FENRIS [Craftily beckoning Baldur under the shadow of a cleft.] Tss! Wise is the One-Eyed. Tss! read me thy riddle now.
BALDUR Know then, O Fenris, Odin of himself Is weak to hold thee. Of his kin, another Conniveth with him.
FENRIS Kin, sayst?
BALDUR Thou, his son. Thou forgest Chains stubborner than Odin’s, links of lust Mightier than these of steel, which are themselves The might of these thou wearest. O my brother, Lay off thine own, and Odin’s shall be straw.
FENRIS Thus readest thy riddle?
BALDUR Thus findest thou freedom: do our father’s will. His law is wisdom. All the folk of heaven And earth and hell obey him gladly; thou— Submit thou also; make thine oath to Odin.
FENRIS Oathless be Odin; am I earth’s overlord!
[Odin beckons to the eastward with his spear. From the distance comes a flash of fire and faint thunder.]
BALDUR Hush, brother, hush! He hears; for thy pain’s sake Remember he is Allfather. Be meek.
FENRIS Am I Asa’s heir!—I—I—I am Allfather!