Baldur's tale

Known for his unmatched beauty and kindness, Baldr was the son of Odin, the All-Father, and Frigg, the foresighted.

His story begins in an unsettling manner. Baldr starts having ominous dreams of his own demise — a foreboding omen in the Viking world. Deeply troubled, his mother, Frigg, takes matters into her own hands. She traverses the nine worlds, exacting promises from everything — be it stone, metal, wood, earth, water, animals, and even diseases — that they would not harm her beloved son. Everything agrees, except mistletoe, deemed too young and harmless to make such a vow.

In Asgard, a sense of invincibility surrounds Baldr, as the gods amuse themselves by hurling objects at him, only to watch them harmlessly bounce off. Enter Loki, the trickster god, never one to shy away from stirring chaos. He learns of the mistletoe's exemption and crafts a dart from it.

Now, here's where the tale takes its tragic turn. During one of their playful trials, Loki guides the hand of Baldr's blind brother, Höðr, helping him throw the mistletoe dart. To the horror of all present, the dart pierces Baldr, and he falls dead.

The gods, stricken with grief, try to bring Baldr back from Hel, the realm of the dead. Hel, the ruler of the realm, agrees, but with a condition — every being in the world must weep for Baldr. Alas, Loki, disguised as a giantess, refuses to shed a tear, sealing Baldr's fate in the underworld until Ragnarok.