Balder was the god of beauty, goodness, and light in Norse mythology. He was the most beloved of the Norse gods. Balder was the son of the chief god, Odin, and the goddess Frigg.
The most important myth about Balder concerns his death. Frigg had made all things–animals, plants, and even stones–swear an oath not to harm Balder. The gods amused themselves by throwing things at Balder because they knew he could not be hurt. But the evil god Loki learned that one plant, the mistletoe, had not sworn the oath. Loki gave the blind god Hoder a sprig of mistletoe and helped him throw it at Balder. The mistletoe pierced Balder’s body and killed him.
The gods were grief-stricken by Balder’s death. Hel, the goddess of the dead, sent word that Balder could be restored to life if all things wept for him. Everything began to weep except one giantess, who was really Loki in disguise. As a result, Balder must remain dead until Ragnarok, a great battle in which the world will be destroyed by fire. A better world will rise from the ashes, and Balder will return from the dead and help rule it.
