Page:The Mythology of the Aryan Nations.djvu/367

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Some features in this legend obviously reproduce incidents in The death Greek mythology. The hound of hell who confronts the Father of Song is the dog of Yamen, the Kerberos who bars the way to Orpheus until he is lulled to sleep by his harping ; while the errand of Odin which has for its object the saving of Baldur answers to the mission of Orpheus to recover Eurydike. Odin, again, coming as Wegtam ' the wanderer reminds us at once of Odysseus the far-journeying and long-enduring. The ride of Odin is as ineffectual as the pilgrimage of Orpheus. All created things have been made to take an oath that they will not hurt the beautiful Baldur : but the mistletoe has been forgotten, and of this plant Loki puts a twig into the hand of Baldur's blind brother Hodr, who uses it as an arrow and unwittingly slays Baldur while the gods are practising archery with his body as a mark. Soon, however, Ali (or Wali) is born, a brother to Baldur, who avenges his death, but who can do so only by slaying the unlucky Hodr.

The mode in which this catastrophe is brought about cannot fail The to suggest a comparison with the myth which offers Sarpedon as a oi "eaidur. mark for the arrows of his uncles, and with the stories of golden apples shot from the heads of blooming youths, whether by William Tell, or William of Cloudeslee, or any others. In short, the gods are here in conclave, aiming their weapons at the sun, who is drawing

' " Wag-tame," broken into the road, " gnarus via." — Grimm, Teutonic Mythology, Stallybrass, i. 314.