The children of Odin - Germanic Mythology

THE WITCH'S HEART 199
and the Vanir weep afresh. And they took the body of Nanna
and they placed it side by side with Baldur's.
On his own great ship, Ringhorn, would Baldur be placed
with Nanna beside him. Then the ship would be launched on
the water and all would be burned with fire.
But it was found that none of the ^sir or the Vanir were
able to launch Baldur's great ship. Hyrroken, a Giantess, was
sent for. She came mounted on a great wolf with twisted ser-
pents for a bridle. Four Giants held fast the wolf when she
alighted. She came to the ship and with a single push she sent
it into the sea. The rollers struck out fire as the ship dashed
across them.
Then when it rode the water fires mounted on the ship. And
in the blaze of the fires one was seen bending over the body of
Baldur and whispering into his ear. It was Odin All-Father.
Then he went down off the ship and all the fires rose into a mighty
burning. Speechlessly the ^sir and the Vanir watched with
tears streaming down their faces while all things lamented, cry-
ing, "Baldur the Beautiful is dead, is dead."
And what was it that Odin All-Father whispered to Baldur
as he bent above him with the flames of the burning ship around?
He whispered of a heaven above Asgard that Surtur's flames
might not reach, and of a life that would come to beauty again
after the world of men and the world of the Gods had been
searched through and through with fire.