The myth of Loki and the deadly mistletoe - Iseult Gillespie

TL;DR

Baldur, the beloved god of truth and light, is tricked and killed by Loki using mistletoe, leading to a desperate journey to bring him back from the underworld.

Transcript

Baldur— son of All Father Odin and Queen Frigg, husband of Nanna the Peaceful, and God of truth and light— was the gentlest and most beloved being in all of Asgard. In his great hall of Breidablik, Baldur’s soothing presence eased his subject’s woes. But lately, he was plagued by troubles of his own. Every night, Baldur had gruesome visions f... Read More

Key Insights

• 🙂 Baldur, the god of truth and light, was the gentlest and most beloved being in Asgard.
• 🤪 Queen Frigg goes on a journey to protect Baldur from harm, but mistletoe is overlooked.
• 😒 Loki, the trickster god, uses mistletoe to deceive and kill Baldur.
• ❓ Hermod embarks on a dangerous journey to the underworld to bring Baldur back.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Baldur's mother try to protect him from his prophesied death?

Queen Frigg travels across the realms and begs all living things not to harm Baldur, and they all give their word except mistletoe.

Q: How does Loki trick Baldur's blind brother into killing him?

Loki disguises himself as an old woman and convinces Queen Frigg that mistletoe is harmless. Later, Loki guides Hodur's aim using mistletoe to kill Baldur.

Q: Who goes on a journey to bring back Baldur from the underworld?

Hermod, the brave warrior god, embarks on a journey to the Queen of the Underworld to plead for Baldur's return.

Q: How does Loki escape after tricking Hermod?

Loki transforms into a salmon and wriggles into a waterfall, but Thor captures him and binds him with a poisonous serpent.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Baldur, the gentle and beloved god, begins having visions of his own death.

• Queen Frigg, Baldur's mother, travels across realms to protect him and asks all beings not to harm him.

• Loki tricks Baldur's blind brother into killing him with mistletoe, and the gods mourn his death.