1 1 2 Norway and the Norwegians 



And she says — 



' Be not we affrighted at such moaning ; 



Tliough on all sides the island burns. 

 Ajar lies hell-gate, the how is opened ; 



Fire I behold all round the island.' 



Then she awakes her father and he speaks to her. 



There is one more hell-journey of which I liave to 

 speak. This is the most celebrated of them all, the 

 famous ride of Odin, under the name of Vegtam, to the 

 underworld.^ Odin went to inquire what meant the 

 portents which seemed to foretell harm to Balder, and 

 which did, in fact, as we know, foretell his death. 



Like so many other journeys to the underworld, this 

 of the Sire of Gods and Men includes a visit to a tomh. 

 It is the tomb of a sibyl ; this time the tomb seems 

 itself to stand within the world of shades, just outside 

 the eastern gate of the city or citadel of Hel herself, 

 the queen of the dead. 



' Downward he rode towards Xiflhel," 

 There met him the hell-hound from its cave coming : 

 Bloody it was upon its breast ; 

 And it bayed and gaped wide 

 At the sire of runic song. 



Onward rode Odin — the earth echoed — 

 Till to the high Hel's home he came. 

 Then rode the god to the eastern gate, 

 Where he knew there was a vala's^ grave. 

 To the wise one began he his charms to chant, 

 Till she uprose a-force, and the dead one spake : 



" Say what man of men to me unknown 

 Trouble has made for me, and my rest destroj^ed. 

 Snow has snowed o'er me, rain has rained upon me, 

 Dew has bedewed me, —I have long been dead. " ' 



1 Well known through Gray's rendering : The Descent of Odin. 



2 Niflhel is a place — mist-hell. ^ Vala or Volva, a Seeress. 



