239 
MISLETOE. 
gods. Loke, his enemy, wished to ascertain how 
it was that he always escaped unhurt. Assuming 
the form of an old woman, he repaired to Friga. 
“ In battle,” said he to her, “ arrows, javelins, and 
rocks, fall upon your son Balder, without doing 
him any harm.”I know it,” said Friga; “all 
those things have sworn not to hurt him : there is 
nothing in nature from which I have not obtained 
the same promise, except a plant which seemed too 
weak to do him any injury: it grows upon the 
bark of the oak, and it is called Misletoe.” Thus 
spake Friga. Loke instantly went in quest of the 
plant, and, returning to the assembled gods, who 
were fighting with the invulnerable Balder, for their 
sports are battles, he went up to the blind Heder. 
“ Why,” said he, “ dost not thou launch thy darts 
against Balder 1” ~ “ Alas !” replied Heder, “ I am 
blind, and I have no weapons.” Loke gave him a 
dart made of Misletoe, saying, “Balder is right 
before thee.” The blind Heder threw the dart, 
which pierced Balder, who fell lifeless. Thus the 
invulnerable son of a goddess was killed by a dart 
made of Misletoe, thrown by a blind man. Such is 
the origin of the respect paid by the Gauls to this 
parasite shrub. 
