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PBOPAGATION OV EVIL. 99
or Death. The ,^ir knew that this offspring of
Loki should bring upon them great calamities;
they therefore bound the wolf on a desert island,
and set a sword ^thin its outstretched jaws ; the
MiSgarS-serpent they cast out into the deep sea,
where it encircles the whole earth's surface and
bites itself in the tail. But Hel was hurled headlong
down into Niflheim, and Al-father commanded
that all who died of sickness and old age should go
to her. Her dwelling, Helheim, is large but fright-
ful. She is half pale-blue and half white, grim and
ferocious of aspect.
The greatest grief was brought by Loki into the
whole world, when he by his deceit slew Baldur the
Good. The -^sir knew that danger was threaten-
ing Baldur, and his mother Friga took oath of all
Nature that nothing should harm him. But she
forgot a tender twig, the mistletoe. Loki tore this
up and persuaded the blind Hodur to throw it at
his^l>E9ther Baldur in sport. Loki himself guides
Hodur's hand and Baldur is killed. The -^sir are
struck dumb with grief and horror. At last Friga
sends Odin's swain HermoS to Hel, in order to ransom
Baldtir from Helheim, and Hel promises to
release him if all ^Nature bewails his death. It is
also done ; men and animals, the earth and even
the solid rocks shed tears. All but an old Jotun
woman, who will not weep, and therefore Hel keeps
back her prey. But this Jotun woman was the dis-
guised Loki, who was the greatest cause of evil
among the jEsir. Nanna, the wife of Baldur, died
of grief, and was burned upon her husband's funeral