THE STORY OF BALDER THE BEAUTIFUL
By E. M. Wilmot-Buxton
Fair beyond all the sons of Odin was Balder the Beautiful, Balder of the snow-white brow and golden locks, and he was well beloved not only by the Asa folk, but also by the men of the earth below.
“Of all the twelve round Odin’s throne,
Balder the Beautiful, alone,
The Sun god, good and pure and bright,
Was loved by all, as all love light.”
Balder had a twin-brother named Hoder, who was born blind. Gloomy and silent was he, but none the less he loved his bright sun-brother best of all in heaven or earth.
The home of Balder was a place with silver roof and pillars of gold, and nothing unclean or impure was allowed to come inside its doors.