gave vent to their grief by such loud lamentations that they were not able to express their grief to one another. Odin, however, felt this misfortune most severely, because he knew best how great was the mischief and the loss which the gods had sustained by the death of Balder. When the gods were a little composed, Frigg asked who among them wished to gain all her love and favor by riding to the lower world to try and find Balder, and offer a ransom to Hel if she will permit Balder to return to Asgard; whereupon Hermod, surnamed the Nimble, offered to undertake the journey. Odin's horse, Sleipner, was then led forth and prepared for the journey; Hermod mounted him and galloped hastily away.
The god then took the dead body of Balder and carried it to the sea, where lay Balder's ship, Ringhorn, which was the largest of all ships. But when they wanted to launch this ship, in order to make Balder's funeral pile on it, they were unable to move it from the place. In this predicament they sent a messenger to Jotunheim for a certain giantess named Hyrroken (the smoking fire), who came riding on a wolf and had twisted serpents for her reins. As soon as she alighted Odin ordered four berserks to hold her steed, but they were obliged to throw the animal down on the ground before they could manage it. Hyrroken then went to the prow of the ship, and with a single push set it afloat; but the motion was so violent that fire sparkled from the underlaid rollers and the whole earth shook. Thor, enraged at the sight, grasped his mallet and would have broken the woman's skull, had not the gods interceded for her. Balder's body was then carried to the funeral pile on board the ship, and this ceremony had such an effect upon Balder's wife, Nanna, daughter of
