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"And why are you standing here all alone, my brave friend?" said he. "Why don't you throw something at Baldur? Hew at him with a sword, or show him some attention of that sort." "I haven't a sword," answered Hodur, with an impatient gesture; "and you know as well as I do, Loki, that Father Odin does not approve of my wearing warlike weapons, or joining in sham fights, because I am blind."
The others welcomed the blind god to the ring and made him happy by telling him that Baldur smiled at all of their strokes. "Let me throw next," said Hodur, the blind god. Loki stood by him and directed his hand as Hodur threw the mistletoe. Poor Baldur! The mistletoe pierced his heart through and through. He fell backward dead. Hodur was wild with grief.
"Come, then," said Loki, "do like the rest, and show honor to Baldur by throwing this twig at him, and I will direct thy arm towards the place where he stands." Hodur then took the mistletoe, and under the guidance of Loki, darted it at Baldur, who, pierced through and through, fell down lifeless. Surely never was there witnessed, either among gods or men, a more atrocious deed than this.
There he found Hodur standing apart, without partaking of the sports, on account of his blindness, and going up to him, said, "Why dost thou not also throw something at Baldur?" "Because I am blind," answered Hodur, "and see not where Baldur is, and have moreover nothing to throw."
The Giants threw too far and the Dwarfs could not throw far enough, while the Asyniur and the Vana threw far and wide of the mark. In the midst of all that glee and gamesomeness it was strange to see one standing joyless. But one stood so, and he was of the Æsir Hödur, Baldur's blind brother. "Why do you not enter the game?" said Loki to him in his changed voice.
This was Hödur, Baldur's blind twin-brother; he stood with his head bent downwards, silent while the others were speaking, doing nothing when they were most eager; and Loki thought that there was a discontented expression on his face, just as if he were saying to himself, "Nobody takes any notice of me." So Loki went up to him and put his hand upon his shoulder.
All of these things, Hodur, I thought strange, seeing that I know you to be nothing but a poor blind beggar who gains his bread by his skill upon the harp." "There are beggars who were not always beggars, Palka," I said slowly. "Quite so, Hodur, and there are great men and rich who sometimes appear to be beggars, and many other things.
Every day the Dwellers in Asgard went to her garden Odin and Thor, Hödur and Baldur, Tyr and Heimdall, Vidar and Vali, with Frigga, Freya, Nanna, and Sif. There was no one to pluck the apples of their tree. And a change began to come over the Gods and Goddesses. They no longer walked lightly; their shoulders became bent; their eyes no longer were as bright as dewdrops.
There he found Hodur standing apart, without partaking of the sports, on account of his blindness, and going up to him, said, "Why dost thou not also throw something at Baldur?" "Because I am blind," answered Hodur, "and see not where Baldur is, and have, moreover, nothing to throw."
"Let me feel it," said Hodur, stretching out his uncertain hands. "This way, this way, my dear friend," said Loki, giving him the twig. "Now, as hard as ever you can, to do him honor; throw!" Hodur threw Baldur fell, and the shadow of death covered the whole earth. One after another they turned and left the Peacestead, those friends and brothers of the slain.
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