Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/51

Rh There he saw Balder in the highest seat and spent the night with him.

Next morning he begged the goddess of death to release Balder, and told her of the sorrow of the gods and the despair of the earth.

The goddess replied: "If all created things, the lifeless as well as the living, will weep for Balder, I will release him. But if anything refuse to weep, he shall not return to Asgard."

Hermod rode back to the gods, who sent messengers throughout all the world to beg everything to weep for Balder. All things, men, animals, plants and even stones wept willingly, and the messengers returned gladly because they thought Balder would be released.

But on the way to Asgard, they found a giantess who said: "Balder never brought me gladness. I will not weep. Let Death keep him."

So because there was one thing that would not weep, Balder remained in the realm of death, and the gods were forever grieved.

Now this giantess was Loke, but the gods did not know it until long afterwards. When they found it out they determined to punish him.

Loke fled to the mountains. There he built a square house with four doors, so he could see in every direction. Often he changed himself into a salmon and hid in a stream near by. But Odin