the ways they go the errand and the ways known Thou knowst, thou knowst what grief we have in heaven for Balder whom thou holdst by right below restore him for what part fulfills he here shall he shed cheer over the cheerless seats and touch the apathetic ghosts with joy not for such end O Queen thou holdst thy realm for heaven was Balder born the city of gods and heroes where they live in light and joy there the restore him for his place is there he spoke and grave replied the soul of Queen her mod, for he thou art, thou son of heaven a strange unlikely errand sure as thine did the gods sin to me to make them blessed small bliss my race hath of the gods obtained three mighty children to my father loak did anger bode the giant her spring forth fennress the wolf the serpent huge and me of these the serpent in the sea you cast who since in your despite hath waxed domain and now with gleaming ring enfolds the world me on this cheerless netherworld you threw and gave me nine unlighted realms to rule while on his island in the lake a far made faster the board craig by while not strength subdued with limber chains lifts fennress bound Ock still subsists in heaven our father wise your mate though loathed and fists in Odin's hall but him too foes await and netted snares and in a cave a bed of needle rocks and over his visage serpents dropping gall yet he shall one day rise and burst his bonds and with himself set us his offspring free when he guides must bells children to their born till then in peril or in pain we live wrought by the gods and ask the gods our aid albeit we abide our day till then we do not as some feebler haters do seek to afflict our foes with petty pangs helpless to better us or ruin them come then if boulder was so dear beloved and this is true and such a loss is heaven's here how to heaven may boulder be restored show me through all the world the signs of grief fails but one thing to grieve here boulder stops let all that lives and lives upon the earth weep him and all that is without life weep let gods men brutes be weep him plants and stones so shall I know the lost was dear indeed and bend my heart and give him back to heaven she spake and her mod answered her and said hella such as thou sayest the term shall be but come declare me this and truly tell may I erode apart be boulder hail or is it here withheld to greet the dead he spake and straightway hella answered him her mod greet boulder if thou wilt and hold converse his speech remains though he be dead and straight to boulder her mod turned and spake and even in the abode of death her boulder hail thou hearest if hearing like his speech is thine the terms of thy releasement hence to heaven fear nothing but that all shall be fulfilled for not a mindful of the other gods who see the light and blessed in asgard dwell even here they seek thee out in hella's realm and sure of all the happiest far out thou whoever have been known in earth or heaven alive thou wast of gods the most beloved and now thou sitst crowned by hella's side here in haste honour among all the dead he spake and boulder uttered him reply but feebly as a voice far off he said her mod the nimble gilded me not my death better to live a surfer captured man who scatters rushes in a master's hall than be a crowned king here and rule the dead and now I count not of these terms as safe to be fulfilled nor my return as sure though I be loved and many more in my death for double-minded ever was the seed of loak and double other gifts they give albeit report thy message and their width to Oden to my father take this ring memorial of me whether saved or no until the heaven-born gods how thou have seen me sitting here below by hella's side crowned having honour among all the dead he spake and raised his hand and gave the ring and with inscrutable regard the queen of hell beheld them and the ghosts stood dumb her mod took the ring and yet once more kneeled and did homage to the solemn queen then mounted Sleipner and set forth to ride back through the astonished tribes of dead to heaven to the wall he came and found the great lifted and issued on the fields of ice and over the ice he fared to ocean strand and up from thence a wet and misty road to the armed damsels bridge and guile stream worse was that way to go then to return for him for others all return his bard nine days he took to go to to return and on the 12th morn sought the light of heaven and as a traveller in the early dawn to the steep edge of some great valley comes through richer river flows and seas beneath clouds of white rolling papers filled the veil but over them on the further slope describes vineyards and crops and pastures bright with sun so her mod over the fog between so heaven and Sleipner snorted for he smelt the air of heaven and mightily as winged he flew and her mod saw the towers of Asgard rise and he drew near and heard no living voice in Asgard and the golden halls were done then her mod knew what labor held the gods and through the empty streets he rode and passed under the gatehouse to the sands and found the gods on the seashore by boulders ship end of part two recording and music are in the public domain and were recorded by Nathan at antipodeanwriter.wordpress.com Bald or Dead by Matthew Arnold This is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Nathan at antipodeanwriter.wordpress.com Bald or Dead by Matthew Arnold Part 3 The Funeral The gods held talk together grouped in knots round boulders corpse which they had thither borne and her mod came down towards them from the gate and locked the father of the serpent first beheld him come into his neighbour's spake. See here is her mod who comes single back from hell and shall I tell thee how he seems like as a farmer who hath lost his dog some morn at market in the crowded town through many streets the poor beast runs in vain and follows this man after that for hours and late at evening spent and panting as before a stranger's threshold not his home with flanks a tremble and his slender tongue hangs quivering out between his dust smeared jaws and piteously he eyes the farmers by but home his master comes to his own farm far in the country wondering where he is so her mod comes today unfollowed home and straight his neighbour moved with wroth replied to see the fair inform that false in heart enemy mocker whom though gods we hate peace lest our father Oden hear thy jive would I might see him wash thee in his hand and bind thy carcass like a bar with cords and hurl thee in a lake to sink or swim if clear from plotting bought his death to swim but deep if thou devisest it to drown and perish against fate before thy day so they too soft to one another spake but Oden looked toward the land and saw his messenger and he stood forth and cried and her mod came and left from slightly down and in his father's hand put slightly as rain and greeted Oden and the gods and said Oden my father and your gods of heaven low home having performed your will I come into the joyless kingdom have I been below and looked upon the shadowy tribes of ghosts and commune with their solemn queen and to your prayers she sends you this reply show her through all the world the signs of grief falls but one thing to grieve their border stops let God's men brutes beweep him plants and stones so shall she know your loss was dear indeed and bent her heart and give you border back he spoke and all the gods to Oden looked and straight to the father of the ages said he gods these terms may keep another day but now put on your arms and mount your steeds and in processional come near and weep border for that is what the dead desire when you enough have wept then build a pile of the heaped wood and burn his corpse with fire out of our sight that we may turn from grief and lead as ours down daily life in heaven he spoke and the gods armed and Oden donned his dazzling corset at his helm of gold and led the way on the rest followed in tears their father and their king and thrice in arms around the dead they rode weeping the sands were wetted and their arms with their thick falling tears so good a friend they mourned that day so bright so loved a god and Oden came and laid his kingly hands on board as rest and that's began the whale farewell all bolder bright and loved my son in that great day the twilight of the gods when must spills children shall be legal heaven then we shall miss thy council and thy arm they'll come as near to warrior thaw shoulding the hammer in thy chariot drawn swaying the long head goats with silver rain and over boulders corpse these words did say brother they'll dwellest in the dark some land and talkest with the feeble tribes of ghosts now and I know not how they prized thee there but here I know thou wilt be missed and mourned for haughty spirits and high wroths are rife among the gods and heroes here in heaven as among those whose joy and work is war and daily strife arise and angry spirits but from thy lips so bolder night or day heard no one ever an injurious word to God or hero but thou keptest back the others laboring to compose their brawls be ye then kind as bolder too was kind for we lose him who smoothed or strife in heaven we spake and all the gods are senting wailed and Freyja next came nigh with golden tears the loveliest goddess she in heaven by all must honoured after Freyja Oden's wife her long ago the wandering odor took to mate but left her to decent lands since then she seeks him and weeps tears of gold names hath she many vanadess on earth they call her Freyja is her name in heaven she in her hands took bolder's head and spake bolder my brother thou art gone a road unknown and long and happily on that way my long lost wandering odor thou hast met for in the paths of heaven he is not found oh if it be so tell him what thou wast to his neglected wife and what he is and ring his heart with shame to hear thy word for he my husband left me here to pine not longer wife when his unquiet heart first drove him from the interdistant land since then I vainly seek him through the world and weep from shore to shore my golden tears but neither god nor mortal heats my pain thou only boulder wast for ever kind to take my hand and wipe my tears and say weep not oh Freyja weep no golden tears one day the wandering odor will return or thou will find him in thy faithful search on some great road or resting in an inn or at a fold or sleeping by a tree so bolder said but odor well I know my truant odor I shall see no more to the world's end and bolder now is gone and I am left uncomforted in heaven she spake and all the goddesses bewild last from among the heroes one came near no god but of the hero tripped the chief regna who swept the northern sea with fleets and ruled over Denmark and the healthy isles living but Ella captured him and slew a king whose fame then filled the vast of heaven now time obscures it and men's later deeds he last approached the corpse and spake and said bolder there yet are many scourges in heaven still left and that chief scourged thy brother Rage whom we may bid to sing though thou art gone and all these gladly while we drink we hear after the feast is done in Odin's hall but they harp ever on one string and wake remembrance in our soul of wars alone such as on earth we valiantly have waged and blood and ringing blows and violent death but when thou sangest bolder thou didst strike another note and like a bird in spring thy voice of joyance minded us and youth and wife and children and our ancient home yes and I too remember then no more my dungeon where the serpent stang me dead nor Ella's victory on the English coast but I heard Thorolath and Gothland Isle and saw my shepherd yes a slurga tend her flock along the white Norwegian beach and started to mine eyes with yearning joy therefore with grateful heart a mournly dead so regna spake and all the heroes groaned but now the sun had passed the height of heaven soon had all that day been spent in Wail but then the father of the ages said new gods their well may be too much of Wail bring now the gathered wood to bouldership heap on the deck the logs and build the pile but when the gods and heroes heard they brought the wood to bouldership and built a pile and lofty then the corpse of Balder on the highest top they laid with Nanna on his right and on his left Hoda his brother whom his own hand slew and they set jars of wine and oil to lean against the bodies and stuck torches near splinters of pine woods soaked with turpentine and brought his arms and gold and all his stuff and slew the dogs who at his table fed and his horse Boulders horse and most he loved and placed them on the pile and Odin threw a last choice gift there on his golden ring and as they fixed and hoisted up the sails then they put fire to the wood and Thor said his stout shoulder hard against the stern to push the ship through the thick sand sparks flew from the deep trench she plowed so stronger God furrowed it and the water gurgled him and the ship floated on the waves and rocked but in the hills of strong east wind arose and came down moaning to the sea first squalls and black over the seas face then steady rushed the breeze and filled the sails and blew the fire and rithden smoke the ship stood out to sea soon with the roaring rose the mighty fire and the pile crackled and between the logs shoved quivering tongues of flame shot out and leapt curling and darting higher until they licked the summit of the pile the dead the mast and ate the shriveling sails but still the ship drove on ablaze above her hull with fire and the God stood upon the beach engaged and while they gazed the sun went lurid down into the smoke wrapped sea and night came on in the wind fell with night and there but through the dark they watched the burning ship still carried over the distant waters on farther and farther like an eye of fire and long in the far dark blazed boulders pile that fainter as the stars rose higher to fled the bodies were consumed ash choked the pile and as in a decaying winter fire a charred log of falling makes a shower of sparks over the shower of sparks the pile fell in reddening the sea around and all was dark the Gods went by starlight up the shore to Asgard and sat down in Odin's hall at a table and the funeral feast began all night they ate the boar syrinna's flesh and from their horns with Selma rimmed drank mead silent and waited for the sacred morn and morning over all the world was spread then from their loathed feast the Gods arose and took their horses and set forth to ride over the bridge bare frost where his hemdall's watch to the ash Yggdrasil and Ida's plane Thor came on foot the rest on black road and they found Mima sitting by his fountain of wisdom which beneath the ash tree springs and saw the nornies watering the roots of that world shadowing tree with honeydew there came the Gods and sate them down on stones and thus the father of the ages said Yggd's the terms you know which Hermod brought accept them or reject them both have grounds accept them and they bind us unfulfilled to live forever border in the grave and unrecovered prisoner shade with shades but how the ash would the fulfillment fail smooth sound the terms and light to be fulfilled for dear beloved was border while he lived in heaven and earth and who would grudging tears but from the traitorous seed of loak they come these terms and I suspect some hidden fraud you think he Gods is there no other way speak we're not this away the way for Gods if I if Odin clad in radiant arms mounted on sleep now with the warrior Thor drawn in his car inside me and my sons all the strong brood of heaven to swell my train should make eruption into hella's realm and set the fields of bloom ablaze with light and bring in triumph border back to heaven he spoke and his fierce sons applauded loud but freer mother of the Gods arose daughter and wife of Odin thus she said Odin thou whirlwind what a threat is this thou threatenest what transcends thy might even thine for of all powers the mightest far over men on earth and Gods in heaven yet even from thee thyself hath been withheld one thing to undo what thou thyself hast ruled for all which hath been fixed was fixed by thee in the beginning ever Gods were born before the heavens were billed thou didst slay the giant Ymir in the abyss brought forth thou and thy brethren fierce the sons of Boa and cast his trunk to choke the abysmal void but of his flesh and members thou didst build the earth and ocean and above them heaven and from the flaming world where mustal rains thou sensed and fished to fire and madest lights, sun, moon and stars which thou hast hung in heaven dividing clear the paths of night and day and Asgard thou didst build and Midgard fought then me thou madest and of us the Gods were born last walking by the sea thou foundest stars of wood and framest men until the earth or on the sea the field of pirates sail and all the race of Ymir thou didst drown save one your girl now your board fled thy deluge and from him the giant sprang but all that brood thou hast removed far off and set by oceans utmost marched it well but hella into Nithilum thou thrust and gavest her nine unlighted worlds to rule a queen and empire over all the dead that empire will thou now invade light up her darkness from her grasp a subject tear try it but I for one will not applaud nor do I merit Oden but thou shouldst slight me and my words that thou be thirst in heaven for I too am a goddess born of thee thine eldest and of me the Gods are sprung and all that is to come I know but lock in my own breast and have to none revealed come then since hella holds by right her prey but offers terms for his release to heaven except the chance thou canst no more obtain send through the world thy messengers and treat all living and unliving things to weep for border if thou happily thou mayst melt hella and win the loved one back to heaven but on her face let fall her veil and bowed her head and sate with folded hands nor did the all-wreeling Oden slight her word straightway he spake and thus addressed the Gods go quickly forth through all the world and pray all living and unliving things to weep for border if happily he may thus be won when the Gods heard they straight arose and took their horses and rode forth through all the world north south east west they struck and roamed the world and treating all things to weep the borders dead and all that lived and all without life wept does in winter when the frost breaks up at winter's end before the spring begins and a warm west wind blows and the thaw sets in after an hour a dripping sound is heard in all the forests and the soft, strewn snow under the trees is dibbled thick with holes and from the boughs the snow loads shuffle down and in fields sloping to the south dark plots of grass peep out at mid surrounding snow and widen and the peasants heart is greyed so through the world was heard a dripping noise of all things weeping to bring border back and there fell joy upon the Gods to hear but her mod rode with Neord whom he took to show him spits and beaches of the sea far off where someone warned whitefowl to weep Neord, the God of storms whom fishes know not born in heaven, he was in van him reared with men that lives a hostage with the Gods, he knows each frith and every rocky creek, fringed with dark pines and sands where sea fell scream they too scored every coast and all things wept and they rode home together to the wood of Jarnvid which to east of Midgard lies bordering the giants where the trees are iron, there in the wood before a cave they came where Satan the cave's mouth a skinny hag toothless and old, she jibes the passes by, thock as she called but now lock wore her shape, she greeted them the first and laughed and said Ye Gods, good luck, was it so dull in heaven that ye come pleasuring to thox iron wood, lovers of change ye are fastidious sprites, look as in some boar's yard a sweet bathed cow whose manger is stuffed full of good fresh hay snuffs at it dankly and stoopes ahead to chew the straw her litter at her feet, so ye grow squeamish gods and sniff at heaven she spake, and her mod answered her and said to thock, of the giants we come, we come for tears Baldur is dead and Heller holds her prey but we'll restore of all things give him tears big rose not thine, to all was Baldur dear then with a louder laugh the hag replied, is Baldur dead and do ye come for tears, thock with dry eyes will weep over Baldur's pyre, weep him all other things, if weep they will, I weep him not, let Heller keep her prey. She spake to the cavern's depth, she fled mocking and her mod knew their tall was vain and as seafaring men, who long have wrought in the great deep again at last come home and towards evening see the headlands rise of their dear country and complain, describe a fire of withered furs which boys have lit upon the cliffs or smoke of burning weeds out of a tilled field then to sea and they go long days tossing up and down over the grey sea ridges and the glimpse of port they had makes bitterer far their toil so the gods cross was bitterer for their joy and sad at heart to Neord, her mod spake, it is the accuser lock who flouts us all right back and tell in heaven's heavy news I must again below to Heller's realm, he spoke and Neord said forth back to heaven that northward her mod rode the way below the way he knew and traversed down to ocean groped and crossed the ice and came beneath the wall and found the great still lifted but was his return for no one and once more her mod saw around him spread the joyless planes and heard the streams of hell but as he entered on the extremest bound of Niflum, he saw one ghost come near hovering and stopping off as if afraid, hoda the unhappy in his own hand slew and her mod looked and knew his brother's ghost and called him by his name and sternly said, hoda ill-fated, blind in heart and eyes, why tarriest thou to plunge thee in the gulf of the deep inner gloom that flittest here in twilight on the lonely verge of hell far from the other ghosts and Heller's throne doubtless, thou theorist to meet Baldr's voice, thy brother whom through folly thou didst slay he spoke but hoda answered him and said, her mod the Niflum dost thou still pursue the unhappy with reproach even in the grave this I died and fled beneath the gloom not dearly to endure a pouring gods and with a hateful presence come to heaven and cancel thou not even here past pitting by, no less than Baldr have I lost the light of heaven and communion with my kind. I too had once a wife and once a child and substance in a golden house in heaven but all I left of my own act and fled below and dost thou hate me even here Baldr upgrades me not nor hates at all, though he has cause have any cause, but he, when that with downcast looks I hear the cane stretched forth his hand and with benignant voice welcome he said, if there be welcome here brother and fellow sport of lurk with me and not to offend thee, her mod nor to force my hated converse on thee came I up from the deep gloom where I will now return but earnestly I longed to hover near not too far off, when that thou came aspire to fill the presence of a brother god and hear the passage of a horse of heaven for the last time for here thou comes no more, he spoke and turned to go to the inner gloom but her mod stayed him with mild words and said, thou doest well to chide me hoder blind, truly thou saest, the planning guilty mind was lurks, the unwitting hand alone was thine but gods are like the sons of men in this when they have woe, they blame the nearest cause, how be it, stay and be appeased and tell, sits Baldr still in pomp by hella's side or is he mingled with the unnumbered dead and the blind hoder answered him and spoke, his place of state remains by hella's side but empty, for his wife the nana came, lately below and joined and the pair frequent the still recesses of the realm of hella and hold converse undisturbed but they too doubtless will have breathed the balm which floats before a visitant from heaven and have drawn upward to this verge of hell he spoke and as he ceased a puff of wind rolled heavily the lead and missed a side round where they stood and they beheld two forms make toward them over the stretching cloudy plain and her mod straight perceived them who they were, Baldr and nana and who Baldr said, Baldr, too truly thou for source to snare, lock triumph still and hella keeps her prey no more to Asgard shout thou come nor lodge in thy own house, spread oblique nor enjoy, the love will bear toward thee nor train up foreset thy son to be beloved like thee, here must thou lie and wait an endless age therefore for the last time, O Baldr hail, he spoke and Baldr answered him and said, hail and farewell, for here thou comest no more yet more not for me, her mod, when thou sittest in heaven nor let the other gods be meant as wholly to be pitted quite for lawn, for nana hath rejoined me who of old in heaven was seldom parted from my side and still the acceptance follows me which crowned my former life and cheers me even here, the iron frown of hella is relaxed when I draw nigh and the one tribes of dead love me and gladly bring for my award their ineffectual feuds and feeble hates shadows of hates, but they just stress them still and the fleet footed her mod made reply thou hast then all the solace death allows, esteem and function and so far as well, yet here thou liest Baldr underground, rusting forever and the years roll on, the generations pass, the ages grow and bring us nearer to the final day when from the south shall march the fiery band and cross the bridge of heaven with loke for guide and fennress at his heel with broken chain while from the east the giant rhinest is his ship and the great serpent makes to land and all are marshaled in one flaming square against the gods upon the plains of heaven, I mourn me thou canst not help us then he spoke, but Baldr answered him and said mourn not for me, mourn her mod for the gods mourn for the men on earth, the gods in heaven who live and with their eyes shall see that day the day will come when full shall Hasgard's towers and Odin and his sons the seed of heaven, but what were I to save them in that hour? if strength might save them, could not Odin save my father and his pride the warrior Thor, Vidar the silent the impetuous tear, I what were I when these cannot avail yet doubtless when the day of battle comes and the two hosts are marshaled and in heaven the golden crested cock shall sound alarm and his black brother bird from hence reply and bucklers clash and spears begin to pour longing will stir within my breast though vain, but not to me so grievous as I know to other gods it were is my enforced absence from fields where I could nothing aid for I am long since weary of your storm of carnage and find hermod in your life, something too much of war and broils which make life unperpetual fight a bath of blood, my eyes are dizzy with the arrow we hail, my ears are stunned with blows and sick for calm inactive therefore let me lie in gloom unarmed and glorious, I attend the course of ages and my late return to light in timeless alien to a spirit mild in new recovered seats the happier day we spake in the fleet hermod thus replied brother what seats are these what happier day tell me that I may ponder it when gone and the ray-crowned border answered him far to the south beyond the blue there spreads another heaven the boundless, no one yet hath reached it there hereafter shall arise the second Asgard with another name thither when over this present earth and heavens the tempest of the latter days hath swept and they from sight have disappeared and sunk shall a small remnant of the gods repair Hodor and I shall join them from the grave there reassembling we shall see a merge from the bright ocean at our feet and earth more fresh, more verdant than the last with fruits, self-springing and a seed of man preserved, who then shall live in pieces now in war, that we in heaven shall find again with joy the ruined palaces of odent seats, familiar halls where we have sucked of old re-enter them with wonder never fill our eyes with gazing and rebuilt with tears and we shall tread once more the well-known plain of Hodor and among the grass shall find the golden dice wherewith shall be played of yore and that will bring to mind the former life and past time of the gods the wise discourse of Odent the delights of other days Oh, Hermod, pray that thou mayst join us then such for the future is my hope meanwhile I rest the thrall of Heller and endure death and the gloom which round me even now thickens until its inner gulf recalls farewell the longer speech is not allowed he spoke and waved farewell and gave his hand to Nanna and she gave their brother blind her hand in turn and three departed over the cloudy plain and soon faded from sight into the interior bloom but Hermod stood beside his drooping horse Mute, gazing after them in tears and Fane, Fane had he followed their receding steps though they to death were bound and heed to heaven then but a power he could not break withheld and as a stalk which idle boys have trapped and tied him in a yard at autumn seas flocks of his kind pass flying over his head to warmer lands and coasts that keep the sun he strains to join their flight and from his shed follows them with a long complaining cry so Hermod gazed and yearned to join his kin at last he sighed and said forth back to heaven End of Part 3 End of Bolder Dead by Matthew Arnold Recording and Music are in the public domain and were recorded by Nathan at antipodeanwriter.wordpress.com