40 THE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



done ? Out by the shore of the sea the people had 

 gathered to perform the last sad rites for the dead 

 hero. Balder's own ship, the Ringhorn, had been 

 drawn up on the beach, and in it were placed all 

 the most precious things that had been his. The 

 deck was piled with cedar-wood, and between the 

 layers of sticks were placed gums and rich spices 

 and fragrant leaves, and the whole pile was 

 covered with fine robes, and a couch was made 

 whereon to lay the body of the dead. Then 

 Balder's horse, Gyller the Golden, was led on 

 board, saddled and bridled as if for a long jour- 

 ney. His arms also were brought — his shield 

 and sword and bow and quiver — and laid by the 

 side of the couch. Finally the hero himself was 

 borne to his last resting-place, and Nanna, his 

 young wife who had died of grief, was laid be- 

 side him. The great ship was pushed into the 

 sea and set on fire. Wrapped in flames and hid- 

 den by dense clouds of smoke, it drifted far away 

 from the shore. 



" Alas ! alas ! " cried the people, " what will be- 

 come of us, now that Balder is dead — now that 

 the sunlight is gone out of the world? " And 

 they went to their homes weeping, and sat down 

 in the darkness and cold, and could not be- 



