Balday's Dreams

Balder's Dreams is a writ from the Elder Lore, named in Icelandish ''Baldurs Draumar. ''This is an oversetting of Henry A. Bellows's oversetting of the Elder Lore. Bellows's oversetting is in open lorddom since it was not ednewed in a timely way set by twinright law. To shed light on some things: Seester is written here as a shesome word for seer, for in the fresh writ the Völva is known as the wise-woman, but there is a better word for that. Óðinn here is shown as Wedne, as his name has overlived in Wednesday. Woden was the old Middle English spelling of his name.

1. Once were the gods together met, And the goddin came and thing held,

And the far-couth ones the truth would find, Why baleful dreams to Balder had come.

2. Then Wedne rose, the hallower old, And the saddle he laid on Slippy's back; Thence rode he down to Frosthell deep, And the hound he met that came from hell.

3. Bloody he was on his breast before, At the father of galder he howled from afar; Forward rode Wedne, the earth rung Till the house so high of Hell he reached.

4. Then Wedne rode to the eastern door, There, he knew well, was the wise-woman's mound; Galder he spoke and mighty gales, Till spell-bound she rose, and in death she spoke:

5. "What is the man, to me unknown, That has made me travel the woeful road? I was snowed on with snow, and smitten with rain, And drenched with dew; long was I dead."

Wedne spoke: 6. "Vegtam my name, I am Valtam's son; Speak thou of hell, for of heaven I know: For whom are the benches bright with rings, And the decks merry bedecked with gold?"

The Seester spoke: 7. "Here for Balder the mead is brewed, The shining drink, and a shield lies o'er it; But their hope is gone from the mighty gods. Unwilling I spoke, and now would be still."

Wedne spoke: 8. "Seester, stop not! I seek from thee All to know that I fain would ask: Who shall the bane of Balder become, And steal the life from Wedne's son?"

The Seester spoke: 9. "Hoth thither bears the far-couth branch, He shall the bane of Balder become, And steal the life from Wedne's son. Unwilling I spoke, and now would be still."

Wedne spoke: 10. "Seester, stop not! I seek from thee All to know that I fain would ask: Who shall wreaking win for the evil work, Or bring to the blaze the slayer of Balder?"

The Seester spoke: 11. "Rind bears Vali in Westernhall, And one night old fights Wedne's son;

His hands he shall wash not, his hair he shall comb not, Till the slayer of Baldr he brings to the blaze. Unwilling I spoke, and now would be still."

Wedne spoke: 12. "Seester, stop not! I seek from thee All to know that I fain would ask: What maidens are they who then shall weep, And toss to the sky the yards of the sails?"

The Seester spoke: 13. "Vegtam thou art not, as erstwhile I thought; Wedne thou art, the hallower old."

Wedne spoke: "No seester art thou, nor wisdom hast; Of ettins three the mother art thou."

The Seester spoke: 14. "Home ride, Othin, be ever proud; For no one of men shall seek me more

Till Loki wanders loose from his bonds, And to the last hild the wreckers come."