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Odin, looking on them, saw into the eyes of Skulda even. Long, long he stood looking on the Norns with the eyes of a God, while the others listened to the murmur of the swans and the falling of the leaves of Ygdrassil into Urda's Well. Looking into their eyes, Odin saw the shadows and forebodings that Hugin and Munin told him of take shape and substance.
This was indeed a gracious gift; for Freia was the most beautiful maid in the world, and her twin brother was almost as fair. To the Vanir in return Father Odin gave his own brother Hœnir. And with Hœnir he sent Mimer the wise, whom he took from his lonely well.
Brock and his attendants stood round the throne of Odin, and hearkened to the words of the Father of the Gods. "We know why you have come into Asgard from out of Svartheim," Odin said. "You have brought things wonderful and profitable to the Dwellers in Asgard. Let what you have brought be seen, Brock.
There stood the low hut of a witch who lived in darkness, and, like the Norns, spun the thread of fate for gods and men. Odin stood before the hut, and sang a wondrous song of witchery and enchantment; and he laid a spell upon the weird woman, and forced her to come out of her dark dwelling, and to answer his questions. "Who is this stranger?" asked the witch.
Thus died Brynhild who had been made a mortal woman for her disobedience to the will of Odin, and who was won to be a mortal's wife by a falseness. They took Sigurd and his horse Grani, and his helmet and his golden war-gear and they left all on a great painted ship. They could not but leave Brynhild beside him, Brynhild with her wondrous hair and her stern and beautiful face.
Odin descends to the nether world to consult Hela; but she, like the sphinx of Thebes, will not reply save in an enigma, which enigma is to entail terrible tragedies, and lead to destruction the young hero who is the prey of the gods. In this we can trace a similarity to the life's history and death of Christ.
"What recompense will ye give?" said Hreidmar, looking at Odin with eyes that were small and sharp. Then did Odin, the Eldest of the Gods, say a word that was unworthy of his wisdom and his power. He might have said, "I will bring thee a draught of Mimir's well water as a recompense for thy son's death." But instead of thinking of wisdom, Odin All-Father thought of gold.
And the third: "A high hall is there Reared upon Hindfell, Without all around it Sweeps the red flame aloft. Wise men wrought That wonder of halls With the unhidden gleam Of the glory of gold." Then the fourth sang: "Soft on the fell A shield-may sleepeth The lime-trees' red plague Playing about her: The sleep-thorn set Odin Into that maiden For her choosing in war The one he willed not.
"By the sword of Odin!" cried the bonde, "the woman must be mad! my answer? The girl has spoken for herself, and plainly enough too! Art thou deaf, Lovisa Elsland? or are thy wits astray?" "My hearing is very good," replied Lovisa calmly, "and my mind, Olaf Gueldmar, is as clear as yours.
Tostig Lodbrog finished the mead and regarded me, while Lingaard knew better than to beg for mercy where was no mercy. "Hop o' my thumb," quoth Tostig. "By Odin, the women of the North Danes are a scurvy breed. They birth dwarfs, not men. Of what use is this thing? He will never make a man. Listen you, Lingaard, grow him to be a drink-boy at Brunanbuhr.
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