Editing Baldr (section)

===''Poetic Edda''===
[[Image:Mímer and Balder Consulting the Norns (1821-1822) by H. E. Freund.jpg|thumb|"Mímir and Baldr Consulting the Norns" (1821–1822) by [[H. E. Freund]].]]
[[Image:Balder.jpg|thumb|right|Baldr in an illustration to a Swedish translation of the Elder Edda.]]

Unlike the Prose Edda, in the Poetic Edda the tale of Baldr's death is referred to rather than recounted at length. Baldr is mentioned in ''[[Völuspá]]'', in ''[[Lokasenna]]'', and is the subject of the Eddic poem ''[[Baldr's Dreams]]''.

Among the visions which the [[Völva]] sees and describes in Völuspá is Baldr's death. In stanza 32, the Völva says she saw the fate of Baldr "the bleeding god":

{{poemquote|<small>[[Henry Adams Bellows (businessman)|Henry Adams Bellows]] translation:</small>
I saw for Baldr, {{!}} the bleeding god,
The son of Othin, {{!}} his destiny set:
Famous and fair {{!}} in the lofty fields,
Full grown in strength {{!}} the mistletoe stood.<ref name="Bellows">[[Henry Adams Bellows (businessman)|Bellows, Henry Adams]] (1923). ''The Poetic Edda''. [[American-Scandinavian Foundation]]. pp. 14–15, 25, 195–200.</ref>}}

In the next two stanzas, the Völva refers to Baldr's killing, describes the birth of [[Váli]] for the slaying of [[Höðr]] and the weeping of [[Frigg]]:
{{poemquote|''Stanza 33:''
From the branch which seemed {{!}} so slender and fair
Came a harmful shaft {{!}} that Hoth should hurl;
But the brother of Baldr {{!}} was born ere long,
And one night old {{!}} fought Othin's son.

''Stanza 34:''
His hands he washed not, {{!}} his hair he combed not,
Till he bore to the bale-blaze {{!}} Baldr's foe.
But in Fensalir {{!}} did Frigg weep sore
For Valhall's need: {{!}} would you know yet more?<ref name="Bellows" />}}

In stanza 62 of Völuspá, looking far into the future, the Völva says that Höðr and Baldr will come back, with the union, according to Bellows, being a symbol of the new age of peace:

{{poemquote|Then fields unsowed {{!}} bear ripened fruit,
All ills grow better, {{!}} and Baldr comes back;
Baldr and Hoth dwell {{!}} in Hropt's battle-hall,
And the mighty gods: {{!}} would you know yet more?<ref name="Bellows" />}}

[[Image:Lokasenna by Lorenz Frølich.jpg|thumb|A depiction of Loki quarreling with the gods (1895) by [[Lorenz Frølich]].]]

Baldr is mentioned in two stanzas of Lokasenna, a poem which describes a [[flyting]] between the gods and the god [[Loki]]. In the first of the two stanzas, Frigg, Baldr's mother, tells Loki that if she had a son like Baldr, Loki would be killed:

{{poemquote|''[[Jackson Crawford]] translation:''
You know, if I had a son
like Balder, sitting here
with me in Aegir's hall,
in the presence of these gods,
I declare you would never come out
alive, you'd be killed shortly.<ref name="Crawford">[[Jackson Crawford|Crawford, Jackson]]. (2015). ''The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes''. [[Hackett Publishing Company]]. p. 106.</ref>}}

In the next stanza, Loki responds to Frigg, and says that he is the reason Baldr "will never ride home again":

{{poemquote|You must want me
to recount even more
of my mischief, Frigg.
After all, I'm the one
who made it so that Balder
will never ride home again.<ref name="Crawford" />}}

[[Image:Odin rides to Hel.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.36|"Odin rides to Hel" (1908) by [[W. G. Collingwood]]]]

The Eddic poem ''[[Baldr's Dreams]]'' opens with the gods holding a council discussing why Baldr had had bad dreams:
{{poemquote|''Henry Adams Bellows translation:''
Once were the gods {{!}} together met,
And the goddesses came {{!}} and council held,
And the far-famed ones {{!}} the truth would find,
Why baleful dreams {{!}} to Baldr had come.<ref name="Bellows" />}}

Odin then rides to [[Hel (location)|Hel]] to a Völva's grave and awakens her using magic. The Völva asks Odin, who she does not recognize, who he is, and Odin answers that he is Vegtam ("Wanderer"). Odin asks the Völva for whom are the benches covered in rings and the floor covered in gold. The Völva tells him that in their location mead is brewed for Baldr, and that she spoke unwillingly, so she will speak no more:

{{poemquote|Here for Baldr {{!}} the mead is brewed,
The shining drink, {{!}} and a shield lies o'er it;
But their hope is gone {{!}} from the mighty gods.
Unwilling I spake, {{!}} and now would be still.<ref name="Bellows" />}}

Odin asks the Völva to not be silent and asks her who will kill Baldr. The Völva replies and says that Höðr will kill Baldr, and again says that she spoke unwillingly, and that she will speak no more:

{{poemquote|Hoth thither bears {{!}} the far-famed branch,
He shall the bane {{!}} of Baldr become,
And steal the life {{!}} from Othin's son.
Unwilling I spake, {{!}} and now would be still.<ref name="Bellows" />}}

Odin again asks the Völva to not be silent and asks her who will avenge Baldr's death. The Völva replies that Váli will, when he will be one night old. Once again, she says that she will speak no more:

{{poemquote|[[Rindr|Rind]] bears Vali {{!}} in Vestrsalir,
And one night old {{!}} fights Othin's son;
His hands he shall wash not, {{!}} his hair he shall comb not,
Till the slayer of Baldr {{!}} he brings to the flames.
Unwilling I spake, {{!}} and now would be still.<ref name="Bellows" />}}

Odin again asks the Völva to not be silent and says that he seeks to know who the women that will then weep be. The Völva realizes that Vegtam is Odin in disguise. Odin says that the Völva is not a Völva, and that she is the mother of three giants. The Völva tells Odin to ride back home proud, because she will speak to no more men until Loki escapes his bounds.<ref name="Bellows" />