Balder -- a sun god?

[WinterTree]

I was researching the Norse myth of the death of Balder and came across this:

Norse Mistletoe Myth
Norsemen offer us a beautiful symbolic myth about mistletoe. The story goes that Mistletoe was the sacred plant of Frigga, goddess of love and the mother of Balder, the god of the summer sun. Balder had a dream of death which greatly alarmed his mother, for should he die, all life on earth would end.

In an attempt to keep this from happening, Frigga went at once to air, fire, water, earth, and every animal and plant seeking a promise that no harm would come to her son. Balder now could not be hurt by anything on earth or under the earth. But Balder had one enemy, Loki, god of evil and he knew of one plant that Frigga had overlooked in her quest to keep her son safe. It grew neither on the earth nor under ground, but on the trees. It was lowly mistletoe. So Loki made an arrow tip of the mistletoe, gave to the blind god of winter, Hoder, who shot it, striking Balder dead. The sky paled and all things in earth and heaven wept for the sun god.

For three days each element tried to bring Balder back to life. He was finally restored by Frigga, his mother. It is said the tears she shed for her son turned into the pearly white berries on the mistletoe plant and in her joy Frigga kissed everyone who passed beneath the tree on which it grew. The story ends with a decree that who should ever stand under the humble mistletoe, no harm should befall them, only a kiss, a token of love.

(I found this at http://www.compuserve.com/greetings/mistmyth.htm )

I have never heard this version of the myth before, specifically the part about Frigga restoring Balder to life. Also, I have seen Balder being referred to as a god of light, but never as a solar deity. What's your take on this?

[Rick]

Hmm... OK, this is kinda confusing & a little difficult to sort through... yes, Balder is a God of Light, & therefore, by extension, a solar deity (but not the sun god), as the sun is the Primal Source of light. Never heard the part about Frigga restoring Balder to life; the story in the Edda goes that she could have, if all living things wept for his death, but Loki refused, & so Balder was doomed to Hel.

[WinterTree]

Hmm... OK, this is kinda confusing & a little difficult to sort through... yes, Balder is a God of Light, & therefore, by extension, a solar deity (but not the sun god), as the sun is the Primal Source of light.

Actually, I don't find that confusing at all. Thank you for the clarification!

[Mjollnir]

I agree, everything fits except the last part, after Balders death Hermod was sent to see Hel to try to get her to release him with the stipulation that everything weep for him. Everything did weep for him with the exception of Thokk who as Rick pointed out was actually Loki in disguise and after Ragnarok both Balder and Hod are reborn.

[Mjollnir]

Not to nitpick either but Frigg overlooked the mistletoe because she thought it too small to be of any harm to Balder.

[WinterTree]

Thank you Mjollnir. :)

[Mjollnir]

Thank you Mjollnir. :)


Anytime......... :sunny:

[-Ember]

The only references I've seen before regarding Baldar's resurection are post-Ragnorok.

[Rick]

There is a school of thought out there (don't get me quoting sources & references, 'cuz after 40 years, it all starts running together) that Balder, like Persephone, goes to the Underworld each fall & arises each spring... no, it's not in the Lore (where DO 'they' come up with this stuff?), but it is 'out there'... that may be the source of identifying Balder as the Sun God, cyclically waning & waxing in power... who knows?

[Grey]

It seems odd, because everything Ive seen says balder will emerge from hel after ragnaroc to lead the new order along with other godly decsendants... Ill have to check the sources at this site.

[Mjollnir]

It seems odd, because everything Ive seen says balder will emerge from hel after ragnaroc to lead the new order along with other godly decsendants... Ill have to check the sources at this site.


That part is correct, some gods survive, Balder is "released" from Hel's care and the world is reborn. I think the only controversey is what Rick had pointed out in the way of Balder arising each spring and such.

[Mjollnir]

If I remember correctly, and i may have to wind up looking this up....but Balder and Hod are reborn, Vidar survives along with I think Vali. Lif and Liftrasir and Honir also survive.

[KellyP]

Interestingly, I had never considered Baldr as a solar deity though I have reviewed the Eddas related to his death several times recently. But, now that I look again at the Gylfaginning, I see the rather obvious allusion to solar properties

"The second son of Odin is Baldr, and good things are to be said of him. He is best, and all praise him; he is so fair of feature, and so bright, that light shines from him. A certain herb is so white that it is likened to Baldr's brow; of all grasses it is whitest, and by it thou mayest judge his fairness, both in hair and in body. He is the wisest of the Ęsir, and the fairest-spoken and most gracious; and that quality attends him, that none may gainsay his judgments." (Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, Brodeur transl. Available at www.northvegr.org).

Of course, since the light is white one might conclude moon or star light just as easily. While I do not want to hijack this thread, does anyone have references as to which "herb" might have the kenning of "Baldr's brow" as noted in the above reference?

Kelly
student neo-druidic-germanic kinda dude

[banondraig]

mistletoe has white berries. also, edelweiss is german for "noble white", roughly, so the reference reminds me of that, don't know if that would be it at all as i think edelweiss grows only at high altitudes. then it also says a "grass", so i'm pretty confused myself.

[-Ember]

Always a problem in this sort of thing: common name/scientific name is a fairly new phenomenon. In a lot of older works we're guessing on the plant. Meaning shift over time or were shared.

[KellyP]

Of course, things change with time and the retelling of oral traditions. There are some researchers that question the identification of Hod's fated weapon as being mistletoe. Apparently, much of the territory where this tale is thought to originate does not contaiin mistletoe.

I was just hoping someone might have researched this facet before and have a source at hand.

Perhaps I should look at the original language of the Edda and see if the translation to grass is accurate or merely convenient.