Norraentru

GODS

Hodr

Odin's Tale: A Father's Sorrow and Vengeance

I am Odin, Allfather, the god of wisdom and war, ruler of Asgard, and father to many, both gods and men. Today, I will tell you about my son Höðr, a tale of tragedy, injustice, and vengeance. Höðr, my blind son, whose fate was sealed the day he unknowingly became the instrument of his brother Balder's death.

Höðr was born blind, but he never let his lack of sight hinder him. He was a strong and independent person who never asked for help, even when tasks seemed impossible. He refused to let his blindness define him. He was the second son of Frigg and me, and we loved him deeply. Höðr's heart was pure; he trusted everyone and believed in the goodness of all. He lived by a principle: no one should be judged before their doubts are proven. This innocence, this naive worldview, however, became his downfall.

One day, as so many times before, the gods gathered to play their favorite game. They threw various objects at Balder, my beloved son, because nothing could harm him. Frigg, in her wisdom and motherly love, had made every living and non-living thing in the world swear not to harm Balder. But there was one thing she had overlooked—the mistletoe. It seemed so small and insignificant that she did not consider it a threat.

Loki, the trickster god, who always wore a mischievous grin, exploited this small oversight. He found Höðr, who stood alone, listening to the gods' laughter and play. Höðr had been excluded from the game because of his blindness, but Loki, with his false kindness, offered to help him join in. "Come, Höðr," Loki said with his deceitful voice. "Let me guide your hand. Here, take this bow and arrow. Shoot it at Balder, and join the game like the others."

Höðr, unaware of Loki's deceit, took the bow and arrow. With Loki's guidance, he drew the bow and fired the arrow. But this arrow was made of mistletoe, the only thing in the world that Frigg had not asked to spare Balder. As the arrow flew through the air, it was as if time stood still. It pierced Balder's chest, and my beloved son fell dead before us all. The gods froze in shock, and sorrow overwhelmed us like a dark cloud.

Inside me, a cold fury grew. How could this have happened? How could my own son have been the instrument of his brother's death? I could not comprehend it, and my heart turned to ice. In this cold, desperate state, I received a prophecy. A vision showed me that if Rindr, a giantess, bore me a child, this child would avenge Balder. With this vision as my only comfort, I sought out Rindr.

But Rindr did not want me. She refused me, and in my desperation and rage, I was forced to use magic to get what I desired. With my power, I made her pregnant. Váli was born, and before the day was over, he had grown into a full-grown man. Filled with a burning sense of justice, Váli drove a wooden spear into Höðr's chest, killing him instantly.

As Höðr took his last breath, it was as if the earth itself cried out in pain. In Midgard, several volcanoes erupted in fury, and a small ice age spread across the lands. I knew something was wrong. Höðr had been sentenced to death, but was he truly guilty? Together with Frigg, we used our divine powers to see what had really happened, and the truth was revealed to us: Loki, that shameless traitor, was the true culprit. He had manipulated Höðr, exploited his trust, and caused Balder's death.

My rage and sorrow knew no bounds. I called upon the other gods, and led by Thor, we began the hunt for Loki. He had transformed into a salmon and hid in the rivers, but we knew how to find him. Thor, the mighty thunder god, cast a net into the river, a net that Loki himself had crafted. When Loki was caught in the net, he desperately tried to escape by jumping over it, but Thor caught him by the tail, and that is why all salmon today have thin tails.

Thor and Heimdall brought the bound Loki to me. Forseti, Balder's and Nanna's son, who had lost both his father and mother in this terrible tragedy, stood beside me in Hlidskjalf, my high seat, and judged Loki guilty of this heinous crime. Forseti, always striving for justice, had earlier sought out Hel, the ruler of the underworld, to ensure that Höðr, despite his involuntary actions, would find rest in the ninth realm of Helheim, a place reserved for the most honorable souls.

Loki's punishment had to be severe, fitting his betrayal. I took Loki's son Narfi, and before Loki's eyes, I killed him. We cut him open, and Freya, with her magic, transformed Narfi's entrails into the bonds we used to bind Loki in a dark cave deep beneath the earth.

My first wife, the giantess Jörð, brought a serpent above Loki's head. Its venom dripped down onto his face, and every time a drop struck, Loki screamed so loudly in pain that the earth trembled in Midgard. These earthquakes remain a reminder of Loki's eternal torment, a punishment for his betrayal of the gods and for triggering the inevitable tragedy that would lead to Ragnarok.

This is the tale of my son Höðr, unjustly condemned to death, and of Loki, the traitor who set this entire tragedy in motion. Though vengeance was fulfilled, this story still leaves a deep sorrow in my heart. For even as Allfather, I am not immune to the pain of losing those I love, nor to the injustice that can arise even among the gods.