--- Hermod, the Nimble, son of Odin, offered to undertake the journey. Odin's horse, Sleipnir, which has eight legs and can outrun the wind, was then led forth, on which Hermod mounted and galloped away on his mission. For the space of nine days and as many nights he rode through deep glens so dark that he could not discern anything, until he arrived at the river Gyoll, which he passed over on a bridge covered with glittering gold. The maiden who kept the bridge asked him his name and lineage, telling him that the day before five bands of dead persons had ridden over the bridge, and did not shake it as much as he alone. "But," she added, "you don't have death's hue on you why then do you ride here on the way to Hel?"

"I ride to Hel," answered Hermod, "to seek Balder. Have you perchance seen him pass this way?"

She replied, "Balder rode over Gyoll's bridge, and yonder lies the way he took to the abodes of death."

Hermod pursued his journey until he came to the barred gates of Hel. Here he alighted, girthed his saddle tighter, and remounting clapped both spurs to his horse, who cleared the gate by a tremendous leap without touching it. Hermod then rode on to the palace, where he found his brother Balder occupying the most distinguished seat in the hall, and passed the night in his company. The next morning he besought Hel to let Balder ride home with him, assuring her that nothing but lamentations were to be heard among the gods. Hel answered that it should now be tried whether Balder was so beloved as he was to be. "If, therefore," she added, "all things in the world, both living and lifeless weep for him, then he shall return to life; but if any one thing speak against him or refuse to weep, he shall be kept in Hel."

Hermod then rode back to Asgard and gave an account of all he had heard and witnessed.

The gods upon this dispatched messengers throughout the world to beg everything to weep in order that Balder  might be delivered from Hel. All things very willingly complied with this request, both men and every other living being, as well as earths, and stones, and trees, and metals, just as we have all seen these things weep when they are brought from a cold place into a hot one. As the messengers were returning, they found an old hag named Thaukt sitting in a cavern, and begged her to weep Balder out of Hel. But she answered,

It was strongly suspect that this hag was no other than Loki himself, who never ceased to work evil among gods and men. So Balder was prevented from coming back to Asgard.