These terms, and I suspect some hidden fraud. Bethink ye, gods, is there no other way? Speak, were not this a way, the way for gods,-- If I, if Odin, clad in radiant arms, Mounted on Sleipner, with the warrior Thor Drawn in his car beside me, and my sons, All the strong brood of heaven, to swell my train, Should make irruption into Hela’s realm, And set the fields of gloom ablaze with light, And bring in triumph Balder back to heaven?” He spake, and his fierce sons applauded loud. But Frea, mother of the gods, arose, Daughter and wife of Odin; thus she said:-- “Odin, thou whirlwind, what a threat is this! Thou threatenest what transcends thy might, even thine. For of all powers the mightiest far art thou, Lord over men on earth, and gods in heaven; Yet even from thee thyself hath been withheld One thing,--to undo what thou thyself hast ruled. For all which hath been fixed was fixed by thee. In the beginning, ere the gods were born, Before the heavens were builded, thou didst slay The giant Ymir, whom the abyss brought forth,-- Thou and thy brethren fierce, the sons of Bor,-- And cast his trunk to choke the abysmal void. But of his flesh and members thou didst build The earth and ocean, and above them heaven. And from the flaming world, where Muspel reigns, Thou sent’st and fetchedst fire, and madest lights, Sun, moon, and stars, which thou hast hung in heaven, Dividing clear the paths of night and day. And Asgard thou didst build, and Midgard fort; Then me thou mad’st; of us the gods were born. Last, walking by the sea, thou foundest spars Of wood, and framedst men, who till the earth, Or on the sea, the field of pirates, sail. And all the race of Ymir thou didst drown, Save one, Bergelmer: he on shipboard fled Thy deluge, and from him the giants sprang. But all that brood thou hast removed far off, And set by ocean’s utmost marge to dwell. But Hela into Niflheim thou threw’st, And gav’st her nine unlighted worlds to rule, A queen, and empire over all the dead. That empire wilt thou now invade, light up Her darkness, from her grasp a subject tear? Try it; but I, for one, will not applaud. Nor do I merit, Odin, thou shouldst slight Me and my words, though thou be first in heaven; For I too am a goddess, born of thee, Thine eldest, and of me the gods are sprung; And all that is to come I know, but lock In mine own breast, and have to none revealed. Come, then! since Hela holds by right her prey, But offers terms for his release to heaven, Accept the chance: thou canst no more obtain. Send through the world thy messengers; entreat All living and unliving things to weep For Balder: if thou haply thus may’st melt Hela, and win the loved one back to heaven.” She spake, and on her face let fall her veil,