Next morning was the twenty-fifth of December, and was a holy day then as now, though it was not called Christmas and was not celebrated in memory of the birth of Christ, but to commemorate the death and cremation of the pure and loving Balder, who was the Saviour of the old Northmen’s religion.
Contrary to our Christian custom, the old pagans of Sweden celebrated the birth of their Redeemer at Easter, when all nature becomes imbued with renewed life.
At the winter solstice, when nature slumbers, they kept fires burning on the mountain tops, in memory of his death and funeral pyre.
Early on Christmas morning, when Harald went out to see the Balder fires, he met three armed men in the forest. One of them asked gruffly if he knew what had become of a little green ash tree that Loki, the giant, had planted there.
Harald became very much frightened. He knew the men must be looking for the green sapling he took home the night before, for there was no other such green bush in the forest. He also knew that Loki was a fierce and terrible god to offend.
“I will not tell,” he first thought, “but run home and pull up the bush and burn it. Then they will never know what became of it.”
But, notwithstanding his fears, he could not forget his mother’s counsel: “Speak always the truth, my son, even though a sword should be swinging over your head.” Indeed, a sword was just now hanging over his head, but he would speak the truth.
As soon as he could control his trembling voice Harald confessed that he had removed a little green ash tree the night before. He begged for mercy, for he did not know that it belonged to the fearful giant.
The men told Harald to lead the way to his mother’s dwelling. Arriving there, they at once recognized the little green ash as the one belonging to Loki, and commanded Harald to pluck it up and follow them with it to the giant’s castle.
Stiff and white as though the frost giant had breathed upon him, Harald reached out his hand and touched the tree. Instantly it came from the ground of its own accord. For a moment it stood quivering and shaking its branches, which gradually became arms, and in another moment it was no longer a green sapling, but a dazzling, beautiful girl.